Browning X-Bolt Max LR 300WM Opinions Wanted

[JINKSTER]

Title says it all...I've been looking at Bergara and while the Bergara overmolded chassis stock and AICS mags are big pluses?...I really like what seems to be a smoother action in the X-Bolt which also sports a triple lug 60deg throw that provides lots of scope/bolt handle/digit clearance.

Rifles Intended Role: Budget restricted LR Plinker or?...Zombie Apocalypse Distance Keeper (whichever comes first) LOL

Thoughts?...Opinions?

 

[JINKSTER]

I guess the masses have spoken as the silence is deafening! LOL

 

[CDrill97]

Never messed with them, but when I think precision bergara comes to mind over browning. im not really a browning fan though.

 

[The D]

Do you have a budget in mind? Is this a first gun? Third? 19th? Are you married to Win Mag for any reason?

I don’t know shit about Brownings but the go-to factory actions ‘round these parts are Tikka and anything with a Remington 700 footprint. Is the X-bolt easy to re-barrel(open to anyone to answer)? If it is and you are ok with not a lot of aftermarket support(compared to a few of the popular actions around here) then buy it and start shooting. If it’s not easy to re-barrel and you need this rifle to do more than one thing there are better options

 

[JINKSTER]

Do you have a budget in mind? Is this a first gun? Third? 19th? Are you married to Win Mag for any reason?

I don’t know shit about Brownings but the go-to factory actions ‘round these parts are Tikka and anything with a Remington 700 footprint. Is the X-bolt easy to re-barrel(open to anyone to answer)? If it is and you are ok with not a lot of aftermarket support(compared to a few of the popular actions around here) then buy it and start shooting. If it’s not easy to re-barrel and you need this rifle to do more than one thing there are better options

While I have some nice bolt action hunting rifles in .270win & 30.06 and two .308's in the form of a 16" barreled DPMS and a 20" FN PBR Tactical bolt action?...I guess I could say this would be my first official LR rifle and as for married to the Win Mag goes?...my goal is a solid 1,000yd rifle (that is not a 6.5CM) with a round that has enough energy to actually get whatever job needs done when it gets there. I guess the next step up would be be .338 Lapua but the ammo cost makes that cost prohibitive even with "the cheap stuff" is there is such a thing so yeah...I guess I am married to the idea of Win Mag out of a 26" barrel.

BTW?...I appreciate you pointing out AM support issues.....that is a consideration.

 

[XP1K]

I'm not a fan of the brownings. A couple friends both had the hells canyon xbolts, one of them is the LR with the heavy 26" barrel in a 300 winmag. The other was the pencil barrel variety in a 7mm magnum. Barrel didn't seem to matter, they both shot like crap.

The heavy barreled 300 ended up doing fairly decent in the end after some extensive handloading though.

As others have mentioned though there's just not enough aftermarket support for me to buy one. I had three gunsmiths local to me and none of them liked to work on brownings.

A lot of people like a tikka. Kind of hard to go wrong with anything on a 700 pattern.

 

[JINKSTER]

I'm not a fan of the brownings. A couple friends both had the hells canyon xbolts, one of them is the LR with the heavy 26" barrel in a 300 winmag. The other was the pencil barrel variety in a 7mm magnum. Barrel didn't seem to matter, they both shot like crap.

The heavy barreled 300 ended up doing fairly decent in the end after some extensive handloading though.

As others have mentioned though there's just not enough aftermarket support for me to buy one. I had three gunsmiths local to me and none of them liked to work on brownings.

A lot of people like a tikka. Kind of hard to go wrong with anything on a 700 pattern.

I thank you as well for sharing 1st hand witness experiences of your friends X-Bolts in hunting & heavy configs...sounds like disappointing results overall but at the same time?....It seems folks can get a "Bad One" of about anything these days (with regards to the Hell's Canyon model) and personally speaking?...it doesn't come as a shock that the other took extensive handloading to dial in the heavy barrel model though I've rarely encountered any decent quality bolt gun that didn't go sub moa after trying 3-5 different brand/types of upper shelf factory ammo also?...it's been my experience that most gunsmiths will pooh-pooh any brands/models that aren't "THE" Brand/Model they are most familiar with which almost always is also "The Most Prolific" model which in this world?....is ABSOLUTELY the Rem 700 hands down...that said?...I'd need to hear more X-Bolt horror stories to drive me away from the Browning X-Bolt Max LR for this one standout feature that seems extremely desirable to me which is the X-Bolts 60 Degree Bolt Throw...this gent did a fine utoob review of the Browning VS Bergara but my eyes overruled my ears watching the actions between the 30sec-60sec mark of this vid I'm posting where the guy pretty much trashes the Browning for stock flex but then finishes of by proclaiming he shot his lifetime personal best with a 6" group at 900meters with the Browning X-Bolt...so yeah...that 60deg bolt throw has me hooked yet I know the Bergara's are bad to the bone as well leaving me?...still undecided.

 

[The D]

While I have some nice bolt action hunting rifles in .270win & 30.06 and two .308's in the form of a 16" barreled DPMS and a 20" FN PBR Tactical bolt action?...I guess I could say this would be my first official LR rifle and as for married to the Win Mag goes?...my goal is a solid 1,000yd rifle (that is not a 6.5CM) with a round that has enough energy to actually get whatever job needs done when it gets there. I guess the next step up would be be .338 Lapua but the ammo cost makes that cost prohibitive even with "the cheap stuff" is there is such a thing so yeah...I guess I am married to the idea of Win Mag out of a 26" barrel.

BTW?...I appreciate you pointing out AM support issues.....that is a consideration.

Anything that shares a magnum bolt face will have enough energy at 1000yds. If you choose something that is re-barreled easily you can just buy a shelf full of barrels to change out according to what you want to achieve. There are plenty of ways to build a long actioned rifle without spending a small fortune too.

One important factor will be ammo. If you reload, which you should, you will be able to maximize the rifle’s capability. If you are limited to factory ammo, you’ll be leaving some performance on the table unless you buy custom loaded ammo

 

[JINKSTER]

Anything that shares a magnum bolt face will have enough energy at 1000yds. If you choose something that is re-barreled easily you can just buy a shelf full of barrels to change out according to what you want to achieve. There are plenty of ways to build a long actioned rifle without spending a small fortune too.

One important factor will be ammo. If you reload, which you should, you will be able to maximize the rifle’s capability. If you are limited to factory ammo, you’ll be leaving some performance on the table unless you buy custom loaded ammo

I'm Listening...

and yes....I agree about the reloading but I regretfully sold all my reloading equip 23 years ago...the birth of my 3rd daughter put an end to my "Reloading Room" (but it was a good trade)...I would grab a Rockchucker Supreme if powder and components weren't so unavailable these days.

 

[The D]

I'm Listening...

and yes....I agree about the reloading but I regretfully sold all my reloading equip 23 years ago...the birth of my 3rd daughter put an end to my "Reloading Room" (but it was a good trade)...I would grab a Rockchucker Supreme if powder and components weren't so unavailable these days.

Depends on your idea of “not a small fortune” actually. And if you want to be able to swap barrels between different cartridges and/or bolt faces. That will add some more $$ but it can still be done reasonably

 

[XP1K]

I thank you as well for sharing 1st hand witness experiences of your friends X-Bolts in hunting & heavy configs...sounds like disappointing results overall but at the same time?....It seems folks can get a "Bad One" of about anything these days (with regards to the Hell's Canyon model) and personally speaking?...it doesn't come as a shock that the other took extensive handloading to dial in the heavy barrel model though I've rarely encountered any decent quality bolt gun that didn't go sub moa after trying 3-5 different brand/types of upper shelf factory ammo also?...it's been my experience that most gunsmiths will pooh-pooh any brands/models that aren't "THE" Brand/Model they are most familiar with which almost always is also "The Most Prolific" model which in this world?....is ABSOLUTELY the Rem 700 hands down...that said?...I'd need to hear more X-Bolt horror stories to drive me away from the Browning X-Bolt Max LR for this one standout feature that seems extremely desirable to me which is the X-Bolts 60 Degree Bolt Throw...this gent did a fine utoob review of the Browning VS Bergara but my eyes overruled my ears watching the actions between the 30sec-60sec mark of this vid I'm posting where the guy pretty much trashes the Browning for stock flex but then finishes of by proclaiming he shot his lifetime personal best with a 6" group at 900meters with the Browning X-Bolt...so yeah...that 60deg bolt throw has me hooked yet I know the Bergara's are bad to the bone as well leaving me?...still undecided.

There was roughly 3-5 years gap in production of the two rifles I mentioned. The guy that had the 7mm also has a 25-06 A bolt with the boss. The boss will help tune a given load but to me that rifle is still nothing to write home about. I'm kind of hard on bolt guns though. If it won't do 1/2" at 100 I don't keep it.

If you're that hung up on the browning go for it. For me there's just not enough aftermarket support for them. But that's just me.

 

[Hobo Hilton]

I have been a fan of anything "Browning's" for 60 years. I own and shoot Brownings (rifles, pistols, shotguns). I often wonder what size man John Browning was. Any Browning feels comfortable to me. Now, with that said: A Browning is a Browning, is a Browning. Compare it to screwdrivers. Certain task require a philips screw driver, other task require a straight blade screwdriver. There are gunsmith screw drivers and there are Swiss Army screw drivers.

Budget restricted LR Plinker = Build / buy something with a Remington 700 footprint. There are unlimited options for parts, accessories and information.

Frequently, the more suggestions that flow in, the higher the cost get to be. Spend your hard earned money on optics that can be transferred to your next build.

 

[JINKSTER]

I have been a fan of anything "Browning's" for 60 years. I own and shoot Brownings (rifles, pistols, shotguns). I often wonder what size man John Browning was. Any Browning feels comfortable to me. Now, with that said: A Browning is a Browning, is a Browning. Compare it to screwdrivers. Certain task require a philips screw driver, other task require a straight blade screwdriver. There are gunsmith screw drivers and there are Swiss Army screw drivers.

Budget restricted LR Plinker = Build / buy something with a Remington 700 footprint. There are unlimited options for parts, accessories and information.

Frequently, the more suggestions that flow in, the higher the cost get to be. Spend your hard earned money on optics that can be transferred to your next build.

Hmmm… well I must say that certainly is some straight talk right there when a Browning fan is recommending I go with something that has a Remington 700 foot print and I appreciate that level of honesty however?…this R700 recommendation seems a recurring theme that also includes the justification factor of having enough aftermarket support to swap out everything but the action housing itself and the ability to play musical barrel/chamberings and that’s just not a game I want to play and right now?… I’m blaming myself for not making that position clear upfront…I don’t want to build a transformer…I want to buy a finished product that outside of swapping out for a timney or better yet a reduced power trigger return spring?…the rifle performs out of the box (albeit a bit of ammo experimentation)

I’ve built and tuned quite a few IPSC race pistols in a distant, younger lifetime but I’ve never headspaced a rifled barrel to a bolt action receiver and then I guess drill, ream and pin?…but I am a 30+ year aerospace machinist so?…I suppose I’m capable (with the correct gauging) and I thoroughly understand the benefits of eliminating free bore with custom barrels but I figure that would probably total out at around $2,500 or so by the time I was done or?…buy a box stocker for 1/2 that…am I wrong?

 

[The D]

You don’t have to go that far. Tikkas are machined well enough to accept off-the-shelf barrels. And a 700 can do it if you send it to a ‘smith to be blueprinted first. All they have to do is keep your measurements on file then machine another barrel when you want one

 

[JINKSTER]

You don’t have to go that far. Tikkas are machined well enough to accept off-the-shelf barrels. And a 700 can do it if you send it to a ‘smith to be blueprinted first. All they have to do is keep your measurements on file then machine another barrel when you want one

So moving forward wouldn’t it be prudent to just order an R700 BA from one of these smith’s or does FFL restraints make that prohibitive?…then I’m just looking at a trigger group and chassis?

 

[Keeper22]

Between my son and I we have both the rifles you ask about other than his Browning is 300wssm and my Bergara is 300PRC, the Browning is a 1moaish rifle the Bergara is more accurate .75moa with its favorite ammo. We tightened both of them up by hand loading for them. Full Disclosure- if Tikka made a 300PRC that's what I would have , my son's is a go somewhere and hunt gun and he hunts with around here with a Tikka.

 

[Hobo Hilton]

So moving forward wouldn’t it be prudent to just order an R700 BA from one of these smith’s or does FFL restraints make that prohibitive?…then I’m just looking at a trigger group and chassis?

That is a viable option. Your next challenge is availability.

 

[JINKSTER]

That is a viable option. Your next challenge is availability.

Man?…you ain’t kidding!…I figured okay…just search for a 700 LR in WM with the M40 Bell & Carlson stock and start there but?…apparently they are unobtanium & everywhere is sold out

 

[Hobo Hilton]

Man?…you ain’t kidding!…I figured okay…just search for a 700 LR in WM with the M40 Bell & Carlson stock and start there but?…apparently they are unobtanium & everywhere is sold out

Several of us are laughing........... We are laughing with you.... Not at you......... We all have our individual "Wish List". The majority of the time is is for the little things that we need to complete a project... Like when we loose a torx head bolt while mounting that $2,000 scope. One more unobtainable item. Patience

 

[The D]

So moving forward wouldn’t it be prudent to just order an R700 BA from one of these smith’s or does FFL restraints make that prohibitive?…then I’m just looking at a trigger group and chassis?

If you’re not looking to swap bolt heads and play bolt gun legos then yes, a 700 will be just fine. But unless you’re getting a barreled action with an aftermarket barrel you’re sort of back to square one and may not be as accurate as the Browning

 

[carbonbased]

Modern Xbolt Browning triggers are…heavy. My dad has (or has had) a number of Brownings.

For me, lack of many aftermarket triggers is the reason not to go Browning. Seem to be nicely made, however. They have a Tikka feel to them.

I’d go Rem 700 or Tikka if I was in your shoes.

 

[JINKSTER]

Modern Xbolt Browning triggers are…heavy. My dad has (or has had) a number of Brownings.

For me, lack of many aftermarket triggers is the reason not to go Browning. Seem to be nicely made, however. They have a Tikka feel to them.

I’d go Rem 700 or Tikka if I was in your shoes.

Timney would have me covered...but costly in comparison to my 30.06 Ruger M77 Tang and .270 Win all weather Mark II

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1019864053

 

[carbonbased]

Timney would have me covered...but costly in comparison to my 30.06 Ruger M77 Tang and .270 Win all weather Mark II

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1019864053

Ah, yes, I forgot to add the phase “two-stage” trigger. I’m a fan of those. But yeah, if you like singles then that one will work.

I personally sort of lust for the stainless + wood Browning White Gold Medallion lol. Cool looking.

 

[Milf Dots]

When I hear Browning bolt rifles I think of thin whippy barrels, and poor bedding jobs.