# I have one of Bonnie and Clyde's BARs in the corner of my office right now. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 20, 2014, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-one-of-bonnie-and-clydes-bars-in-the-corner-of-my-office-right-now/688842 "2014-05-20T17:00:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2014, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-one-of-bonnie-and-clydes-bars-in-the-corner-of-my-office-right-now/688842/21 "2014-05-20T20:18:40Z")
> [@Malacandra](#): > > AIUI the BAR was neither one thing nor the other - too heavy to be a useful automatic rifle, too light and incapable of sustained fire to make a serious MG. OTOH if you have enough of them about the place then I daresay they will make an impact. Good enough in it’s time that it was not issued to US troops in France lest one be captured by the enemy. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2014, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-one-of-bonnie-and-clydes-bars-in-the-corner-of-my-office-right-now/688842/22 "2014-05-20T20:18:53Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Then get off the internet and _GET BACK TO WORK!_ 😃 I know, right? Yet, I’m somehow managing to get caught up from the weekend and being out of the office yesterday and this morning. 😉 > [@Frazzled](#): > > You mentioned there was no question about the provenience of this particular weapon - by chance was it in their possession when they departed this mortal coil? Oh no, but it was most definitely in their possession at one time. Unfortunately, since they utilized a number of BARs, there’s no way to tell what if any shootouts or holdups it was actually used in. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2014, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-one-of-bonnie-and-clydes-bars-in-the-corner-of-my-office-right-now/688842/23 "2014-05-20T20:19:42Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > Then how would you know? One old BAR looks pretty much like another. Perhaps they recorded the serial numbers of the weapons in the car after the shoot out. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2014, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-one-of-bonnie-and-clydes-bars-in-the-corner-of-my-office-right-now/688842/24 "2014-05-20T20:20:12Z")
Maybe he is the guy in the hamster wheel that powers the internet for the government? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2014, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-one-of-bonnie-and-clydes-bars-in-the-corner-of-my-office-right-now/688842/25 "2014-05-20T21:04:12Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > It’s about 8 feet away from me. It’s usually in a museum, but it’s being taken for a public display and until it’s picked up, it’s literally propped up agains a cabinet. > > Heavy sumbitch, I’ve never had the opportunity to handle one. You really should have a picture taken with it. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2014, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-one-of-bonnie-and-clydes-bars-in-the-corner-of-my-office-right-now/688842/26 "2014-05-20T21:09:39Z")
> [@Little\_Pig](#): > > You really should have a picture taken with it. Take one with your [girlfriend or wife.](http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/history/famous-cases/bonnie-and-clyde/image/bonnie-and-clyde-horsing-around-with-a-gun) ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2014, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-one-of-bonnie-and-clydes-bars-in-the-corner-of-my-office-right-now/688842/27 "2014-05-20T21:17:49Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > Water cooling and barrel changes are the ONLY thing that made that possible. Sure, the action can function for that long (providing it doesn’t get fouled), but you’ll melt a barrel down. Yes, I know. British understatement. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2014, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-one-of-bonnie-and-clydes-bars-in-the-corner-of-my-office-right-now/688842/28 "2014-05-20T21:24:05Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > It’s about 8 feet away from me. It’s usually in a museum, but it’s being taken for a public display and until it’s picked up, it’s literally propped up agains a cabinet. > > Heavy sumbitch, I’ve never had the opportunity to handle one. The long barreled Browning Automatic Rifle weighed 16+ lbs which, I believe, made it the lightest light machine gun in WWI. The later short-barreled version weighted over 13 lbs. The weight helped control full-auto muzzle jump. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/hEo8yRiDU0w/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-CYAC0AWKAgwIABABGGUgZShSMA8=&rs=AOn4CLD8LD4tWCskQwNgPZLgdu2585aKug "Browning Automatic Rifle") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEo8yRiDU0w) Bonny weighed around 95 lbs and was reported to be a pretty good shot with one. p.s. Are you actually (legally) allowed to handle a full-auto weapon? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2014, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-one-of-bonnie-and-clydes-bars-in-the-corner-of-my-office-right-now/688842/29 "2014-05-20T21:45:33Z")
> [@Little\_Pig](#): > > You really should have a picture taken with it. Video screaming,“Youse dirty coppers’ll never take me aliiiiiive!!!” ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2014, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-one-of-bonnie-and-clydes-bars-in-the-corner-of-my-office-right-now/688842/30 "2014-05-20T22:08:15Z")
> [@thirdname](#): > > What was the point of that weapon, anyway? A machine gun with a 20-round box magazine? You’d only be able to shoot for like 2 seconds before reloading. Why not belt feed? Probably had more to do with creating a portable beaten zone for a few moments, while the trenches are rushed. Unlike the Bren gun, that someone told me , was too accurate for its purpose. So instead of keeping a bunch of heads down, your only keeping one or two. Declan ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2014, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-one-of-bonnie-and-clydes-bars-in-the-corner-of-my-office-right-now/688842/31 "2014-05-20T23:11:10Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I thought there were two guys, or am I thinking M-60? The M-60 is a crew-served weapon. The crew is usually three guys: one carries the gun, one carries the tripod, and the third is an ammo humper. For the BAR, other members of the squad would carry extra ammo for it. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2014, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-one-of-bonnie-and-clydes-bars-in-the-corner-of-my-office-right-now/688842/32 "2014-05-20T23:47:25Z")
For a long time the FBI had the pistol taken off John Dillinger’s body in its museum, until Jay Robert Nash traced its manufacture to a date after Dillinger’s death. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2014, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-one-of-bonnie-and-clydes-bars-in-the-corner-of-my-office-right-now/688842/33 "2014-05-20T23:54:57Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > For a long time the FBI had the pistol taken off John Dillinger’s body in its museum, until Jay Robert Nash traced its manufacture to a date after Dillinger’s death. Since Nash believes that the FBI did not kill Dillinger of course they didn’t take it off his body. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-one-of-bonnie-and-clydes-bars-in-the-corner-of-my-office-right-now/688842/34 "2014-05-21T00:39:14Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Since Nash believes that the FBI did not kill Dillinger of course they didn’t take it off his body. He made a pretty good case, I think. It only falls apart when he over-reaches on some of the secondary connections. I’ve asked James Starr if he ever intends to exhume Dillinger for a final proof. The last time I heard back from him, there was a family member adamantly opposed to the exhumation; I think he was trying to outlive her. Also, several feet of concrete were poured on top of the coffin and it may be well-preserved… or uselessly crushed. He hasn’t answered in a few years and I think his career may be winding down. Bummer. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-one-of-bonnie-and-clydes-bars-in-the-corner-of-my-office-right-now/688842/35 "2014-05-21T00:41:37Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > p.s. Are you actually (legally) allowed to handle a full-auto weapon? “Uh, I can ‘handle’ it” - Butthead ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-one-of-bonnie-and-clydes-bars-in-the-corner-of-my-office-right-now/688842/36 "2014-05-21T01:48:25Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > I’m not sure exactly what it’s worth, but it occurred to me that I could abscond with it, sell it, and live comfortably for a several years off the proceeds. I’ve got a ten-spot with somebody’s name on it-all they have to do is bring B&C’s BAR by the house and leave it here. No questions asked. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-one-of-bonnie-and-clydes-bars-in-the-corner-of-my-office-right-now/688842/37 "2014-05-21T02:18:19Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > “Uh, I can ‘handle’ it” - Butthead How much time elapsed between your initial application to the BATFE, including the Federal Tax Stamp process, before you could own an automatic weapon? ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-one-of-bonnie-and-clydes-bars-in-the-corner-of-my-office-right-now/688842/39 "2014-05-21T10:34:15Z")
I was designed to be hand-held like a rifle, during a marching fire maneuver, in WW1. It was adopted as a squad automatic weapon in WW2, even before the term was invented. If you think it was unwieldy as a SAW, what about the Garand as an assault rifle? ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-one-of-bonnie-and-clydes-bars-in-the-corner-of-my-office-right-now/688842/41 "2014-05-21T14:50:29Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > How much time elapsed between your initial application to the BATFE, including the Federal Tax Stamp process, before you could own an automatic weapon? Geeze, read the thread. He’s a government employee, and in the course of his duties is in temporary possession of an automatic weapon. No Class 3 license required. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-one-of-bonnie-and-clydes-bars-in-the-corner-of-my-office-right-now/688842/42 "2014-05-21T15:03:24Z")
> [@the\_diego](#): > > I was designed to be hand-held like a rifle, during a marching fire maneuver, in WW1. It was adopted as a squad automatic weapon in WW2, even before the term was invented. If you think it was unwieldy as a SAW, what about the Garand as an assault rifle? The 10 lb M1 Garand replaced the 8.75 lb M1903 Springfield. The Garand’s rate of fire (aimed vs maximum) was 2 to 3 times higher than the Springfield and the Garand held 8 rounds vs the Springfield’s 5 rounds, which more than made up for the added weight. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-one-of-bonnie-and-clydes-bars-in-the-corner-of-my-office-right-now/688842.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-one-of-bonnie-and-clydes-bars-in-the-corner-of-my-office-right-now/688842.md?page=3)