X bolt vs. the A bolt
11-30-2009, 04:11 PM
#1
Boone & Crockett
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Eastern PA
Posts: 12,746
X bolt vs. the A bolt
any guys experienced with both models from Browning? I understand that the X bolts will soon be coming out in a left hand version. I have a couple A bolts in lefty and may look into an X bolt.
12-01-2009, 10:14 AM
#4
Fork Horn
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 159
Those original A-bolts were very nice, shot superb, handled beautifully and were about as nice as a factory rifle can get.. loved the short bolt throw, stock cut and fit, the metal magazine and just about everything else...own a 7mm mag and 338 win mag in the stainless synthetic versions... SWEET and also the fact that they came in left hand!!!!
12-07-2009, 01:11 PM
#7
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location:
Posts: 5,130
12-07-2009, 06:12 PM
#8
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 302
My brother has the X-Bolt medallion in 270 WSM, I have an A-bolt medallion in 270 Win. I honestly thought about the X, but the A fit me like a glove, and the X didn't seem to shoulder right to me. I think they are both very nice guns, seems the X has a better trigger, both of ours are still how they came from the factory, and one other thing that is better with the X is that you can cycle the bolt with the safety on. People gripe about the plastic mag on the X-bolt, but it really is a very "nice" piece of plastic. I see nothing wrong with it at all.
01-17-2010, 08:37 PM
#9
Spike
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 37
For me, the A bolt gets the vote...I like the way mine shoulders, fit and finish is incredible, the bottom metal, especially the box concept, is a work of art...the trigger is adjustable on the a bolt as well, mine is set a little over 2 lbs and crisp...
01-18-2010, 01:37 AM
#10
Fork Horn
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Paducah, Kentucky
Posts: 146
As you can see from my signature, I have two A Bolts and one X Bolt. While I am a big fan of them both, I think the X Bolt wins me over. I thought the A Bolt had the nicest trigger on a factory rifle I had ever felt, until the X Bolt. The X Bolt's trigger is just pure awesome. Like someone mentioned, the magazine is made of polymer, well who cares? It is strong and it won't rust. We are so advanced in our polymer technology now I would not worry about it at all. It is actually a rotary magazine too, I didn't realize that until I had bought it. Nothing wrong with that, I just hadn't seen a rotary magazine on a high power rifle before, I am sure they are out there, I just haven't owned one until now. Another small interesting tid bit about the X Bolt, it uses a two piece scope mount base and it actually has four screws to hold on each part while the A Bolts only have two screws per piece. I also like the feel of the new Inflex, or whatever it is, recoil pad. The ability to press the bolt release and open the bolt while the safety is on is a real nice safety feature too, specially for young or new shooters. The stock on the X Bolt seems to fit me real nice too, it still maintains that palm swell from the A Bolt I like so much. As far as accuracy goes, they both shoot really good and I don't see much difference there other than I find it easier to shoot good groups on the X Bolt due to the smoother trigger it has.
I hope this helps, you can't go wrong with either of the rifles, that you can't argue with.
I hope this helps, you can't go wrong with either of the rifles, that you can't argue with.