Author Topic: Rem vs Browning (Read 2811 times)

.44splx2 · « **on:** November 11, 2006, 01:37:24 AM »

Until I can afford a "sendero" type rifle I'm looking at bare-bones, syn. stocked rifles.
I've narrowed it to an A-bolt syn. stalker or a Rem 700 SPS.
Anyone familliar with both? Wisdom and comparisons please.
Have a good weekend, all.

Slamfire · « **Reply #1 on:** November 11, 2006, 04:57:37 PM »

Browning's are too shiny for my tastes, and I'm not impressed by the 60 degree bolt throw idea either. Other than that I'm sure they are a good rifle.

Gregory · « **Reply #2 on:** November 12, 2006, 01:10:57 AM »

I own two A-Bolts, a Stainless Stalker in 25/06 and a Micro Hunter in 22 Hornet. Mine are lefties, and they are not "shiny"(I agree the Medallion model is though). I'm very pleased with mine and I'm thinking of buying another, if I can decide on a caliber.

wareagleguy · « **Reply #3 on:** November 12, 2006, 02:09:29 PM »

Advise should only be considered from anyone who has actually owned a Abolt. The 60 degree thing is great. For the life of me I don't understand why anyone would NOT want it. The Abolt has three lugs which is stronger than the two lugs of the Rem. With three lugs you don't have to throw the bolt at 90 degrees to chamber a round.

I have owned several Abolts and Rems. While I find Rems good guns the Brownings are a better choice. The 60 bolt makes a winner even if you don't consider anything else.

my 2 cents.

mjbgalt · « **Reply #4 on:** November 13, 2006, 03:57:54 AM »

i also love the short bolt throw. mine shoots as well as any rifle i have seen. i could not be happier with it in any way- fit, finish, cost, ergonomics, etc. the barrel is as nicely finished inside as any i have encountered...after several hundred rounds i ran some copper-fouling cleaner through it and got two light blue patches and then clean ones. no fouling, cleans up perfectly...and is bedded so well that my first shot with my favorite handload out of a clean barrel hits the same place every single time.

Slamfire · « **Reply #5 on:** November 13, 2006, 06:02:27 PM »

Wait until you have a stuck case and discover you don't have enough mechanical advantage with your 60 degree bolt throw to open the bolt. It ain't no fun hammerin' on the bolt handle with a peice of firewood.

mjbgalt · « **Reply #6 on:** November 13, 2006, 06:27:04 PM »

i did that already...same as a 90-degree bolt sticking. you open it as far as you can and whack the hell out of it. lol

-Matt

Thebear_78 · « **Reply #7 on:** November 13, 2006, 11:41:31 PM »

I have always found brownings to be accurate, dependable rifles. Remingtons usually need a little tricking out to acheive the same thing.

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #8 on:** November 14, 2006, 01:16:31 AM »

Quote from: Slamfire on November 13, 2006, 06:02:27 PM

Wait until you have a stuck case and discover you don't have enough mechanical advantage with your 60 degree bolt throw to open the bolt. It ain't no fun hammerin' on the bolt handle with a peice of firewood.

It can happen to any bolt action rifle, it is not just inherent to an A -bolt.

I have been shooting A-bolts for many years and never had it happen.
Sorry to say I will always pick an A-bolt over any Remington any day. I am not knocking the Remington at all, I just have never liked them.
I also don't own any Winchester rifles.

Make mine a Tikka, Sako, Browning, or CZ.

Hairtrigger · « **Reply #9 on:** November 14, 2006, 01:54:23 AM »

Quote from: Slamfire on November 13, 2006, 06:02:27 PM

Wait until you have a stuck case and discover you don't have enough mechanical advantage with your 60 degree bolt throw to open the bolt. It ain't no fun hammerin' on the bolt handle with a peice of firewood.

I have never had a stuck case. What am I doing wrong?
Ofcourse I dont want that expierence nor do I believe that a stuck case happens often. Even when I was a member of the local shooting club I never saw another shooter have a stuck case

GoneHunting · « **Reply #10 on:** November 14, 2006, 09:36:38 AM »

Never owned an A bolt and probably never will. Had too much success with the 700s. Own three of them now all shoot great. Hey, its what the military bases there sniper rifles on. So why not go with the Remington.

.44splx2 · « **Reply #11 on:** November 15, 2006, 05:33:45 AM »

Good point,
My "upgrade" will probably be a heavy, fluted bbl Rem.
In my price range, presently, I hear better things about the A-bolt.
I've shot both, owned neither. My current collection is limited to
200 yds. or less in capability. This will be a .308. Thanks for assisting
a handgunner in the world of rifles!

Hairtrigger · « **Reply #12 on:** November 15, 2006, 12:48:21 PM »

But it sure is fun looking at the faces a Remington guy makes when he looks at a target with a group smaller than his!

GoneHunting · « **Reply #13 on:** November 16, 2006, 08:55:11 AM »

I guess I could lean towards a Browning if I saw one out shoot my 700vsf .308 but I would have to see it to believe it.

Omaha-BeenGlockin · « **Reply #14 on:** November 16, 2006, 11:26:55 AM »

In this comparison---and if price is not a factor----Browning---simply a better rifle all day---any day.

Of course you are going to pay more for the Browning than the comparable Remington---even though there is really no comparison.

kenjs1 · « **Reply #15 on:** December 20, 2006, 11:06:15 AM »

I might suggest you get whatever fits you best. While I loved the feel and slenderness of the Browning synthetic stock I found it too flexible. My groups varied depending on where I rested the rifle- the further back (towards the trigger) the better. I changed out that stock for a B and C Medalist and that has certainly help to stabilize the rifle and as a result, the groups. I too like the A-bolt short throw - and the way that it is angled for fast cycling. In fact, I took two shots at a coyote and the folks at camp insisted there had to be more than one shooter - or a guy with a semi-auto. Grassy knoll references aside

I absolutely love the detachable magazine with a floorplate. Best of all worlds there. Lastly, in favor of the Browning is the adjustability of the trigger. It is really easy to adjust and if you want the pull lessened you can buy Timney replacement springs ( +/- $20) and install one of the two included in under three minutes - even an untalented lout like myself. The Remington is fine and I would hate to sell it short. As for upgrades there are millions and chances are it will shoot pretty well out of the box. It also comes with a terrific recoil pad -the R3 is really a Sims Limbsaver and I would bet be a softer feeling rifle -recoil wise. The Browning, even on the little 260, had a rather sharp bite for its size. The Brownings are on the smallish side and some folks really don't like that. 22" barrel versus 24" for the SPS. Find a store with both rifles and throw each one up to your shoulder. I bet you will come across favoring one over the other. Which one??? I don't think it will ever matter to anything on the receiving end. No such thing as a wrong choice here.

John R. · « **Reply #16 on:** December 20, 2006, 11:53:00 AM »

Lets see, how many SWAT team snipers use the Browning A-bolt. NONE How many military snipers use the A-bolt ? NONE How many longe range competitors use the A-bolt? Oh I remember now NONE. How many custom rifle makers start with an A-bolt? The answer is NONE again. You won't go wrong with a Remington 700, that's why they've been around so long.

dukkillr · « **Reply #17 on:** December 20, 2006, 12:48:01 PM »

Do those swat teams, snipers, etc shoot factory 700s or 700s where someone has spent a bunch of money to make them nice guns? Browning rifles are nicer out of the box. Remmingtons are more popular, have more available after market parts, and a wider distribution.

John R. · « **Reply #18 on:** December 20, 2006, 12:54:31 PM »

Well David Tubb took an out of the box Rem. 700 and won a highpower championship with it, just to prove a point. It doesn't cost much money to make a 700 shoot.

Gregory · « **Reply #19 on:** December 20, 2006, 02:14:06 PM »

Quote from: John R. on December 20, 2006, 12:54:31 PM

It doesn't cost much money to make a 700 shoot.

It doesn't take any extra money to make a Browning shoot.

Zachary · « **Reply #20 on:** December 20, 2006, 03:22:04 PM »

I own both, Remingtons and Brownings. My Brownings are the original A- Bolts Is, not the newer A-Bolts IIs. All of my Remingtons are shooters - meaning 1MOA or better with at least one factory load. Same holds true for my Brownings. I have never had any problems whatsoever with any of my rifles. My brownings, however, are of better quality in terms of fit and finish, than the Remingtons.

Nowadays, I buy Tikkas (as most members know). If money is not that much of a concern, I buy either Sakos or Kimbers.

Zachary

John R. · « **Reply #21 on:** December 20, 2006, 03:54:00 PM »

It doesn't cost any money to get a Remington to shoot good either,most shoot excellant right out the box. I prefer to adjust all of my triggers, which doesn't take but a minute. You can say what you want, but the Remington 700 is a proven design, that's why they haven't changed it since 1962. I don't own one that won't shoot under an inch and a couple of them will easily do half of that. The last group I shot with my 25-06 Sendero at 300 yds. was 1 1/16th inches. (Nothing but a trigger job and good handloads) Brownings are pretty good hunting rifles, they tend to shoot ok. At least the Remingtons don't have to have that god-awful looking Boss hanging on the end of it to shoot. When its all said and done get the one you want and learn how to shoot it and you'll have meat in the freezer.

thumbcocker · « **Reply #22 on:** December 21, 2006, 10:23:48 AM »

Remington all the way. The browning A-bolt has a glued in barrel.

Buckskin · « **Reply #23 on:** December 21, 2006, 10:34:45 AM »

The nock I have on Browning is that you have to take the safety off to load and unload the gun. And that rediculous Boss contraption.

.44splx2 · « **Reply #24 on:** December 21, 2006, 11:19:02 AM »

Thanks for the responses. Remember, I was comparing
the Browning to an out-of-the-box 700.
The Sendero comes later. (The Browning bbls aren't
glued in). Thanks again. $:-\$

Gregory · « **Reply #25 on:** December 21, 2006, 12:53:24 PM »

Quote from: Buckskin on December 21, 2006, 10:34:45 AM

The nock I have on Browning is that you have to take the safety off to load and unload the gun. And that rediculous Boss contraption.

You and I have gone round and round on the Browning safety before, I've got no problem with it and I accept the fact that you do.
And the Boss is an option Browning offers on some models, I don't care for it either so I select Browning models without the boss. You're not forced to buy it.

GoneHunting · « **Reply #26 on:** December 21, 2006, 02:11:58 PM »

My out of the box 700vsf in 308 shoots 1/4 to 1/2 inch groups with three different types of factory ammo. All I've done is a trigger job. I havent seen an A-bolt that will do that. I havent shot a new A-bolt that didn't need the trigger lightened either. But hey, Im just a remington man because they've proven themselves to me.

thumbcocker · « **Reply #27 on:** December 21, 2006, 03:11:34 PM »

Well if they're not glued in they're pressed in.

Buckskin · « **Reply #28 on:** December 22, 2006, 03:37:02 AM »

Quote from: Gregory on December 21, 2006, 12:53:24 PM

[You and I have gone round and round on the Browning safety before, I've got no problem with it and I accept the fact that you do.

This statement wasn't directed to you Gregory. It was for .44splx2 who started the thread, I thought he should know.

shooterpunk · « **Reply #29 on:** December 22, 2006, 05:00:13 AM »

haha this is a funny thread. y aknow what, they both shoot well. ive seen remingtons that cant shoot worth crap and brownings also. its just luck of the draw. i had a browning A-bolt with the BOSS on it and it shot llike a dream, but it was just too dam loud, so i sold it and i use my dads old 700, and guess what, it shoots very well too. i think you will get a little higher quality with the browning but they both shoot well. the BOSS is just an add on, and sorry to say it but lots of 700 owners pay more money to get more accuracy out of their rifles. get what fits you better and catches your eye more.