Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Browning X bolt Hells Canyon edition - thoughts?

What's the good, bad, and ugly on these rifles? I'm a long time M70, Kimber snob but curious on the newer X bolt. I'm really interested in how it performs over the long haul in rough conditions - elk pack pack, mountain hunting in general.

Thanks.

I am curious too. Good looking rifles.

I too really like kimbers and model 70s. I just picked up a hells canyon long range, and am pretty excited
about it. The quality seems pretty damn good, but I havnt scoped it yet. I would recommend getting one and
seeing how it performs yourself, I already want another one in a heavier cartridge.

BTW, anyone know the max COAL in the SA Hells Canyon?

The one thing I really don’t like about then is the Duratouch coating on their regular stocks. I hunt with a bunch of guys from AL, which seems to be the epicenter of Browning rifle/shotgun ownership, and all of them have had problems with the coating getting sticky or peeling of their stocks. Until Browning/Winchester stops using it, I know I’ll have a project to work on them to remove the Duratouch eventuallly. The Long Range McMillan and Pro stocks dont have this issue.

I bought one before Christmas when Browning was running a rebate. I got the Hells Canyon Speed Long Range model with the McMillan stock in 6.5 Creedmoor. I have only shot it at the range, but so far I like it. I have not started to hand load for it yet. It shoots the 147 ELD M and 143 ELD X about .75 MOA. I think I can shrink that group with a better trigger and maybe hand loads. We were hitting 10" plates at 550 yards ths first day after sighting it in. The 26" barrel balances OK. I have a Nightforce NXS on it so it's no lightweight but fine for how I am going to use it. Timney is supposedly making triggers for it and that's what I plan on using after I shoot it a lot more. Going to try other factory loads too.

It seems to be well put together and have had no feeding problems with the plastic magazine. Mine came with a rail. I have another rifle with the game scout stock so I knew that I would like it. I dig how you can open the bolt on safe by pushing a button down on the bolt handle.

It's pricey but I got a good deal on it with the rebate. The McM stock is pricey in itself out of the gate. I like the finish a lot.

I really like XBolts. Have two. My only wish for the Hells Canyon guns was that they used stainless under the cerakote.

I haven't found anyone that makes after market triggers for Browning yet. Just springs. I have a couple of A Bolts that I would like to have really good triggers on.

Yeah Timney makes a trigger for the X-bolt but i dont think it fits the A-bolt model.......Hb

ANYTHING with the Duratouch finish is a non-starter for me. My Super X3 with Duratouch ended up feeling like used bubble gum on a hot city sidewalk. Sent it back to Browning/Winchester Service and waited over 10 MONTHS for them to fix it. No more Duratouch ANYTHING for this boy.

Mcarbo spring is the stuff, I can't imagine the trigger on my xbolt being any better now.

Timney has a trigger available. It may require slight shaving on the stock for the safety to work well. Unfortunately, it does disable the bolt lock. I picked one up, but will probably go with the spring mod instead, rather than lose the bolt lock.

WTF,

why make the perfect, the enemy of the good.

For gawd sakes its a $1,100 to $1,900 rifle, MSRP, depending on the flavor

Buy it!



scope it!


then,


Carry it, shoot it, kill schit with it,










How hard does it have to be!

If you don't like it, blow it out.

It's not like you've invested your life savings.

Do that ,and you won't have to ask others their opinion. You'll have your own.!

ya!


GWB

Before I went and modified the stock I decided to just shave some material off the safety “bar” or connector that was causing the issue. It works perfect, save for the bolt lock not working, but I knew that was the case when I bought it.


I tried the mcarbo spring to begin with but mine was pretty inconsistent with the pull, sometimes it would have creep, sometimes crisp, etc. it needed a new trigger.