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Browning X-bolt
Ambrose
Member Posts: 3,208 ✭✭✭✭
Bought one yesterday. Matt blue & walnut, 6.5 Creedmoor. Will soon see if shoots as good as I have heard. Range report to follow.
Comments
Looking forward to that report! I've looked at the X bolt and it's a really nice rifle.
🇺🇲 "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." - Thomas Jefferson 🇺🇲
if it performs 1/2 as good as my A-Bolt you will be well served.
I looked at several x bolts, but i couldnt make myself buy one. The bolt has WAY too much slop compared to the A bolts. I have a few A bolts, and with bolt open they barely move side to side or up/down. The X bolts i handled ALL moved a lot, prob 1/4 to 1/2 side to side. That prob doesnt affect the accuracy at all, but it makes me wonder about the craftsmanship as compared to the A bolt.
I bought the X-Bolt Hunter in 270 Win a couple of years ago and I really like it. Groups the Winchester 130 power points a little over an inch and is a very well made rifle. I have been very satisfied with it.
Son in law hads an x bolt in 308 . It groups hornady sst 165 grain pills into about 1/2 inch groups when I do my part.One of the few guns here that gets factory ammo
Went back to the store and bought them out of that particular lot number .
One of my buddies had a Browning,I think it was an A-bolt that he said would not group and wanted me to glass bed it.I noticed when I took it apart that the action screws seemed loose.When I got it apart it was bedded from the factory.I reassembled it and I didn't have a torque driver in those days so I snugged the action screws by feel.It was a 7mm-08 caliber and after that tiny bit of tweaking it was shooting half inch MOA with good hand loads.
I've got a good range report! I set the rifle up with Leupold bases, rings, and 2-7X VX2 scope.
First 3 shots grouped .87": of course the next 2 opened up the group to 1.06". That load was 140 gr. Sierra BT & H4350 powder.
The next group was with some 140 gr. "seconds" from Midway (they look very much like Hornady spires) that I loaded with RL 17. Five of those printed .74". A second 5-shot group went .82".
A second 5-shot group with the Sierras measured .73".
I tried some 129 gr. Winchester power point factory loads and was disappointed. They were supposed to clock 2820 fps and my Oehler 35P read only 2721. Also, the group was 1.98" @ $1.75 per shot.
I have to wonder how much better this rifle would shoot if somebody younger than 86 was running it!?
Nice report,congrats.
Is the X bolt a controlled feed rifle?
Excellent results with your new rifle! Sounds like a keeper to me.
montanajoe;
The post war Browning bolt action rifles were built on the FN action and, that being a Mauser 98 variant, they were controlled round feed. The ones built on Sako actions as well as the BBR, A-bolt, A-bolt II, and the X-bolt are all push feed.
I'm pleased with this rifle: It would make a great deer and antelope rifle. (If a guy didn't have a .270—where's the green font!)
🙂🙂🙂
Loaded the old 160 gr. Hornady round nose with W760 powder. 5-shot group measured just under 3/4"! Velocity was 2550 fps. I can't imagine what that load would be good for.
"I can't imagine what that load would be good for."
Ummm… Just 'bout everything!