Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Browning A-Bolt - A can of worms.

I've been around here long enough to obtain bits and pieces of the praise and hate for the Browning A-Bolt rifles over the years. Cut to the chase, what is the lowdown on these rifles? I've got two, a composite Stalker in 30-06 and a composite Stalker in 7mm-08. Both are reliable and accurate shooters with both factory and hand-loaded ammo. Has anybody had any catastrophic failures or other issues?

They're fine rifles, if they are working for you just go out and kill stuff.

I agree. I have one in 6.5x55 Swede. It is superbly accurate, no issues at all.

I've owned 6 of them over the years and my son & father have owned several as well.

You get a few girly type complaints:

They're too shinny!! (dingbats don't realize that gloss finish is not applied to the Hunter models)

Their triggers are terrible!! ( Laffin' easily fixed and if they shot one half as much as they typed about 'em, they'd know this)

Their enclosed trigger group freezes at the north pole!! (possibility, but the people who beat this drum fail to mention all the other rifles that have enclosed trigger groups....)

If someone thinks they're ugly, that's a legit reason not to buy one. A rifle is like a woman, if you get an ugly one, it's tough to take her out in public...

The ones I've owned have been accurate with a variety of ammo, have seen some rough use and never failed to perform when needed.

They arent the old Safari, but what factory rifle is nowadays?

JM

No complaints here...but I do like the X Bolt better, both shooting and handling.

I had an A bolt Stalker in .223 Rem, that I sure wish I had back.

I have only turned loose of three rifles over the years, and one was an A bolt in .243. Didn't much care for the finish but it shot much better than it should have with the thin barrel. Killed a truck load of deer with it, but sold it to fund a 30.06. Wish I had it back.

doorgunner;
Like you I've been around here long enough to read of the short comings of A-Bolts, the most common one springing to my failing memory being the trigger.

I did a quick Google search and couldn't come up with an aftermarket trigger by the way, but it was an admittedly quick search.

With the understanding now that I'm not a formally trained gunsmith, just a lifelong, self taught mechanic of guns - among other things, I'd make the following observation.

Over the years from local BC hunters I've had exactly two A-Bolts arrive on my bench for work on them.

The first was a .270 that the owner wanted a recoil pad installed on as he found the factory set up objectionable. I'll note he was a heavy set, broad chested chap with a short neck and to my way of thinking the stock just didn't work for him.

I installed the recoil pad, thus gaining an inch of pull and he said he liked it much better. I'm not sure whether the Decelerator or the additional inch of pull - or both really - made the difference there.

The other rifle was a very used .25-06 that had broken at the wrist when the owner fell on it. This is more common than one would suspect out here in BC, though horse and quad wrecks bring the odd stock to our garage as well...

Anyway, because this rifle had been "very used" in a wide variety of weather, I paid special attention to the trigger when I repaired the rifle - being curious and all.

That one looked and still worked fine. The amount of rust on the rest of the rifle indicated that it had indeed been out in some moisture at least once.

Oh, this chap had shot everything from Kootenay elk to Kettle whitetail bucks to Okanagan mulies with that A-Bolt and thought that 100gr Partitions were the closest relative to chained lightning available to man!

I saw the racks in his garage when I dropped the repaired rifle off - he could well be correct.

Hopefully my brief overview and admittedly very small sample at least gave you a smile this morning sir. Good luck on your upcoming hunts and all the best to you in the upcoming week.

Regards,
Dwayne

Had one in .30-06 that I traded for a "prettier" commercial mauser in '06. What a BFM that was. The A-Bolt was accurate with most loads and I had killed a truckload of deer with it. Never could make the "prettier" rifle shoot worth a $#%&! Wich I had never traded. BTW the "prettier" rifle got traded too.

I have 3 of them, one in 06, 300 Win Mag and 338 Win Mag...got each on a post deer season close out back in 92 or 93...

each one has been reliable, accurate and trouble free...

all have the synthetic stock...

I did give away the 06 tho.... to Seafire Jr... for his first deer rifle...he wanted a 30/06 and loved THAT one... so that is what he got... he loves it...

sadly has carried it for 5 seasons and still hasn't shot his first deer with it.... he got a good shot at a large buck last season, but dad had given him the wrong ammo for it..

zeroed it for 150 grain ballistic tips and inadventently grabbed the load for when he was younger, with 125 grain Btips and a slower MV...

the young man is a heck of a shot tho...just not at the right place at the right time yet...

Don't let Seafire Jr. get discouraged. It'll happen when he least expects it.

I have one I bought in 1998. A 25-06 hunter with a BOSS. That rifle is the most accurate sporter I have ever owned. My Son In Law has a 270 Win medallion that is only very slightly less accurate. I am a believer.

You can install a Moyers after market trigger if the factory one isn't working for you.

Thanks for the feedback. It appears that I'm not alone in my opinion of the A-Bolt.

I own 2 , 300 wsm and 7mm-08 , my son has 1 in 270 and i load for 2 others .like them all very much . The trigger is easily modified with a spring kit that Timney makes that comes with 3 springs , just install the 1 you want . 10 minute job .

The A-bolts, or A-borts, as their detractors call them, seem to be in the same category as the Tikka's...people either love'em or hate'em. There seem to be more than a couple of folks who think they are the bomb diggity, even on some Alaska forums. I've never been much of a fan of the A-bolts, but might try an X-bolt some day, either a standard in 280 or 325 WSM or a micro in 308 or 7mm-08.

I loved the a-bolts as soon as the stainless stalkers came out. I got 2 in 1991, one in 7mm and one in .270. Those 2 have accounted for 20 whitetails and performed flawlessly. I still have the .270 today. I did not like the long barrel on the 7mm and sold it several years ago. The .270 will be with me till the end. Bout forgot about the titanium 7-08. It is a keeper also.

No issues, work great shoot good!

I've only owned one. It just didn't seem to fit me well. I have long arms and they have rather short forearms. It was accurate and I killed my largest buck ever with it. The caliber was a 300wsm which for some reason I just couldn't warm up to. Traded it to my shooting partner and he loves it. I've decided I'm a Ruger fan. Got 5 and one more on the way. The only Browning I currently own is a BAR 300 Win mag.

Oddly enough, Browning shotguns fit me really well.

I love the A-Bolts that I have and use. I bought them in the early 90's....they are Composite Stalkers. They have a matte blue finish, the composite stocks have a 'tacky' feel that is excellent, they have a coned breech, they are glass bedded at the recoil lug, the barrels are free floated, and the triggers are adjustable...all from the factory that way. They are accurate, rugged rifles that have been real performers in the field.