Browning automatic rifle

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Browning automatic rifle

weapon

Also known as: BAR

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Article History

Key People:: John Moses Browning

Related Topics:: rifle; automatic rifle; light machine gun

See all related content

Browning automatic rifle (BAR), automatic rifle produced in the United States starting in 1918 and widely used in other countries as a light machine gun. The BAR is a gas-operated rifle invented by John M. Browning (1855–1926), an American gun designer. It has been chambered for various ammunition, but most frequently for .30-06 Springfield. About 47 inches (120 cm) long, it has a 20-round magazine and weighs 19.4 pounds (8.8 kg). It can fire up to 650 rounds per minute but can also fire single shots or bursts of two or three to increase accuracy. It can be fired from the shoulder or mounted on a bipod.

The BAR was used by U.S. infantry forces in World Wars I and II and the Korean War. It remained in U.S. Army service until 1957.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.