Typically, autoloaders are not a favorite for handloading. They often have operating systems that function reliably within a narrow pressure / bullet weight band, accuracy is not terrific and short action versions are often bolt stroke and magazine length cartridge overall length limited. Fortunately, none of these restriction apply to the Browning BAR MK3.
The ANSI standard test barrel length for the 308 Winchester cartridge is 24″ with a 12″ twist. The Browning has a 12″ twist and a 22″ barrel. However the moderate 56 grain overflow case capacity and comparatively large 0.308″ groove diameter of the 308 Winchester tend to minimize velocity differences between the test barrel and production barrel lengths. As an example, Remington Express Core-Lokt 150 grain ammunition is rated at 2820 fps by the factory with a 24″ barrel and clocked 2800 fps over a calibrated chronograph.
| Bullet | Bullet Weight |
Bullet Length” |
*Max COL” |
Loaded COL” |
| Hornady FBSP #3020 | 130 | 0.940 | 2.743 | 2.615 |
| Sierra GameKing BT#2145 | 165 | 1.175 | 2.865 | 2.750 |
| Berger VLD Hunting BT #30510 | 168 | 1.265 | 2.939 | 2.800 |
| Nosler Partition FB #16331 | 180 | 1.265 | 2.886 | 2.770 |
| *Maximum mechanical length clearing rifling. Magazine length 4.388″ |
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The four bullets are for hunting applications and meant to bracket the 150 grain Remington factory ammunition. None require a tighter twist than 13″. The 130 grain works well for thin skin medium size game; antelope and smaller deer. The 180 grain works well on heavier game; elk and moose.
A Hornady Lock-N-Load gauge was used to measure the potential cartridge overall length for each of the four bullets. Often, firearms are limited by throat length, the gap between the end of the chamber and the onset of rifling, or leade. Under typical shooting circumstances, there must be a gap between the tip of the bullet in a closed chamber and the leade, a minimum of 0.020″ to 0.030″. Parking a bullet against the leade robs the bullet of forward inertia that assists it in transitioning from free bore to rifling deformation. The result is a sharp pressure spike until the bullet begins to move forward.
The dimensions noted in the “*Max COL” column indicate how far out a bullet can be placed, and how long the assembled cartridge can be until contact is made between the bullet tip and the rifling leade. Subsequently, it can be said that any cartridge assembled with any bullet listed could be assembled to a length much greater than desirable so throat length is not a limiting factor. Additionally, the bolt stroke and magazine well length are even greater than that. Ammunition was assembled without compromise to length.
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Warning: Bullet selections are specific, and loads are not valid with substitutions of different bullets of the same weight. Variations in bullet material and length will alter net case capacity, pressure and velocity results. Primer selection is specific and primer types are not interchangeable. These data represents maximum loads in our firearms and test equipment and may easily be excessive in other applications. All loads should be reduced by 3%, and developed following safe handloading practices as represented in established reloading manuals produced by component manufacturers. Presentation of these loads does not constitute a solicitation for their use, nor a recommendation.
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Generally speaking, there were few surprises in handload results. The 130 grain Hornady loads were compressed, but not extensively so. The 130 grain Hornady was tried with Varget, but pressure seemed to rise well ahead of velocity. BL-C2 solved the low velocity, high pressure dilemma, accuracy wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t exciting either… I am still looking.
Sierra’s 5th Edition manual data did not deliver acceptable results with the 165 grain GameKing. Maximum loads were light in pressure and velocity was in the low 2500 fps range. I found a solution in Sierra #2 which also offered a wider variety of powder types and quite different charge levels within the same powder types compared to the 5th Edition. Accuracy was very good in all cases.
Berger bullets did well with velocity and accuracy. I believe much of this can be attributed to the small bearing surface and very low drag ogive.
Nosler Partition bullets at 180 grains are not burners, but they are certainly enough for 300 yard shots in terms of trajectory, retained energy and momentum. Looks a bit like this –
| 180 Grain Nosler 260 yard Point Blank Range | |||||||
| Yards | 0 | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 | 300 |
| Velocity – fps | 2603 | 2512 | 2423 | 2335 | 2250 | 2166 | 2085 |
| Energy – ft.-lbs. | 2708 | 2521 | 2345 | 2179 | 2023 | 1876 | 1737 |
| Momentum – lbs-sec | 2.07 | 2.00 | 1.93 | 1.86 | 1.79 | 1.73 | 1.66 |
| Path – in. | -1.5 | 1.3 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 1.2 | -2.1 | -7.3 |
Final thoughts
The Browning BAR Stalker is a comfortable rifle to shoot off the bench or from a standing, kneeling, sitting, or prone position. Getting up from those lower positions wasn’t easy, but that clearly wasn’t a rifle related issue. The Stalker cycled without a hitch and dropping the floorplate and loading the magazine, quickly, without looking was a snap.
The comb height was excellent even with a scope with a large objective and ocular lens and the rifle took advantage of the scope’s magnification, at least to my range’s limit of 300 yards. The forearm is hand filling, as is the pistol grip radius. Performance is excellent, as is reliability and the price is very good for a product of this quality. It is as billed, an excellent hunting rifle.
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