My local gun shop has an X-Bolt for an attractive price. The rifle fits me well and initial impression is that fit/finish is good.

Any reason why I shouldn't buy an X-Bolt? I've heard the trigger mechanism is overly complicated and some question its reliability? Also, heard others say the quality of the action/barrel is not as good as other rifles in a similar price bracket (Tikka T3)?

Rifle will be used hard - cold conditions, backcountry/backpack hunts common, etc.

Any thoughts/input welcome.

Browning has closed the Winchester factory in New Haven, Ct and has the rifle being made by the Japs who started World War Two!

Laffin...+1. I know that are fine guns but stay away from the Japanese stuff for this very reason. The pro Japanese crowd will be along soon to bitch.

We surrendered the trade deficit to Japan about the time the last Ashigaru crawled out of his cave in the 70s. Another 500 bucks ain't gonna change much.

Seem like nice rifles.

If you like it buy it. No validation needed.

Japan didn't start WWII, Germany did that. Japan just got us into WWII. Our government was the one that made it attractive to move production overseas not Japan. Besides how many Browning rifles were ever made in America? How many German designed or German made Mauser rifles do you own?

I borrowed a friends X-Bolt to take a doe last season. Seemed like a well made rifle to me. I only own one Browning bolt rifle, an A-Bolt II, but it is one of the most accurate rifles I own.

I say if you like the fit and feel of the rifle, go for it.

All I have read is that they tend to be very accurate and function well. As above, if it fits well, do it.

Not if it winds your crank.

I don't care for the styling, but my taste dates back to the Johnson administration.

If you buy one in .270, you will however, be required to divest yourself of any Subarus you own or begin working at a Cheesecake Factory.

And you'll make your mother cry.....

I have owned a dozen or so Browning A-Bolt snd X-Bolt rifle's over the years in various calibers and every one would shoot MOA right out of the box, fit and finish was excellent and they all functioned fine.....I like the rifles for the most part but the bolt handle turns me off plus the triggers seem made a little too complicated for My taste........Good luck in your purchase.....Hb

Own a couple of Browning shotguns that are extremely reliable. I've wanted to try a bolt action based on their look feel and safety location as well as friends experiences - all positive, But it never made it to the top of the need to spend money on this list or too good a deal to pass up list.

Tikka is probably next on my rifle wish list but if I found a good deal i'd buy a Browning in a heartbeat.

I owned a SS stalker in 7mm-08 beautifully made with very nice fit and finish. i sold it for something else and now am looking at one of their long range versions.

No issues buying another one

I'd say buy it if you like it. Was not a huge fan of the A-Bolts in the past, but found an X-Bolt Micro LH in 7-08 this year and it just felt right. Still working load development (just haven't had a lot of time). Put a Swarovski PH 1.5-6 on it and it will be my woods gun. I just wish they had more chambering options for lefties as they did many years ago...

+1 ...

Just purchased the Stainless Stalker version approximately 1 month ago. Currently own 70's and 700's and have had 77's in the past. Wanted to try something a bit different and took a chance. Here's what I have noticed with mine;

Fit and finish are very good. I can usually find small manufacturing spots on any of my firearms but the attention to detail on my XBolt is very good. it even slightly edges out my Super Grade in this category.

The rifle is a long action and you have plenty of room to play with in the box magazine as far as COL is concerned. A short throat will make chasing the lands easy.

Ergonomics fit. It is one of the only rifles that I own that when shouldered I don't cant. The silly thing just feels good, can't explain it.

Functioning has been excellent. Loaded 4 dummy rounds in the box,dry fired and cycled as fast as I could with the intention of seeing if it would bobble. Repeated this for 80 cycles and it never even hiccuped.....not even once. Once again this is superior to both my long and short action 700's and my Super Grade. Dead heat with the Featherweight.

Shoots pretty well. Slim barrel heats up fast but if I pace myself it will keep 5 (not 3) 150 Sierra Gamekings within 1 MOA at 100 if i haven't had too much coffee. The only rifle I have that will consistently beat it is a 700 VSSF.

Trigger is very good out of the box. Haven't even had it apart yet and I usually take everything apart just to see how it works. Don't know about the long term reliability yet.

All in all very pleasantly surprised by what many consider the Rodney Dangerfield of rifles.

I bought this exact rifle for my daughter. I have and have had some very accurate rifles. For some reason, this is the most accurate rifle I own AND it likes pretty much all ammo.

I'd buy one no matter what dumb shidt Savage_99 says.

If you can get pass the ray-gun look, I think they are decent enough rifle. My 280 X bolt functions extremely well and shoots on par with any of the Tikkas that I have owned. CP.

After shouldering one, I immediately sold my Remington 700 7mm and bought a x-bolt in 30-06. It shoots serrrias into itty bitty groups. I have no regrets.

Would be worse than owning a 270!!

I've owned several. They're good rifles. Not my favorites but a nice rifle that I can almost guarantee will shoot well.

"I've heard the trigger mechanism is overly complicated and some question its reliability? Also, heard others say the quality of the action/barrel is not as good as other rifles in a similar price bracket (Tikka T3"

The trigger is a bit complicated, however I haven't heard of a single malfunction. In my opinion all the negative remarks about it possibly failing are speculation.

The only downside I can think of is that only Jard makes an aftermarket trigger for it. My trigger is turned all the way down and breaks at 4.5 pounds. It has no creep and breaks like glass, I wish it were 3-3.5 lbs though.

As I said earlier the rifle is very accurate. I like the tikkas but dislike the fit and finish of the (cosmetics), I think the xbolt compares to the tikka in most areas but with better fit, finished, and magazine well.

My rifle has a wood stock 30-06 with a3x12 nikon and weighs 8lbs loaded with sling ready to hunt. Thats just about perfect to me.

I'd have to disagree with the Tikka barrels being any better they are very close in quality IMO.The X-Bolts I've played with shot great groups and the barrels where very smooth and cleaned up easily.

I own two x-bolts, a 7-08 black synthetic Stalker and a 7wsm SS Stalker. Both shoot very well, the 7-08 is a little pickier on the load. Both have proven to be well made, accurate firearms. Both cycle smoothly and reliably. I prefer the SS variant. That 7wsm ain't going anywhere.

Somebody please name me one company who has flat out goat-fuuked more bolt action design particulars than Browning. Nobody has done it better, or for longer.

The best thing going for the X-Bolt is that it isn't an A-Bort......

Count me as biased, but I'd recommend a Browning BLR over the X-Bolt. The BLR is a light package and can be had in numerous configurations (blued/walnut, stainless/walnut, stainless/laminate, pistol grip, straight grip, take-down versions) and chambered for most any cartridge you might want. Caveats: The trigger isn't the best, but can be worked by some gunsmiths ( Neil Jones has a good reputation for it) and long action BLRs aren't as quick handling (longer lever throw and longer action length) as short action BLRs. I've not had my trigger worked and have gotten used to it. I may get it done someday.

Don NEVER fails to open his mouth and remove all doubt. NEVER. F#ckin' idiot.

It is no Ruger American, but if you like it, go for it.

I have seen that post for more then a decade...God bless him he never fails .

I sighted in one in 7 mag a few years ago, nice shooting rifle.

When I worked at a range, I got to sight in a few guns every year for guys that didn't trust themselves or wanted a scapegoat.

The easy ones where 1. Sako 2. Weatherby Accu-marks. 3 Browning A and X Bolts. Blazer and Sauer where a given. The hardest was a BAR in 300 mag oh and a scoped AK just sucked.

Since you asked....

I just believe there are several other better rifles than the Browning X-bolt or A-bolt.

Just to name a few....

Tikka
Winchester
Weatherby
Ruger
Howa
Remington
Savage

I have one in 308. It shoots pretty well, that said I'll be selling it next year. Of the above I would go with the first two if I had to do it over. Ultimate utility tool: tikka with an aftermarket stock. Beautiful classic: winchester m70 super grade. Both can be had for around a grand.

A few years back I was in PENN and saw 4 or 5 Abolts in 358 WIN a limited run from Grice's I believe. Not a bad gun in my opinion I guess they didnt sell very well and I see them on GUNBROKER every now and then.

Absolutely!

I have a bunch of Browning guns: the BPS is the shotgun I tell every leftie to buy, the 22 pistol line is tough and I own a couple, the Clitoris are good shotguns for the money, and the A-Bort likely has
John spinning in his grave!

I have personally witnessed more failures in the field With A-Borts than all other makes and models combined. Several 24hour members were with me when their A-Bort triggers became locked up and useless.

At least the X is not an A, but that is scant solace if you count the number of parts in the bolt...

When I read this, Browning is the last bolt action that comes to mind.......

Yeah, I missed that the first go-round myself. That requirement brings to mind Rugers, Mausers, old M70s, etc. something easy to take apart and no DMs.

Beat me to it..

Wow, just wow, is this experience talking (with the X-Bolt)? Or is it just opinion based on a different rifle? Admittedly, MO is not Alaska, but so far - for the past 5 seasons, both the X-BOLTS I've owned and shot and hunted with have functioned flawlessly. This does include one Colorado second season elk hunt in snow, rain, mud, cold and wind.

I sold my Extreme Weather Model 70 to a 'fire member and kept the X-bolt and don't regret it. It's lighter, more accurate, and fits me better. If you have personal experience with this rifle, that's one thing, but to disparage a rifle that you may have never owned, shot, or hunted with smacks a little bit of bias and group think. If a guy asks an honest question, give an honest answer based on your experience, not your opinions garnered from others. And Redneck, I am not including you in this response, I do very respect your opinion, but some of the responses are of no value to the OP.

A friend bought a 26 Nosler in one. For 1500 dollars there should be NO PLASTIC parts on it (magazine) IMO

Pretty scant evidence to get all worked up over...

Elsewhere, I have defended and praised Browning quality, while dumping a bit on the metro-sexual influenced styling in some of their offerings. The OP asked for input/thoughts. I think that the X-Bolt's complicated design could be a liability under the rough usage he describes, partly because there's more stuff to go wrong, and also that it'd be harder to disassemble for cleaning and lubrication in the field. Detachable mags are another potential source of trouble including simple loss. I don't have to experience any of that to anticipate it and choose to avoid it by going with simple, rugged, proven designs like the Mauser and its kin.

I didn't say the X-Bolts were bad, or inaccurate, or even not worth having, just that something else might be a better choice out in the goop. Sorry your feelers got hurt.

My son in law has one in 270. Good shooter.