Browning X-Bolt Rifle Reviews

Wish there was an extended magazine aftermarket option!

Strange this forum is so vacant. These are guns people should be enthusiastic about!

Just got an X bolt 308 Win composite/blue. Mounted a Leopold Vari-X III 50mm 3.5x10 using high X lock rings. (Medium proved to be too short to clear the barrel.) After bore-sighting at 100 yards I fired one shot. It landed 5" high, 1" left. I adjusted 20 clicks down and four clicks right and was right on with my second shot. Fired two more rounds and had a 1.5 inch three shot group using some old Radway-Green British military FMJ ammo . With only one scope adjustment and five rounds fired I was sighted in and had a three shot group; I was pleased with the results. I am sure with a little work using Sierra bullets and experimenting with different loads using a two or three different powders I will be at an inch or better.

I found the new technology recoil pad really does cut down on the recoil I would have expected from a light weight 308. My only small complaint is that you can not load from the top of the receiver but must load the magazine removed from the rifle.

Welcome to the Browning Owners Forum judgecrater !!

Congrats on the new X Bolt...

I just picked up the Stainless Stalker X-Bolt in 6.5 Creedmoor and mounted a Leupold VX-3L 4.5-14x50 scope on it using : Leupold Browning X-Bolt matte bases, Leupold part #65416, along with Leupold 1-inch Medium Matte rings, Leupold part #49901. Puts the scope center right at 1.5 inches above the bore centerline. Initial centering was done at 50 yards, and when I got a pair of hits that touched one another, I moved on out to 100 yards. After some scope adjustments, I was able to get right at 1 MOA groups at 100 yards using Winchester 140 grain match rounds. I was hoping for a little better, but I think with some more use and barrel break in it will get better. But it's first time I've also shot that bullet - I had been using the Hornady 120 grain A-MAX in my Ruger Precision Rifle, and get 1/2 to 3/4 MOA groups with that combination at 100 yards, with my personal best being .31 inches center to center for a 3-shot group.

Overall, my initial impression of the x-bolt in 6.5 Creedmoor is that I like it. Well balanced, light, and definitely accurate enough out of the box to hunt deer. I had some issues with the action - a couple of times it set me up to try to load a second round although I'd already pushed one into the chamber. I'm thinking "operator error" at those times rather than rifle malfunction.

Now if I could just find dependable supplies of the 6.5 Creedmoor ammo and goodness knows I'd love to have (at least) one more magazine for it. The ammo is in short supply, and I cannot find anyone online or off that has a magazine available for sale including the national chains like Cabela's, Bass Pro or Brownell's -- not even direct from Browning!

Was watching a show on the Outdoor Channel about long distance shooting ( competition )...

and what I took away from it was that the best of the best in that field were using the 6.5 Creedmoor.

I will be looking into it...

Follow up to my 308 X-bolt/Leupold Vari-X3-50mm . I was most successful deer hunting this year with the X-bolt with three in the freezer. Distances were all quite short due to the dense forests in GA but the game dropped very quickly. Sierra 165 grain soft nose boat tail bullets either passed through or retained excellent weight (the single recovered bullet was at 86% of it's original weight and mushroomed nicely.)

One surprising early mechanical failure. The release lever broke off the magazine with only finger pressure. Browning quickly sent me a replacement release lever without charge. They said it was not a common failure. Overall I am pleased with my rifle.

SHOOTER13, I don't want to hijack this discussion, so I've put up a discussion of my experience with the 6.5 Creedmoor over in the Ammunition forum. Bottom line is that it's a great bullet, but currently relatively expensive at $1 to $2 per round and with limited manufacturers.

Already seen it JL .... Nice work !!

I am about to trade in an A-Bolt in .308 for an X-Bolt in 7mm-08 in a Micro Hunter lefthanded. I would like to have it in the all weather stainless, but Browning isn't making them anymore I guess. They are not on there web site anymore, but then either is the Micro Hunter, just the Micro Midas which has a shorter LOP.

The Micro Midas is too short, so it's back to looking for either a Hunter or a Micro Hunter model.
I found one over the w/e and put a deposit on it.

I can't say anything about factory loads - don't have a 7mm in my rack. But I think you probably made a wise decision in going with the X-Bolt over the Kimber. I looked at Kimber's line when looking for a 6.5 Creedmoor for hunting and reviews on it just didn't justify its price in my book. As for break-in, go with what you feel like; perhaps take a read at this web page https://www.shootersforum.com/rifles-rifle-cartridges/77655-barrel-break-procedure.html I personally tend to agree that whatever works for you is good. Most of my rifles I simply cleaned before shooting, took them out and sighted them in, took them home and cleaned them and from then on generally clean after any outing. Now here's an interesting thought on how often to clean that I got from an ex-army sniper: he says he doesn't clean his rifles for as often as 200 or more rounds through them -- seems to work for him, he pulled out his 'go-to' .308 and put one on steel (about a 3ft x 3ft plate - i.e., 1 minute of man) at 1,000 yards 2nd shot out of the bore that day (in his defense, wind was damned gusty that day).
I just had a Criterion match barrel put onto my Ruger Precision Rifle (6.5 Creedmoor) and will pick it up tomorrow morning, and that's still my game plan -- clean it, re-zero the scope with the new barrel and over this weekend I'll take it out to get some dope out to around 1,000 yards if I can handle it without a spotter and probably clean it after each day's shooting. That barrel ran me about $650 (prefit and machined for a drop in replacement) and if you go to the Criterion site, they do not provide a "shoot x-shots, clean, repeat for xx-total shots" - they simply say "do what you think is right" and give some good, standard tips: use a bore guide!! use quality patches and cleaners. I recommend using nylon brushes vs brass also. One reason they imply might make it a good thing to clean after each outing is primarily to make sure there's no moisture left in the barrel while it's in storage.
Good luck with the new rifle, safe shooting!

Hi fellas, just bought my 2nd Xbolt Stalker in 6.5 CM, had to take it the smith to get ring bases installed cause I stripped out the front holes on the receiver trying to install Talley rings. Is this a common thing with the Xbolt ?? Anyway, I got my Rifle back and put a Nikon scope on it, loaded up some 123 gr. Hornady SST's and some Sierra 120 gr. ProHunter's, took it to the range, after some break in time and it's just as I thought, shots touching at 100 yards. All my Browning rifles are excellent shooters. Now I'm looking at the Xbolt Hells Canyon Speed in 300 Win. Mag..

Can't say if it's common, it didn't happen to me. Initially I put a Leupold VX-3L scope on it using Leupold bases/rings. Just replaced that with a Burris Eliminator III mounted using an add-on picatinny type rail from Evolution Gun Works (EGW: http://www.egwguns.com/index.php?p=home ) and their X-Bolt Short Action rail fit just perfectly and no problem with stripping threads or anything. Prime 130 grain Match+ holding to 1/2 MOA at 100 yards, have yet to test how well the scope predicts drop at other distances. Have fun with the Hells Canyon!

Well I have two x-bolts one is blue stalker 7mm-08 with a Vortex diamondback scope the other is a ss carbon stock fluted barrel in 308 with a Ziess conquest scope and they are great rifles IMO.

I have 2 X bolts: a 6.5 Creedmoor and a .308. Both have Vortex Viper HS scopes. The 6.5 is shooting .5 moa with Hornady factory ammo and the .308 so far slightly larger than 1 moa, but have only put 1 box of ammo thru each. Pretty impressed! Also the lack of recoil of the 6.5 is amazing with the Arrid Urban camo stock. Kicks like a .222. Maybe I'm lust lucky, but never had a gun shoot so good out of the box as the 6.5. I fired 1 shot at 25 yards, adjusted the scope, went to 100 yards, it shot 5" high and 1" to the left. third , fourth and fifth rounds printed a 1/2" group about 2" high online with the target! Nice shooter!

I have a whole fleet of Model 70Winchesters. Two Model 700 Remington’s, one Browning XBolt in .243. It is a beautiful Maple Medalion and very accurate. A lot more rugged than anyone would ever guess to look at it. So many good features on the X Bolts. I tried to get an X Bolt All Weather in 6.5 Creedmore and they dropped back to just making the Eclipse.
The thumbhole stock is wildly UNPOPULAR! It is a brenchrest or target rifle, NOT a target rifle! What in the Hell is Browning thinking about? I asked Browning dealers. They totally agreed! When I pick up a Hells Canyon Speed Rifle unfortunately it feels very slippery! Am I the only one? It is a cool looking and quite available rifle. The laminate stock though and barrel and action on the All Weather is actually tougher.

David, when I first picked up my AU in 6.5 CM, I felt like that gun was made for me! Unlike the Hells Canyon, the stock is not slippery. It has proven to be durable as well! I carry it on my ATV on some tough trails, still looks new. I think that I might check out what is available in .223 for a varmint rifle, maybe a 22-250.

Have to admit hydrex I am not familiar with AU 6.5 Creedmore. Could have been AW for All Weather? But they are pretty far away on the keyboard! Our experience in the military is laminate stocks are most durable, Also quite heavy.