Opinions on Browning Abolt IIs

[arch1965]

A bolt

Just bought a brand new A-bolt Micro Hunter in 22 Hornet. Very accurate for the few factory rounds I put through it. Good looking, nice handling, clip is new and odd, but it's growing on me. Price is a little above what they should be sold for. But hell, everyone keeps buying John Deeres and the green paint on those alone add about 40 % of the cost. :lol: :lol:

Overall very happy with my purchase, thinking about buying a Medallion.

Arch

 

[BIGREDD]

Well the detractors are vocal I'll give them that :shock:
I have never shot an A-Bolt II that was not accurate. I have never handled one that would not feed smoothly. I have had a couple and learned to use the floor plate mag and liked it... never had one screw up or wear out either :?
I am currently shooting a Browning Varmint Stalker in 25WSSM... It shoots as well as my Tikka and the bolt design allows for very smooth and fast feeding of those tiny fat cartridges
They are a lot of money... but I paid as much for the scope as I paid for the rifle so what the hell

 

[martinbns]

An update to my comments from above. My Abolt Classic 300 WSM just arrived. The mag does rattle a bit, the bolt seems to be smooth, although not as smooth as my Sako's, the fit and finish seems pretty good, but not as nice as my Sako's, the trigger does have a bit of creep in it, which I don't think can be adjusted out, It's much lighter than my Sako. I got a good deal on mine, so I can't even say it was terribly costly. I loaded up some 168 TSX's with h4350 powder, I'll vote tomorrow.

 

[Shooster]

I love my A-Bolt II Stainless Stalker w/BOSS in .300WSM!!!

 

[Dustin]

I preferred the original A-Bolt...seemed smoother...

 

[smallblock]

I have never shot an A-Bolt II that was not accurate. I have never handled one that would not feed smoothly. I have had a couple and learned to use the floor plate mag and liked it... never had one screw up or wear out either :

AMEN

 

[Gatehouse]

I'm not afan of them for a hunting rifle.

I'd use one for varmits etc, but there is no way I would take one into the backcountry, I'd rather have a *gag* Remington 700. :mrgreen:

it looks like Browning tried to make this rifle as complicated as they could :wink:

Theya e accurate, though.

 

[DarrylDB]

[quote='Boo]I don't like them.

They probably have the worst factory trigger on the market and your choice of aftermarket replacements is very limited.

Put enough miles on them and the floorplate will start to twist and bend and the "clip" will start to rattle.

Every one I have used, about a dozen all told including A-Bolts and A-Bolt II, all had a tendency to jamb when cycled fast.[/quote]

Yeah, adjustable to 2.5 from the factory, and all you have to do is change the spring to lower it beyond that. Mine breaks @ 1lb 14 oz's
With the change of a free spring.
Really ####ty from the factory :roll: :roll:
An aftermarket trigger (Of which there are a few, not Limited)

IS about 100.00USD for the Abolt...


Floorplate twist anymore than a 700 BDL, MOdel 70 etc? I think not.

I've got a 243 that is a tackdriver, and none of the hearsay applies.

ONE rifle I will NEVER sell.

 

[DarrylDB]

can you even re-barrel them? I've never seen a custom tube screwed into one, and that says alot :|

Allmost bought one with a Douglas tube, in 257 weatherby about 6 years ago...

 

[boonerbuck]

I've got a 243 that is a tackdriver, and none of the hearsay applies.

Its only hearsay if you are in denial. I listed the actual problems with the two I owned. I'm glad yours has not had these problems but its hardly rumour that I watched a monster muley walk away or had to replace the stock on that rattling piece of crap. :mrgreen:

 

[SCR]

Last fall I bought a new .243 WSSM A Bolt Stainless/Synthetic. Can't say enough about it. Very smooth, light and well balanced. Shoulders extremely fast. Fit and finish is very smart. How well does it shoot? At 50 yds the holes are to tell from one another. At 100 yds its a clover leaf, .5" at worst.

Absolutely my favorite rifle to date.

 

[martinbns]

I finally voted, i'm with the majority. My Hunter Classic shot very well on my first trip to the range. 168 gr TSX, 67.5 gr of H4350, seated .050 off the lands, just under an inch, two groups. At 200 yards the first two(barrel getting warm it was teh second group) were 1.2 inches apart, then the third about 2 inches high. The fit and finish seems good, I changed out the pad to a Limbsaver which really helps with the 6 lb 9 oz 300 WSM. The Magazine seems to function better and is quieter when it is carrying three rounds than when empty. The trigger is OK, I haven't adjusted it, it's around 3.5-4 lbs now, with a bit of creep. The stock seems to fit me well despite the short length of pull (13 5/8), my Sako's are both 14. I am pleased and I got a good deal on the rifle, hopefully I will smack an Elk with it next week.
I am particulary happy with better than 1 inch groups my first loading exercise from a lightweight thin barreled magnum.

 

[machinistbutler]

I have never had my mag rattle at all,and my trigger is excellent on my original 1991 a-bolt.The action screws did loosen after I had taken it apart though,loctite cured that..My cz trigger is nicer but the a- bolt blows what remington has on the 700s ive handled,and just as nice as my neighbours sako!!!!.The cartridges will rattle on my cz if the mag isnt almost full,the a -bolt never rattles even with one.Stock is a bit bright in the sun.The old gun is damned accurate too and I use my guns alot.2 out of 3 winchesters I have owned were terrible crap but that is my experience,and might be much different than other people have..ford chevy dodge,my ddad could beat up your dad,....... I think almost every manufacturer makes good guns,the a-bolts rank as good with me.

 

[Andrewe]

I have a LH micro Abolt in.243.

Likes:
Very smooth and solid bolt. Very short throw
Light weight
Trigger. I bought mine used and the trigger was set just perfect for me. The best of all my rifles.
Shoots well
Generall a joy to use.

Dislikes:
Magazine. No problems at all I just prefer a standard mag.
Recoil. A little heavy but it is a light weight rifle

 

[stubblejumper]

I think the clip idea is cool

That won't last long.

They probably have the worst factory trigger on the market and your choice of aftermarket replacements is very limited.

yes, Dave Jennings in Kamloops will back that up.

Put enough miles on them and the floorplate will start to twist and bend and the "clip" will start to rattle.

I'm so glad I didnt have to type that out for the thousandth time. :mrgreen:

Every one I have used, about a dozen all told including A-Bolts and A-Bolt II, all had a tendency to jamb when cycled fast.

Or too slow also. You try to quietly creep one in, you get a hang up sometimes. If you are quietly trying to chamber one, usuall it's because you are about to shoot something.

Hey I LIKE that post.

I have to agree.

 

[RDS]

It's funny how people comment on 'mag rattle'.

I had a Remington 700 that had a mag rattle like a Massassauga rattlesnake...my A-bolt doesn't rattle.

As for the 'worst factory trigger'...I've owned A-bolts and Rugers...guess which trigger I thought was far superior. It's an easy fix if it really bothers you.

As for jamming while cycling fast...never had that problem...the vast majority of the time my target is dead in one shot...eliminating the need to cycle fast.

We all have our opinions regarding our firearms and will stretch the truth in many ways to discredit someone else's firearm that we consider to be 'inferior'. It happens with anything.

Fords suck.

See what I did there?

Oh yeah...Sony products suck too.

See what I'm getting at?

 

[BigUglyMan]

can you even re-barrel them? I've never seen a custom tube screwed into one, and that says alot :|

Yup. Mine wears a Gaillard tube in 25-06. You should do more looking around...lots of them rebarreled.

 

[todbartell]

hmm, never seen one myself. maybe Farva, one day I will find one :mrgreen:

 

[alberta tactical rifle]

I don't like the plastic shiny stock finish that shows the marks on their "painted on wood grain" wood stocks or the horrible tupperware stocks. A bolt stocks generally fit humans poorly, and transfer more recoil than is necessary to.
The triggers are just plain awful and hard to make decent.
The mag set up is the absolute worst engineering I have ever seen, far too many small parts involved that break continually, it is clumsy to work and unfortunately not something that can be upgraded to, like a regular floorplate that works.
The BOSS thing seemed to solve the problems of poor accuracy they had from the run of poor barrels they had for awhile.
All in all I can not think of too many guns I think less of. :mrgreen:

 

[machinistbutler]

The mag set up is quite simple,and for something that has never failed me in 14 years I can see it is bad engineering...The japs do not know ####...My honda lawnmower is light years behind a briggs and scrap iron smoke up the neighbourhood type..My honda waterpumps always give trouble,sometimes will not start until the second pull and my honda quads are terrible..wHAT the hell does long distance is better than being there mean anyways..What engineering marvels do you shoot anyways so some experts can run them down as well?????? sheesh..