Needed a new, lighter rifle for deer hunting and something I could use for elk eventually, too.  I was using a Savage 12 LRP for deer and that thing is about 16lb fully kitted and a real hefty one to hike around with.

I wanted a 7mm Rem Mag first of all.

Really considered a Sako 85 Grey Wolf and and the new Tikka T3X Alpine.  I had a Grey Wolf on layaway and cancelled it.  I couldn't resists that 1-8" twist on the X-Bolt, though, which would allow me to move up to real heavy for caliber bullets like the Berger 195gr EOL.  I also wanted a barrel that was slightly heavier than a standard sporter which the HCLR barrel is.

I obviously haven't shot it yet but man... the action is butter smooth on it.  Comparable to a Tikka, IMO.  The stock feels cheap but I think most polymer stocks feel that way to be honest.  The nicest polymer stock I've felt is the one Winchester shipped on their Ultimate Shadow rifles, and finding anything that felt close to that is tough.  It is very light, though.  Feels great to shoulder, and it has nice features.  Don't care much for the burnt bronze look but I wanted something that had a coating on it for harsh weather environments and the only stainless Brownings with the fast twist 7mm are the $2,000+ bull barrel McMillan stock models.

Overall it's a very nice rifle.  Unfortunately the ammo shortage has hit us all a bit.  I just bought 5 boxes of ammo for it.  Two boxes of Winchester 175gr Power Point, 1 box of Hornady American Whitetail, and two boxes of Federal with the Swift Scirocco II.

Got a Viper PST Gen II 3-15x44 with the EBR-2C MRAD reticle coming so it has a suitable hat to wear.

Nice rifle! I just picked up a x-bolt Mcmillan in 300 wm. I’m throwing a viper on it as well going with the EBR-7c reticle.

What’s your max coal in that?

I really wanted the McMillan stock version but paying that $2k tag was too hard of a pill to swallow for me.  That said the McMillan stock looks so good on the X-Bolt.  That thing is going to be awesome.



Not sure what it is for the chamber, but I just measured my mag and it's coming out to just a hair over 3.6" COAL.  I know on the .300 PRC X-Bolt HCLR it's 3.7" for the chamber.  My 7mmRM has a 1-8" twist so I'd imagine the chamber is set up so it can shoot the really heavy rounds.

That’s actually pretty decent. It was always a pain to deal with mag boxes and chambers set up for 3.4 coal hunting rounds from 40 years ago but with LR shooting becoming more popular (and profitable) this has been changing for the better. Building a 7mm myself so went through this recently.

Here’s a thread (not mine) on rokslide with some good data on the 7 RM with the Berger 195 including some good pictures on where the bullet sits in the case at a coal supported by your 3.6 mag box. It seems that 2850 is easily achievable with the 195 in this configuration. ADG makes excellent brass for the 7RM also sold under Gunwerks headstamp.

Good luck, I’m sure it will be a hammer.

https://www.rokslide.com/forums/threads/195-berger-eol-initial-results-and-free-bullet-offer-by-rokslide-and-berger.37354/

Thanks for that.  Lots of good info in there and exactly what I needed since I want to try out the 195gr EOL.

Nice!

I wanted one of those in 26 Nosler, but they discontinued it.

I didn't realize they discontinued that in the X-Bolt.  I'm surprised since Browning is seemingly so eager to chamber them in as many high performance long range cartridges as they can.

Very cool gun. While I personally don't care for the X-Bolt aesthetics, they're definitely shooters. Where I'm at (or in my circles) you don't see many Browning rifles, and I don't know why as they are just so good. I have an old A-Bolt Medallion in .270 Win with an original Nikon 4X scope and it will put 3 in the same hole - easily a 1" rifle (or better). I have a bunch of other guns and I wish they'd all do that.

Thanks!  It's funny you mention that because I honestly feel the same way about the aesthetics.  I much prefer the aesthetics of a Tikka, Sako, Winchester, etc.  My main draw to it was the accuracy reports, the faster twist rate, and having a heavier barrel.

I feel the same way as well.  I never see anyone using Brownings for hunting.  All the guys I go with that use rifles either have a Remington 700, Ruger American, or some form of Tikka.  One guy has a BAR in 30-06 but he never uses it and uses a shotgun instead for some reason.  They seem to be more well known to "gun guys" from my experience, but guys who are just hunters but not necessarily into guns seem to never have them.

Browning makes a fine rifle.  Enjoy!

I hunted with a guy out west this year that had a hells canyon in .300WSM.  I did not get to shoot it, but it felt like a really nice gun.  Made me want one......

My very first big game rifle was an A-bolt composite stalker in 7mm RM.  I love that gun and still hunt with it.

Those old A-Bolts are just beautifully done rifles.