Browning Automatic Carbine (Auto-22)

     Notes: This weapon was first designed by John Browning in 1908, but production did not begin until 1913.  It was built in several production batches: 1913-14, 1920-40, 1947-76, and (by the Miroku Firearms Company in Japan) from 1976 until this day.  It is a simple autoloading small-caliber rifle with a tubular magazine in the butt instead of under the barrel.  The magazine in the butt has an unusual feature: there is a port cut in the butt allowing the magazine to be half-filled without removing the entire magazine.  The original model came in versions firing .22 Long Rifle (the most common by far) or .22 Short (a rare variant).  Other variants include the very basic Model A, with a small magazine and overall smaller size; the Model B, an improved model A with a checkered pistol grip butt and better-quality woods; the BAC Deluxe, with a grayed steel receiver (Grade III), or a even more elaborate artwork (Grade IV), or gold-inlaid artwork (Grade V), attractive artwork on the receiver, and a version able to fire .22 Magnum rounds.

Browning BAR

     Notes: This is basically the updated, semiautomatic counterpart to the BBR.  These weapons are very popular in North America, South America, and Europe.  It is a very elegant design, simple to use and maintain, and can often be found with engraved artwork (often gold-inlaid).  Barrels as were 22 inches long for the standard guns, but a 22-inch barrel was later made available.  The First BARs were introduced in 1967, initially called the Browning High-Power Auto Rifle.  The .280 version was not introduced until 1988.  All BARs have some type of iron sights and are also drilled and tapped.

     Variants of the basic design include the Battue, introduced in the mid-1980s; this version has a folding leaf sight at the quarter-rib.  It is otherwise identical to standard BAR for game purposes.  The BAR Big Game Special Edition was a version in .30-06, using a 22-inch barrel that is heavy and target-crowned.  The trigger is gold-plated, and the silver-gray receiver has engraved scenes of a mule deer on the left and white-tail deer on the left.  Each scene also has a trophy head of the animal inlaid with gold.  Only 600 of this model were built between 1987-88.  The BAR Deluxe is just as it sounds, a deluxe version of the BAR; the primary difference is the engraving on the receiver and the quality wood used in its stock, and it is otherwise identical to the standard BAR for game purposes.  The BAR Magnum is, as the name indicates, a magnum-firing version of the BAR, with a 24-inch barrel.  The .300 Winchester Magnum was introduced in 1969; the .338 version disappeared in 1977, but was re-introduced in 1988.  The Safari is basically a Magnum with a heavy barrel and stalking-type iron sights. The Lightweight has a light alloy receiver and a short 20.05-inch barrel; it was introduced in 1996.  Shortly thereafter (2000) came the Lightweight Magnum, basically the same as the Lightweight but magnum-firing.  The Light Battue Prima was introduced in 2001, basically a Battue built to Lightweight standards and firing a different mix of calibers.  In 2002, a number of special versions of the BAR appeared, such as the BAR Evolve, with the light alloy receiver but a full 22-inch barrel.  The BAR Light Stalker has a light alloy receiver, stalking-type sights, a dark gray plastic stock, 22-inch barrel, and a limited selection of chamberings.

     In 1985, the BAR name was dropped (except in the US), and the rifle renamed the Affut.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: These weapons can be found in the hands of many a hunter or militia member.  However, only the standard BAR, the Big-Game Special, and the Magnum exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Browning BAR-22

     Notes: Basically a BAR sporting rifle in rimfire, the BAR-22 is a virtual small-caliber copy of the standard BAR, except that the magazine is tubular instead of a removable box and the receiver housing is of light alloy.  The read sight folds down and front sight is gold-colored to help obtain a good sight picture.  The receiver housing is milled to reduce light flare from it.  The BAR-22 was produced from 1977-1985, along with a more luxurious version called the BAR-22 Grade II (from 1981 to 1985). 

Browning Buck Mark Sporter Carbine

     Notes: Introduced in 2001, this is basically a Buck Mark pistol to which a stock, longer barrel, and fore-end have been attached.  The stock is partially skeletonized, to allow use of the (standard) Buck Mark pistol grip; the weapon also uses standard Buck Mark magazines.  The stock is permanently attached and is not easily removed.  The front sight has a florescent plastic bead to aid in aiming.  There are several versions other than the standard version: the Classic Carbon, which has a carbon fiber barrel and a gray stock (still wooden/skeletonized); the Classic Target, with a bull barrel; and the Target, with a heavy barrel.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This weapon does not exist.

Browning High-Power Semiautomatic Rifle

     Notes: This was a pretty high-powered semiautomatic rifle back in 1900 when John Browning first designed it.  It was not produced until 1910, and built from 1910-14, and then again from 1921-31.  The same design was licensed to Remington, and produced as the Remington Model 8.  The Browning version, however, has an aiming rib above the barrel and a leaf rear-sight.  This weapon was a pretty advanced design for the time.

Browning New BAR

     Notes: The New BAR is an update of the BAR sporting rifle above.  The stock no longer has the humpback stock of the earlier design, instead having a conventional drop stock, and a fore-end with deep finger flutes to enable a positive grip.  The basic operation is the same, but the action is more compact, resulting in a shorter and lighter weapon.  The New BAR has iron sights, but is also dripped and tapped for a scope; the rear sight is well forward, ahead of the receiver, while front sight is hooded to protect it.  The pistol grip wrist and fore-end are also checkered.  The weight of the weapon, though lighter than the original BAR, helps tame the recoil of some of the powerful cartridges it fires, as does the thick recoil pad on the butt.  The trigger pull is described by one author as both creepy and mushy.  There are three versions: the Short-Trac, the Short-Trac Magnum, and the Long-Trac, which are differentiated primarily in the rounds they are chambered for.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This rifle does not exist.

FN FNAR

     FN describes the FNAR as “descending from the legendary Browning Automatic Rifle” (the sporting rifle version above, not the automatic rifle).  The FNAR is chambered only for 7.62mm NATO, but the design is beefed up for heavier use and to withstand more abuse.  The stock is synthetic and has a true pistol grip instead of a pistol grip wrist; the pistol grip is textured.  The stock has a sling swivel on the butt and as part of the lower MIL-STD-1913 rail at the front; this frontal sling swivel can be removed, and the mount used to attach a bipod. The receiver is of 7075 T6 aircraft aluminum and is topped by a MIL-STD-1913 rail, and there are rails on the sides of the handguards and bottom for accessories.  The stock may be adjusted by length of pull by use of spacers.  The magazine well is flared for quick reloads.  The barrel may be 16 or 20 inches and is of light contour and fluted for strength.  The magazine release and crossbolt safety are ambidextrous.  The bold handle is extended for easier utility, though not extended enough as to provide an obstruction or hang up on something. The standard rifle has no iron sights, relying on sighting equipment mounted on the receiver rail.

     The FNAR Match is a variant of the FNAR designed for target shooting as well as use as a designated marksman’s tool and a policeman’s tactical rifle, as well as by hunters looking for a more accurate weapon.  The FNAR Match features a 20” cold hammer-forged fluted match-quality barrel with a a target crown and hard-chromed bore.  The stock and furniture is designed by McMillan, and has an adjustable cheekpiece, a length of pull adjustable by spacers, and three sling swivels.  The receiver is of aircraft-quality aluminum, and is topped, like the standard FNAR, with a MIL-STD-1913 rail. There are mounting points for rails on the front sides of the fore-end as well as the bottom, though these are optional and not included with the basic FNAR Match.  The magazine release is ambidextrous; the safety is a crossbolt safety.  The bolt release lever is extended for easier reach.

     The FNAR Heavy Barrel is essentially the same as the standard FNAR, but has a heavy-profile cold hammer-forged fluted barrel with a hard-chromed bore and target crown as standard.  The cheekpiece is not adjustable per se, but the FNAR Heavy Barrel comes with three interchangeable combs to mount on the stock.  The FNAR Heavy Barrel is quite useful as a designated Marksman’s or police tactical sniper rifle, as the heavy barrel and extra weight lead to greater accuracy and less barrel jump.