The FN's FNAR rifle will be available next year in a 16" barreled model.
I love the clean lines on the rifle. Anyone who has read the blog for even a short period of time will know my love of short barreled rifles 
Introduced last year, the FNAR is a military style rifle based on the Browning BAR. Unlike the BAR, the FNAR features a pistol grip, detachable box magazines and plenty of picatinny rails.
Waffen Greger, a German company, makes bullpup conversions of the Browning BAR (the hunting rifle, not the military BAR).
Once converted the overall length of the rifle is just 31.5", about 12" shorter than a standard BAR1. Aside from the length, a significant benefit would be the better balance offered by the bullpup configuration, with the action sitting right up against the shooters shoulder.
The standard magazines that are supplied with the rifle hold just two rounds, although they can supply three or four round mags. In Germany, hunting with semi-automatic rifles holding more than two rounds is prohibited.
Many thanks to Mehul for sending me the link to this company.
Assuming a standard .30-06 BAR with 22" barrel. I am not sure if Waffen Greger cut down the barrel during thier conversion process. ↩
I was very surprised when a reader email me about this new rifle from Winchester. The poor Browning BAR hunting rifle has been through yet another evolution and rebranding.
In early 2008 FN announced a tactical sniper rifle, the FNAR, based on the Browning BAR (FN owns both Browning and Winchester Arms). It added a detachable magazine, pistol grip and top, bottom and side picatinny rails.
The new SX-AR is a heavy barreled FNAR in a Mossy Oak camo finish but without the side rails and full length top rail (interestingly the bottom rail remains). It comes full circle, taking the tactical FNAR improvements back to the hunting market.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Caliber | 308 Win. |
| Finish | Mossy Oak Brush |
| Receiver | Aluminum |
| Magazine Capacity | 10 (compatible with 20 round FNAR magazines) |
| Barrel | Match grade hammer forged chrome plated heavy contour with recessed target crown |
| Barrel Length | 20" |
| Rate of Twist | 1:12" |
| Overall Length | 41 1/2" |
| Length of Pull | 14 1/8" |
| Weight | 9 lbs. 14 oz. |
| MSRP (Price) | $1,379.00 |
This rifle will have been developed to fight the new AR-10 based hunting rifles that have been coming into the market, for example, the Remington R-25. I suspect the reason it is being rebranded and marketed under Winchester, and not Browning, is so that the risk of the BAR being named in any Assault Weapon Ban (federal or state) is reduced. The Browning BAR can continue to be a "traditional" styled hunting rifle.
For comparison, there are photos of the SX-AR ancestors ...
A big thank you to Reese for emailing me about this new rifle.
Browning BAR ShortTrac is now available chambered in the very popular 7mm-08 and the .325 Winchester Short Magnum.
BAR ShortTrac Stalker
The .325 WSM is an 8mm round that was introduced about four years ago.
New Jovian Thunderbolt has written about his past love for the BAR (M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle)
The BAR was always my dream gun. Or it was. Back when I knew nothing and only looked at capabilities on paper, and then not looking TOO closely.
I have loved the look of the BAR. It just looks so solid.
A beautiful looking rifle.
I don’t really like the concept. My opinion is that the US forces should have adopted a true light machine gun such as the Bren.
Advantages of the Bren
An ugly machine gun (Click to expand image)
On the other hand it would be foolish to say one is better than the other. The BAR served for 30 years through three major wars (WWI, WWII and the Korean war).
According to Wikipedia other countries modified the BAR to make it more like a LMG:
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.
From an A-Team episode
Read more at the New Jovian Thunderbolt’s excellent blog.
Hi, welcome to my gun blog! This blog is dedicated to all things firearms related. If you are into AR-15 and AK rifles, skeet shotguns, self defense pistols or hunting arms there will be something here for you. I hope you enjoy it.
I want this blog to appeal to a worldwide audience and so I will be focusing on firearms and shooting rather than country specific politics. There are already many great blogs defending your rights!
- Steve