Have you ever daydreamed about an old, classic firearm design and what it would look like if it were modernized? 

That is exactly what the folks at Ohio Ordnance Works did with the BAR. Let’s check out their modern HCAR (Heavy Counter Assault Rifle) design. 
 

History

Ohio Ordnance Works is the only company making a faithful reproduction of the Browning Automatic Rifle, marketed as the 1918-A3 SLR. The HCAR is based on the same BAR receiver design and accepts standard BAR-pattern magazines, but there are a lot of modern updates on this .30-06 chambered rifle. 
 

The original BAR is a long, heavy rifle that dates back over 100 years. The HCAR is a lightened, more manageable upgrade to its original inspiration. To keep the rifle light, the original 24-inch barrel has been trimmed to 16 inches and features a simple style of fluting. The BAR-pattern receiver also has a series of lightening cuts. 
 

Additionally, the new HCAR forend and handguard are constructed completely of polymer, with rail space for adding attachments. The top of the receiver has a rail for mounting optics, while the back has an added hydraulic buffer system similar to that of the M240 belt-fed machine gun. This dampens the recoil of the system and offers the ability to use a modern, polymer stock that is retractable. 
 

While the new receiver re-work has adapted to include a pistol grip, it still accepts standard BAR-pattern magazines. A new 30-round HCAR magazine has been paired with this design. The last notable upgrade to the receiver of the HCAR is the addition of a bolt hold/bolt release added to lock back on empty magazines and increase reload speed. 
 

Summary

Lots of firearms have a cool factor, but perhaps none as cool as the Ohio Ordnance Works HCAR. Who doesn’t love this old and classic design for a modern makeover? The HCAR allows .30-06 to be dished out in a sleek, smooth, and comfortable fashion, with all the modern amenities. 

I can recollect when I first saw this design years ago. I thought, “There is nothing I want more than this All-American beast.” I can’t wait to get to the range and get to shooting for a full review on this platform.