Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Why the lack of love for Browning X-Bolts?

Looking for opinions as to why Browning X-Bolt rifles don't sell as well as a lot of their competitors? I'm basing the perceived lack of sales on observation only - no hard numbers to back me up. I just don't see many X-Bolts at the range, in the field and none of the guys I've hunted with own one.

I bought an A-Bolt Medallion 30/06 with a 4X12 Redfield scope for 300 usd on Saturday. I see nothing wrong with them.

The entire states of AL, MS, and LA love their Browning rifles. I’ve seen more in those states than probably the rest of the US combined.

Last year I bought an X-Bolt Medallion in 300 H&H. I love the rifle. It seems like everyone around here is sporting a Browning logo on the back of their truck. Most deer hunters I know are partial to Savages and Remington synthetics.

.................There could be a few things. And I could be wrong on one of them, some of them or all of them and list them in no particular order.

1) Imo, Browning X bolts are not the first bolt action rifles that come to mind when people are looking to purchase a new or used bolt action rifle. Winchesters, Remingtons, Rugers, maybe Savages and a few others or more likely to come to mind. The Win Model 70s and the Rem 700s have ruled the roost for many decades.

2) Personal tastes? Possible the X Bolts may not appeal to most? Hard to understand that imo because I find them very appealing...

3) Price points? I do not know. Just throwing that one out there. Folks looking at a maybe $600-$700 and lower price points don't think of Browning X bolts imo. They associate Brownings at higher price points.

4) Bolt handle dislike? I have read that on a few threads. I don't mind them personally.

5) Trigger issues? Of the friends X bolts that I have fired, I have no issues with the triggers. But, that is me. But if someone wants to modify the trigger pull I think you have some work to do? Not externally adjustable?

6) Competition from other brands....Not only from Winchester, Remington, Ruger, Savages but also from Weatherby, the growing popularity of Bergara, and many more competitors.

7) Parts interchangability? For example if one owns a Bergara rifle, and if you want to switch over to anything Remington, you can.

8) Action popularity? The CRFs from Winchester and Ruger. You don't hear of or at least I don't, a custom build based on a Browning action? Perhaps similar copies.

I believe the Browning X bolts to be very fine rifles. They have modified their twist rates in a few long range chamberings so that the longer and heavier bullets can be better stabilized at extended ranges. Would not hesitate in the least if I were in the market for a new rifle. But then again, I am becoming a very good fan of the Bergara Premier line. So that is where the competition part of this entire discussion comes in to play.

#9 which I just thought of and see that it was mentioned.............Geographic location. Brownings more popular in some states than in others? Very possible.

Made in Japan ?

The problem I have with Browning is only with that emblem, it's seemingly plastered on every trailertrash bitches beat-up car and tattooed on her as a tramp stamp.

I have been told by LGS owners that Browning isn’t selling AS many rifles as
Logo STICKERS. People like Buck Heads.

Jerry

Amen to that. That logo is everywhere but I suspect 90% of the people wearing it or displaying it on their truck don't own a Browning rifle.

I have the sticker on my truck and I have an X-bolt 375 H&H and an A-bolt 7mm mag.

This is very true. If you go in a gunshop in MS, there will be a large browning showing. IMO, it dates back to our grandfathers love for original Belgium made A5’s and the BAR. In the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, and into the 90’s running dogs for deer was the most accepted way to deer hunt. I have seen a handful of Model 70’s in/on dealers racks. Remington 700s and Ruger 77s used to be second to browning but now I’d say Ruger Americans are 2nd most common rifle for sale in my area of the state.

I have a Browning X-Bolt in 26 Nosler. I have not hunted it, nor worked up a load for it. I’ve run a couple of boxes of factory ammo and it shoots just fine. I especially like the 4 screw pattern for mounting scope bases on it. I Put in an M-Carbro trigger spring. Super easy to do, and the trigger is now real nice.

Funny thing: you never hear anyone compliment, or cuss, the accuracy of a Browning. And, I’ve never heard of anyone doing an accuracy job on a Browning. Maybe the primary market for Brownings are people that just buy a rifle and then hunt it, and don’t spend anytime jabbering on hunting or rifle forums.

The southern states love the 7mm Rem mag too!

Absolutely! My father has a BAR he bought in 79 in 7mm Rem Mag and he believed it was pure magic on deer. He quit deer hunting 10-15 years ago and, as a matter of fact, I don’t think he ever bought another new rifle after it. The only other rifle he hunted was a Ruger M77 in 7 mag and it only a handful of times.

My hunting hat has an R on it.

Mine has Two R's, Shiloh ShaRps Rifles!

Because they look like some sort of pimp gun or Weatherby knock-off from 1969?? The gold-filled Buck mark?? The stock that has 2-3 coats too many of polyurethane?? The high polish blue that is just a little too much “high polish”??

Maybe I’m just thinking back on the old A Bolts, and I am sure there are plenty that are more subdued, but there are just so many that look like they ought to have a sling made of full-quill ostrich leather, and a stock with abalone inlays...

Several years ago I was in PENN and walked into a gun shop and they Browning Abolts in 284 WIN and 358 WIN. I believe they were a limited run for Grice's in Clearfield I dont think they sold awhole lot of them.

Because they need 8 screws to hold scope bases to the receiver?