Browning X Question

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alta780

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I have been looking at many guns and keep going back to the Browning X bolt. I want to hold the Carbon Fiber Stalker. I have read that the x bolts
don't like short mags and jam up some, maybe it's BS.
Does anyone have experience with these in 300 win mag? (Elk and Moose)
Also any recomendations for a good coyote, to deer caliber?
 
coyote to deer, 243 or 25-06

Ive chambered dozens and dozens of rounds of 325wsm in an Xbolt SS. No issues there, although Ive seen ejection problems with a different Xbolt SS in 325.
 
A friend has a 25-06, don't know what kind. I will ask him about it. His brother has a
Sako 75 in 300 wby he wants to sell me, but I would guess the 300wby kicks alot more than a 300 win, but probably less than a 325 wsm.
I sure like the feel of the X bolt. Just want to know if there are any reliability issues.
 
The differences in recoil between a 300 Win, 300 Wby, and 325wsm would probably be minimal. Ive never shot a 300 Wby but have shot a bit of 8mm Mag. Biggest differences in recoil could probably be chalked up to stock design and gun fit, and recoil pad
 
Thanks for the imput. I was hoping to get more.
Nobody has any constructive negatives or positives on the X bolt???
As per Gatehouse post, ""Save your money, buy good stuff the first time""
This is exactly what I am trying to do.

After a bit of reading it looks like the 243 and 25-06 are both very good for coyotes.
I think the 25-06 is the one I would buy.
I guess ammo availability at the small rural outlets would be similar, if needed.
 
I have an X-bolt .270 Stalker -- wanted a 7mm-08 but couldn't get one. This is the most accurate out of the box rifle I have ever owned. Shot 1 hole 3 shot group at 100 m & the trigger is great. Better gun than my TiKKA 3 Lite.
 
alta780 said:
After a bit of reading it looks like the 243 and 25-06 are both very good for coyotes.
I think the 25-06 is the one I would buy.
I guess ammo availability at the small rural outlets would be similar, if needed.
Click to expand...

you'll find 243 at most any shop, 25-06 ammo may be harder to find, and always more $ for a comparable load
 
I picked up a used X-Bolt in .300 WSM this past fall.I've found it to be a reliable with no issues regarding failing to feed or eject.I haven't started to handload for it yet, but with Winchester powerpoints I'm averaging groups just over 1.25". Cheers Bac4
 
Thanks I will check on the availability, and price of 243 and 25-06 ammo around here. After reading all of the thread 308 THE FORGOTTEN CALIBER. I am starting to think that maybe I might just buy another 30-06 and use my Ruger for back up with the same ammo. My priorities are light weight for walking around all day, detachable mags just because, accuracy, and reliability. I jumped on the magnum band wagon after watching my buddy drop a cow elk on the spot at 425 yds. I opted out of the shot myself with my 06. I think this was mainly due to me, not the gun. I haven't hunted much for quite a few years. I put a new scope on the old Ruger this year and was impressing myself with some pretty darn good groups, but I didn't know where I would be shooting at that distance. With practice and ability in myself, I think that an 06 will be up to any task I require, even out to the rare 425 yarder. Ahhh decisions, decisions. I know me, and I will never sell the gun once I buy, even if I don't like it. I have other guns that are a testiment to my no sell policy.
 
Just bought a tikka t3 .243 for coyotes and deer next fall. the ammo is always available, and much cheaper than 25-06. the gun is super accurate, light and a pleasure to shoot.
 
Thanks, I did some checking with friends for opinions, and they say the same,
go 243 cheaper and more plentiful ammo. A friend's brother has a sako 75 300wby
in mint shape, he will sell to me at a great price. Maybe I will by it and put a Mcmillan edge with a real good but pad on it to bring down weight, and use it for my moose gun.
I am all over the board on the bigger gun.
 
I have an x-bolt composite stalker in 7mm WSM. It is very accurate, and the more I experiment with new loads, the more impressed I get. I come up with 3 shot groups <0.6" on several loads. It wears a Nikon Buckmaster 3-9x40. When I first started reloading for it I noticed that the magazine wasn't letting the shells cycle, but rather was holding them back a bit. The x-bolt magazine design causes the shells to kind of go around a corner. This is where the shoulder of the brass would get kind of caught. The magazine material is some kind of fiberglass polymer stuff, so I just got some emery cloth and smoothed the corner a bit. Now it feeds very very well. Very reliable. It seems the blueing isn't terribly robust. I was out in a wet snowstorm, and when I got home that evening I took the gun apart to wipe it down. The bolt handle and the underside of the barrel were just starting to get some rust. I wiped it off, but in the right light you can still see a bit of a blemish if you know where to look.
The gun is light and accurate. The 7wsm cartridge is powerful. I like it a lot, and it may become my go-to rifle. Time will tell.
 
Thanks Huntin Gun, this is the kind of feed back I was hoping to get. There should be
something that can be done, to help prevent the rust in the first place. The gun felt good to me, but I don't know sh-t from shinola standing in a store pointing it at a ceiling for a minute. There is no doubt that rain will be a factor, I am surprised though that
this is not taken care of properly at the factory. It is not a $300 gun.
 
I have a 325 wsm in X bolt, went to it last year after using an A bolt 30/06 for 15 years its a great gun very accurate mind you the 325 ammo is not cheap but its not ment for paper punching. I shot my first bull elk with it last year and all i can say is wow 279 yards lung heart lung shot and the bullet stopped just in the hide on the other side with wicked expansion. He dropped where he was standing.
 
Sharky did you notice any problems cycling the shells thru. Did they eject well.
It was a 325 wsm that I read somewhere had problems. 325 thats a caliber I haven't thought about,,, kick like mule???
 
Never had a problem cycling or ejecting ive got 40 rounds trough it so far. The kick is surprizeingly low they come with a good recoil pad. Not any worse that a 30/06.
 
I was reading up on the new Hornady ammo and seeing a 30-06 with 165 gr shoot at
3000fps, with as they say no extra recoil. If this ammo groups well it may be a good
light, bush walking choice, which would give close to 300 win numbers for those ocasional longer shots. I am sure others will develop similar powder, and ammo.

Look at me,, I just Hijacked my own thread.
Oh Ya,, Browning X Bolt, what do you think?
 
This isn't a large caliber x-bolt that I own but regardless it is an amazing shooter. I have the X-bolt varmint stalker (medium heavy barrel) chambered in .223. This thing shoots one hole groups @ 100 yards with my hand loads. I could not be happier with this rifle.
Here is a picture of the 3 shot group I shot almost 2 weeks ago.

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19531_303471411200_509301200_4969394_2293077_n.jpg


These rifles are glass bedded and are truly amazing shooters. I still haven't heard any bad things from other owners.
 
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