Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires Anyone tried a Browning T-Bolt?

I am a little interested in one of these in the varmint model, when they first reintroduced this model I didn't think it would be something I would consider but hell I've tried just about everything else, maybe these things will shoot, I also wonder about the durability of this action as I am not familiar with the way it works, I'd like to hear from owners, especially about accuracy..............Thanks Hillbilly.

I didn't buy the Varmint Model but purchased the Sporter with Synthetic Stock in 22 WMR and it shoots ragged holes at 50 yards with the Hornady 30 gr V-Max. As far as the action it locks up like a Bank Vault

One hole groups at 50 yds! if they shoot like that I'll have to get one, have you ever had any malfunctions?........Thanks Hillbilly.

never, ragged holes at 50 yards means the bullet are touching and didn't mean to imply they where all in one little 22 cal hole

Don't own a varmint model, but a wood stocked sporter in 22 LR. Love it. Shoots great, locks up tight, feels nice to carry. Would recommend it. Haven't tested beyond 50 yds as that's where I sight in my LR's but it's easily sub 1" there for a mag full when I take my time. Action is fast to work as a straight pull.

Only regret is that the first day I had mine out it slipped off the bag I had it propped on while using another gun and I put a couple of scratches on the wood stock

I don't own one, or shot one. But I've handled a few (previous job selling guns). I love the feel, and how the action works. I got one on my NEEDS list. They are nice little guns; never heard anything bad about one.

One advantage to buying the Synthetic it come with a extra magazine stored in the butt stock and these magazines aren't cheap. Plus it doesn't scratch as easy as the wood stock version.

Good points. After tipping over my wood stocked version, I wished I had the synthetic I wanted a "nicer" looking .22 and got it but the extra mag is also nice as they are pricey.

VAH,

As you know, I have owned a few hundred( litterally ) rimfire sporters in my life. A few of them were the old Belgian Made T-Bolts but I have yet to try one of the new ones.

Due to the amount of polymer on them(trigger guard, trigger housing) the wood stocked versions have just never appealed to me. It's sort of like putting wood grips on a Glock.

But for the reasons mnetioned above- I DO want a synthetic version of the New T-Bolt. There are three synthetic rimfire sporters I would like to wring out.- the SAKO quad, the new Stainless synthetic Ruger 77/22s and the new Browning T-bolt.

Actually, the T-Bolt may be the best of the lot. It is the lightest in weight-less than 5lbs for the Sporter and only about 5.75 for even the "varmint" weight. It also has more unique features than either of the other rifles- straight pull bolt, tang safety, Double helix rotary magazine and mag trap in the butt). Also, from what I can tell from actual user reports, it shoots about as well over all as the Quads, which is saying something.

I want one.

What made me purchase one was it was offered in Left Hand and 22 WMR

Local shop is giving these away with the purchase of a ProSteel Safe from Browning.

They probably have the safes overpriced to start with.

That may or may not be true ... but they're the only game in town for such things.

I purchased both of my Safes online and even with the shipping it was much cheaper than buying local.

Jim, Thanks for your input, I know you have owned many many rimfires and if the T Bolt is on your want list it has to be pretty damn good, I think I will buy a synthetic Varmint model, they seem to be very reasonable on gunbroker.........................Hillbilly.

VA,

Go over to Rimfire Central. Ask around on the Browning forum if anyone has seriously testted their new Browning T-bolts for accuracy. There are a few guys who have done so, and they report excellent groups.

The cool thing about the new T-Bolt synthetics is that just about everything from the updated straight pull action to the stock styling is a new and fresh twist on proven designs.

I am a conservative Classic rifle guy, but just like a Southgate Weatherby,everything on the New T-Bolt synthetics "fit" in terms of style and design.. It's a well thought out little rifle. If they would make them out of Stainless, they would be even better.

BTW, Browning made a special run of those with Digital camo stocks. There are some deals floating around on Gunbroker with them being priced at $400.

Jim, I saw the digital camo versions in GB and they are at a very good price, I think I will buy one but I am having a hard time deciding between a sporter model or a Varmint model, I will make a little squirrel rig out of it and I don't know if the heavier barrel on the Varmint model will effect the rifles balance, I have handled a wood sporter model and found it extremely light but also very well balanced, if I thought the Varmint would be a little more accurate I would probably choose it even if it didn't balance in My hands quite as well................Thanks hillbilly.

I understand, it looks like you have a very nice little rig there, Enjoy..............Hillbilly.

I have one of the Synthetic Sporters in the .17HMR.. WOW does it shot. Action is smooth and tight. The extra mag in the butt end is really nice too. Best shot so far <with no wind> was on a crow at measured 184 yards.

Sounds like that .17 HMR of yours is a crows worst nightmare..............Hillbilly.

VA..

I have wondered the same things about the balance with the HB models.

I have seen various weights given for the guns.

Even the HB models are not very heavy. Also, the Varmint stocks are a slightly different desgin in the rear- a bit larger monte Carlo type stock.

If you want light weight, the sporter model would be hard to beat. With just about any reasonable scope /mount combo- it is going to weight right at 6lbs all up.

Well for the last 11 it has barked at... YEA

Hillbilly, FWIW, one of the local money pits got in a T-bolt synthetic about a week ago, but I didn't pay much attention to it. But, this thread has piqued my interest some, so this afternoon, I happened to swing by for another look. I was really surprised to notice that this T-bolt has a threaded barrel! I don't know for sure, but it may be a Varmint model with a shorter barrel, and threaded for a suppressor. I asked one of the clerks, if that was factory, and he said it was. So, when I got home I looked in the new Browning catalog (more like an old Sears and Roebuck catalog in size ), and there is no mention of such an animal in the catalog. But who knows. Guess I could ask to look at the box.

They also got in a Ruger 77/22 stainless synthetic .22LR, after I bought both of their walnut/blued models! I've been seriously eyeballing this rifle, but I just don't like how tight the fore-end fits around the barrel, particularly on one side. Yeah, I know, I can remedy this, and I've done it many times with both wood and synthetic stocks, but it just kind of irritates me.

I think Browning must have made several special runs of their T Bolt rifles, I also found a unique model at a somewhat local gun shop (1 hour away)I called around the other day to see who might have a T Bolt on the shelf and one place I called has a stainless steel laminated Varmint model, I am 99% sure that I will buy it...... IF it's still there Tuesday, thats My next off day. I know what you mean about the Ruger, I would also like to give one of the new Ruger stainless synthetic threaded barrel jobs a try................Hillbilly.

VA.

Yes they did make those and they were cataloged several years ago. Most of them run $700+.

Even with the Lam and heavy barrel. stock, I bet they don't weigh over 7 lbs. They are nice looking rifles.

Jim, I am looking forward to getting this rifle in My hands, I have seen this model in pics but never in person and I agree, it does look really nice, I think the rifle's advertised weight was somewhere in the mid 5 lbs range, 5lbs 6 ozs maybe, this does seem a little light for a laminated stock rifle though, I will find out for sure in a few more days.................Hillbilly.

That is the one I want only right handed.

I had though about buying one two years ago, and then they all sort of disappeared. I think they were tough for dealers to move since they ran about $200 more than most of the walnut stocked versions were selling for at the time. I have never seen one listed for lest than $700.

As much as I like the look of the Stainless /grey laminate, since then, the Synthetic version with their sculpted Stock lines and spare magazine trap in the butt etc, have sort of grown on me.

The rifle I am going to look at is $729.00 plus tax Jim, I think the synthetic digital camo version on gunbroker for $409.00 is by far the best value in a T Bolt right now, My problem is I love stainless steel rifles and not many options in stainless 22lr's out there right now.................Hillbilly.

$729 is a good price for that model since it is-

A) All stainless.
B) Has the pretty Grey Laminate checkered Varmint stock.
C) Is relatively rare.

I've had mine since 1980 when my grandfather gave it to me. He bought it new in 1966. It's a fantastic gun with lots of good memories. Where are the new ones made? Are they made by Miroku like their other rifles?

They are made in Japan by Miroku.

the new guns are so different, other than the bolt mechanism functioning the same, they are totally different rifles.

And, except for the polymer trigger guard /housing, everything on the new rifles has been an improvement.

It sounds like the T Bolt action should be pretty durable then, that was one of My concerns since I don't even know anyone who has ever owned one..................Hillbilly.

Well, the whole durability question can only be answered after enough of them have had long useful service lives...That will take at least 20 more years..

So far, since the new guns came out there have not been many complaints of malfunctions, QC issues or parts breakage. Always a good sign.

I didn't know the T Bolt design had been around so long, Browning has been building T Bolts off and on since 1965, I don't even know if the T Bolt is a Browning design it may have been around since long before that, you may know more about this design Jim.................Hillbilly.

I bought a lefty version of the high grade T-bolt back in the '70s. It was a nice looking rifle, but unimpressive in the accuracy department, and I never could get used to the bolt motion which felt jerky to me, so I sold it.

The reports here of the accuracy of the new ones make them seem promising.

Paul

Did your rifle function well Paul?..............Thanks Hillbilly.

I don't recall any failures to feed or eject.

Aside from lackluster accuracy, it just didn't grow on me. I was in grad school and recently divorced, so it went down the road, along with another couple of guns.

Paul

Paul,

The two Belgian made T-Bolts I have owned in the past also were only fair shooters, so they went down the road as well.

As with yours, they also functioned just fine.

One of those rifles was my first introduction to Browning "salt wood " guns..

Well, there was about a 30 year gap in Browning building T-Bolts from the late 1970s to the mid 2000s when the new version was indroduced...

Besides, the new rifle is so different to me they are like an A-Bolt vs the "X" bolt centerfires. The bolt mechanism locks up the same but other than that, they are pretty much different rifles.

I seem to recall that a guy from So. Colorado invented it, and sold the design to Browning.

Paul

That is very interesting Paul. I recently read a good article in the May/June issue of Rifle Shooter magazine on the T bolt, the author (Stan Trzoniec) says that Browning first introduced the T Bolt in 1965 (the year I was born) and produced it until 1974 when they dropped it from their catalog, he says Browning brought the T Bolt back again in 1986 and it ran again until 1996, then put it back in production once again in 2006 until present he does not say what upgrades were made to the rifle between production runs, He also does not say if the T Bolt is an original Browning design or if it's been around for many years before 1965 in some other manufacturers catalog or who may have designed it, I am interested in the history of this unique action design and would love to know more.....................Hillbilly.

My gunsmith has one of the older Belgium Browning T-bolts and it shoots like a house afire...

I picked up one in 22mag. and got it scoped but haven't had it to the range yet.

I reviewed the T-Bolt 22Mag for Varmint Hunter a year or so ago. Three other folks and I shot it and all loved it. It was THE rimfire rifle to reach out past 100 yards on a cold and windy day for ground squirrels on the day we field-tested it. Range work produced a lot of very small groups, using several ammo types. I don't recall the actual group sizes, but I wasn't at all disappointed even with bargain ammo. It absolutely loved Winchester Supreme, though. The "Figure 8" magazine is brilliant, easy to load and foolproof, by the way.

I was sorry to return that one, but I did. Just no room for it around here.

Thanks rocky, very good information.................Hillbilly.

Well, VA, did you track down that Stainless Laminate varmint model in 22LR?

Yes I did Jim, the place had two, one on display and the other was NIB in the storage room, I put the one in the storage room on layaway, I will get it in a couple weeks, I would love to have it right now so I could shoot the hell out of it! I already have scope and rings, just the small matter of no rifle yet!..............Hillbilly.

Good deal. It will be interesting to see what you think of it.

Looking forward to see how you like it

Yes, I am looking forward to getting it to the range and wringing it out with some good ammo, I will post My thoughts of the T-Bolt after my range session...................Hillbilly.

I had a new T Bolt varmint/target.22 LR.I didn't care for the trigger . Trigger was creepy and not uniform pull. Trigger mechanism moved when safety applied/released.
I see lot of home made trigger changes on Rimfire Central. Changing spring/and or spring location, etc.
I prefer my Belgium T Bolts, shoot quite good.
Cisco