This is another draft for a future article - comments always welcome!
John
Invented by prolific arms designer John Browning too late to see anything but token employment World War I, the famous “BAR” became a mainstay during WWII and the Korean War. In truth, deployed as a squad base of fire, it was a full-power machine gun that could be carried and deployed by a single infantryman. It was used with devastating effectiveness, and there was little like it in the arsenals of the world in the mid-20th Century. It was heavy compared to a standard rifle, but it had great range and killing ability. The standard joke in the “brown shoe” army was that they always gave the big Browning Automatic Rifle to the littlest guy in the squad. Nonetheless, the burden of humping these “heavy hitters” into battle yielded a tremendous advantage to our soldiers. The Army’s WWII table of organization and equipment (T. O. & E.) called for one in every 9-man infantry squad. It wasn’t until 1957 that it was officially superseded by the M14 rifle.
John Browning, in response to the lack of reliable automatic weapons in France, devoted his efforts to developing a suitable automatic rifle chambered for the standard .30-06 cartridge in 1917. The resulting arm was demonstrated, impressed the authorities, and was quickly placed into production in 1918. This first Model 1918 was made during World War I by Colt, Winchester, and Marlin Rockwell. Browning’s son Lt. Val Browning demonstrated the weapon in France during the war. The BAR was originally set up to be fired from the hip in “walking fire,” supported by an over-the-shoulder sling. Unfortunately, few of these weapons made it to France before the armistice ended the Great War on November 11, 1918, in spite of about 85,000 having been manufactured.
There were a number of models made over the years. The first, the Model 1918, weighed 16 pounds and was the lightest, since it did not employ a bipod. It was selective fire – full auto and semiautomatic. A tube-type flash suppressor was attached to the muzzle of the 24-inch barrel. The buttplate closely resembled that of the M1917 “Enfield” rifle used in large numbers during WWI. There was no flip-up support plate attached to the butt. Since the M1918 and the Enfield used the same full-power .30-06 cartridge, the rear sight closely resembles and was calibrated similarly to that on the Enfield. This model entered U.S. service and was standard for 19 years.
In 1937, a couple of modifications were made to the original model, resulting in the M1918A1. Dispensing with the concept of “walking fire,” this one had a flip-up shoulder support, and a spike-footed bipod which was attached to the gas cylinder directly in front of the checkered wooden forearm. These things made the arm more comfortable and accurate when used in the prone position, now its primary deployment mode.
The Model 1918A2 was put into service just before the U.S. entered World War II. A new bipod with skid-type feet was moved forward and fitted to the tubular flash hider. There were adjustments possible on each leg for height. The forearm was reduced in height and shortened. A removable stock rest could be fitted to a hole in the wooden buttstock. The shoulder rest was made shorter. A metal shield was placed in the forearm as a protection against excessive heat damaging the recoil spring and guide. Magazine guidance guards were attached to both sides of the front of the trigger guard. These also aided in keeping the 20-round magazine more stable. The rear sight now more closely resembled that of the M1918A4 machine gun. This sight was adjustable for both elevation and windage. While the M1918A2 was full-automatic only, single shots could be fired by tapping the trigger momentarily when the selector was set on the slow rate of fire. During WWII, this version went through some progressive modifications. A short forearm was provided with grasping grooves, the stock rest was ditched, and a plastic buttstock was utilized, giving the BAR the honor of having the first plastic furniture on a U.S. combat longarm. Late in the war, a wooden carrying handle was added, but this didn’t see much service. A prong-type flash suppressor came into use during the Korean War, as did a gas cylinder regulator that could easily be adjusted by hand instead of with a combination tool. The primary manufacturers of the BAR during WWII were IBM and New England Small Arms Corporation. They produced a total of about 208,000 during the war. In the early 1950s, Royal McBee Typewriter Corporation made about 61,000 BARs. The rifle illustrated is one of these.
There was also a Model 1922, an oddball number developed for the cavalry. It had a heavy barrel with radial cooling fins, and a butt swivel on the left of the stock. It was also equipped with a groove around the buttstock designed to accommodate a butt rest clamp, a bipod attached directly to the barrel, and a rear sight similar to that of the 1918A2. Not very many were made, and they were declared obsolete with the demise of the cavalry around 1940.
After the war, a T34 version was made experimentally to chamber the 7.62mm NATO cartridge, making it the very last of the U.S. military BAR line.
Colt’s Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company made modified versions for sales to police and foreign entities. One was the Colt Monitor (a short-barreled type), and another was the R75A, which had a quick-change barrel. Among a number of foreign manufacturers, Fabrique Nationale in Belgium notably produced several different versions.
The gas-operated BAR fires from the open-bolt position for cooling efficiency and to guard against cartridge “cook-offs” from a hot barrel. It’s readied for firing by turning the selector lever on the left side to “S” for safety, and pulling the left-side operating handle all the way back. This retracts and catches the bolt in the rearward position. The handle is then slid forward, where it will then not reciprocate on firing. Insert the loaded magazine and slap it home. For the M1918 and A1 models, the selector lever is set to “A” for full automatic, or “F” for semiautomatic fire. On the Model 1918A2s, there are two rates of fire. Moving the selector lever to “F” will give slow automatic fire (300-450 rounds per minute), and “A” will give a faster cyclic rate (550-600 rpm). As mentioned, tapping the trigger in the “F” mode will fire single shots. When fired, the massive bolt jumps forward with considerable spring-powered energy, chambering rounds and continuing to fire as long as the trigger is held down and there is ammo in the magazine. The “hump” on the receiver contains the locking surfaces for the bolt lock when the bolt is in the forward position. The internal mechanics are complex, but worked out carefully by Browning to give very reliable operation. Field stripping is also complex, not intuitive, and difficult to do right until learned and practiced often.
The BAR was made with a massive solid steel receiver, and most of its many parts were also made of steel. These components made for a heavy firearm, made to last a lifetime of use. In quick-moving combat, BAR men who had to lug them would often discard the bipod (and the carrying handle, if present) to save weight and give better mobility. Fully up, the BAR weighed about 21 pounds; these measures brought it back down by about four pounds.
I have had personal experience firing the 1918A2 model when I was in Army JROTC in the mid-fifties. On first encounter, when dry-firing it, one is surprised by the clash and shock of the bolt slamming forward with such force. Upon actual firing, the recoil is nicely absorbed by the weight of the gun and the gas operation. In the slow fire mode, it’s actually pretty easy to tap off single shots. In combat, this would be an advantage so as to not alert your enemy to the fact that you have a full-automatic arm until it’s really needed for mass fire. Two or more BARs with interlocking fields of fire can provide very deadly cover when required to support infantry maneuvering. It’s no wonder that the BAR was mourned when it became obsolete. A number of attempts were made to permit the M14 rifle to serve in the supporting fire role, but none were very satisfactory due to its lighter weight. John Browning made the BAR robust and heavy for a reason – it had to withstand the substantial recoil of a full-power battle cartridge and stay on target in full automatic fire. And this it did. Changing the 20-round magazines frequently was a bit of a pain, but as long as this was done with dexterity and the ammo held out, the old BAR was the infantryman’s friend.
Full-auto BARs are of course controlled and taxed under the National Firearms Act of 1934, and no more can be sold than are currently on the market. Semiautomatic-only versions have been made for collectors, and these are quite expensive as well as being in high demand. The Browning Automatic Rifle is iconic and was seen in nearly every World War II battle in which the U.S. was engaged. It soldiered on in Korea and even in the early stages of the Vietnam War. It’s a true classic as a milestone in U.S. military armament.
(c) 2014 JLM
John
Invented by prolific arms designer John Browning too late to see anything but token employment World War I, the famous “BAR” became a mainstay during WWII and the Korean War. In truth, deployed as a squad base of fire, it was a full-power machine gun that could be carried and deployed by a single infantryman. It was used with devastating effectiveness, and there was little like it in the arsenals of the world in the mid-20th Century. It was heavy compared to a standard rifle, but it had great range and killing ability. The standard joke in the “brown shoe” army was that they always gave the big Browning Automatic Rifle to the littlest guy in the squad. Nonetheless, the burden of humping these “heavy hitters” into battle yielded a tremendous advantage to our soldiers. The Army’s WWII table of organization and equipment (T. O. & E.) called for one in every 9-man infantry squad. It wasn’t until 1957 that it was officially superseded by the M14 rifle.
John Browning, in response to the lack of reliable automatic weapons in France, devoted his efforts to developing a suitable automatic rifle chambered for the standard .30-06 cartridge in 1917. The resulting arm was demonstrated, impressed the authorities, and was quickly placed into production in 1918. This first Model 1918 was made during World War I by Colt, Winchester, and Marlin Rockwell. Browning’s son Lt. Val Browning demonstrated the weapon in France during the war. The BAR was originally set up to be fired from the hip in “walking fire,” supported by an over-the-shoulder sling. Unfortunately, few of these weapons made it to France before the armistice ended the Great War on November 11, 1918, in spite of about 85,000 having been manufactured.
There were a number of models made over the years. The first, the Model 1918, weighed 16 pounds and was the lightest, since it did not employ a bipod. It was selective fire – full auto and semiautomatic. A tube-type flash suppressor was attached to the muzzle of the 24-inch barrel. The buttplate closely resembled that of the M1917 “Enfield” rifle used in large numbers during WWI. There was no flip-up support plate attached to the butt. Since the M1918 and the Enfield used the same full-power .30-06 cartridge, the rear sight closely resembles and was calibrated similarly to that on the Enfield. This model entered U.S. service and was standard for 19 years.
In 1937, a couple of modifications were made to the original model, resulting in the M1918A1. Dispensing with the concept of “walking fire,” this one had a flip-up shoulder support, and a spike-footed bipod which was attached to the gas cylinder directly in front of the checkered wooden forearm. These things made the arm more comfortable and accurate when used in the prone position, now its primary deployment mode.
The Model 1918A2 was put into service just before the U.S. entered World War II. A new bipod with skid-type feet was moved forward and fitted to the tubular flash hider. There were adjustments possible on each leg for height. The forearm was reduced in height and shortened. A removable stock rest could be fitted to a hole in the wooden buttstock. The shoulder rest was made shorter. A metal shield was placed in the forearm as a protection against excessive heat damaging the recoil spring and guide. Magazine guidance guards were attached to both sides of the front of the trigger guard. These also aided in keeping the 20-round magazine more stable. The rear sight now more closely resembled that of the M1918A4 machine gun. This sight was adjustable for both elevation and windage. While the M1918A2 was full-automatic only, single shots could be fired by tapping the trigger momentarily when the selector was set on the slow rate of fire. During WWII, this version went through some progressive modifications. A short forearm was provided with grasping grooves, the stock rest was ditched, and a plastic buttstock was utilized, giving the BAR the honor of having the first plastic furniture on a U.S. combat longarm. Late in the war, a wooden carrying handle was added, but this didn’t see much service. A prong-type flash suppressor came into use during the Korean War, as did a gas cylinder regulator that could easily be adjusted by hand instead of with a combination tool. The primary manufacturers of the BAR during WWII were IBM and New England Small Arms Corporation. They produced a total of about 208,000 during the war. In the early 1950s, Royal McBee Typewriter Corporation made about 61,000 BARs. The rifle illustrated is one of these.
There was also a Model 1922, an oddball number developed for the cavalry. It had a heavy barrel with radial cooling fins, and a butt swivel on the left of the stock. It was also equipped with a groove around the buttstock designed to accommodate a butt rest clamp, a bipod attached directly to the barrel, and a rear sight similar to that of the 1918A2. Not very many were made, and they were declared obsolete with the demise of the cavalry around 1940.
After the war, a T34 version was made experimentally to chamber the 7.62mm NATO cartridge, making it the very last of the U.S. military BAR line.
Colt’s Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company made modified versions for sales to police and foreign entities. One was the Colt Monitor (a short-barreled type), and another was the R75A, which had a quick-change barrel. Among a number of foreign manufacturers, Fabrique Nationale in Belgium notably produced several different versions.
The gas-operated BAR fires from the open-bolt position for cooling efficiency and to guard against cartridge “cook-offs” from a hot barrel. It’s readied for firing by turning the selector lever on the left side to “S” for safety, and pulling the left-side operating handle all the way back. This retracts and catches the bolt in the rearward position. The handle is then slid forward, where it will then not reciprocate on firing. Insert the loaded magazine and slap it home. For the M1918 and A1 models, the selector lever is set to “A” for full automatic, or “F” for semiautomatic fire. On the Model 1918A2s, there are two rates of fire. Moving the selector lever to “F” will give slow automatic fire (300-450 rounds per minute), and “A” will give a faster cyclic rate (550-600 rpm). As mentioned, tapping the trigger in the “F” mode will fire single shots. When fired, the massive bolt jumps forward with considerable spring-powered energy, chambering rounds and continuing to fire as long as the trigger is held down and there is ammo in the magazine. The “hump” on the receiver contains the locking surfaces for the bolt lock when the bolt is in the forward position. The internal mechanics are complex, but worked out carefully by Browning to give very reliable operation. Field stripping is also complex, not intuitive, and difficult to do right until learned and practiced often.
The BAR was made with a massive solid steel receiver, and most of its many parts were also made of steel. These components made for a heavy firearm, made to last a lifetime of use. In quick-moving combat, BAR men who had to lug them would often discard the bipod (and the carrying handle, if present) to save weight and give better mobility. Fully up, the BAR weighed about 21 pounds; these measures brought it back down by about four pounds.
I have had personal experience firing the 1918A2 model when I was in Army JROTC in the mid-fifties. On first encounter, when dry-firing it, one is surprised by the clash and shock of the bolt slamming forward with such force. Upon actual firing, the recoil is nicely absorbed by the weight of the gun and the gas operation. In the slow fire mode, it’s actually pretty easy to tap off single shots. In combat, this would be an advantage so as to not alert your enemy to the fact that you have a full-automatic arm until it’s really needed for mass fire. Two or more BARs with interlocking fields of fire can provide very deadly cover when required to support infantry maneuvering. It’s no wonder that the BAR was mourned when it became obsolete. A number of attempts were made to permit the M14 rifle to serve in the supporting fire role, but none were very satisfactory due to its lighter weight. John Browning made the BAR robust and heavy for a reason – it had to withstand the substantial recoil of a full-power battle cartridge and stay on target in full automatic fire. And this it did. Changing the 20-round magazines frequently was a bit of a pain, but as long as this was done with dexterity and the ammo held out, the old BAR was the infantryman’s friend.
Full-auto BARs are of course controlled and taxed under the National Firearms Act of 1934, and no more can be sold than are currently on the market. Semiautomatic-only versions have been made for collectors, and these are quite expensive as well as being in high demand. The Browning Automatic Rifle is iconic and was seen in nearly every World War II battle in which the U.S. was engaged. It soldiered on in Korea and even in the early stages of the Vietnam War. It’s a true classic as a milestone in U.S. military armament.
(c) 2014 JLM
Last edited:
