Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters What is a browning X bolt?

is it push feed controlled round feed? Is it the new Model 70 made in SC with a glossy stock?

Outdoor Wire or Shooting Wire had a brief description of it I believe on Thursday. Pretty sure its not a 70...has short bolt throw and detachable rotary mag if I remember correctly.

Go to fieldandstream.blogs.com. David E. Petzal's column has descriptions and pictures of the new Browning X Bolt and the new Winchester Model 70.

Here is a link http://fieldandstream.blogs.com./

Looks like the X-bolt is the latest styling abortion from Browning, like the cynergy shotgun.

I got to shoot an X-Bolt extensively about three weeks ago. If you do not like the A-Bolt you will not like the X-Bolt, but aside from minor styling issues I liked it. It is light, with a nicely-shaped stock that works very well. The trigger is improved, and in fact very fine (and more adjustable), and accuracy in the .308 I tried was outstanding, 3/4" or less for 3-shot groups at 100 yards with Winchester factories and the 150-grain XP3 bullet.

I suspect that what will happen is that, as with the A-Bolt, the X-bolt will shoot extremely well right out of the box, but some shooters will instead buy rifles that require some "tuning" or maybe even a new barrel before they were really perform. The folks who buy X-Bolts will just be able to go shooting and hunting.

JB

I sure hope Browning fixed that terrible rusty trigger problem!!!

Mule Deer interesting comment regards the A-Bolt, X-bolt and just going hunting. You read so many negative comments on A-bolt rifles. Would you compare a Kimber to an A-Bolt and say that out of the box the A-Bolt accuracy experience would be better than the Kimber accuracy experience? Or that the A-Bolt overall performance/durability experience would be better than the Kimber overall performance/durability experience?

The picture of the xbolt looks intersting! If they release a light weight advantage camo synthetic stainless rifle this would very interesting.

Here is what I know about A-Bolts (and one X-Bolt): They generally are among the most accurate out-of-the box rifles around. Partly this is because they are bedded right, with a free-floated barrel. They share this happy characteristic with a few other factory rifles that also have a fine reputation for accuracy, including (but not limited to) the Savages and Sakos.

In my experience, bolt rifles bedded in any other way, whether with forend-tip pressure on the barrel or full-length bedded, are not as consistently accurate. This, of course, includes Kimbers, Remingtons, Rugers, Winchesters, and a bunch of others. These sometimes require some "tuning" to shoot their best.

The trigger pull has also tended to be pretty good, which doesn't hurt, and is easily fixed if you're not happy. A-Bolts are also reasonably lightweight, and in my experience comfortable to shoot.

The only issue I've had with A-Bolts in the past is their pot-metal trigger. My wife has one of the original A-Bolt Hunters (1986) and when I pulled the barreled action out of the stock, the trigger blade itself broke. Browning sent a replacement right away, and I have seen steel trigger blades break too.

Other than that, Eileen's A-Bolt .270 was trouble-free for many years, and at one point she had a string of 10 one-shot kills in a row with it, including whitetail and mule deer, pronghorn, elk and moose. I have also known several other people who used A-Bolts without any real problems, especially Stainless Stalkers.

JB

I had exactly the same experience except with a Remington 700 SPS. And it's trigger blade was not real metal either.

Still, find me a custom maker who prefers the A-Bolt as a foundation for a custom rifle?

Just cause they shoot well is not enough reason for me to consider owning one when there are other choices. Savages tend to shoot well by design also but the custom guys at the ACGG seem to avoid them too.

You dont see many Rem 700 based guild guns either..

under a $1k and accurate out of the box, you pick it up, zero and go hunt, this in tune with my interests, wonder if the new X bolt fixes the trigger? The rotary magazine sounds interesting. Any idea what the lightweight synthetic stainless steel gun might weight? Are they introducing them next year or now?

not guild guns but probably more rems on custom hunting rifles than any other due to the fact that they are simple and easy to make accurate. I would speculate that more rems are used for your typical semi custom build of new bbl and stocka and maybe some blueprinting than any others.

I just could never find anything to like about A-bolts but I do admit that they seem to work fine for those who buy into the whole Buckmark marketing thing. just about every pick up at my sons high school has a buckmark in the rear window. I don't hold it against those fellows 'cause they are young and ignorant!

anyway, it's a good thing those Madison avenue marketers at browning do such a good job, otherwise, there would not be enough model 70s around for those discriminating shooters!

I like the article about the model 70. Questions though based on the picture if anyone knwos the answers please

the scope mounting system... the pic looks like integral mounts of some type. will the 70 come with wrings.

The "checkering" on the forend looks cheap in my opinion. I think they would have been better to leave it smooth.

I hope they make a stainless/wood version.

Hope they resurrect some of the old chamberings (i.e. 300 H&H, 7 mauser, 6.5 swede) I know, just hoping though.

BIG QUESTION.... when will some be in the stores?

The old chamberings only appeal to gun loonies. The general public either doesnt know what they are or doesnt want them or both.

I wonder if browning will leave the safety on the tang. I like that feature and really miss it on the rugers.

The scope mounts appear to be Talley bases and rings. The checkering pattern on the featherweight appears to be the same exact machine cut checkering that we saw on Model 70s made over the last 20 years. Winchester like Remington will probably farm out production of walnut stocks to an OEM supplier.Just my thoughts.

Britt

Run , Run

An overpriced custom gun maker doesn't use them. There is no way they could ever kill an animal.

Has there ever been any animals killed with a bone-stock, out of the box rifles?


I once had a 8 point on its death bed due to being double lunged by an A-Bolt only to regain life after it realized it was not shot by a controlled round feed, McMillan stocked, turret topped leupy, custom guild magnum beast smasher.

Run, I say Run away from the Brownings.