I have an X-Bolt and have had 3 EW's. My X-Bolt is much more accurate than any of the three EW's I've had, especially the last two, which were recent Portugese manufacture and didn't shoot very well at all. The first EW I had was a South Carolina made.30-06, but it was heavier than my X-Bolt in the same caliber, and wasn't quite as accurate, so it moved on down the tracks. I'm not sure what failed on the previous poster's A-Bolts over time, but the X-Bolt is a totally different design. I think my X-Bolt is 7 years old now, and has spent a lot of time in the field, not problems so far, just as you would expect from a good hunting rifle.
I will say that the new B&C ultralights that are shipping with current M70's are
lighter and better contoured than the stocks included on the earlier SC made EW's. I like Winchester M70's, and I'll probably try another EW at some point, but having owned both, and others, I don't automatically rate them as superior to rifles like the X-Bolt or Tikka, or Kimber. I'd personally lay hands on a few different options including, an X-Bolt, a Tikka T3/x, an MRC, and a Kimber Hunter before throwing down any cash.
Last edited by Gtscotty; 05/21/17.
