Browning X Bolt Stalker Long Range 300 Win Mag Review

April 17, 2022 Post a Comment

Browning X-Bolt

I've wanted to do this review for a while now and after a contempo outing with the ten-bolt, I had enough fresh in my mind to bring upwardly near this rifle and do the review.

What is the Browning XBolt for?

Seems similar a silly question, but it's not. The Browning X-Bolt is NOT a hunting burglarize. It is a "premium" hunting rifle. Those aren't sarcastic quotation marks, it's just that the Browning solves more than just the problem of what to shoot deer with. Heck, you could buy 3 Savage Axis rifles for the cost of a single xbolt, and they'll all arguably do the same basic chore in the hunt. Information technology's in the details where the Browning shines. The Browning X-bolt goes for $800-$thousand in the U.s.a., and about the same in Canada.

Browning X-Bolt Video Review

X-Bolt Overview

Browning is known for their excellent build quality, and a bit of a trend to add gadgets on their rifles. The A-commodities, with its weird hinged magazine and Dominate tuning thing was a scrap contemporary. With the X-bolt, they've happily washed abroad with the gimmicks and replaced them with some seriously high quality hardware.

The mag itself is incredible. A high quality plastic rotary magazine. It'due south light weight, yet feels so sturdy you could run it over with a truck. And here's a large plus over the Brutal centerfeed: it accepts more than than 2 wsm cartridges. In fact, it fits 3! I don't nail away willy nilly at deer, merely it makes a heck of a lot of sense to accept a mag that fits more than than two rounds. Carrying over the quality, the mag "snick"s into place and does not rattle at all when moving with the rifle. The release is firmly in identify on the rifle, further reducing moving parts on the mag.

The bolt is excellent as well. As a 3 lug design instead of the standard 2, it offers a shorter & faster 60° bolt throw. The bolt itself is a meaty piece of steel and information technology fits very precisely into the action. The precision is a bit of a downside, because it doesn't wing frontward as readily as a looser bolt (hey, I have to pick on something) The bolt blueprint is pretty tricked out: cocking indicator, 3 position safety, an unlock button, a very reasonable bolt release, and it looks so angular and sexy. Kind of like Angelina Joli in a burglarize commodities.

The scope base mounts on the Xbolt utilise 4 screws each, making the shape of an X, and are chosen "10-Lock" (everything on a Browning rifle comes with its own special trademarked name.) The integrated base/rings are very solid and a great pick if you have your scope and rifle at the store and can try a few out for optimal peak.

trigger

Plumage Trigger

The Trigger on the Ten-Bolt is another premium part. Instead of a second safety trigger like a Barbarous Accutrigger or Remington Crossfire the trigger uses a simpler exterior interface and still breaks cleanly. The trigger feels pretty good.

Inflex Buttpad and Stock

The stock on the rifle I tested was synthetic, as will be nigh hunters xbolts. This is another area the Browning makes up for the premium price. The stock has grippy, soft bear on surfaces on all the spots that thing, and a slap-up fitting, and looking, buttpad at the dorsum. The stock wrist is a chip thick, but information technology makes the burglarize feel very solid. The forend doesn't flex at all, keeping the butt well free floated. Squeamish touches like the Browning logo on the metal trigger guard really round out the complete premium experience of this rifle.

Browning X-Bolt Accuracy

Accuracy on the model I tested was competitive with almost bolt activity rifles these days: 0.75-one″ at 100. Unless you go custom, semi-custom, or tailor handloads for your rifle, that'southward what is to be expected of most hunting rifles when you find a factory load they like. Unless you're reaching out to 600+, and you tin shoot that well to boot, even i MOA is fine. With factory ammo that your rifle likes, yous could button that max acceptable deer range to 800 providing you lot've got enough oomph, a great rangefinder, and accuracy to make the shot.

Conclusion

Like I mentioned upwards at the summit, this isn'tonly a burglarize to smash deer with. Information technology's aimprove rifle to boom deer with. It feels better in the hand, it offers premium features that budget rifles do not, and it inspires confidence that your equipment will not fail you. If those appeal to yous, a Browning but might be the right rifle.