March 6th, 2020
6minute read
Most people get the BAR wrong.
While the Browning Automatic Rifle is one of the most celebrated American military firearms in the history of U.S.
Ordnance, it remains one of the most misunderstood weapons of all time.
The Browning Automatic Rifle was conceived, designed and built as a full-sized .30 caliber automatic rifle. Image: National Archives
The key to John Brownings genius design is in its name.
It was, is, and always will be an automatic rifle.
None of these alterations were successful, though.
This BAR gunner demonstrates the idea of “walking fire” using a metal cup (that the BAR stock fit into) on his hip to stabilize the gun. Image: National Archives
The initial BAR, the M1918, is truly a mans gun.
It is nearly four feet long and weighs sixteen lbs.
A New Direction
During the 1920s, the concept of the light machine gun became popular.
In the interwar period, the BAR was force-fit into the “light machine gun” role and had many extra parts added. Image: National Archives
These early light machine gun concepts would manifest themselves as the French FM 24/29, the Czech ZB vz.
26, the Italian Breda Model 30, theSoviet DP-28and the German MG-13.
Some of these guns had quick-change barrels, others did not.
As World War II progressed, many BAR gunners discarded the weighty accessories. Image: National Archives
All of them used a magazine of some pop in.
In the United States the water-cooled Browning M1917 served as the heavy machine gun.
The air-cooled Browning M1919 generally defied pigeon-hole descriptions and was used for a wide range of applications.
The BAR was a very capable weapon on the battlefield. Image: National Archives
Force-fit into a nebulous role as a LMG, the BAR was found wanting.
American troops have always been noted for their ingenuity, and so they quickly adopted a if-it-isnt-broken-then-dont-try-to-fix-it approach.
The BAR performed best in its birthday suit.
After World War II, U.S. forces rediscovered that the BAR was a tremendous automatic rifle and a poor light machine gun. Image: National Archives
In theory, the single rifle platform was an effective solution, particularly from a logistics perspective.
Some numbers of the M14E2 (also known as the M14 USAIB) were issued beginning in 1963.
All in, it weighed 14.5 pounds.
The BAR slowly became minimized in U.S. service, but it did not disappear. Many were provided to South Vietnamese forces. Image: USMC Historical Division
The Wrong Answer?
During 1966 it was formally adopted and designated as the U.S. Rifle M14A1 7.62mm.
By that time, the standard M14 rifle had been out of production for nearly four years.
The size of the BAR did not fit well with the small stature of allied Vietnamese troops. Image: Author’s collection
Despite this, more than 8,300 M14 rifles were converted to the M14A1 standard.
Of those, only a few hundred are known to have been sent to Vietnam.
Correspondingly, few photos of the M14A1 in combat exist.
TheM14E2was designed to take over the “squad automatic” role. Designated M14A1 during 1966, it weighed in at 14.5 pounds.
As such, the M14A1 quickly faded away.
It seemed that the M14 would not step into the now empty role formerly filled by the famous BAR.
But it was likely an unfair attempt to make the M14 into this in the first place.
Magazine capacity, sustained fire capability, and controllability during full-auto firing were often cited as complaints about the M14E2.
Go to forum thread
M1ATMStandard Issue Series
A rare view of an M14E2 (also called M14A1) in service with the 1st Infantry Division in Vietnam during 1966. Image: National Archives
Apparently some of the M14E2s were passed to the allied Vietnamese. This example is seen with ARVN Rangers during the Tet Offensive. Image: National Archives
The BAR, shown here in Korea, proved itself many times over in combat. Image: NARA
