Staff Editor
Way back in World War 1 there was a company named Browning. They designed a rifle for the “Great War” called the Browning Automatic Rifle. More commonly known as the BAR. This rifle was chambered in 30.06 Springfield, a comparable cartridge to other rifle calibers of the day. It had a 20 round box magazine, and a bipod fixed on its nose. The BAR was developed to be a single man automatic rifle platform. Not a crew served belt fed system like the majority of automatic rifles fielded in WW1. After that, it continued to serve gloriously through the 2nd World War where it was heavily used.
21st Century BAR
Fast forward to over 100 years later and a company named Ohio Ordnance Works has redesigned the original BAR. They call it, the H.C.A.R. This stands for Heavy Counter Assault Rifle. Aptly named. Retaining the 30.06 caliber the H.C.A.R. is the answer to the small, and easily defeat-able, calibers of modern carbine weapons, AKA assault rifles. Where as level 3A+ soft armor can defeat modern carbines, only level 4 steel plate can defeat a 30.06. Level 4 ceramic plate armor could also, but after one or 2 shots, that armor will be damaged and deformed. The wearer will be seriously injured from internal damage of multiple impacts. And some armor penetrating rounds available for the 30.06 caliber would render them unstoppable by man portable armor systems.
Ridiculous Range
Next, to make the H.C.A.R. an even sweeter piece to behold, it still retains the range of it’s older and much heavier father, the BAR A3. The most recent BAR model, the A3, clocks in at 18 lbs and accurately shoots sub MOA at 1400 yards with a 24” barrel. The H.C.A.R. is reported to have the same range and almost the same accuracy, with a 16” barrel and only 11 pound weight. The H.C.A.R. shoots 1 MOA at 1400 yards max effective range. However it does have a total maximum range of 4,000 yards! Not bad for a 16” barrel and 40% weight reduction. But don’t worry, if range and accuracy is your thing, they are also releasing a 20” barrel “match” model too.
H.C.A.R. Options
Additionally, the H.C.A.R. has the ability for customization. A feature the BAR does not share. It’s like an AR style platform with the customizing options. The AR compatible stock allows for changing there. As well, the Picatinny rail additions allow for more advanced optical systems and furniture to be fitted to the H.C.A.R. that the BAR never would allow for. Lights, lasers, bipods, oh my! That is a massive change that is a huge positive in modernization for this platform.
Capacity FTW!
Finally, the last difference I’ll touch on is the increase in capacity. Ohio Ordnance Works designed a new 30 round box magazine for the weapon. The H.C.A.R. is compatible with BAR magazines, but the bolt locking feature for the H.C.A.R. is only available with the newly designed OOW mags. And the mags are currently out of stock and run $100 from the manufacturer. I wouldn’t be surprised if they are already after marketed by other companies for half the price.
H.C.A.R. is Worth the Bread
All in all, the H.C.A.R. is a fantastic weapon system that marries the old heavy hitting caliber of 30.06 with the modern light weight customizability of a modern carbine. Ohio Ordnance Works hit this one out of the park. And they are proud of it too. This one runs from $4700-$5000+, package depending.
In the end, if you are looking for a new hunting rifle with the ability to drop several hundred pound animals with one shot, the H.C.A.R. is the answer. Good bye herds of wild boar! If you need a weapon to fend off a hostile foreign invasion, the H.C.A.R. outguns all of their carbines. Because you see, bigger is better! Ohio Ordnance Works’s motto is “Preserving the Past. Engineering the future.” The H.C.A.R. certainly does that.
