Browning actions?
- Thread starter swimster
- Start date
Dusty Stevens
Shiner
What are you wanting to do with one? Its hard to make them shoot much better than they do. Costs a ton of money to not get much benefit
Since a CRF M-70 is the pinnacle of a hunting rifle action, why mess with anything else? 
I think Browning just came too late. It never offered anything over a Winchester or a Remington or a Mauser variant. Those three probably still account for the majority of factory action custom builds. No so much because the are better but because they were first.
I think that eventually, custom actions will take over the custom rifle market.
I think Browning just came too late. It never offered anything over a Winchester or a Remington or a Mauser variant. Those three probably still account for the majority of factory action custom builds. No so much because the are better but because they were first.
I think that eventually, custom actions will take over the custom rifle market.
Adam in WI
Practically lives here
As an all around hunting rifle, I think the A-Bolt 2 is a useful design. Combining a detachable magazine with a hinged floor plate proves very useful for our type of hunting. Aside from quick loading and unloading, it's can easily be topped off (or swapped out) while shouldered and while the bolt is closed. Not a bad feature if you're on a drive and things get sporty. No more getting caught with the bolt open while more does prance on by.
Cost has nothing to do with it. If you build a winning rifle on a Browning action, everyone will want one and will pay the price whatever it is. People go with the flow. Look at what the top trigger pullers are using, and you will find the best actions. Which one is more important is up to you to determine, could be the equipment, could be the shooter, the one thing that stays consistent, is the best will always be looking for something better, and the best will always be shooting the latest best.
Murray Brook
Silver $$ Contributor
I think aftermarket parts have something to do with it also. I have a Browning BBR which I built a 7/08 heavy barrel on. Can't even find an decent trigger for it. Stuck with the factory job.
I wish someone would make an aftermarket magazine and floor plate like that for Rem 700.
jackson1
Silver $$ Contributor
Can remember a time years ago when I lusted after a Browning Safari rifle (Mauser or Sako actions). Have both. As I matured the desire for a Browning rifle faded. Have a number of Browning shotguns and have enjoyed them greatly, but alas my tastes have changed to Beretta shotguns. Hunt pheasants with a 20 gauge BSS, and grouse with a 20 A-5. Have a 22-250 B78 that I have spent many years attempting to improve upon. Love the appearance of their guns, but my tastes have changed. They are still the most popular guns I see on the trap and skeet range. You spend your money and you get to choose. I hope you cherish what ever you have or buy.
Kurz
Silver $$ Contributor
There is no mystery here at all. Browning manufactures fine hunting style rifles and they are happy with heir market share. They feel no pressure to manufacture and sell stand alone actions only or design and build fancy chassis rifles for the PRS crowd. They do continue to improve upon their action designs and barrel manufacturing to stay in the realm of accurate shooting hunting rifles. The stock designs are window dressing, created to draw the customer in without adding a lot to the overhead costs. Aftermarket component parts are invisible, not available since there is little call for any.
I've built on their actions and find nothing wrong or difficult about using them for very accurate builds. Browning has an entry into the long range hunting arena by making the X-Bolt Hells Canyon version of a heavy barrel, large caliber hunting rifle.
I've built on their actions and find nothing wrong or difficult about using them for very accurate builds. Browning has an entry into the long range hunting arena by making the X-Bolt Hells Canyon version of a heavy barrel, large caliber hunting rifle.
Not an X-bolt, but I had an A-bolt stainless Stalker rebarreled. The smith had no problems with it. There's a rumor going around about the difficulty of removing the old barrel due to thread locking schmutz or something. It's also metric fine thread, so some lathes may not work for threading? Gentle heat loosened the loctite & he had access to a lathe that spoke metric. I didn't shoot the donor, but the end product shoots well.
I have three Browning Factory rifles, an "A" bolt in the varmint stalker model in 223 Rem, two X bolts hunters in 223 Rem and 243 Win.
All three shoot extraordinarily well with tailored reloads for factory rifles, especially the A bolt varmint stalker with the heavy barrel. The extraction systems are very reliable. Chambering is on the rough side. The X bolts have the capability to unload while the safety is engaged, a nice feature. I've only have two significant issues with these rifles:
1. The triggers are fair at best in mine.
2. The polymer magazine in the 223 Rem X bolt wore out after only one season of heavy varmint hunting. Browning replaced it free of charge but for the price of this rifle I was disappointed that the magazine didn't last longer.
While there is nothing wrong with Browning actions that I can discern, I don't know why anyone would choose one for a custom rifle built. They feel a bit rough during cycling the bolt and have never seen them for sale as a stand alone action.
My personal preference would be a Howa Action for a hunting level rifle build.
For the money I believe that Tikka's are a better value for a factory hunting rifle.
All three shoot extraordinarily well with tailored reloads for factory rifles, especially the A bolt varmint stalker with the heavy barrel. The extraction systems are very reliable. Chambering is on the rough side. The X bolts have the capability to unload while the safety is engaged, a nice feature. I've only have two significant issues with these rifles:
1. The triggers are fair at best in mine.
2. The polymer magazine in the 223 Rem X bolt wore out after only one season of heavy varmint hunting. Browning replaced it free of charge but for the price of this rifle I was disappointed that the magazine didn't last longer.
While there is nothing wrong with Browning actions that I can discern, I don't know why anyone would choose one for a custom rifle built. They feel a bit rough during cycling the bolt and have never seen them for sale as a stand alone action.
My personal preference would be a Howa Action for a hunting level rifle build.
For the money I believe that Tikka's are a better value for a factory hunting rifle.
Bill Rodolph
Silver $$ Contributor
I rebarreled quite a few Browning A Bolts in the 90's and had no trouble. American threads, at least back then and they shot very well. You can also do a trigger job on them, reduce the creep and put a lighter spring in and gets them quite nice. I haven't done one in 20 years since I moved to NM.
I happen to be a fan of the Browning A Bolt rifles , the original variation and the A Bolt II. I had a reputable smith swap out a 270 Win barrel to a Bartlein chambered in 257 Roberts. He told me that there wasn't alot that needed doing on Browning A Bolts of either iteration and they re-barreled very well. I took him some dummy rounds to get the throating like I wanted and he told me that this rifle should shoot very well for me. I am tickled to death with this rifle. It shoots consistently to the same POI with whatever I feed it bullet wise, and I regularly put 5 into 3/4" at 100. I shot it at 300yds and 4 of 5 went into 3/4" with a flyer that spread the group to just shy of 2" . Its not a bench rifle and not intended to be , but its a solid deer rifle any day of the week. I like the Browning actions. I'll probably get hung out to dry on this but it does what I have intended.
I have 2 MicroHunter rifles. One is a 7mm-08 and is very handy in a deer stand and shoot descent. It's a solid MOA rifle and most of the time SubMOA. And I have never really worked up a load for this rifle. I just grabbed some 140 bullets I had and IMR4350. The other is a 22-250 and is stupid accurate. Like 1/4" 3 shot groups. I have also shot my all time tightest group with that rifle .051" with a small, thin 20" barrel. I changed the trigger springs out with the ones Timney offers and the triggers are just fine. 2.5#'s is about what both are pulling. I have 2 buddies that have Stainless Stalker from the mid 90's. both in .270 Win and both of them are SubMOA shooters.
martinakl
Gold $$ Contributor
For me, this is it. As a factory rifle, the XBolt's are great. I love their fast twist rate options (6.5 w/ 1:7, 30 Cal with 1:8). I like the 60 degree bolt thrown and they're a pretty smooth action. I had a Hells Canyon Speed in 6.5 Creedmoor that stacked bullets.
The negatives (for me):
I like to upgrade to better stocks and triggers, and the aftermarket support just hasn't been there. McMillan and Timney have options, so it's not zero. I haven't seen an upgraded bottom metal option. The factory magazine COAL is lacking, especially considering their barrel twist rates beg for the biggest pills you can shove in a case. The lighter barrel profiles have a weird barrel thread pitch (non issue if you rebarrel).
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Dusty Stevens
Shiner
Do they still have the wet gummy bear stock finish?
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