Browning A bolt or X bolt
 

I have made my decision on a 300 win mag but am debabting on the a bolt or x bolt. I love browning but can't decide for the life of me on which one to get. Any opinions would be great. Maybe I'll just get both :happy0001::happy0001:

I'm a fan of the A-Bolt Medallion's. Love em.

A-bolt or X-bolt are about the same. I have the X-bolt now and love it but you could probably save some money on the A-bolt. I have had both and they are quality rifles.

I think you made a great choice on the rifle you want. I just want to point out one thing before you buy. The 300 WSM is the fastest growing big game caliber out there. In the rifles you have chosen, it is exactly 4 inches shorter than the 300 Win Mag and is close to the same in ballistics. That's why it is so popular.

You won't go wrong with the 300 Win Mag but I think you would like the 300 WSM much better.

Either way, you will be very happy.

Proud owner of a Browning X-bolt Stainless Stalker in .338 WM.


This is worth looking at;

http://www.thediyhunter.com/243-wssm...hotos-pictures

I have an A-Bolt and love it do death. It is a great gun and worth considering even over higher priced options.

IMO, the X Bolt offers a few improvements over the A Bolt. The magazine assembly / design is better (doesn't rattle around). The bolt release button is novel. The trigger is better. I vote for the X Bolt.

Happy owner of an A-Bolt Medallion in 25 WSSM....love the rifle!

A or X
 

Have you actually looked at and handled both guns?

Kind of an odd comment. Ive been hunting and shooting for a long time with several bolt guns. In fact I've never owned a non bolt rifle. Just curious to see if people think the x or a bolt is better.

I have a Browning A-bolt in the .243 and .270 WSM....great quality Rifle....I don't have an X-bolt so I don't know what advantage one has over the other but as I said my A-bolt's are great shooting calibers!

I don't think it was an odd comment. He was asking if you actually have seen and personally compared the two guns - not if you have used a bolt action. You can get all the opinions there are, but at the end of the day it doesn't matter what we think. What matters is which one YOU like best, as they are both nice guns.

I have them both, my A-Bolt Medallion is a 300mag, it is a great gun my X-Bolt Medallion is a 270wsm it is also a great gun. If I could only have one it would be my A-Bolt, but that just comes down to preference.

A-Bolt vs X-Bolt to me comes down to preference. Why I say that is because they are both great rifles. The truth is one is not any better than the other.

I agree with Luckydog that the 300 WSM is a sound choice.
They are really the ballistic equivalent to the 300 win mag and do it 10% less powder.
same bullet ,same speed, less powder, less rifle weight and length.
Once you start reloading you also lose the belt, and gain increased case life.
Unless there are untold advantages (such as your hunting partner shooting the same caliber) I cannot think of a single advantage the 300 win mag has over the 300 WSM
My .300 WSM has been my single best rifle purchase ever.

For whatever reason, the X-Bolt seems to feel and fit for me better.

Great rifle
 

As I recall from the years and decades, Browning came out with the X bolt some years after my buying an A bolt.
Many of the A bolts were with the BOSS system and I notice the X bolt isn't.

Could be based on shooters that loved the BOSS and those that disliked it.
Being a more expensive rifle and me being cheap at the same time, I loved using the BOSS to come up with five different grain weights in one rifle, from 125 to 180 grs.; that shot exceptionally accurate. Took the place of at least three rifles. Fit my cheap mode perfectly.

Checking the current catalog
 

I noticed that the A-bolt composite stalker, which I have and they still make, comes in BOSS only.
The X-bolt composite stalker comes without a BOSS system.

I see there is a newer rifle available.

Most hunters would do good with the X-bolt. The A-Bolt requires more "attention to detail", as I would say. Mine was as much for the target range as it was for the hunting field. Not all hunters have that interest.
Thanks for getting me to review the current Browning market!

A or X
 

They are both very good rifles but very different rifles as well. I have owned both and for me the X Bolt is the clear choice. I did not mean to offend, you would either like the slender profile/detachable clip of the X or hate it.

No worries. I just read your comment wrong. I thought you meant have I ever used a bolt action before.

I have the Titanium "Mountain Ti" A-Bolt in a 300 WSM. I love the round, it's been lethal deer hunting, and accurate at all ranges I've shot it at...

The only trouble about the 300wsm round is finding "good" ammunition that is in stock. I have 4 boxes of ammo right now, and know i likely won't find the round I shoot anytime in the next year. Last September, I bought the last two boxes of my brand & grain in the entire Gander Mountain system at the time...

I'm sorry but this is bad info. You can find 300 WSM at every gun store on the planet. If you don't believe me, go online. It is one of the few rounds that are still plentifull.

X2 on that!! I've been buying more and more and ive been noticing a big difference in the ammount they used to carry as opposed to now.

I also own an xbolt couldn't be happier with it, and I haven't had any problems or anything, it shot flawlessly! Sub moa right out of the box, broke it in and I noticed the group got tighter after breaking it in and shot in the same hole the dirtier the barrel got.

flawlessly i believe they r 2 diff rifles,not ever owning a a bolt, ,id go with the x ,its sleeker lighter , looks kwel n shoots awesome,

Bought a new A-Bolt in 7mm08 for last season and shot my biggest buck ever with it....it's a great, easy to handle, accurate weapon.

I'm sorry - but I disagree. The specific ammo I shoot was out of stock nationwide last year. I bought the last 3 of 4 boxes in the entire Gander Mountain system (one box shipped from Minnesota, the other two boxes came from Chicago - the remaining box was in Texas). I called every local gun shop within an hour radius - the story might be different out by you, but I just got a little nervous with both my dad & I hunting with the same round...and both needing to sight in..

I've been able to find cheaper ammo in smaller quantities... just not what we hunt with.

WOW! You must be really picky. Cheaper Than Dirt has about 50 different rounds of 300 WSM in stock. I don't know what other round would be more available than that these days. Sorry, but I still consider this bad info. Lots and lots of 300 WSM available.

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/ItemL...1&pagenumber=1

Yeah I agree with Lucky....as someone who spends a lot of time loitering at sporting goods/guns&ammo stores 300WSM is certainly the one round I have seen as pretty much available everywhere I have been lately...

More importantly...I wonder what he considers cheap! Never seen any cheap 300WSM (or any of the WSM's) ammo...LOL

Unfortunately, I will never purchase another single item from Cheaper Than Dirt. I'm very unhappy with how they handled an order I placed with them in the past, and also some of their business practices shortly after the CT ordeal.

Secondly, While 300WSM ammo is showing in stock - not the round I have my rig setup for. I'd go to the ballistic silver-tips as a back-up, but I much prefer the XP3 rounds. My pops & I both have matching A-Bolts Ti's and both just shoot tighter groups @ 150 & 200 yards with the XP3's.

I'd love to go to a cheaper 300wsm round... but I feed'er what it likes. I still have enough rounds left to hunt with - I'm just disappointed I won't be taking this gun to the range but for my pre-deer season sight in. I surely won't shoot it for fun this summer...

To me, cheaper WSM ammo is the ballistic silvertips or Federals - which used to be under $30/box. The expensive stuff (XP3's) used to be $49.95 or so.