Browning A-Bolt: Whats your experience?

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How long were these made and what's their reputation? The one I handled seems to already be falling apart.
Also where could I find a wood stock for one?
 
I got two in a trade.
An A-bolt II 7RM with BOSS muzzle break and a A-Bolt III 300WM. They were both very nice rifles, but got traded along as I don't need that kind of magnum firepower.

All three generations were in production for a good long while, each one with seperate features.

Boyd's makes stocks for all three generations I belive.
 
I had an A-bolt medallion in .338 Win Mag in college. It kicked plenty but looked amazing.

The gun had zero issues cosmetically and function-wise during the few years I owned it and was as accurate as I could make it with that boomer of a round.

I sold it to pay bills; it was one of the “eat and sleep indoors for the next couple of months… or keep the guns you don’t really need” situations. :(

Stay safe.
 
https://www.browning.com/news/articles/a-bolt-ab3-difference.html
Browning does a good job of outlining the differences.

Personally the abolt 2 is my favorite action design. Their collection of parts rather than individually milled pieces, much like savages are. If there's one point of failure that I've seen on them it's the little roller bearing they put on the striker to improve cocking effort. Keep them well greased and they're fine but let them get rusty or dinged up and they become an issue.
 
https://www.browning.com/news/articles/a-bolt-ab3-difference.html
Browning does a good job of outlining the differences.

Personally the abolt 2 is my favorite action design. Their collection of parts rather than individually milled pieces, much like savages are. If there's one point of failure that I've seen on them it's the little roller bearing they put on the striker to improve cocking effort. Keep them well greased and they're fine but let them get rusty or dinged up and they become an issue.

I'll agree with that, the ABII felt like a well designed and executed high end rifle using modern materials and innovative design elements. The ABIII felt like a very nice economy rifle that dropped some of the features I really liked about the ABII. Namely the adjustable trigger, and the magazine.
 
https://www.midwestgunworks.com/sse...&oq=Abolt+ii+stock&queryAssumption=correction

I got my Euro bolt stock from MGW, I also buy a lot of my Winchester, Browning and other parts from them. They also have good gunsmiths on staff if you ever have to send anything in.
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That's my Abolt2 with an ER shaw 375 Ruger barrel and the Euro bolt stock.

One of the super neat things about the abolt design is that with its interchangeable bolt head and pop free magazines, going from cartridge family to cartridge family is as simple as it is with a savage.... Well except for the fact that they use shouldered barrels.
 
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I dissembled it, cleaned the bolt and stuff. Works better now. My guess is it just wasn't cleaned for so long. Plus for such a LIGHT rifle (in comparison to the big cartridge) the recoil is a beast and can wreck havoc on the parts.
Part of why I want to replace the synthetic stock is so I can reduce some of the recoil. I don't think a high powered rifle has a place being this light.
 
I dissembled it, cleaned the bolt and stuff. Works better now. My guess is it just wasn't cleaned for so long. Plus for such a LIGHT rifle (in comparison to the big cartridge) the recoil is a beast and can wreck havoc on the parts.
Part of why I want to replace the synthetic stock is so I can reduce some of the recoil. I don't think a high powered rifle has a place being this light.
My 375 weighs 8 lb 4 oz.... It can get kind of energetic when you're pushing 270 grain bullets at 2850.
The gun holds up just fine but without the squishy pad on there it would be pretty brutal to the shooter.

Keeping a bolts clean does a lot for how Nice they feel, there's quite a bit of contact between the bolt shroud and the steel tube underneath. And if you let that little roller bearing get funky on the caulking assembly it makes the gun a lot harder to open and close.

There's something about the way the synthetic stocks are designed that they tend to transmit energy to the shooter in a much sharper way than a lot of other guns, add to the fact that they're topped with that hard rubber butt plate and they're fairly uncomfortable. When my gun was a seven mag I actually found it less pleasant to shoot than it is now as a 375.
 
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Part of why I want to replace the synthetic stock is so I can reduce some of the recoil.

Might want to weigh that stock 1st, in fact the whole rifle. A lot of people are fooled by rifle weights and are surprised when they put them on scales. And as LoonWulf pointed out stock shape is more important than weight when it comes to recoil.

With only a few exceptions most factory synthetic stocks don't weigh any less than wood and in many cases are heavier. In some cases the synthetic stocks are MUCH heavier than wood. Even most high end aftermarket stocks don't weigh any less than wood. There might be 1 or 2 ounces difference in some cases, but you don't see any significant weight reduction with synthetic until you get into the $700 stocks made with kevlar. Then you're talking about at least 1/2 lb.

I've never weighed an A-Bolt stock. But my brother had one in synthetic in 280 for a while. It didn't strike me as particularly light. But I have taken stocks off and weighed quite a few others. Most of the weight reduction in modern rifles is due to the design of the actions and the use of detachable magazines which does away with heavy bottom metal. The detachable mags are also a big part of the better accuracy since it is easier to bed a rifle without dealing with an internal magazine.

Looking at factory specs they only show 2 oz difference between wood and synthetic on A-bolts. If that is accurate. I've found that some manufacturers specs are right on, and others aren't even close.

[QUOTEI don't think a high powered rifle has a place being this light.][/QUOTE]

In my opinion 7-8 lbs scoped and ready to hunt is a good place to be with a non magnum rifle. Add about 1/2 lb for magnums. And I like some meat in the barrel. I'll take my weight reduction in the action and stock rather than the barrel. The A-Bolts are right at 6 3/4 lbs naked. Depending on the scope and mounts you're looking at 7 3/4 lbs with a very light scope/ mount combo. Well over 8 lbs if you go big on the glass and use steel mounts. A rifle ready to hunt at 8 to 8 1/2 lbs isn't too light.
 
There great rifles, fit me well. I'm not huge on the flat bolts, but I would like to drill and thread it to make some round caps. I've owned 4 over the years just have my stalker 7wsm, had a 270wsm 300wsm and 7rm white gold Medallion for awhile. I like the stalkers tho there basic but work.
 
Whatcha going after and where are you going to hunt? :)

Stay safe.
Probably sheep up in the saddle, or maunakea....... tho I might go chase goats down south.

There great rifles, fit me well. I'm not huge on the flat bolts, but I would like to drill and thread it to make some round caps. I've owned 4 over the years just have my stalker 7wsm, had a 270wsm 300wsm and 7rm white gold Medallion for awhile. I like the stalkers tho there basic but work.
Ive been thinking about putting a stainless handle on mine for a while as thats one of the parts that constantly rusts. If I do you can have my old handle to play with.
 
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Probably sheep up in the saddle, or maunakea....... tho I might go chase goats down south.


Ive been thinking about putting a stainless handle on mine for a while as thats one of the parts that constantly rusts on mine. If I do you can have my old handle to play with.
Ya even mine will have the thumb print of rust. I've gotten to like the Polymer bolt nobs, there nice in the cold to. I think a threaded hole through the middle and have two half round bolts like the replaceable faces on small hammers. If I had a kill I'd core saw it and thread for normal nobs
 
Ya even mine will have the thumb print of rust. I've gotten to like the Polymer bolt nobs, there nice in the cold to. I think a threaded hole through the middle and have two half round bolts like the replaceable faces on small hammers. If I had a kill I'd core saw it and thread for normal nobs
Think you could probably rough cut it with a hack saw then file it round enough to thread.
 
Probably sheep up in the saddle, or maunakea....... tho I might go chase goats down south.


Ive been thinking about putting a stainless handle on mine for a while as thats one of the parts that constantly rusts on mine. If I do you can have my old handle to play with.
Sweet! They were sure thick between Waimea and the coast.

F20531A5-F428-482D-BDA1-08AAC1FC49EE.jpeg

Hopefully you’ll get a nice billy up high :thumbup:.

Good luck… and stay safe.
 
Sweet! They were sure thick between Waimea and the coast.

View attachment 1020820

Hopefully you’ll get a nice billy up high :thumbup:.

Good luck… and stay safe.
yeah, they are all over that part of the island.......muzzle loaders comming up soon...heheh....hehehehe...muwaahahahaha.
Wish they allowed rifle down there, I still havent shot a goat with the A-bolt since it was a 7mm
 
Maybe you’ll spot that group of turkeys I saw coming up the Kona side where the two lanes end near Saddle Road. ;) That would make a nice treat.

If you can hunt muzzleloader between Wiakoloa and 190, the goats were thick as thieves :thumbup:.

How long ago did you rebarrel the A-bolt?

Stay safe.
 
Maybe you’ll spot that group of turkeys I saw coming up the Kona side where the two lanes end near Saddle Road. ;) That would make a nice treat.

If you can hunt muzzleloader between Wiakoloa and 190, the goats were thick as thieves :thumbup:.

How long ago did you rebarrel the A-bolt?

Stay safe.
Naw were usually hunting farther south....the expensive people get upset when the natives make too much noise by their resorts.......

I think I swapped the barrel on the A bolt about 3 years ago, changed the stock about a year and a half before that. I owned that particular gun since 2010 and it started life as a synthetic stock 7mag.


How do them things taste anyway.
Really depends on how you cook them, One of the best ways I found is to slice it up real thin and toss it in a mix a vinegar garlic onions and shoyu with some sliced tomatoes in it right when you serve it.

Otherwise I make stew, curry, Curry stew, stuff..... It's really good as Chile Verde
 
Naw were usually hunting farther south....the expensive people get upset when the natives make too much noise by their resorts.......

I think I swapped the barrel on the A bolt about 3 years ago, changed the stock about a year and a half before that. I owned that particular gun since 2010 and it started life as a synthetic stock 7mag.



Really depends on how you cook them, One of the best ways I found is to slice it up real thin and toss it in a mix a vinegar garlic onions and shoyu with some sliced tomatoes in it right when you serve it.

Otherwise I make stew, curry, Curry stew, stuff..... It's really good as Chile Verde
I figured vinegar or Citrus was involved, on tv you see them do the pit with the Leaves I'd think that wolud not be the best. Enough spice will make anything good lol.
 
Naw were usually hunting farther south....the expensive people get upset when the natives make too much noise by their resorts.......

I think I swapped the barrel on the A bolt about 3 years ago, changed the stock about a year and a half before that. I owned that particular gun since 2010 and it started life as a synthetic stock 7mag.



Really depends on how you cook them, One of the best ways I found is to slice it up real thin and toss it in a mix a vinegar garlic onions and shoyu with some sliced tomatoes in it right when you serve it.

Otherwise I make stew, curry, Curry stew, stuff..... It's really good as Chile Verde
That sounds awesome! Add it to ArmoredFarmers BBQ menu :thumbup:.

That .375 Ruger packs some horsepower! I recall my old A-bolt .338 kicked pretty vigorously with the factory wooden stock. What did you restock it with to handle the increased recoil over the original 7mm?

Stay safe
 
I've got a lefty A bolt in 7mag, the stainless stalker, without the BOSS system, as well as a blued 7mm-08 Micro in a left hand wood stocked model. No isses with either, once I found the right ammo. The 7-08 will cloverleaf on 100 yards, 3 holes touching. I'd certainly buy another.
 
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