This is a fine example of an original WWI Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) manufactured by the Colt Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company circa 1918 for the U.S. Army. The BAR is considered to be the original Squad Automatic Rifle (SAW) at the platoon and infantry squad level. The original design for this rifle was developed by John Browning in 1917 intending to meet the requirements for WWI, for a fully-automatic rifle used at the infantry squad level. The war ended before it was introduced into service; however, it played a significant role during WWII Korea and then again in Vietnam. They were intended to be man portable in the field versus the heavier 1917 and later 1919 medium MGs and could lay down volumes of fire power for frontal and flanking assaults. They were produced by three companies: Colt, Winchester and Marlin-Rockwell and only approximately 85,000 were produced before the armistice. They were exceptionally well-made machine gun that were robust and functioned flawlessly. Due to the high recoil of the 30-06 round in the full automatic mode, almost all were subsequently modified in the post war years to function with a dual rate of fire; either in a slow rate of 350 rounds per minute or in the normal full-automatic mode. This specific model of BAR is an original WWI manufactured rifle with the later post WWII modifications to a 1918A2 configuration. This later configuration, as noted, allowed the rifle to be fired in a slow rate of fire mode by rotating the selector lever to "F" for the 350 rounds per minute or moving the lever to the "A" for full automatic. The additional modifications were 1) a barrel mounted bipod 2) it was fitted with a short flash hider 3) it had a hard fiberglass type buttstock with a hinged buttplate that that allowed the firer to rest this on top of his shoulder with a small plate added on the underside where a monopod could be installed for elevating the rear of the buttstock. The top of the receiver is marked with five lines as follows: "BROWNING MACHINE RIFLE,/U.S. MODEL OF 1918a2 /MANFD. BY. COLT'S P. F.A. M. CO./15254/PATENT APPLIED FOR." A small Cross-Cannon Ordnance proof is on the front edge of the receiver, and a single "P" firing proof is on the breech end of the barrel. The front end of the barrel is marked "ROT II/Ordnance Bomb / 12-52", indicating it was rebarreled for the Korean War. It is fitted with a standard tangent rear sight on top of the receiver, graduated from 200-1500 yards that is adjustable for windage and elevation AND a blade front sight. It is complete with an original bipod, 2 extra buttstocks, an extra forearm, 17 extra magazines and 2 magazine belts. The rifle has an arsenal light gray parkerized finish overall. This example was subsequently refurbished/rebuilt by the Letterkenny Army Depot, probably for the Vietnam War as it is etched on the left side with "BA4 6-68", and it was reimported into the U.S. in the mid 1980s by the Inter American Company of Sacramento, Ca., and is roll stamped with a small import on the left side of the barrel and receiver.

Very fine with 85% plus of a light gray arsenal refurbished parkerized type finish showing wear on the edge and high spots overall with some browning on the exposed areas of the barrel and gas tube and the sides of the trigger housing area. The walnut forend is in very fine condition with only some small handling marks on the sides with the fiberglass buttstock in very fine plus condition. NOTE: This weapon is a restricted, National Firearms Act (NFA) Class 3, Fully Automatic Weapon, that is registered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) under the provisions of 18 U.S.C. Chapter 44 and 27 CFR part 478. This weapon is currently registered as being "LIMITED TO USE AS A SALES SAMPLE (Pre-86)" and as such can only be purchased by an FFL, with a Class 2 or Class 3 SOT License.