I am considering the Browning X-bolt stainless stalker as my next rifle. Any thoughts or opinions? I hear very little about them.

Some love them some hate them. I have a hunter in 30-06 and it's accurate and been reliable for me, although I haven't had it in any extreme conditions.

Would I buy another? Probably not, there's better options out there for the same money (M70, 700, T3, Montana for a few bucks more).

I hate them simply because everyone around here thinks they are the best thing since sliced bread.

Buy one, you will like it.......I have owned several and every one was super accurate and functioned flawlessly........Hb

I literally vomit a little every time I see a Browning logo, which is about every 10min

Yeah the Browning Buck Mark is mighty popular, i dont have any Buck Mark logo's but i do like the red/white/blue ones....i do own an excellent A5 shotgun so i guess i need one.......lol.....Hb

you must really hate Sako rifles and a bunch of Kimber Montana lovers on this site too......I dont have anything against either but I do like other brands better.......Hb

a-bolts have been popular for many years, and i suspect the x-bolt will carry on the tradition. my cousin kills elk and deer every year with his old a-bolt. he has a couple and couldn't be happier. a-bolts (and soon to be x-bolts) are very popular in the south and southeast, and i have seen folks hunting with them in alaska. they are known to be accurate too. get you one, it'll do just fine i suspect.

I love my hunter in 30.06, 165 serria gks go into silly small groups. You won't find a lot of love on here for them. Lots of folks disliked the Abolts and enen though the xbolt is very different, their hate carried over.

I said something once to the effect that Abolts were only popular in the south, and some southerners got mad at me at me over it. I still think it is true. You do not see Browning bolt guns being used at all around here.

And yes I am a hater. Nobody has been fuuking up bolt gun design longer than Browning........

I know 2 people that have Browning tattoos, and guess what?????? THEY DONT OWN A BROWNING!! If you see a rebel flag flying in the back of a 1989 Chevy Z71, you better bet your azz there is a Browning logo in that back glass

With that borderline liberalist stereotype I just made, X-Bolts shoot darn good and are a great rifle. There are just say.........maybe a dozen more rifles I would choose over it.

I own Sako and Kimber. It's probably those window stickers that turn my stomach so much.

Love me some Sakos, not a huge fan of those Sockos though

I love Sako but can't stand a Seiko.

I have two X-bolts, one exactly what you are considering, a stainless stalker. It is a very accurate out of the box rifle, loads easily, cycles smoothly and feeds reliably - very happy with it. Another you might want to strongly consider which is near the same price point is a Tikka T3X. Yesterday, I bought my wife a T3X Superlite in 7mm-08. Very impressed with it so far, nice camo stock, ss fluted barrel, weighs 5-15 and the action cycles smooth as butter. Good luck with your purchase.

Like the A-Bolt, the X-Bolt has the most ridiculously over-complicated trigger of any rifle I can think of. Too many little bits and pieces. Enclosed triggers in general are bad enough, but this is ridiculous. Absolutely not something I'd want on a hunting rifle:

You'll see this argument from some folks. However, I have never seen a post complaining about an X-bolt trigger failure. The A-bolt did have some trigger issues, this is a different design.

Just last week at our camp a new member prepared to shoot a nice buck with his Remington 700. When he flipped the saftey off it fired. Scared the pee out him. The buck froze, so he chambered another round, as he closed the bolt it fired a second time. The trigger hadn't been altered..

I guess I'm not following you... are you saying your camp member had an Xbolt misfire?

I'll grant, there was even more bits and pieces in the A-Bolt trigger than the X-bolt. I just can't see how either inspire real confidence in a rough-duty rifle. One of the biggest failures on a rifle in the backcountry is snow/rain seeping into the trigger housing and freezing. One reason an enclosed trigger is more prone to problems, especially if it has a slot-type safety (like the M700) that allows moisture in to the receiver.

Under armor logo for me...

Could you confirm if this was an x-bolt please. its a bit rambling.

I had a spooky incident once with my rem 700 and they had trigger recalls...

I have a SS 3006 that I found languishing on a hardware store rack and got a smoking deal. Apparently the savages sold better for some reason...

I like it a lot and it shoots very well for me and it has become my go-to gun if weather looks poor. Its slated to be one of 3 deer guns I'll keep when I build my retirement house and sell the rest. The rifle compliments my old ruger 77 tang safety 3006 so I can pick either depending on the rain forecast. Unless the savage 99 is out. ;-)

The only issues I have:
1. Magazine loading - Make sure you have the bolt open and confirm you get front and back "click" when you put the magazine in. I load the magazine one round short just to minimize catch latch force if it didnt fully seat. Never lost a magazine in the woods, but had one drop out on the shooting bench. Not totally sure the sand bags or something caught the latch while recoiling.
2. The stock lacks wood soul. I like the shape, but I admit I like the wood feel and looks better. But I bought it for rainy day duty.

Tell us if you decide to get one. I don't regret my purchase.

I have heard of Remington triggers going off when you close the bolt, mostly after the owner had been "adjusting" his trigger.....Ha!.....very dangerous though........Hb

I have owned alnost every popular bolt action brand/model over the years and most have good and bad points, im not a big fan of the X-Bolt trigger (a little to complicated for me) and the bolt handle is not My favorite either....I guess at the moment My favorite rifles are the Tikka T3x line, even though im not crazy about the new modular stock.........Hb

Wow, sorry folks! I had changed a few things in my post and some how deleated the part about the Remington 700 trigger failing. I apologize for that, I can see how that would be very confusing!

My trigger was never modified by me. It went off dry fire as I released the safety.
The design is suspect enough after it showed up on 20/20 type news shows.

I see a lot of love for Tikka which is the other rifle I'm considering, I just can get over the polymer magazine

Get a Tikka CTR, no polymer mag, and an awesome shooting rifle. Them Socko people know how to make some barrels

X bolt has a polymer magazine as well, so don't let that be a factor. I personally love the x bolt, but I know I'm in the minority on this forum.
I've shot or seen shot at least 10 x-bolts and every one has been sub moa with very little fuss.

Don't worry about the magazines and get a T3 while they are on close out. I know Eurooptic has some at great prices right now and I would think Whittakers would too.

I use to feel the same way about the Plastic mags but 3 Sako's later I am beginning to like the Tikka a lot more. The Tikka has the same barrel as a Sako and potentially a stiffer receiver that has better scope mounting options. Plus it's cheaper. There are also a ton of after market stocks and metal bolt shrouds and such for it.

BUY THE TIKKA!!!

For all I know, they might be the most wonderfullest rifles in the whole wide world, but I simply don't like how they look. I think the same metro-sexuals that created the Cynergy look designed the X-Bolts as well. I find the big hunk of metal around the opening for the detachable magazine (another "feature" I detest on hunting rifles) especially oogly.

That's just personal preference of course and I'm sure there's somebody that thinks they're just beautiful.

Yes! ditto on the UA bullcrap.

I inherited one from my Dad. Maple stock. Never even put the bolt in. Whats up with all the screws needed for scope mounts?

My family has 3 x-bolt stainless rifles. Wooden and synthetic stocks. 7mm, .308, and 30-06. All are tack drivers and have smooth actions. I actually sort of like the plastic magazine boxes. The freezer if full of deer from all 3 guns this year. I have Remingtons and Sakos also but I have no problems with the Browning X-bolts. I think you'll be happy with one.

I must admit, the Hells Canyon Speed X-Bolt looks like a heckuva rifle

BEAT ME TO IT...

I just had one of those pos rifles in the shop last week.. It was brand-new, but that trigger was simply NOT SAFE and nothing I could do about it.. I got it working, mostly...but specifically informed the owner that he should NOT use it in the cold and to send it in to Browning for a new trigger - STAT...

Browning rifles are, for the most part, OK - but that company can screw up a trigger like NO OTHER...

The receiver is thinner then most, there is not enough meat for just 4 screws to hold . I had an Xbolt and the receiver bridge is thin.

The magazine works very well, they are very very well finished and made. The trigger is well complicated but it worked for me. In rugged conditions with a lot of snow and ice would not be my first choice for sure.

Know a fella that got rid of one of the synthetic stocked ones because sitting out in the heat left the forearm touching the barrel. Putting it inside to cool off returned it to free floating. Might not be an issue for most, but it gets right hot where he hunts.

If I see a stainless/laminate 270 WSM in LH, I'll have to have it. Rather have an A-Bolt, though. Never had a Browning that wouldn't print good groups.

Just back from breaking mine in on the range. To refresh everyone, it is a Browning X Bolt Hells Canyon Speed in 6.5 Creedmoor. With Hornady ELDX Factory ammo it was about a 1 to 1.5 MOA shooter. Nice and light and very little recoil although there is a tad of muzzle jump. Everything ran the way it was supposed to with no failures. Not a bad hunting rifle at all.

I have yet to understand why Browning felt the need for 4 screws to secure each ring base on the X-Bolt.

Not sure if you have seen one up close but the receiver is very very thin. They probably need the extra threads to keep the bases on .

I have - seen a few. Guess I never really paid attention.

I have a Browning micro hunter xbolt in 7mm/08 that I could not be happier with. It weighs 6lbs 2oz., has a great trigger. Shoots lights out. I took one at a laser ranged 253 yds. the deer were moving and one stopped long enough for me to get on him. Year after year this rifle performs above expectation. It carries a VXll Leupy 3x9.


The story behind how I got this rifle is. I had wanted a win. model 70 featherweight for years in 7mm/08. So I ordered one brand new. Got it and the inside of the barrel looked like 40 miles of bad road. I sent it back and they sent me another. Exact same thing. I finally spoke with a plant supervisor. His words were
"I always plan on rebarreling when I buy a new rifle" I was not satisfied with that, so I contacted corp. office in Utah. They said they would send me browning x bolt micro hunter in my cal. of choice. Was not sure I wanted it but told them to send it on. Have not looked back since then. Pretty is as pretty does, this gun will flat shoot with any of my others ie rugers, remingtons, savages.

Mine shoots okay. Its an X-Bolt Varminter, weight is perfect for a hunting rifle.

I like it. Maybe a bit ugly and I am not a fan of a detach mag on a centerfire but it works. If buying new I cannot say I would buy one though, better set ups out there for same price. Bought this one used from a bud and knew how it shot.

I have yet to understand why Browning would outfit that rifle with the WORST new-production trigger ever invented...

That company never fails to amaze me with its stupidity..

It means that if you miss the buck of a lifetime and you try to wrap your rifle around a tree you will probably really hurt it if you are packing an X bolt

I have a stainless stalker and I like it. Balance and weight to me are nice, especially when hiking a long ways.

I have a stainless stalker and I like it a lot. Mine's a 30-06. It's accurate, well balanced and easy to carry all day. I don't have a good scale to weigh it but it feels light. Smooth action and good recoil pad so recoil is comfortable for a light feeling rife. No problems with the magazines on mine, they go in & out easily. I can see how some guys might not like the racy looking design of the stock but a stainless/synthetic rifle isn't going to win any beauty contests anyway. The only thing I'm not a big fan of is the bolt release button but I think that could be disabled pretty easily.

I have one in 300 WSM that is freaky accurate and every X Bolt or A bolt I've been around has shot well. They are fairly light and handle well.The triggers are over complicated but the one on my rifle did adjust well. Browning offers some pretty interesting rifles and doesnt appear to be afraid to buck some old standards they offer a 9 twist 22-250 for instance. Not my favorite bolt action rifle but I like them.

They seem to be decent rifles. I just can't get over that "made in Japan" part. My grandpa took a bullet at Guadalcanal and to the day he died we weren't allowed to own anything made in Japan.
I remember once I had a buddy from high-school who drove a Toyota, and made the mistake of parking in the driveway, once.
He never came over to the house again .

That being said, I did marry a German woman.

I have a 25-06 in the x-bolt that is very accurate like all Browning's we own. I had my 'smith install a lighter spring in the trigger and it reduced the pull to 2 #'s. It is mushy but it works.

I believe most of the folks associated with the late unpleasantness are dead now and aren't associated with Miroku. Funny how so many hold grudges against the Japanese, but are fine with buying German and Italian stuff.

The Chinese and Koreans, and others that endured occupation by the Japanese; now those folks really don't like 'em!

And many don't blink at putting a fine Jap made scope on their rifle

I have a RMEF model X-bolt in 300WM.
One of the most accurate rifles I have.
Hate to admit it, but I had the factory stock Camouflaged.
Love the rifle even more now.

Browning has a $75 rebate on X Bolts till the end of the year

I decided on a Tikka T3 compact in a .308. I'm gonna start upgrading the plastic parts with metal ones. Thanks everyone for the opinions.