Browning X-Bolt in 223, worth considering?

[VonBlitz]

So as many of you know my rifle died.

I had my eye on a Tikka T3x lite stainless. But stock is an issue now and it looks like I would be waiting into April for a rifle. Lambs come soon and my shooting is focused around protecting them.

My local RFD holds stock of a Browning X-Bolt. What are they like? Worth considering?

I did hold one before and it was very light and the stock felt very hollow.

How does it compare to a Tikka? Should I wait?

 

[Shaun Goss]

They seem ok, I’ve shot one and didn’t overly like the trigger on it and I don’t think it was as adjustable as the tikka trigger. That being said plenty like them and are very successful with them.

 

[20-250]

Not heard of anyone building a semi custom on an X Bolt action. Plenty on Tikkas.
Enough said.

 

[308tikka]

Anything is worth considering if its cheap enough.

Why not buy pre owned? If its just until you get the one you order?

Plenty of 223 T3s around. Around £400 for a second hand tikka T3 up to £500 for a low round count excellent example.

Ive bought four second hand in various calibres and havent paid between 200 and 500 some with excellent mods for that price.

You can always rebarrel a donor action.

 

[8x57]

They're O.K.
The newer ones are better than the original X-Bolt which had a few problems when they first came out such as misaligned scope mount holes in the receivers, heavy triggers and a few with issues with the magazines. Since then they have steadily improved them and they are now not a bad rifle. Accuracy has never been an issue with them.
They now have a range of some pretty nice models but for some reason I can't say that any of them particularly excite me. Saying that if the price was right I certainly wouldn't turn one down, the carbon fibre stocked version looks nice.

 

[VonBlitz]

Anything is worth considering if its cheap enough.

Why not buy pre owned? If its just until you get the one you order?

Plenty of 223 T3s around. Around £400 for a second hand tikka T3 up to £500 for a low round count excellent example.

Ive bought four second hand in various calibres and havent paid between 200 and 500 some with excellent mods for that price.

You can always rebarrel a donor action.

Yea used is out of the window after recent experience haha.

 

[VonBlitz]

They're O.K.
The newer ones are better than the original X-Bolt which had a few problems when they first came out such as misaligned scope mount holes in the receivers, heavy triggers and a few with issues with the magazines. Since then they have steadily improved them and they are now not a bad rifle. Accuracy has never been an issue with them.
They now have a range of some pretty nice models but for some reason I can't say that any of them particularly excite me. Saying that if the price was right I certainly wouldn't turn one down, the carbon fibre stocked version looks nice.

I held one at my local RFD. Very light, stock felt very hollow, finish got rather shiny with wet hands, but the price was a good £400 less than a Tikka.

 

[Stalker-of-the-deer]

Have a shop around, I had a browning as a first rifle and it was decent.

Funnily enough come the lambs I always reach for the howa1500. Its never let me down and accounted for more foxes than I care to remember!

Cheap, accurate and bomb proof. Just don't get a cheap stock get a bell and carlson or somthing along thies lines.

OK it's not as slick or smooth as the t3 but it's certainly got a good reputation and most gun shops have atleast 1 in

 

[Pellet Pinger]

Surely there’s an RFD with a Tikka in stock somewhere in the country? I’d rather stump up RFD transfer costs than compromise on what i want and regret it later on.

 

[Uncas]

The Browning -X- bolt super feather trigger is superb and crisp
if you have not tried one you should.
As for being accurate they are as good as any other modern rifle.
I don't know why people moan about them.

 

[The Singing Stalker]

My only issue with the x bolt is the trigger. I shoot with the trigger at 2lb. I think like most American rifles you will be looking at 3 to 3.5lbs. If you are happy with that then good to go.
I would buy the tika, because of the trigger.

 

[Sierra]

I bought a Howa over an x bolt when I was after a 223. Happy with my choice & it's still in the cabinate now after accounting for a good number of fox.

For some reason there are a good few tikka 595's in 223 on GT at the moment. I'd have a 595 over an x bolt any day!

 

[VonBlitz]

I bought a Howa over an x bolt when I was after a 223. Happy with my choice & it's still in the cabinate now after accounting for a good number of fox.

For some reason there are a good few tikka 595's in 223 on GT at the moment. I'd have a 595 over an x bolt any day!

Yea I have just been put off used.

 

[spanner]

Surely there’s an RFD with a Tikka in stock somewhere in the country? I’d rather stump up RFD transfer costs than compromise on what i want and regret it later on.

117 new Tikka's in 223 on Guntrader.

 

[VonBlitz]

117 new Tikka's in 223 on Guntrader.

Yea just prefer to support my local shop.

 

[Uncas]

My only issue with the x bolt is the trigger. I shoot with the trigger at 2lb. I think like most American rifles you will be looking at 3 to 3.5lbs. If you are happy with that then good to go.
I would buy the tika, because of the trigger.

I was refering to the modern X- bolt SF not the old x-bolt.

 

[VonBlitz]

I was refering to the modern X- bolt SF not the old x-bolt.

When was the change over? Easy to spot the difference? I am not sure which he has.

 

[The Singing Stalker]

I was refering to the modern X- bolt SF not the old x-bolt.

So was I. If you go on the browning website they say the sf is adjustable from 3 to 5 lbs

Feather Trigger - X-Bolt Rifle - Browning

The X-Bolt rifle's three-lever Feather Trigger provides a clean, crisp pull with no take-up or creep and minimal overtravel.

www.browning.com

it is, from memory, to stop them getting their asses sued by the litigation happy citizens.
European rifles tend to have a better range of adjustment, well the ones I have played with have.

 

[valtratom]

If you want to support your local shop and want a cheap rifle quick see if they’ll do a howa 1500 ? They’re a better mouse trap than the x bolt in most peoples opinion , for the price I cannot fault the factory trigger on it at all , but have heard lots of complains on x bolts

 

[VonBlitz]

If you want to support your local shop and want a cheap rifle quick see if they’ll do a howa 1500 ? They’re a better mouse trap than the x bolt in most peoples opinion , for the price I cannot fault the factory trigger on it at all , but have heard lots of complains on x bolts

Cheap certainly not. It's just that I saw so many reviews that said the Browning and Tikka were very similar rifles with similar quality/performance being a big factor. So the fact that I am not brand loyal, the cheaper option would always be advantageous if they are infact that similar. Not a Remington fan so Howa doesn't really excite me.