Contessa Picatinny Rail for Browning BAR, Acera, Maral, BLR Takedown (0 MOA)

Introduction

Picatinny rail consists of slots with 5.23 mm spaces between one another, which means that it can be used across its entire length. It is simple to mount and interchangeable – if something is made for a Picatinny rail, it will fit regardless of the manufacturer or manufacturing date. It is affordable, resilient and reliable – this is why it so commonly used by professionals and military. Because of all its great qualities, Picatinny rail has been dominating the rail market in the recent years.

Picatinny is a big step forward from the Weaver standard. Weaver has a few predesignated slots while Picatinny has slots all over its surface, allowing the device to be mounted wherever the user finds it fitting. Weaver's slot is 3.8 mm wide, which is why ring mounts made for a Weaver rail will also fit on a Picatinny rail while ring mounts made specifically for a Picatinny rail will not fit on a Weaver rail. This is one of the main reasons why Picatinny is a far better mounting solution.

Contessa is an Italian company, famous for producing aesthetically appealing mounts with a nice finish. The tolerances of the produced pieces are very tight – there are no deviations, the mounts are very carefully machined. Contessa's Picatinny rails are made from steel and come with their unique screws which fit nicely into the rail. The screws have a huge contact surface and a bigger head than screws of other mount manufacturers, while the thread is the same. Contessa's Picatinny rails, made in Italy, are available in both 0 MOA and 20 MOA versions. Throughout the middle of the rail, there is a canal so that the rail can be used together with rifle's sights.

About the rifle

Browning Arms Company is a manufacturer of firearms and fishing gear with headquarters in America. They offer a wide selection of firearms and are most known for the following firearms: BPS shotgun, A-bolt rifle, X-bolt rifle, BAR semi-automatic rifle and Auto-5 semi-automatic shotgun.

Browning BAR  is a well-known, semi-automatic autoloader, developed in 1966 – it should not be mistaken with famous M1918 Browning Automatic rifle known simply as BAR which was used during World War I. It features an extra-strong bolt that locks directly into the barrel. Its action is made of an alloy of high quality which allows it to handle magnum calibers as well. The action is cylindrical and of the same diameter throughout its entire length. Its gas-system (BAR uses gas pressure to power its repeating mechanism), combined with a 7-lug rotary bolt, reduces recoil and adds to the accuracy. BAR was originally chambered for .243 Win., .270 Win., .308 Win. and .30-06 Sprg. BAR series was expanded with Magnum Auto Rifle (magnum version) in 1968 which was chambered for 7 mm Rem. Mag., .300 Win. Mag. and .338 Win. Mag. In 1993, Bar II was introduced. Bar I and Bar II are identical rifles – mounts that fit Bar I will also fit Bar II. The gas pressure-operated repeater was improved on Bar II and it featured a recoil limiter. Many versions were made (Affut 22, Affut 24, Affut-Boss, Safari, Lightweight, Lightweight Magnum, Light Battue Prima, Evolve etc.). Here are some calibers that they are chambered for (but it also depends on the model): .243 Win., .270 Win., .280 Rem., 7 mm Rem. Mag., .308 Win, .30-06 Sprg., .300 Win. Mag., .338 Win. MAg., 7x64 mm.

Browning introduced Acera in 1999. It features a straight line or extended bolt action (the bolt has to be pulled backward to unlock the receiver). There are seven locking lugs on the front of the bolt. Acera has a drop down (but also removable) magazine and a barrel rib that can be unscrewed for removal with the rear sight. It is chambered for .270 Win., 7x64 mm, 7 mm Rem. Mag., .30-06 Sprg. and .300 Win. Mag. There are four mounting holes on the receiver for mounting purposes. The magazine takes four rounds (3 Magnum calibers). There are several variants on the market: Acera Elite, a deluxe version of Acera; Acera Stutzen (Hunting Carbine) and Acera Pirsch (developed especially for driven hunts). Acera Stutzen was made for 7x64 mm, .30-06 Sprg. and .300 Win. Mag., while Acera Pirsch was chambered for 7x64mm, .30-06 Sprg. and .300 Win. Mag. The action of Acera is cylindrical and of the same diameter throughout its entire length.

Browning Maral is a straight-pull bolt-action rifle – the user has to pull the bolt to eject the fired case and then simply release it. The bolt will return to its place, chambering a new cartridge in the process. Repeating is quick and simple. Maral features a cocking/de-cocking safety switch. Barrel length is 56 cm and weight is approx. 3.2 kg (depending on the model and caliber). Browning chambers this rifle for .308 Win., .30-06 Sprg., .300 Win. Mag. and 9.3x62. The magazine is detachable and holds 4 (standard) or 3 calibers (magnum). For mounting purposes, there are two bores at the front and at the rear of the receiver, 4 altogether.

Rifles Benelli Argo, Browning BAR, Browning Acera, Browning Maral, Winchester SXR Vulcan and Fabarm Iris have actions of the same dimensions, which is why they share the same mounts.

A: 12.7 mm
B: 81 mm
C: 12.7 mm
BHU: 0 mm
Fi: 6-48
R1: R18
R2: R18

Mounting instructions

Remove all the stains (grease, oil etc.) from the rifle's receiver with a cleaning fluid (acetone). Once the surface is clean and dry, check whether the screws match the rail and the holes on the receiver. Make sure that the Picatinny rail is compatible with the rifle by inspecting the mounting holes on both. Before mounting the rail permanently, apply a minimal amount of thread-locking fluid 278 or 648 on screws and contact surfaces. Be careful not to get the fluid in or near the mounting holes. Carefully clean the remaining excess fluid around the rail with a cleaning fluid. Using a torque driver, screw the screws appropriately (up to 2.2 Nm) – do not overtighten.

Warranty

The product has a warranty period of 30 years.