Say goodbye to the Browning A-Bolts

Status
Not open for further replies.
G

George Hill

Member
Joined
Dec 22, 2002
Messages
6,842
Location
Uintah Basin, UT
Nasty little rumor has it that Browning is killing off the A-Bolt II line.
We don't know yet what is replacing it, but I would suspect it will be along the lines of the new Winchester rifles that I'm guessing will be coming out soon.
Not only has Browning cancelled all our orders for A-Bolt II rifles, they are not taking any more orders for them. Same thing for all the WSSM stuff from Winchester. Which is intersting because the .25 WSSM cartridge is getting popular out here and we've been selling them left and right. But we can't get any new Super-X ammo for it.
Something is going on at Browning.
Anyone have any information?
 
Are the recent one Jap or Belgian?

The answer could be a clue, given that "Browning" doesn't really make anything at all, and now neither does Winchester. This could be a branding change, as much as anything.
 
I figured we'd see something give there with the end of Winchester. With Ruger's new Hawkeye ifle series and the New S&W and T/C rifles, they proberly wanted to make some noise in that market too.
How 'bout a Brownchester?
 
Ouch! And I was this close |..| to trading into a 25WSSM rifle to try out this hunting season.

<Walks away scratching head and mumbling....>
 
maroku or moroku, forget the spelling makes browning's gun's and they have taken over making some winchester's too.

that sucks that they aren't making them anymore, i love my a-bolt
 
Maybe they are reincarnating the classic style Winchester 70.

On a more realistic note, I would bet they are bringing out a new design that is cheaper to manufacture, ala the Tikka T3.
 
asknight-

Here's where you can still get one, brand new and pretty cheap.

http://www.turners.com/engage/displ...ber&d1=11&d2=17&img=ads/10-11-07/browning.gif

browning.gif
 
Correct me if I am wrong but isn't Winchester Ammo a completely differently owned company than who owns and produces Winchester and Browning arms?

I have heard rumors that some short mags were not doing so well but talks cheap.
 
I know some ex winchester guys (from the New Haven factory) and the whole browing/winchester?herastall situation has a whole lot of stink on it.
Local politics,unions and union busting,old time enviromental problems,and some suspect licience agreements all were part of the demise of the old winchester line of firearms once made in New Haven and I wouldn't be surprised if Browing wasn't far behind
The firearm buisness has always had a history of boom and bust but when you add money grubbing bean counters it can really mess up a buisness
 
Winchester is a name trademarked by Olin Corporation. The manufacture of Winchester ammunition is handled by Olin Corp directly, while their firearm production was farmed out (licensed) to FN of Belgium who operated the New Haven, CT plant and Miroku who makes firearms in Japan (for Browning as well).

At least thats the way I understand it...

SX2 shotgun = FN Belgium
SX3 shotgun = FN Belgium
A-Bolt rifle = Miroku Japan
94 Lever rifle = FN New Haven, CT
1300 Shotgun = FN New Haven, CT
Hi-wall rifle = Miroku Japan
 
Am I wrong? Didn't the deal with the Models 94, 70 , and 1300's have to include using the New Haven Plant to make those models again, if production was to resume? I thought I remember reading that. (this excluded the "commemoratives" made in Japan)
 
I have heard rumors that some short mags were not doing so well but talks cheap.
Click to expand...

I think it's a safe bet.

Look at which cartridges are also made by companies other than Olin/Winchester and you'll find which ones have found a market.

Remington makes the .300 and .270 WSM, AFAIK. It appears that Federal makes those, plus the 7mm WSM.

My guess is that those are the ones that have been commercially successful.
 
Last edited:
35Rem, I believe you are right.. but I can't see how a union or city can legally tell a company where they're allowed or required to build a product...

Olin owns the trademarks, blueprints, etc on the products, not the shareholders of FN which were contracted to build and assemble them.
 
I had a M-70 featherweight in 25WSSM...Beautiful rifle and accurate, but when the ammo cost doubled in less than a year, I unloaded it. I could buy 2 boxes of .257 Roberts or .260 Rem and still have a few bucks left for what a box of WSSM is going for at my local Gander Mtn.
 
The A-Bolts have always seemed to be a bit confused about themselves. After all, the A-Bolt is fundamentally nothing like the A-Bolt II. Okay, the difference is mostly the bolt, but that makes the action different, too. So we had the A-Bolt for a while, then they dump it and make the A-Bolt II, and now it's going by the wayside?

I wonder if an A-Bolt III is coming out???

Ash
 
Funny thing is---if they are killing off the A-bolt to make the model 70---they lost my business again----I didn't care for the model 70 and always liked the A-bolt.
 
If you don't mind rolling your own, most chamberings are fine.

HOWEVER, and it's a big however, I'm not sure how well you can load your own WSSM's, due to powder availability. It's not quite like reloading for that old .25-20, AFAIK.
 
Reloading the the cartridge in question the 25WSSM many powders will work, according to Hodgen's web site. I have not loaded any and so no hands on experience.

Anyone have any info on why or what is the advantage to the super short mags? Less rounds in the magazine is all I see and that is no plus IMO.

http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp
 
Can you load them up to factory velocity?
Click to expand...
With just a quick search using 120 grains bullets the answer appears to be yes. Well not 100% but within 10 FPS or less. Like I said no hands on.
 
I have an Oly Arms 243 WSSM AR gun. As a rule of thumb the WSSM are the highest velocity cartridges in their caliber barring wildcats. I can load my 243 WSSM with 105 gr A-Max bullets going about 2800 FPS (over my Chrony) and the ballistic tables tell me their still going about 1100 at 1000 yards. That seems optimistic to me but it's still really cool. ;) I haven't tried getting the 55 grainers going 4050 FPS. It just doesn't interest me and I can't imagine it being easy on the barrel.

The fat cartridges tend to lend themselves to consistent ignition, and a shorter stiffer action all of which combine to give better accuracy potential than other cartridges in the same caliber. I hear they also have less throat erosion for the velocity than longer cases. The advantages, however, are incremental and unless you reload the cost is prohibitive for such a small difference.

Some of that is hype, some rumor, some fact. I think they're a sound design, but the market is flooded with cartridges so it's hard to compete with more established ones. I got my 243 WSSM before the 25 was announced, otherwise I would have gone with that. Still, the 243 is plenty for deer and most other North American game so I don't feel too bad.
 
So it appearers to me the real advantage is that the cartridge's will function in a AR platform. I bet they shine there. Thanks
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

M
  • Locked
Browning A-Bolt 223 WSSM
Replies
6
Views
2K
kimbernut
K
T
  • Locked
Browning A-Bolt Varmint - Score!!!
Replies
2
Views
474
rangerruck
R
R
  • Locked
I need help!
Replies
2
Views
467
retiredsgt
R
S
  • Locked
Question on Browning A-Bolt and X-Bolt Rifles
Replies
1
Views
466
wsm
W
C
  • Locked
Browning X-Bolt Good Choice for Bolt Action Rifle
Replies
18
Views
3K
Coltdude84
C
Back
Top