Browning Bashing at Other Forums

[arkhillbilly]

Have you fellas been to 24 Hour Campfire?  They really hate Brownings over there.  I posted 3 or 4 targets evidencing ABolt accuracy, and then they call it a pot metal rifle, too many parts, yada yada yada.

What do you think these fools have against accurate out of the box rifles?  When I hunt I pull an ABOLT out of the safe.  To me for the money nothing is better.  When you consider what little more alot more money buys, there truly is nothing better than an Abolt.

[bersh]

There is a lot of great info over on 24 hr, along with a number of really knowledgeable folks, but 99% of them are remington fans.  I think the biggest beef that most have is the fact that there aren't nearly as many aftermarket parts, and you can't tinker as much (or as cheaply) as you can with a remington.  The odd thing is that most don't seem to consider the fact that there isn't usually a need to tinker with an a-bolt.

I shoot honest sub-MOA 3 shot groups with my abolt 270 with handloads and Hornady custom factory ammo, and 1-1.25" groups with cheap core-lokt, so why would I want to mess with it?  I did splurge and put a lighter spring in it, but that's it.  If I spent more time working up loads, along with playing with the BOSS, I'm sure I could tighten them up to 1/2" or so, but it's good enough for me for the conditions that I hunt.

[longwinters]

I see the same thing over there.  I think it has a lot to do with Japanese stuff as well as things already mentioned.  I have a Stainless Stalker that is an honest 1/2" shooter out of the box.  As Bersh did, I too put in a lighter spring (10 min job) after shooting it for a while.  

Can't say what the metal is, perhaps it is of a cheaper grade than some of the others.  I cannot prove or disprove it.  But at least I did not have to bed the action, float the barrel and have a gunsmith do a trigger job on my Browning so it would shoot under 2".

Long

[kenjs1]

I am like you in that I really love my Stalker.  I replaced the spring (very simple) and I think it's trigger is wonderful.  I have paid attention to what others say about them and countered with similar arguments already made here.  I think they make good looking rifles with some great features - the detachable magazine design being one of the best.  BUT...my rifle is either driving tacks or spraying targets and doing both  with the same ammo.  I think the stock has too much flex in it and I am replacing it.  That caused a problem in that there are not many options for an aftermarket stock.  If you are interested in wood then you will soon be able to get either laminate or various grades of beautiful walnut, all with full length aluminum bedding blocks from Accurate Innovations.  I didn't want to wait so I went to Bell and Carlson and ordered their Medadlist - also with aluminum bedding block.  The Stalker is so light that even the recoil form the little cartridge (260) was surprising.  I replaced the pad with a Limbsaver and that helped but there is still a lot of jump t o the gun.  The factory stock is also hollow and loud.  It can bind the action if taken off and put back uncarefully. I am hoping the new stock will give me the consistency I am looking for.  The biggest complaints from the "purists" stem from the under-stout  metals in th efloor plate and trigger guard but more importantly from the complicated nature of the bolt itself.  Too many parts and "reportedly" a high failure rate in very cold climates.  That is it in a nutshell.

[oldelkhunter]

There are some very strange people over there period. They tend to Favor remingtons :-D  and  Leupolds and pretty much tear down anyone elses opinion on other equipment. Seems like they don't have any new posters as well ..just the same old tired bunch.

[pastorp]

Well fellows, I'm not a bolt action lover but do like brownings. Give me a browning BLR and I'm a happy man.

I have owned a couple of Abolts and they were good shooters. But my first love has always been levers. And BLR's are my favorite. I do have a few marlins, and a couple of savage 99's but the brownings are the best in my opinion. Regards, Byron 

[Tom Brush]

Kenjs 1

When I got my .300 Stainless Stalker it was an inconsistant shooter.  Sometimes a good group and other times 1 1/2" to 2".  I found the stock touching the barrel.  I also relieved the bottom of the forend tip quite a bit.  The stock flexes during recoil and I think it touches the barrel.  I relieved the tip until it grouped good.  I also found that the CR device gave much better groups than the BOSS.  I usually use a bipod out west and the natural tendency is to put down pressure on the stock.  I have had no problems since I fixed the stock.  I benchrest prep my brass for reloads.  I think that it helps but on the other hand I have used three 180 gr. factory loads from three manufacturers and with the CR set on 4.0 it shoots 1/2" groups.  I checked the factory loads for runout and they were horrible.

OK guys tell me about this spring change.  I want to lighten the pull on my .300  It is over 3 lbs. now.  I have had my Varmint 22-250 trigger reworked by a gunsmith and it is now 8 oz.

Tom

[bersh]

Kenjs 1
....
OK guys tell me about this spring change.  I want to lighten the pull on my .300  It is over 3 lbs. now.  I have had my Varmint 22-250 trigger reworked by a gunsmith and it is now 8 oz.

Tom

There is a simple Timney spring kit that is easy to intall available for the abolt.  There is a thread on it here:
http://www.graybeardoutdoors.com/smf/index.php/topic,82332.0.html

Scott

[hipshot300]

They really HATE the nef handi rifle over there at campfire. a little too opinionated for me.

[Country Boy]

Well I've tried about every rifle made since WWI there are many good ones. But seems the Browning rifles just  shoot and feel better to me with no tinkering. I love the blrs and have an old seel recievered model in .358 which I use for black bear and hogs ( I only wish they would put a 22" bbl on them) It shoots anything I put in it into ragged one hole groups.
  I also have a bar 06 lwt 20" bbl with wood stock that will do the same (my whitetail gun.) I was shooting it aganist a .300 win mag at the range and the guy was amazed I could hit anything with it at 300 yds, so was I as a rarely shoot that far.
   Two weeks ago I bought a A-bolt hunter .243 wood stock. it is perfectly free floated and after trying a number of factory loads and reloads, it will shoot 3 shot groups into 1/2 or less. ( I had been working with a Stevens 200 in .243 for months and finally gave up in digust) and bought  this browning.  Brownings coast a little more than most rifles and it is a streach for me to get one but they are worth it. Besides, the Browning service center is only about 2 hours away and they fix things for me on the spot ! I didn't do anything to the trigger on the A-bolt it is just fine for me.
    I want to buy another Browning as soon as I save up a little. I would like to have a quick shooter with a 22" bbl and satin finish wood stock.

[kenjs1]

 I know it has been a while but that problem with it being irratic was solved with the Bell and Carlson Medalist stock.  It isn't quite as thin and nifty feeling but it definitely stiffer. It has tamed the recoil significantly and helped different ammo group closer to each other.     Recommend one big time if you have an issue with yours.