Browning X-Bolt initial range report

[beartracker]

Very good start, yes, that is cool.

[beartracker]

I guess I am not as lucky as you are Zee in getting the A-Max to shoot in every rifle I have tried it like you have. Glad it works for you, but certainly not the best hunting bullet even though it has done a bang up job for you. If it does that well for you I am sure you will keep shooting it, I have just not had the luck in getting it to do well in every gun I have tried it in. The two times I have used it in the field and had a kill with it, I found nothing spectacular or special that the Sierra and Ballistic were not capable of doing. It was harder for me to find accuracy with it than either the Sierra or Ballistic and also from group to group. Of course I do not use very special rifles, mine are purer hunting rigs and that could be the difference, don't know, but as I said, not as lucky as you are with the A-Max.

[Zee]

More for me, then.

[Zee]

.......but certainly not the best hunting bullet even though.....

I can agree with everything you said except this BS statement.

I never claimed it to be better than anything else. Not even that it was the best hunting bullet. I simply suggested he try it. But, it shoots well in my guns and has killed everything I've shot with it in the various calibers.

That being said, for what I've used it for, how is it deficient? What would be better? I get superb accuracy and terminal performance.

Again, from you statement above alone, what would give me better results?

"Not the best hunting bullet even though it has done a bang up job for you."

Thats like saying, "it's killed everything you shot with it and done everything you wanted it to do, but it's still not a good hunting bullet."

Asinine!

What's not pure about my hunting rigs? They're not factory? What do you want? A medal? Cry you a river? Pat your back and rub your belly?

I've used the Sierra and it did what I expected. I've used the Ballistic Tip and it did what I expected.

You didn't have luck with loading the A-Max, no worries. As I said, more for me. Just don't be stupid. I can handle opinion. Not stupidity.

[beartracker]

I can agree with everything you said except this BS statement.

I never claimed it to be better than anything else. Not even that it was the best hunting bullet. I simply suggested he try it. But, it shoots well in my guns and has killed everything I've shot with it in the various calibers.

I never said you said it was the best hunting bullet, I said it wasn't the best.

That being said, for what I've used it for, how is it deficient? What would be better? I get superb accuracy and terminal performance.

I never said it was deficient, I said it did not perform any better than the Sierra or Ballistic tip and I think those two perform well so it can be concluded that I think it performs well. I also did not say that it was not a good terminal performer and I only said as far as accuracy was concerned that I was not as fortunate as you when it came to getting accuracy in EVERY rifle I tried it in like you have, and I did not say I did not get it to shoot good in some rifles, I did get it in a 300Win mag and 06 to shoot well.

Again, from you statement above alone, what would give me better results?

I guess whatever bullet you were using like the A-Max that you were in love with. Even with the A-Max it would depend on game being hunted and distances the game are going to be taken at. The A-Max on some game and some circumstances is great, kills just as good as Sierra and Ballistic tip but I am sure it is not so great on other game and circumstances where a different hunting bullet would serve you better, but I will let you decide which one that might be. I never said it was not a good bullet, I said it is not the best and that is in reference to the game to ge taken and the range the different game are to be taken, just as the Sierras and Ballistic tip and other like bullets are not always the best choice.

Not the best hunting bullet even though it has done a bang up job for you.

That's just a stupid statement.

You might think it is stupid, but I believe you are stupid for thinking it is stupid.

The A-Max is what it is, a good cup core bullet for any hunting situation that a cup core bullet would be sufficient to use.

[cpj]

What do you want? Pat your back and rub your belly?.

Yes, please.

[Zee]

Saying a particular bullet is not the best hunting bullet is a stupid statement because NOTHING is the best hunting bullet for every situation.

No crap, Sherlock. Glad you figured that one out.

[Zee]

Yes, please.

Come on over, big guy.

:smooch:

;-)

[beartracker]

Saying a particular bullet is not the best hunting bullet is a stupid statement because NOTHING is the best hunting bullet for every situation.

No crap, Sherlock. Glad you figured that one out.

What I realize is that you are not Sherlock, because the statement was made in the context of cup core bullets like the A-Max, Sierras and Ballistic tip, not in the context of all types or existing bullets. I guess you have not figured that one out yet.

[cpj]

Come on over, big guy.

:smooch:

;-)

Yes!
I'll wear my fleece Capri pants.

[Zee]

What I realize is that you are not Sherlock, because the statement was made in the context of cup core bullets like the A-Max, Sierras and Ballistic tip, not in the context of all types or existing bullets. I guess you have not figured that one out yet.

Say what you mean and mean what you say. Some of us are slower than others.

Edit: Nice brush out, by the way. ;-)

[beartracker]

Thought I did Hey Zee, you have a great weekend. Nothing personal when bantering with you.

[Zee]

Never is personal.

[snake284-1]

One thing I do know, what is one man's trash is another man's treasure. What works for one may not work for the other, because we all have our little peculiarities. We all see things just a little differently. What turns my crank may not turn yours. I like Sierras, Nosler BTs and Combined Technology bullets. I have had some luck with Hornady. I've had great luck with Speer's varmint bullets, namely .224 dia. 52 grain Hollow points. But I'm into simple because what I hunt doesn't require any fancy built bullets. I concede that the CT bullets are somewhat fancy, OK down right fancy, but they just perform so simply well I forget that.

If and when I go for elk or bigger game, I will definitely look into some of the tougher bullets. But right now I don't need them. All this to say, I have never tried the A-Maxes but I may try some just to see how my rifles handle them. Sometimes we all get so used to what's working for ourselves that we overlook the fact that the one we don't like may be the best thing since popcorn to someone else.

So whatdaya say to a

[Jay]

Hornady bullets in general, but A-max and XTP bullets in particular, are the best bang for the buck there is, IMO. It is really hard to beat the performance you get for what you pay.

[beartracker]

Snake, I like Zee, but I'll let you hug him

[Jay]

Snake, I like Zee, but I'll let you hug him

He does smell a little, strange.....but I'm ok with it. French guys like me are used to it.....

[Zee]

He does smell a little, strange.....but I'm ok with it. French guys like me are used to it.....

What's a little 'od de cabbage'? Oui?

[Jay]

Oui, wee!

Wait, that didn't come our right.

[Six-Gun]

Finally got this gun out with my cheapie bullet of choice this time around: the 160 gr. Sierra GameKing HPBT. The powder choice was the same as what I used last time: Ramshot Magnum. This powder is giving me great results, but it is proved again to be EXTREMELY touchy as far as charge. I have never seen a powder this sensitive to a .2 gr. charge difference (nearly .75" group size *increase *on two different load pairs at that increment), especially not in a case this large. I actually feel obliged to try one more load pair .1 gr. higher and lower than the one I tried today simply to see what happens.

Once again, I wait to wait for the stars to align so I could get out early enough from work to shoot with ample daylight on a day with nominal winds. Like the previous session, I was fighting waning daylight, but the results continued to be positive despite the circumstances. The only downside was the the chrony did not have enough daylight to work after the first few shots. That sucks because the load that worked best was later in the session and I only got one velocity reading, so I have to re-shoot it to get a workable average.

[Zee]

Looking very nice.

[Six-Gun]

Looking very nice.

If I'm being honest, I feel like I may have pulled that one shot outside the main group. Not terribly, but I am still getting used to this trigger. I've been spoiled by my last two Tikka's, both of which bottom out at just over 2lbs., while this Browning trigger, while clean ad crisp, wil bottom out a 3.5 lbs. at it's absolute best. I'm going try this exact load just to see if I can tighten that up.

[Zee]

I would try it again.

[Ericb622]

If I'm being honest, I feel like I may have pulled that one shot outside the main group. Not terribly, but I am still getting used to this trigger. I've been spoiled by my last two Tikka's, both of which bottom out at just over 2lbs., while this Browning trigger, while clean ad crisp, wil bottom out a 3.5 lbs. at it's absolute best. I'm going try this exact load just to see if I can tighten that up.

curious...why did you choose an x-bolt over the tikkas if you had good luck with them in the past? Reason I am asking is that I am looking at the Tikka in .300 as well as the Browning and Weatherby S2 Vanguard

[Zee]

curious...why did you choose an x-bolt over the tikkas if you had good luck with them in the past?

Stupidity.

:-)

[knitepoet]

did i miss the pictures?

bye spammer

[Six-Gun]

curious...why did you choose an x-bolt over the tikkas if you had good luck with them in the past? Reason I am asking is that I am looking at the Tikka in .300 as well as the Browning and Weatherby S2 Vanguard

Stupidity.

:-)

Bordem. There is no longer a question of "can I make a Tikka shoot." I know they will. I f you want a gun that will shoot lights out in sporter configuration, get a Tikka. I liked the Browning's features and decided it was time to try something new. The accuracy on the Browning has been excellent, it's just that the trigger is heavier, and that means a bit more work when you want to squeeze the most out of a group.

[Ernie Bishop]

Well, at least your honest that you enjoy handicapping yourself