Rifles > Bolt-Action

Rifle Of The Year: Browning X-Bolt

This radical design sets the standard for Browning bolt-actions for years to come, American Rifleman’s Rifle of the Year.

By NRA Staff (RSS)

May 09, 2009

When the editors of American Rifleman magazine met to sift through the past year's coverage of firearms, optics and accessories, we were once again faced with the difficult task of selecting the industry's best products for the purpose of awarding them the NRA Publications Division's highest honor: the Golden Bullseye.


"The Golden Bullseye Award honors our winners for bringing to market products remarkable in their utility to shooters and hunters," said Joe H. Graham, executive director of NRA Publications. "The award, now in its seventh year, has become a symbol of excellence and innovation in firearms, accessories and related equipment. We are confident shooters and hunters will receive this year's winning products with enthusiasm, and we congratulate the winners."


NRA Publications will present the annual Golden Bullseye Awards and Golden Bullseye Pioneer Award at an invitation-only breakfast during the 2009 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits, May 15-17, in Phoenix, Ariz. Following is a look at this year's American Rifleman Golden Bullseye Award winners.


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"Just as the Cynergy is Browning's answer to what a modern shotgun should look and perform like, the new X-Bolt is an innovative and practical rifle that turns the A-Bolt into an instant classic. This radical design sets the standard for Browning bolt-actions for years to come."


So read the introduction in American Rifleman Editor-In-Chief Mark A. Keefe's story about the new Browning X-Bolt (May 2008, p. 52). He noted that the X-Bolt's steel receiver's lines follow those of the A-Bolt, yet are slimmed and refined and that its three-lug bolt offered a short, 60-degree lift. And then there was the hammer-forged, free-floating barrel that produced 1-m.o.a.-accuracy.


He called the X-Bolt's detachable polymer magazine "one of the most practical I have seen. It is a simple, rotary design of which Melvin Maynard Johnson would be proud." Add to all that a bolt unlock button that performs like the middle position of a Model-70 safety, yet works even more intuitively, and the X-Bolt's "Feather" three-lever trigger, which allows adjustments from 3 to 5 lbs.


Keefe's statement that the X-Bolt's stock is "a thing of beauty, not only to the eyes, but also in the hands," could be applied to the whole gun as well.


 


Tags:  bolt action rifles,  bolt-action,  browning rifles,  browning x-bolt,  golden bullseye awards,  rifles

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3 Responses to Rifle Of The Year: Browning X-Bolt

Mehrdad wrote:
February 05, 2013

The best and most accurate rifle I have ever hade. I have one in 270WSM and one 22-250 Rem. I have hade several Tikka, Sako 85, Remington 700. My 3 shots grupps are between 0.3"-0.8" with handloaded ammo.

Philip C. wrote:
December 19, 2012

The checkering looks wrong for one thing. I would prefer a steel magazine over polymer. Also an oil finished stock is preferred over a gloss finish. CZ 550 has a single set trigger and a hammer forged barrel that usually produces much better than 1 MOA accuracy. CZ rifles come with a test target that proves it was shot at the factory and found to be accurate. Every CZ rifle I ever bought shot twice as good as the test target after a handload was developed or a factory load the rifle liked was found. Tired of hearing about rifles that are accurate in advertisements......best there is no test target in the box it was shipped in. Others talk the talk, but CZ shows that it walks the walk in every rifle they ship.

rory gibbons wrote:
February 02, 2011

looks too non traditional, want to build a rifle that will be a solid hit, bring back a cosmetically correct Springfield 1903 Sporter,this might be a great rifle. But I did buy a new model 70 in .375 from F.N.