Rifle, Caliber .30, Automatic, Browning, M1918
Browning M1918A2
Type	Automatic rifle
Place of origin	United States
Service history
In service	1917–1960s (U.S.)
Used by	United States
Wars	World War I, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War (limited), Palestinian Civil War
Production history
Designed	1917
Produced	1917–1940s
Number built	See design
Variants	M1918A1, M1918A2, M1922
Specifications
Weight	7.2–8.8 kg (16–19 lb) empty
Length	1,214 mm (47.8 in)
Barrel length	610 mm (24 in)
Cartridge	.30-06 Springfield (7.62x63mm)
Action	Gas-operated, open bolt
Rate of fire	300–650 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity	805 m/s (2,640 ft/s)
Effective range	548 m (600 yd)
Feed system	20-round detachable box magazine

The Browning Automatic Rifle (more formally designated first as the Rifle, Caliber .30, Automatic, Browning, M1918 and later the Browning Automatic Rifle, Caliber .30, M1918A2; and commonly known as the BAR), is a family of automatic rifles (or machine rifles) and light machine guns used by the United States and other countries during the 20th century. Heckler & Koch G41 automatic rifles are legal in asutralia an america with lisence An automatic rifle is a term generally used to describe a self-loading rifle capable of firing either semi or fully-automatically from a magazine or belt of ammunition. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... “The Great War ” redirects here. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Belligerents United Nations: Republic of Korea Australia Belgium Canada Colombia Ethiopia France Greece Luxembourg Netherlands New Zealand Philippines South Africa Thailand Turkey United Kingdom United States Naval Support and Military Servicing/Repairs: Japan Medical staff: Denmark Italy Norway India Sweden DPR Korea PR China Soviet Union Commanders Syngman Rhee Chung... Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... The term Palestinian Civil War can either refer to: The 1947-48 Palestinian Civil War The 2006-2007 Fatah-Hamas conflict Category: ... The Browning Automatic Rifle (more formally designated first as the Rifle, Caliber . ... Kg redirects here. ... Look up pound in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... .30-06 Springfield cartridge specifications. ... In firearms terminology, an action is the system of operation that the firearm employs to seal the breech (in a breech-loading firearm), and to load consecutive rounds. ... Gas-operated firearm. ... A semi or fully-automatic firearm which is said to fire from an open bolt is one where, when ready to fire, the bolt and working parts are held to the rear. ... (for paintball markers also)Rate of fire is the frequency at which a specific weapon can fire or launch its projectiles. ... A guns muzzle velocity is the speed at which the projectile leaves the muzzle of the gun. ... Metre per second (U.S. spelling: meter per second) is an SI derived unit of both speed (scalar) and velocity (vector), defined by distance in metres divided by time in seconds. ... Feet per second is a unit of speed; it expressses the number of feet traveled in one second. ... This article is about the unit of length. ... A yard (abbreviation: yd) is the name of a unit of length in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... A 30-round STANAG magazine. ... Heckler & Koch G41 automatic rifles are legal in asutralia an america with lisence An automatic rifle is a term generally used to describe a self-loading rifle capable of firing either semi or fully-automatically from a magazine or belt of ammunition. ... The M249 Squad Automatic Weapon, one of the most popular modern 5. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the...

It was designed in 1917 by the weapons designer John Browning, primarily as a replacement for (and improvement on) the French-made Chauchat and Hotchkiss M1909. The BAR was originally intended as a light automatic rifle, but spent much of its career in various guises used in the light machine gun role with a bipod. The original M1918 version was and remains the lightest service machine gun to fire the .30-06 Springfield cartridge, though the limited capacity of its standard 20-round magazine tended to hamper its utility as a light machine gun. John Moses Browning (January 21[1] or January 23,[2] 1855 – November 26, 1926), born in Ogden, Utah, was an American firearms designer who developed myriad varieties of weapons, cartridges, and gun mechanics, many of which are still in use around the world. ... The Chauchat (pronounced show-shah) was a light machine gun used mainly by the French Army but also by seven other nations, including the USA, during and after World War I. Its formal designation in the French Army was Fusil-Mitrailleur Mle 1915 CSRG. It was also known as the... Soldiers with a M1909 The Benet-Mercie Machine Rifle, Caliber . ... A bipod is a support device that is similar to a tripod or monopod, but with only two legs. ... .30-06 Springfield cartridge specifications. ... This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... A 30-round STANAG magazine. ...

History and design

The BAR is a gas-operated, air-cooled, magazine-fed automatic rifle that fires from an open bolt. Built for the U.S. military, the BAR was chambered for the standard .30-06 Springfield service round. The rifle weighed between 16 and 19 pounds (7.3 to 8.6 kg) empty, depending upon the model. The barrel is screwed into the receiver and is not quickly detachable. The magazine was a 20 round detachable box, though a 40-round version was briefly issued for anti-aircraft use. Gas-operated firearm. ... A semi or fully-automatic firearm which is said to fire from an open bolt is one where, when ready to fire, the bolt and working parts are held to the rear. ... The United States Armed Forces are the military services of the United States. ... .30-06 Springfield cartridge specifications. ... Look up pound in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Kg redirects here. ...

The BAR remained in limited use during the early part of the Vietnam War

BAR

From its inception, the BAR M1918 was an automatic rifle. First issued end of September 1918 to the AEF, it was based on the concept of "walking fire" a French practise in use since 1916 for which the CSRG 1915 had been used in an automatic weapon accompanying advancing squads of riflemen toward the enemy trenches since the machine guns were too heavy to follow the troops during an assault. In addition to shoulder-fired operation, BAR gunners were issued a belt with magazine pouches for the BAR and sidearm along with a "cup" to support the stock of the rifle when held at the hip. In theory, this allowed the soldier to lay suppressive fire while walking forward, keeping the enemy's head down until it was too late. (The idea would resurface in the submachine gun and ultimately the assault rifle.) It is not known if any of these belt-cup devices actually saw combat use. The BAR saw little action in WWI, in part due to the Armistice, in part because the U.S. Army was reluctant to have the BAR fall into enemy hands, its first action being in September of 1918. Eighty-five thousand BARs were built by the war's end. Image File history File links BARVietnam. ... Image File history File links BARVietnam. ... Rifleman - allied soldier from World War II. Rifleman is a private soldier in a rifle unit of infantry. ... Folding stock of a SIG 550 rifle A stock or buttstock or shoulder stock is present in many firearms and some crossbows, and performs three functions - to facilitate easy and steady holding and aiming of the weapon prior to and during firing (which may be further assisted by a sling... It has been suggested that Spray and pray be merged into this article or section. ... The MP5 is a third-generation submachine gun that is widely used by law enforcement tactical teams and military forces. ... The AK-47 is the worlds most common assault rifle. ... A white flag is traditionally used to represent a truce. ...

In 1922, the M1922 BAR was introduced. This version was equipped with a flanged or finned barrel and side-mounted sling swivel, and was intended for use by the U.S. Cavalry. The M1922 had no bipod as issued, although one could be fitted if desired. In terms of designation, a slight difference in terminology existed as to the M1922, which was termed a "machine rifle", as opposed to an "automatic rifle" or "machine gun". In June 1937, a small number of M1918s were modified to include a spiked bipod attached to the gas cylinder and a hinged buttplate. These weapons were designated M1918A1.

In 1940, the final BAR model—the M1918A2—was introduced. This model did away with the semi-automatic fire option in favor of fully automatic fire only. The rate of fire was adjustable, with a choice between "fast-auto" (500–650 round/min) and "slow-auto" (300–450 round/min). This was accomplished by the use of a highly complicated recoil buffer mechanism that was difficult to clean, and often proved susceptible in service to damage from moisture and corrosion, often rendering the weapon inoperable. The (unspiked) bipod was now attached to the barrel, a flash hider was added, a rear monopod was hinged to the butt, and the weapon's role was changed to that of a squad light machinegun. Its success in this role was mixed at best, since the BAR's fixed non-replaceable barrel and small magazine capacity greatly limited its utility in comparison to genuine light machineguns such as the Bren or the Japanese Type 96. The bipod and flashhider, being easily removable, were often discarded by troops to save weight and improve the portability of the BAR. In combat, particularly in the Pacific theatre of war, the BAR effectively reverted to its original role as a portable, shoulder-fired automatic rifle. In 1942, a fiberglass buttstock replaced the wood version, and late in the war, a barrel-mounted carrying handle was added. This article does not cite its references or sources. ... The Bren (from Brno (the Czechoslovakian town of design) and Enfield, the location of the British Royal Small Arms Factory), usually called the Bren Gun, was a series of squad automatic weapon/light machine guns adopted by Britain in the 1930s and used in various roles into the 1980s. ... Type 96 LMG -Type 96 Light Machine Gun Introduced year : 1936 Caliber : 6. ...

Issued as the heavy fire support for a squad, all men were trained at the basic level how to operate and fire the BAR in case the man carrying it was out of action. While not without its design flaws (a thin-diameter, fixed barrel that quickly overheated, limited magazine capacity, complex field-strip/cleaning procedure, unreliable recoil buffer mechanism, a gas cylinder assembly made of corrosion-prone metals, and many small internal parts), the basic BAR design nevertheless proved itself when kept clean and earned a reputation as being rugged and reliable. It served as a frontline standard weapon from the latter days of World War I through World War II, and was pressed into use in the Korean War as well. The BAR was also used in the early stages of the Vietnam War, when the U.S. passed a quantity to the South Vietnamese. Quantities of the BAR remained in use by the Army National Guard up until the mid 1970s. Many nations in NATO and recipients of U.S. foreign aid adopted the BAR and used it into the 1990s. Poland (Browning wz.1928), Belgium (FN M1930) and Sweden (Kulsprutegevär m/21 and m/37) developed and issued BAR variants during the 1930s which had pistol grips and quick-change barrels. A front line is a line of confrontation in an armed conflict, most often a war. ... “The Great War ” redirects here. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Belligerents United Nations: Republic of Korea Australia Belgium Canada Colombia Ethiopia France Greece Luxembourg Netherlands New Zealand Philippines South Africa Thailand Turkey United Kingdom United States Naval Support and Military Servicing/Repairs: Japan Medical staff: Denmark Italy Norway India Sweden DPR Korea PR China Soviet Union Commanders Syngman Rhee Chung... Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... Anthem Thanh niên Hành Khúc (Call to the Citizens) Capital Saigon Language(s) Vietnamese Government Republic Last President¹ Duong Van Minh Last Prime minister Vu Van Mau Historical era Cold War  - Regime change June 14, 1955  - Dissolution April 30, 1975 Area  - 1973 173,809 km² 67,108... This article is about the military alliance. ... The Browning wz. ... On a firearm, a pistol grip is a portion of the gun which is held by the hand that orients the hand in a manner similar to the position one would take with a conventional pistol such as a Colt 1911. ...

Civilian ownership

The BAR proved a popular civilian weapon in the U.S., although fully automatic models were greatly restricted in the 1930s, which made them much harder to own and transfer. Importation of machine guns for U.S. civilian transfer was banned in 1968, and U.S. production of machine guns for civilian transfer was banned in 1986. Transferable civilian-owned BAR models remain, however.

Clyde Barrow of Bonnie and Clyde used a shortened BAR (stolen from National Guard armories) during his spree in the 1930s. The six lawmen who killed Bonnie and Clyde also used a variant of the BAR called the Monitor in their ambush. This article is about the outlaws. ... The United States National Guard is a reserve forces component of the United States Army (the Army National Guard) and the United States Air Force (the Air National Guard). ...

A modern manufacturer of firearms has produced a semi-automatic version of the Browning Automatic Rifle known as the 1918A3 SLR ("self-loading rifle").[1]

The 'BAR' hunting rifle currently offered by Browning is a completely different firearm, unrelated in design to the Browning military weapons. Browning Arms Company was founded in Utah in 1927. ...

Variants

United States

M1918 BAR with Mk 2 grenade

Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1116x194, 57 KB) Summary Picture taken on trip to Virginia War Museum, March 14, 2006 Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1116x194, 57 KB) Summary Picture taken on trip to Virginia War Museum, March 14, 2006 Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... A Vietnam era MK2 grenade. ...

M1918

• Initial model fielded during WWI and the inter-war period

M1918A1

• Produced in 1937 by modifying M1918
• Attached bipod

M1918A2

• Produced from 1940 onwards
• Detachable bipod
• Fully automatic, with "slow" (300–450 round/min) and "fast" (500–650 round/min) rates of fire
• Late-war models switched to plastic stock
• Predominant model of all BAR variants

M1922

• Bipod and stock-mounted rear monopod
• Heavier barrel with small cooling fins
• Light machine gun version

International

Browning wz.1928

Main article: Browning wz.1928

• A variant of the M1918 BAR produced by Fabrique Nationale (FN) in Belgium to Polish requirements prior to WWII. License-produced in Poland.
• Chambered for the 7.92x57mm Mauser.
• Used a pistol grip rather than the conventional rifle stock grip.

The Browning wz. ... Company logo Cypriot National Guard with a FN P90 at a parade in Larnaca Fabrique Nationale de Herstal, more often abbreviated as Fabrique Nationale or simply FN, is a Belgian manufacturer of firearms. ... The 8mm Mauser cartridge next to a United States nickel. ... On a firearm, a pistol grip is a portion of the gun which is held by the hand that orients the hand in a manner similar to the position one would take with a conventional pistol such as a Colt 1911. ...

FN M1930

• Variant produced by FN for Belgian military, chambered for the 7.92x57mm cartridge and featuring a pistol grip. FN also produced a subvariant with a quick-change barrel referred to as the Type D. See FN BAR.

The FN Model 1930 BAR was the Belgian-produced variant of the M1918 BAR, re-chambered for the German 7. ...

Kulsprutegevär m/21 and m/37

Kulsprutegevär m/21 (Kg m/21) were M1918 BARs built in the US to Swedish specifications; the main differences to the M1918 were the detachable pistol grip, spiked bipod and use of the 6.5x55mm Swedish Mauser round. Initially produced by Colt, and then under license by Carl Gustafs Stads Gevärsfaktori in Eskilstuna, Sweden. The Kulsprutegevär m/37 variant, introduced in 1937, added a quick-change barrel and was in use by the Swedish Armed Forces until the 1970s. The Kgm m/21 and m/37 were Browning M1918 BARs manufactured under licence in Sweden but had different features. ... 6. ... For other uses, see CMC. Colts Manufacturing Company (CMC--formerly Colts Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company) is a United States firearms manufacturer founded in 1847. ... Eskilstuna River and Gamla Stan (Old Town) Klosters church of Eskilstuna. ... The Swedish Armed Forces, or Försvarsmakten, is a Government agency responsible for the peacetime operation of the armed forces of Sweden. ...

BAR in .303 British

• Not much is known about the BAR in British Service, but some chambered in the .303 British round were believed to have been used by the Home Guard.

This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Commercial

Colt Automatic Machine Rifle

• Commercial variant made by Colt in several versions between the 1920s and the beginning of WWII, for civilian and law enforcement markets.
• One variant, the R80 Monitor, featured an 18-inch barrel, a lightweight receiver, and an ejection port cover along with a Cutts compensator.

The muzzle brake of the 105 mm gun on an AMX 10 RC fighting vehicle. ...

Ohio Ordnance Works 1918A3 SLR

• The 1918A3 SLR (self-loading rifle) is a modern semi-automatic commercial version of the BAR aimed at the civilian market. The "1918A3" designation is not a military type-classification.

Barrow Scattergun

• The 'Scattergun' was a customized M1918 BAR with the barrel chopped shorter and sometimes the stock sawed off. This variant was customized by the Bonnie and Clyde gang.^[1]

This article is about the outlaws. ...

Citations

References

• Dunlap, Roy F., Ordnance Went Up Front, Samworth Press, 1948.
• Hogg, Ian V. and Weeks, John, Military Small Arms of the 20th Century, DBI Books Inc.
• FM 23–15: Basic Field Manual — Browning Automatic Rifle, Caliber .30, M1918A2 (30 June 1943)

External links

• Modern Firearms
• The BAR-family in Sweden
• 90th Infantry Division Preservation Group - Reference manual page including 4 BAR manuals
• WW2DB: Browning Automatic Rifle 'BAR'

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Browning M1918 (BAR)

• Bren gun
• Kg/1940 Light machine gun
• Mendoza RM2
• Huot automatic rifle