Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Browning A-bolt concerns??

Hi all,

Sorry for the redundancy because a thread exists on the "ask the gunwriters" thread but it turned into a pi$$ing match. I've not seen any custom rifles built on the A-bolt design but why?

I'm thinking of buying an A-Bolt in 300 WSM and don't really know alot about them other than the usual - 60 degree bolt lift, 3 lug, free floated barrel, etc. Someone stated the action itself isn't as strong as a 700, 70, 77 - why?

What are the shortcomings of an A-bolt if one has no plans to re-barrel?

I have a friend who shoots nothing but Browning even bowhunting. He is hardly a rifle loonie but I would estimate he has had his A-bolt for almost 8 years - no problems.

I wouldn't worry too much bout it particularly if you aren't interested in dropping a ton of loot into her.

Litigation being what it is I can't see Browning putting out a rifle prone to disfiguring their customers.

That's kinda how I see it - if it was junk they wouldn't have sold 40 gazillion of them. My purpose it a lightweight rifle for hunting big game in mountainous areas, meaning a couple hundred shots for load development, then 20-30 per year after.

I really like the way the rifle fits me and could get really attached to the high altitude carryability (highly technical word). Having run some numbers and talking with Muley, I'm less concerned about the recoil issue but still don't know alot about the A-bolt. If you ask me about a Ruger or SUCKS, I could tell you all the supposed strengths and weaknesses.

Yea - the a-bolt does semm to be a bit like the weird uncle no one talks about. I see no problem with the Browning if what you say is what you are looking for. Myself I am a Ruger followed by Winchester man. I like Remingtons but I also like to be a bit different. ("I was shooting Rugers when shooting Rugers wasn't cool... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> ")



The only think I don't like about the A-bolt is the stock - too glossy (the ones I have seen anyway) but nothing inherent in their design would make me never buy one. My buddy's A-bolt is a 7mm Rem Mag - a caliber that has a bit of a rep for weird pressure swings (I have been told - never loaded for it or owned so I ain't fer certain) I would think he woulda told me if he had problems.



Good luck!!!

I've heard that rebarreling is tricky due to the Glue/Lock tight they use on the barrel treads. No idea if it's true! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> The only reason i don't have one is cause Rem, Win and Ruger are all less expensive. Not a good reason i know but it's the wife rules anyway. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />
Paul

I have an A-bolt in 30-06. I love the rifle its a composite stalker. Mine shoots moa easily.

I would like a real fiberglass stock but this is the best factory plastic stock. I like the tang safety I love the magazine. It is the best detachable design out there. The short throw bolt is also nice.

Like I said in the other post, there are a lot of folks that do not like the A-bolt. For whatever reason.

On those points I have to disagree.I for one do not like a tang safety.As for the detachable mag system,it combines the features of a detachable mag and the features of a floorplate but the combination puts it at a disadvantage in that it is much slower to load and unload than say the remington detachable mag and offers no real advantages.

Personally, I really like tang safety's. I refused to buy a Ruger MK II solely for that reason. I did break down and buy an UL last year but still haven't got used to the safety.



Didn't know about the barrel-locktite thing -maybe explains how/why some gunsmiths don't like to fool with them. Still looking for action design/strength comments.



The detachable mag looks alot like something to get lost. I'm not going to say it's a problem yet but I ain't real fond of clips in rifles in any way shape or form.



Thanks for the comments so far.

I have three a-bolts (280, 7-08 and 260). I also own other brands of rifles. My a-bolts where very accurate out of the box and I like the dm feature. No problems have occurred. I did restock one iwth a rick mcm and it is a sweet looking rifle.

joes

bwinters, i will try and answer your question without any bias. first it will not be a custom rifle it will be a semi custom rifle. it is not a custom action, that is the basis for a custom rifle such as a nesika or stolle or some other machined action. so now that we have that out of the way we can get into the good,bad and ugly. we will start with the ugly. pot metal parts. the floorplate and trigger guard are a joke i have broken one or two on my a-bolts. i will say this it was no fault of the guns but droping one off the side of a ridge can't help anything. the bad. the stocks are not that great, they are better than some of the others out there but still lack the feel of a mcmillan ( my favorite) (insert other stock maker if previous does not fit the bill). it does not lend itself well to truing because of the shape of the action. it takes more time to set up the jig that holds it for truing. some of the barrels are tuff to get out and there have been some warped actions because of this, i also add that i have never seen this, but if charlie sisk says it happened to him i believe him. the price, you can buy a donor (insert brand of choice) for about 1/2 of what you can buy a browning, with some exceptions. lastly on the bad the lack of after market parts hardly anyone makes them believe me i know.
the good, they have a reputation for accuracy, the action itself is strong maybe not up there with mauser or remmington or weatherby but none the less strong enough to handle most max loads for cartridge chosen. the fact that there is not that many semi custom a-bolts makes it more appealing to me. there are more and more gunsmiths willing to work on the a-bolt, timmney offers a spring kit that will give you crisp repeatable and smooth pull, mcmillan and most custom stock makers have a line for a-bolts. tom moyer is producing steel trigger guards and floorplates to get rid of the pot metal stuff. the safety is in the right place and it is in my opinion a better safety than most out there. the detachable magazine is great as long as you don't lose it.

i may have missed a few things in some of the colums but that about sums up the a-bolts for me. call john lewis at carolina precision and ask him what he thinks about the a-bolts and then make up your mind. in the end yes there are better and easier ways to get to a semi custom rifle, but having exactly what you want to me is PRICELESS...........blake

Thanks Blake. I was looking for a reasoned answer although I may not agree with all you said. The pot metal trigger guard and floor plate don't bother me much at all, Ruger uses aluminum on their trigger guards and floor plates and I haven't had any trouble with them in the 25 years I've owned them, but point taken. I see where you may not like them.

I'm not sure about the stock thing except if you are talking about the synthetic and then I would definetly agree - McM is second to none, all things considered. As far as wood stocks, they appear to be plain jane straight grain walnut to me. I haven't had one apart yet to see the recoil and mag box area but plan to in the near future.

The action comment I've seen before and don't know what to make of it from a metalurgical view. The design looks sound which only leaves the metalurgy of the action. I don't know enough about metal and it's charactistics to form an opinion.

I'm also with you on the safety and triggers. Most triggers need worked in some fashion or replaced. We'll see.

I'd also likely agree that if I were to go custom, I'd lean heavy on a Rem 700. My purpose is to not go custom IF I can find a satisfactory factory configuration. If I really like the 300 WSM idea, a semi-custom will be in the works.

Thanks for taking the time to respond and I'll investigate your points further.

-- BW

bwinters i hope that i ahve not turned you off on the brownings that was not my intent. they are great rifles. i just wanted to let you know soe of the things that i had heard that people considered bad or not up to par. i have several bone stock a-bolts that i have never had a problem out of. until i get about 600 rounds through a rifle it is still in the probation period. anything that goes wrong is noted and i will be the first to admit the problem. if you are looking at a browning as the basis for a semi custom give me a shout and i will give you all the advice i have to offer..............blake

send me a pm and i will send you my #

I've got several old Browning BBR rifles (predesesor to the A-Bolt) They are 30 years old and have worked well for me.

Two years ago I fell on some ice and broke the stock on one. It was hard to find a replacement stock. I got one, but it took six weeks to get. I could of had a replacement stock for the A-bolt in a day or two.

They are accurate, and they've been dependable.

I do like the tang safety. To each his own. I normally leave the safety off and the chamber empty.

The magazine system is better than the remington and is no slower to reload. The design is so that the mag will not fall from the rifle as it is hooked to the floorplate. It can be loaded from the top, with the mag detached or with the mag attached to the floorplate.

I have never had a problem with lost magazines. Many people have, and they don't like them. I carried a gun professionaly for ten years and never lost a magazine.

The plastic stock is better than many others available on factory rifles. IT IS NOT A MCM, OR A CUSTOM STOCK that cost several hundred dollars as painless would want to compare it to .

The A-Bolt is a very good rifle and I am not completely sure why it is so popular to bash it.

One of the reasons for the bad reputation of ABOLTs is that one the pro-hunters at this site said that he had seen a lot of abolts fail while guiding hunters.

Conrad

I'll post here only to try and clarify my statements regarding strength and durability.
First; I'm quite sure the action is,from a safety standpoint, plenty strong. As someone else said, the design seems sound and it is. There appears to be enough locking surface and the actions handle gas real well inthe event of a case failure.
My concerns about durability are based only on a couple of instances. In one case the action was the victim of a "wrong powder" load (reloader 15 instead of 19). In the other case the rifle was subjected to a steady diet of loads which were really just over the line. In both cases the lugs had set back sufficiently that headspace was grossly excessive (15 to 18 thousandths). The owner in the first case brought the rifle in to have the case removed. The second owner brought the rifle in because it was misfiring.
In neither case was the shooter hurt or in any real danger of being hurt right away but, in both cases the rifles were unservicable.
The only point I wish to make regarding these occurences is that I've seen other actions which suffered the same sort of treatment with no apparent ill effects. I doesn't mean the Browning is bad or necessarily inferior. It only means these examples caused me to have some concerns regarding durability.
Interestingly enough, I saw the same sort of damage in a Browning BLR long action. A steady diet of heavy loads had set the lugs back to the point the rifle started misfiring.
Early on the A-Bolts had a lot of trouble with misfires. In about 1/4 of the ones I saw, the problem appeared to be interfernce with the firing pin by the pin which retains the bolt head. Misfiring no longer seems to be an issue.GD

i do not understand what you mean about me comparing a browning factory stock to a mickey ar other brand custom stock. i love the a-bolts. i have a few other brands in the safe collecting dust. the factory browning stocks are ok they are just not what i would call great. that is the composite stocks the wood stocks are very nice i have a medallion in .243 that has one of the nicest pieces of wood i have seen on a rifle. i am not a huge fan of wood stocks so most of my rifles are composite stocked. i also really like to make a rifle to my specs so i get exactly what i want not what the factory wants me to have. that .243 in the near future is the basis for my bastard campfire 25/284 rifle. as soon as funds become available. i hope that you do not think i am bashing the a-bolt at all, because that is not my intent. in my eyes they are the best out there, before anyone tries to burn me at the stake notice that i said IN MY EYES. sorry for the long post and i will now step off my box............blake

Didn't mean to overreact. I understood your post to compare the factory stock with a costly aftermarket stock.

I own many rifles, remingtons and mausers included. Sometimes I get a little excited defending my A-bolt and Mini-14!!!

Conrad,

You are correct that a certain 'pro-hunter' listed numerous instances where an A-Bolt failed in the field.

I don't believe the lack of negative responses concerning A-Bolts should be considered an endorsement of the rifle, rather simple respect in the manner of 'if you have nothing nice to say...'

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