BARs are one of my favorite guns to shoot full auto. I’ve had the opportunity to use one several times at the Albany, Oregon machine gun shoot. There is something that just feels right about a very heavy 30-06 chugging along when set on slow rate of fire. Much different than zipguns like MACs, MG42s or mini Uzis, although they are obviously also fun to shoot. Sadly, living in the Peoples Republic of Washington, we serfs are denied our right to own genuine miltia weapons such as these, not that I could afford the obscene buy in cost, thanks to the ‘86 ban on new transferables.
MG42 is DEFINITELY on my bucket list, and has been since I saw one in action when I was 7 years old. I held a BAR but very sad to admit, they wouldn’t let me fire it, lol. I actually found a transferrable 42 about 5 years ago. I remember they wanted about $40,000 for it, too. I got to spray some M1919 when I was a teenager. That thing is way cooler than it looks. Crappy ergonomics, but happiness=belt fed
“Sadly, living in the Peoples Republic of Washington”
Yeah, me too. I always wondered what happened to a neighbor’s WWII machine gun which he showed us on Thanksgiving about 55 years ago. All I remember is it was compact (carbine?) and was in nice, almost shiny condition. Guy died almost 30 years ago in a kayak accident near Wenatchee. I always think of that gun on Thanksgiving.