1.5" at 100 yds Longtrac 270 Win

Discussion in 'Browning BAR Rifle' started by Eagle Rider, Jul 23, 2015.

  1. All I can seem to get is 1.5" at best for my Longtrac which I know will put all the version I can eat or lifetime in my freezer. Believe it or not, it prefers the cheap blue box Federal Powershock 130 gr to anything else inclusive of my handholds. Other than that the rifle works flawlessly and hands down is a better made gun, lighter with lower felt recoil than my 7400. Incidentally the 7400 is not anymore accurate.
  2. groups have actually gotten worse. Rifle is going up for sale. Disappointed.
  3. SHOOTER13

    SHOOTER13 Guest

    Your review seems to have gone downhill...not much I can say except good luck with your next rifle purchase !
    Eagle Rider likes this.
  4. gwtx

    gwtx Copper BB

    I recently bought a Shorttrac Stalker (synthetic stock) in .308, and have yet to find the "magic bullet", but from the hours of research/reviews it seems the sub MOA BAR is by far the exception rather than the rule. I have shot one 3 shot group finally, and am not confident it will happen again as yet. That group was the last three rounds fired(RemCorLok) just before dark yesterday, and I haven't tried again. I've tried 3 or 4 of my handloads, might try the PowerShock 150gr. They shot very well in both of my '06's. Sorry you're giving it up, and I can't afford to buy it from you.
  5. Planetcat

    Planetcat .410

    Hopefully, my ammo trials will help you. In Feb. i bought a bar shorttrac hybrid, essentially the same rifle as yours. I sighted in at 50 yards. 20 shots, taking my time in between each to let the barrel cool plus cleaning after each shot. That was the break in procedure. Then, all out stress test. Here are my ammo results:
    1. By far the best were Federal blue box SP 180 grain. Repetitive overlapping cloverleaf shots, no matter how hot the barrel was. Atunder $20 a box, that is hard to beat. Ive done this in 3 range visits over the last few months.
    2. I was getting about 1/2-3/4" groups at 50 yards with Federal Fusion 180 gr., Hornady 178 gr. Match jhp, and Hornady Interbond 165 gr. All pretty inexpensive rounds with decent accuracy. I hunt with the fusions.
    3. Hornady Superformance (165 interbond and 178 grain match) and Federal premium Sierra game kings 180 gr. were over an inch at 50 yards. Not worth the extra cost.

    My conclusion, despite the slow barrel twist of 1:12, this shorttrac likes slower, heavier bullets.

    I was worried it would prefer 150's or lighter, but luckily it was the opposite. I wish it liked the superformance, but am over it now. Not to mention i can shoot 3 very accurate boxes for under $60. Good luck.
    Last edited: May 11, 2016
    gwtx likes this.
  6. gwtx

    gwtx Copper BB

    planetcat, Thanks for the input, much appreciated. I'm really surprised the rifle likes the heavier/longer bullets. May be the reason some folks are having trouble getting good groups, they are thinking as I did that it would like the lighter/shorter bullets. I started off working with 125gr Sierra ProHunters. Just about covered a 8" target at 100yds.
    I wanted to develop a low recoil round because I have a thermal scope I want to mount, and I don't want to damage it.
    The scope is "rated" for "up to" 375 H&H recoil levels, but it was mentioned on another forum that sometimes the recoil of a semi auto is "harder on optics" than the Big boomers. I don't know for sure about that, but I guess that when the bolt slams another round into battery, it hits the scope with a bit 0f energy in the opposite direction.??
    I had to wait til after dark for the wind to die down before testing another load I'm trying. I switched to 49.5 gr Reloader 17 with Sierra 150gr pro hunters seated 2.80 oal. It was dark and I had to put a spotlight on the target(100yds). I shot a fouler, which was 165 SGK handload, and it was almost off the top of the target. Then I shot the R17 loads, first two side by side, almost touching, third shot went into the same hole as the second, then the fourth shot was off to the left of the group about 1 1/2" :( , but could have been a wind gust/switch or just me. Anyhow, I think I'm getting close to where I need to be. For my purposes, I can live with 1 1/4" groups of 3 shots. I'm shooting hogs at night that are usually not more than 100yds, and from my experience, the 150 Sierra spt's have been devastating. I'm in the process of checking with the manufacturer on the recoil concern. I'll post back when get some more results, hopefully some sub moa targets :)
    Thanks again, Gary
  7. clover leafs at 50 yards can be 3" wide at 100!

    The Long and Shortrac's have a lot of inherent accuracy problems salted mostly to manufacturing materials. I doubt they will ever be capable of what their predecessors (Mk I and Mk II) had been. The original sporter designs had an all steel receiver for stiffness, a heavier contour barrel, a true target crown muzzle, and most importantly a threaded connection for barrel to receiver mating were the legacy BAR attributes.

    None of these are in the ...trac versions. They have an aluminum receiver to cut weight and machining costs, a lighter barrel to cut weight and machining costs, a counter sunk crown to cut costs, and a sandwiched barrel to receiver connection because steel threads will rip apart an aluminum receiver. I understand what Browning is doing from a business stand point, but will likely ruin a great thing long term if they keep this gun in production. I sold my Longtrac in October. The only think I kept from it was the Zeiss Terra 3-9 x40 to that mounted on it.

    I just got my hands on a 1968 Slab Side Mk I in 30-06. It was a safe queen and was part of an 8 BAR collection of a dead guy whom I'm very grateful to. I expect far better accuracy from this one. The rifle is built like a Perry Class Frigate! Which is what JMB had intended all along, I believe from its' 1918 roots. It's about a 1.75 pounds heavier, looks like the classic BAR. The ...trac rifles are no doubt pretty, but as it's been said many times, "only accurate rifles are interesting."
  8. gwtx

    gwtx Copper BB

    EagleRider, Thanks for the input. Not my thread but I appreciate any and all info contributed. I knew from the outset that the "tracs" were built cheaper, but I didn't know ALL the points you brought out. I wanted the lightest 30 cal semi auto I could AFFORD. I enjoy working with loads to get a rifle to shoot 1" 3 shot groups. That's good enough for me. I don't shoot paper except to develop loads. Most of my rifles are budget priced, and shoot moa or better. I don't use pretty rifles for fear they would get messed up . I have a few that are pretty, but they stay in the cabinet most of the time.
    If it will repeat what it did last night, I'll be happy,,,but the hogs won't be. :) Thanks again, Gary
    Eagle Rider likes this.
  9. I think as hunters we should be able to expect less,.... however the hand loaders in us want more and sometimes better than what the rifle can possibly do. That said enjoy your trac.

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