Benelli R1 vs Browning BAR - HuntingTalk Forums

jcayala · 08-24-2005, 02:15 AM

What are the advantages or disadvantages the Benelli R1 has over the Browning BAR models as far as accuracy, reliability, maintenence, and overall performance?

porkchop · 08-24-2005, 02:33 AM

i dont think to many of the guys are hunting in this forum with benelli r1"s. as for the browning automatic rifle. i have one in 30.06 and i dont like it.it groups poorly.but then a long action rifle isnt a very good choice in an automatic either. bar has been around since ww1.if i had to buy the browning again it would be in 308

porkchop · 08-24-2005, 03:30 AM

the r1 is chambered in 30.06 and 300 win mag.its lighter than the bar and because of the gas port location isnt as easy to foul.its price tag of 1000 dollars plus is steep for the average guy. i will give you a bit of history.the 308 winchester began as a military developement. it was designed as a compact and effective cartridge for machine guns and semi auto service rifles shortly after ww1. a short bolt action,semi auto, lever or slide action will favor the 308.in a target grade rifle the 308 can be used effectively on paper targets out to 1000 yrds.so in my view,an autoloader is a rifle for the guy that cant shoot very well.if you miss, you can quickly follow up with a quick second , third fourth or fifth shot. or if you are in a military situation where you need to get a lot of people dead fast,you can spray and pray.however and once again this is only my opinion..... a well placed shot from a bolt action or single shot rifle is all you need.

jcayala · 08-24-2005, 06:44 AM

First of all thanks for the info. I have to admit that initially I'd been leaning more towards the R1, but I've noticed that alot of people dislike like them mainly for its unorthodox euro-style design and its high price tag. But the Browning BAR Safari is pretty much in the same ballpark as far as cost. You mentioned that the R1 was lighter and not as easy to foul because of the location of the gasport. Does that make it a bit more reliable and easier to clean than the BAR? I've read that the operating system on the Brownings are more difficult to get to and that they can sometimes begin to rust because some areas are almost inaccessable. But I also read that a guy cleaned his R1 after only 30 shots and it looked more like 200. But despite those comments, whether they're true or not, I realize that Browning has a very good 150 year history. And I belielve that the R1 may be Benellis' 1st rifle ever produced. So in that catagory the Browning has the obvious edge. As far as caliber, I noticed they're both available in the new WSM. The 300WSM sounds like a good all around caliber I think.

porkchop · 08-25-2005, 02:54 AM

your right on both counts.both weapons are pricey.i also have a remington 7400 autoloader in a synthetic stock i bought at a walmart for under 400 dollars..its nothing i would take to the rifle range but at 100 yards it will surely do the trick...on the 300wsm...ever been on a hunting trip and either lost your ammo, forgot to bring it ,got it wet or something of the like? well try going to your local mom and pop store during hunting season and picking up a box of 300wsm when your out hunting in the boonies...308 and 3006 is what you will find along with the trusty 3030. i own a weatherby vangaurd rifle chambered in 300 weatherby magnum and after a couple of quick shots and having it slam me in the face i no longer long for the big magnums.a small caliper is easy to handle...less recoil = more accuracy.i shot a medium size doe once in the vitals with the 300 once and blew both quarters and the brisket off.there was barely enough to eat.maybe up north but down here in the south its overkill in my book, but you look cool owning one.

jcayala · 08-25-2005, 07:18 AM

It's kind of a coincidence that you mentioned you own a Remington 7400. That was actually my 3rd choice mainly because of the inexpensive price and quality brand name. But I've read a few poor reviews on them. They apparently tend to jam up when the temerature drops below 30 degrees or so. But since it never drops below 100 degrees here in Texas, I don't see how that would really matter I guess. But I've heard that it's better just to bite the bullet and invest in a BAR or an R1 instead. I still think the Benelli has better features, and the interchangable barrels for different calibers is also cool in case I wanna take it up or down a notch. But more people obviously prefer the Browning. I have to admit that for the price, the Remington 7400 still looks pretty darn good. But I really don't mind paying the extra amount for an R1 or a BAR. It's just hard to get good info on the R1s because they really don't have much of a history, and I think that has alot to do with the fact that it's a foreign product maybe. I know a couple of people who own a BAR and a 7400 and they say they've never had any major problems with either one. So I guess it's still a toss up. Are these the only decent modern auto-loading rifles out there?

porkchop · 08-26-2005, 02:25 AM

i have a thread in here where my brother and i had an experience with a wild hog i shot with my 7400 that stovepiped a round .if you really want to see it shoot like crap...try shooting 220 grain rounds out of it.i quit using the autoloader except to play with.from what i see the r1 is an exact copy of there shot gun. i beleive the bar with a good boss system will do you up right. i just dont like them for any long range shooting. a lot of the gas used to send the bullet down range is used to eject and chamber the next round.but to each his own i guess.

jcayala · 08-27-2005, 10:22 PM

Yeah even thought the 7400 was my third choice for an autoloader, it's really just a toss up between the R1 and the BAR. I wish I knew someone who owned one. But like you said before, not alot of people use them (the R1). I've had a little luck on the Benelli forum though. How many yards out do you think they can fire before losing their accuracy compared to a standard bolt action rifle chambered in the same caliber?

porkchop · 09-01-2005, 12:21 AM

without firing both rifles through a chronograph there would be no way of knowing

franklin3 · 07-23-2006, 05:49 AM

Old thread but I own one of each in different calibers of course.
my BAR is a .270 I've been shooting it for about 7 yrs and my R1 comfortech is chambered for .300 WM. I just ordered it and wont be receiving it until the 29th of this month.
As soon as I get to put some lead through the R1 I can give you a comparison based on more than hypotheticals. stay tuned.

08-24-2005, 02:15 AM	#1
jcayala Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 4	Benelli R1 vs Browning BAR What are the advantages or disadvantages the Benelli R1 has over the Browning BAR models as far as accuracy, reliability, maintenence, and overall performance?
Offline:

08-24-2005, 02:33 AM	#2
porkchop Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: claxton georgia Posts: 111	i dont think to many of the guys are hunting in this forum with benelli r1"s. as for the browning automatic rifle. i have one in 30.06 and i dont like it.it groups poorly.but then a long action rifle isnt a very good choice in an automatic either. bar has been around since ww1.if i had to buy the browning again it would be in 308 __________________ semper fidelis
Offline:

08-24-2005, 03:30 AM	#3
porkchop Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: claxton georgia Posts: 111	the r1 is chambered in 30.06 and 300 win mag.its lighter than the bar and because of the gas port location isnt as easy to foul.its price tag of 1000 dollars plus is steep for the average guy. i will give you a bit of history.the 308 winchester began as a military developement. it was designed as a compact and effective cartridge for machine guns and semi auto service rifles shortly after ww1. a short bolt action,semi auto, lever or slide action will favor the 308.in a target grade rifle the 308 can be used effectively on paper targets out to 1000 yrds.so in my view,an autoloader is a rifle for the guy that cant shoot very well.if you miss, you can quickly follow up with a quick second , third fourth or fifth shot. or if you are in a military situation where you need to get a lot of people dead fast,you can spray and pray.however and once again this is only my opinion..... a well placed shot from a bolt action or single shot rifle is all you need. __________________ semper fidelis Last edited by porkchop; 08-24-2005 at 03:33 AM.
Offline:

08-24-2005, 06:44 AM	#4
jcayala Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 4	First of all thanks for the info. I have to admit that initially I'd been leaning more towards the R1, but I've noticed that alot of people dislike like them mainly for its unorthodox euro-style design and its high price tag. But the Browning BAR Safari is pretty much in the same ballpark as far as cost. You mentioned that the R1 was lighter and not as easy to foul because of the location of the gasport. Does that make it a bit more reliable and easier to clean than the BAR? I've read that the operating system on the Brownings are more difficult to get to and that they can sometimes begin to rust because some areas are almost inaccessable. But I also read that a guy cleaned his R1 after only 30 shots and it looked more like 200. But despite those comments, whether they're true or not, I realize that Browning has a very good 150 year history. And I belielve that the R1 may be Benellis' 1st rifle ever produced. So in that catagory the Browning has the obvious edge. As far as caliber, I noticed they're both available in the new WSM. The 300WSM sounds like a good all around caliber I think.
Offline:

08-25-2005, 02:54 AM	#5
porkchop Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: claxton georgia Posts: 111	your right on both counts.both weapons are pricey.i also have a remington 7400 autoloader in a synthetic stock i bought at a walmart for under 400 dollars..its nothing i would take to the rifle range but at 100 yards it will surely do the trick...on the 300wsm...ever been on a hunting trip and either lost your ammo, forgot to bring it ,got it wet or something of the like? well try going to your local mom and pop store during hunting season and picking up a box of 300wsm when your out hunting in the boonies...308 and 3006 is what you will find along with the trusty 3030. i own a weatherby vangaurd rifle chambered in 300 weatherby magnum and after a couple of quick shots and having it slam me in the face i no longer long for the big magnums.a small caliper is easy to handle...less recoil = more accuracy.i shot a medium size doe once in the vitals with the 300 once and blew both quarters and the brisket off.there was barely enough to eat.maybe up north but down here in the south its overkill in my book, but you look cool owning one. __________________ semper fidelis
Offline:

08-25-2005, 07:18 AM	#6
jcayala Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 4	It's kind of a coincidence that you mentioned you own a Remington 7400. That was actually my 3rd choice mainly because of the inexpensive price and quality brand name. But I've read a few poor reviews on them. They apparently tend to jam up when the temerature drops below 30 degrees or so. But since it never drops below 100 degrees here in Texas, I don't see how that would really matter I guess. But I've heard that it's better just to bite the bullet and invest in a BAR or an R1 instead. I still think the Benelli has better features, and the interchangable barrels for different calibers is also cool in case I wanna take it up or down a notch. But more people obviously prefer the Browning. I have to admit that for the price, the Remington 7400 still looks pretty darn good. But I really don't mind paying the extra amount for an R1 or a BAR. It's just hard to get good info on the R1s because they really don't have much of a history, and I think that has alot to do with the fact that it's a foreign product maybe. I know a couple of people who own a BAR and a 7400 and they say they've never had any major problems with either one. So I guess it's still a toss up. Are these the only decent modern auto-loading rifles out there?
Offline:

08-26-2005, 02:25 AM	#7
porkchop Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: claxton georgia Posts: 111	i have a thread in here where my brother and i had an experience with a wild hog i shot with my 7400 that stovepiped a round .if you really want to see it shoot like crap...try shooting 220 grain rounds out of it.i quit using the autoloader except to play with.from what i see the r1 is an exact copy of there shot gun. i beleive the bar with a good boss system will do you up right. i just dont like them for any long range shooting. a lot of the gas used to send the bullet down range is used to eject and chamber the next round.but to each his own i guess. __________________ semper fidelis
Offline:

08-27-2005, 10:22 PM	#8
jcayala Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 4	Yeah even thought the 7400 was my third choice for an autoloader, it's really just a toss up between the R1 and the BAR. I wish I knew someone who owned one. But like you said before, not alot of people use them (the R1). I've had a little luck on the Benelli forum though. How many yards out do you think they can fire before losing their accuracy compared to a standard bolt action rifle chambered in the same caliber?
Offline:

09-01-2005, 12:21 AM	#9
porkchop Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: claxton georgia Posts: 111	without firing both rifles through a chronograph there would be no way of knowing __________________ semper fidelis
Offline:

07-23-2006, 05:49 AM	#10
franklin3 Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 2	Old thread but I own one of each in different calibers of course. my BAR is a .270 I've been shooting it for about 7 yrs and my R1 comfortech is chambered for .300 WM. I just ordered it and wont be receiving it until the 29th of this month. As soon as I get to put some lead through the R1 I can give you a comparison based on more than hypotheticals. stay tuned.
Offline:

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 2 (0 members and 2 guests)

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Powered by vBulletin, Copyright ©2000 - 2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd. LinkBacks Enabled by vBSEO 3.1.0 © 2006 - 2008 Hunting Talk Forums \| Legal \| A member of the Crowdgather Forum Community
Contact Us - Hunting Talk - Archive - Top