X-Bolt Change Twist Rates??

GMHVAC

GMHVAC

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FYI

I was purchasing a 7mm RM today at Cabelas and just before they packaged it up I had one last look at the rifle I noticed that Browning actually had stamped the twist rate right on the barrel. But this one was stamped 1-8". I thought this must have been a mistake as I have always seen 7mm RM at 9-9.5. Cabelas had no explanation as according to their web site that particular rifle had a 1-9.5" twist. Made a quick phone call to Browning Canada and they hadn't heard of a 7mm RM at 1-8" twist rate. I then phoned Browning US and this is new for 2018. All Long Range rifles( like a Hells Canyon Long Range) in 7mm RM have been switched to 1-8" twist , where as other 7mm RM( Hells Canyon Speed) are 1-9.5 . Officially if the rifle does not have a stamp on the barrel showing twist rates, then the rifle will have normal twist rate. But if it has a stamp then it is factory "different" than normal twist.

That brings up the question. How big of a bullet do you need to make use of 1-8" twist
 
Chargerguy said:
Nice! It's about time. You can play around with Berger's stability calculator for different bullets and MVs to accurately answer your question. I have some 8 twist barrels specifically for the 195 Berger EOLs.
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I figured it would be something that big. And I thought 180s were about as big as you could go.
 
GMHVAC said:
FYI

I was purchasing a 7mm RM today at Cabelas and just before they packaged it up I had one last look at the rifle I noticed that Browning actually had stamped the twist rate right on the barrel. But this one was stamped 1-8". I thought this must have been a mistake as I have always seen 7mm RM at 9-9.5. Cabelas had no explanation as according to their web site that particular rifle had a 1-9.5" twist. Made a quick phone call to Browning Canada and they hadn't heard of a 7mm RM at 1-8" twist rate. I then phoned Browning US and this is new for 2018. All Long Range rifles( like a Hells Canyon Long Range) in 7mm RM have been switched to 1-8" twist , where as other 7mm RM( Hells Canyon Speed) are 1-9.5 . Officially if the rifle does not have a stamp on the barrel showing twist rates, then the rifle will have normal twist rate. But if it has a stamp then it is factory "different" than normal twist.

That brings up the question. How big of a bullet do you need to make use of 1-8" twist
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Glad I'm not the only one that realized, I shoot a hell's canyon speed in 6.5 creedmoor and groups the 143 grain eld x like no one's business, and there aren't really many options for heavier bullets, is the tighter twist on the new xbolt pro long range I ordered going to hinder me shooting the same loads ? The hells canyon currently has a 8" twist but the new Long range pro sports a 7" twist.

Thanks in advance.
 
The 7 twist should shoot just as good as your 8 twist. It will give you a option to shoot some heavy copper bullets or something like the new 6.5 cal 156 gr Berger when it comes out. Very nice to see Browning stepping up and producing fast twist barrels for todays heavy for caliber high BC bullets. Other companies should take note of this.
 
beeman2 said:
The 7 twist should shoot just as good as your 8 twist. It will give you a option to shoot some heavy copper bullets or something like the new 6.5 cal 156 gr Berger when it comes out. Very nice to see Browning stepping up and producing fast twist barrels for todays heavy for caliber high BC bullets. Other companies should take note of this.
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Thanks for your thoughts, I appreciate your time! Now you've got me even more excited ^^ sounds like the perfect addition IMO. I'm just happy more people are producing more bullets for 6.5, there were so many skeptics for so long...
 
RyoTHC said:
Thanks for your thoughts, I appreciate your time! Now you've got me even more excited ^^ sounds like the perfect addition IMO. I'm just happy more people are producing more bullets for 6.5, there were so many skeptics for so long...
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Not too many skeptics about the caliber, it's been around for 120 years in the 6.5x55 and used all over the globe.
 
I wonder how the pessimistic Browning haters are going to find fault with this great new offering from Browning,.. lol

This is just another example of why Browning stays at the top of there game.
 
Tabacco Brook said:
I wonder how the pessimistic Browning haters are going to find fault with this great new offering from Browning,.. lol

This is just another example of why Browning stays at the top of there game.
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I like some Browning offerings, but they are subject to the same "cheapening" process everyone else has taken. Xbolt mags are pure garbage, all plastic with plastic latch, have feed issues (Google it), and probably cost them 5 cents to manufacture. The crap mags are why I would never own an Xbolt...ohhh nice $1000 rifle...eww pity about that 5 cent mags.
While the faster twist in the 7mm is nice, it's not new or ground breaking, the 7x64 is 1/8.33 and 100 years old and runs right on it's heels. The faster 6.5CM doesn't make much sense to me unless the goal is to duplicate 30-30/170gr velocity. Put that faster twist in a 264Win and it starts making more sense.
 
Hitzy said:
I like some Browning offerings, but they are subject to the same "cheapening" process everyone else has taken. Xbolt mags are pure garbage, all plastic with plastic latch, have feed issues (Google it), and probably cost them 5 cents to manufacture. The crap mags are why I would never own an Xbolt...ohhh nice $1000 rifle...eww pity about that 5 cent mags.
While the faster twist in the 7mm is nice, it's not new or ground breaking, the 7x64 is 1/8.33 and 100 years old and runs right on it's heels. The faster 6.5CM doesn't make much sense to me unless the goal is to duplicate 30-30/170gr velocity. Put that faster twist in a 264Win and it starts making more sense.
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LOL... I guess you must be one of those "pessimistic Browning haters"

According to what I gather from your post you obviously don't own an X-Bolt,.. but you say their magazine is "pure garbage",.. ok, that's cool, everyone is entitled to their own opinion..... however, I do own an X-bolt and I can tell you first hand the magazines are far from garbage,.. they are made of a tuff polymer that won't bend, won't rust, and about the only way you might be able to break it is if you hit it with a hammer,...... they are center feed which lines the cartridge up to be fed straight into the chamber which makes for more reliable feeding than staggered feed mags. With the polymer causing very little to no friction on the brass the rounds slide from the mag like silk and makes for very slick effortless chambering,... IMO the features of the x-bolt mag all adds up to very reliable feeding,.. and that has been my experience with my x-bolt,.. very reliable.
I would bet the feeding issues that you have read about have likely been with the WSM chamberings,.. I have read of feeding issues from different types of rifles chambered for WSM rounds.
 
Tabacco Brook said:
LOL... I guess you must be one of those "pessimistic Browning haters"

According to what I gather from your post you obviously don't own an X-Bolt,.. but you say their magazine is "pure garbage",.. ok, that's cool, everyone is entitled to their own opinion..... however, I do own an X-bolt and I can tell you first hand the magazines are far from garbage,.. they are made of a tuff polymer that won't bend, won't rust, and about the only way you might be able to break it is if you hit it with a hammer,...... they are center feed which lines the cartridge up to be fed straight into the chamber which makes for more reliable feeding than staggered feed mags. With the polymer causing very little to no friction on the brass the rounds slide from the mag like silk and makes for very slick effortless chambering,... IMO the features of the x-bolt mag all adds up to very reliable feeding,.. and that has been my experience with my x-bolt,.. very reliable.
I would bet the feeding issues that you have read about have likely been with the WSM chamberings,.. I have read of feeding issues from different types of rifles chambered for WSM rounds.
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I agree totally. Have had 2 x-bolts with 0 feeding issues. I was skeptical too before I got the first one. Owner of gun shop talked me into it reassuring me there was nothing wrong with them. He said he replaces a lot more damaged metal mags than he does polymer ones. How long has Tikka been using the polymer mags?
 
Tabacco Brook said:
LOL... I guess you must be one of those "pessimistic Browning haters"

According to what I gather from your post you obviously don't own an X-Bolt,.. but you say their magazine is "pure garbage",.. ok, that's cool, everyone is entitled to their own opinion..... however, I do own an X-bolt and I can tell you first hand the magazines are far from garbage,.. they are made of a tuff polymer that won't bend, won't rust, and about the only way you might be able to break it is if you hit it with a hammer,...... they are center feed which lines the cartridge up to be fed straight into the chamber which makes for more reliable feeding than staggered feed mags. With the polymer causing very little to no friction on the brass the rounds slide from the mag like silk and makes for very slick effortless chambering,... IMO the features of the x-bolt mag all adds up to very reliable feeding,.. and that has been my experience with my x-bolt,.. very reliable.
I would bet the feeding issues that you have read about have likely been with the WSM chamberings,.. I have read of feeding issues from different types of rifles chambered for WSM rounds.
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308...
http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=236145

300Win
https://onyourownadventures.com/hun...1-Browning-X-bolt-Rotary-Magazine-Feed-Issues

308...
https://www.thestalkingdirectory.co...44-Browning-X-bolt-magazine-feed-problem-help

223 (read K22's post half way down)
http://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/browning-x-bolt-experience.3882183/

That's just the first page when you Google "Xbolt mag issues" lol.
My brother has an Eclipse in 308...not my cup of tea, I have a pair of AB3 in 308/270. While the AB3 is not as "shiny" as the Xbolt (at half the price this is expected) they are fairly well put together and have decent mags.
Xbolt is not a $1000 rifle, there are many better in that range, sorry for your limited experience. Bet you got all those awesome Browning accessories though...hats, bumper stickers, vests, knives, watches, wallets, car seat and steering wheel covers lol.
 
Hitzy said:
308...
http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=236145

300Win
https://onyourownadventures.com/hun...1-Browning-X-bolt-Rotary-Magazine-Feed-Issues

308...
https://www.thestalkingdirectory.co...44-Browning-X-bolt-magazine-feed-problem-help

223 (read K22's post half way down)
http://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/browning-x-bolt-experience.3882183/

That's just the first page when you Google "Xbolt mag issues" lol.
My brother has an Eclipse in 308...not my cup of tea, I have a pair of AB3 in 308/270. While the AB3 is not as "shiny" as the Xbolt (at half the price this is expected) they are fairly well put together and have decent mags.
Xbolt is not a $1000 rifle, there are many better in that range, sorry for your limited experience. Bet you got all those awesome Browning accessories though...hats, bumper stickers, vests, knives, watches, wallets, car seat and steering wheel covers lol.
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Right on Hitzy,... perhaps I may have to eat a bit of Crow on the feeding issues,.. but I don't think this is a common problem overall with the x-bolt,.. take into consideration how many x-bolt owners there are that don't experience this problem,.. there are lemons produced in everything, from fingernail clippers to airplanes, lol.
As for the X-bolt not being worth $1000, no it might not be, but neither are any of the rifles in the same category, Remington 700, Tikka t3, Sako A7, these are the first ones that come to mind that I have handled,.. I would still pick the X-bolt first. The only rifle I think that you get pretty much what you pay for is the Winchester Model 70 Super Grade,.. still some old school quality there.

Now,.. as for me having all those Browning accessories,... hats, bumper stickers, vests, knives, watches, wallets, car seat and steering wheel covers,... nope,.. I'm not one to pay to advertise a companies product,... I think the only Browning apparel I have is a camo ball cap and a -30 degree sleeping bag,.... but I do have 13 very nice Browning firearms, rifles, shotguns, and handguns that have excellent fit and finish that function flawlessly 100% of the time,.. plus I have had a half dozen other Brownings over the years that were the same.
 
That's why there are so many successful brands... people like different things, different price points, see value for dollar differently.
The AB3's I got on sale for $500, the 308 is the wood stock version and a keeper, it's quite nice for the price. The 270 is syn stocked, and it's pretty decent but I will probably replace at some point with another Howa/Vanguard. The 270 has the SLOWEST barrel I've ever come across. Both come factory bedded which was a nice touch, nice light hunting rifles with a good mag system.
Right now there is nothing comparable to the Howa/Vanguard rifles for quality and durability in that price range.
For the record I think Tikka is grossly overpriced for what you get as well.
 
I have owned 2 x-bolts and absolutely no issues what so ever. Accurate as hell and no mag issues. I wouldn’t hesitate for a second recommending one. The mag will take extra long rounds too for those who doing their custom lengths. In fact the reason I went x- bolt was because of the issues with the Sako ejection in the new Sako 85. I was all ready to get one for hunting season and then when you read about round ejecting directly into the scope that was it for me. Whether its as bad as all the reviews I have read I will never know.
 
I've played with 3 different 7mm's with 1:8 (one was 1:8.5) and they shoot all bullet weights well up to 197gr Sierra MK

Xbolt long action magnum have the 3.5" OAL mag box to make use of these heavy bullets too, assuming throat is long enough to seat out
 
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