Does anyone have any experience with the Browning A bolt in 375 H&H? I have had lots of experience with a BLR, and was just wondering how these do..

I own & use a LH SS A-Bolt-II in 375HH. It is a very accurate (3/4" 3-shots @100 yards with factory 270 grain Remington ammo) & light hunting rifle. I have no complaints with it. I use it for fowl weather black Bear hunting & have taken it deer hunting a few times. I have used teh factory open sights until this year. I have put a 2.5x Leupold on it. I plan on using this rig for a bear hunt in Alaska in the future.

I have read lots of complaints about A-bolts here. Made in Japan. Pot metal parts (?????). And of course.............for The AR buffs & faithful, the ultimate blasphemy..........IT IS NOT CRF Not a M70. Not a Mauser Etc.

It is a good , factory gun. One to use as is. Not a gun that I'd put $$$ into to customize. Just a solid working gun platform. It does not cost a ton of money. I like the tang safety a bunch. My trigger works fine as is. It can take the abuse of hunting & come back for more. It has a synth. stock that I do not worry about when I am ramming through the brush on a bear drive here in PA. LIke I said, a working gun.

quote:

Originally posted by Iron Buck:
I own & use a LH SS A-Bolt-II in 375HH.

BRENT, and IRONBUCKMy answer to Brent's question, is to certique Iron buck's post. I'm not picking on anyone here since when I started this post, only you two were here!

The one thing that redeems this rifle for you is, it is left handed! When you are a lefty you have little choice in bolt rifles! The A-bolt is one of those choices. Unfortunently, the better choices in a left hand rifle are far more expencive, in most cases, but, IMO, worth the difference in price!

I have put a 2.5x Leupold on it. I plan on using this rig for a bear hunt in Alaska in the future.

The addtion fo the Luepold 2.5 scope is another good addtion to any bolt action 375H&H rifle. The A-bolt wouldn't be my first choice, however, for Alaskan Brown bear. the cartridge, useing 300 gr controle expancion bullets, is just about perfect for Brownies,though.

I have read lots of complaints about A-bolts here. Made in Japan. Pot metal parts (?????). And of course.............for The AR buffs & faithful, the ultimate blasphemy..........IT IS NOT CRF Not a M70. Not a Mauser Etc.

There is an old saying where there is smoke......... It is prudent most times to listen to multiple complaints about any product. Especially complaints from folks who have been there and done that!
Again, IMO, the best thing in favor of this particular rifle is the fact that it is made in JAPAN, and I don't, for one minute, think it is made of pot metal. You may fufu the CRF concern if you want, but the actual FACT is, CRF is superior to push feed in a big way, that you may discover, to your dismay, one day!


Not a gun that I'd put $$$ into to customize.

This is a very well thought out statement! The only way to customise this rifle in a way that would improve it is trade it in on a DGR!

I like the tang safety a bunch. My trigger
works fine as is.

I, too, like tang safeties, on Double rifles, and singleshots, but I don't know of one, on a bolt rifle, that blocks the fireing pin. Every one, I am aware of, only bolcks the trigger, and that is not a good thing.

It has a synth. stock that I do not worry about when I am ramming through the brush on a bear drive here in PA. LIke I said, a working gun.

The rifle is OK for North American hunting of any of the deer types including Moose, and is fine for black bear, but the 375 H&H is not needed for these animals, and the rifle would be more useful for those animals in somthing like a 300 Win Mag, with 180 gr quality bullets. The 375H&H, though being a Medium, and on the light side for some things in Africa, is still considered a caliber for dangerous game! As such, it should me made in as reliable, and idiot proof a rifle design as is possible. The PF, and Tang safety, take some of that reliability away, and cost no less that a CRF action with a fireing pin blocked safety. As I said at the begining of this post, if you are left handed, it is a problem, where DGRs are concerned, and there is little choice. However, if one is right handed there are far better choices, in the same price range! Even an old Whitworth African express 375H&H with a change of safety, is a much better, and more idiot proof rifle! The CZ 550 is another, and the Ruger Exp 375 H&H, though much higher is worth the price. Look at it this way, if you have an inferior life, the hunt dangerous game with an inferior rifle! I'm not trying to start a CRF/PF contest, just giveing my take of the rifle system asked about! If it is still your choice, then there is no problem, it's your money, and your butt on the line!

I had two A-Bolt Medallions in the late 80s and early 90s. Both were dependable shot around MOA - it's been so long ago that I don't remember exact group sizes. However, unless I found a good deal on the A Bolt, I would probably go with the Winchester M70. I just think they're built a little better and more friendly to custom work for the same price point.

If you get a dab of mud into the action on an A-bolt, the gun is dead in the water until the bolt is disassembled and scrubbed with a toothbrush. Therefore they are not suitable for rough service.

quote:

Originally posted by MacD37:
I, too, like tang safeties, on Double rifles, and singleshots, but I don't know of one, on a bolt rifle, that blocks the fireing pin. Every one, I am aware of, only bolcks the trigger, and that is not a good thing.

The A-Bolt tang safety does, in fact, block the firing pin as well as the trigger.

500, how many times has the dab of mud thing happened to you on your A-Bolts?

i took an A-bolt stainless stalker in 300 wm to south africa in 04 . i had no problems at all and have shot over 400 rounds out of it.
in a 375 or heavier i would prefer a crf like the winchester as a prefrence. looks are not a factor for me ,but must be totaly reliable .when your in the brush and a buff is coming at u any problems are a big problems. just my 2 cents.

quote:

Originally posted by Jon A:

500, how many times has the dab of mud thing happened to you on your A-Bolts?

It happened to a guy I was hunting with. Those little grooves in the bolt are a natural resting place for mud, and the action binds up real well with a dab of mud about half the size of you little fingernail.

I have gotten mud into Springfields and Mausers and they still worked fine.

Hey Iron Buck..........

I bought a 2-pack of toothbrushes today. I'm gonna tie one to a dangly string on my trigger guard in case of an emergency. You want the other one??

Seriously, though....... when my A-Bolt finally arrives (for the 2nd time), it will be a pseudo-DGR. One that will talk the talk but never have to walk the walk. If I ever scrounge enough coin to cross the pond and shoot at bitey stuff, I will have already bought myself a "fit & acceptable" shooting iron. Meanwhile, I'll run around backwards with Iron Buck giving poor little black bears and the occasional, unfortunate whitetail one heck of an ass whipping.

Dan, As this is about the 5th time you have made this identical post, kindly allow me to inform you that those flutes you speak of have been sleeved for over a decade now and the A-Bolt 2 system is about as impervious to fouling as any B/A rifle. I have used my A-Bolt 1 .375, the original model with the visible flutes, very heavily, for over ten years now without the slightest problem.

Chuck Hawks Review

Nick,

I have no idea about the sleeving at all. The rifle in question was purchased new in the late 1980's. It was an A-Bolt Medallion in 7mm Rem Mag.

After the FUBAR, which cost him a day of elk hunting, he lost faith in the rifle and it went on down the line.

The one thing I have heard repeatedly about the abolt rifles is that you have to make sure to make sure to put a good metal protectant on the trigger group. Its a pretty complicated design and quite prone to rusting when not watched. Especially in the constant rain and salt spray of alaska. I have two abolts a 243 and a 338 RUM. I have never hand any problem with either and they are quite accurate. I would keep an eye on the trigger group while hunting in wet weather.

quote:

Originally posted by Nickudu:
I have used my A-Bolt 1 .375, the original model with the visible flutes, very heavily, for over ten years now without the slightest problem.

Ditto pretty much...except make that about 20 years and 5 different A-Bolts in my family. All without the sleeved bolt except for the newest .325. While anything is possible, I'd say a fingernail of mud jamming one of these things is highly unlikely. Been there, tried that (and worse) but the silly things just keep working.

Since we are all posting samples of 1, I'll add one to the list.

A very good friend and hunting partner of mine received a Browning A-bolt Stalker (blued/sythetic) in 7mm RM for a university grad present in 1991. He is the type of guy that doesn't take the greatest care of his firearms...they are a tool. He also doesn't read forums like this, or gun rags, so he hasn't heard how finicky his A-bolt is and therefore has not been exceptionally careful with it. In the 14.5 years that he has had this rifle, he and I have lugged it into some of the nastiest places in some of the nastiest weather. He has also taken it guiding with him in the NWT for 6 full seasons. I think he is on his fourth scope now, cuz he seems to find ways to bend the tubes.

Anyhoo, he has NEVER had a mechanical issue with it...its never jammed, misfired, fired on release of safety...nothing. It looks used, but very serviceable considering the use its seen (I am looking at it right now, as its currently in my gun safe). A few years back I watched my buddy shoot a 1.5" group at 300 yards with it.

I am not much of an A-bolt fan (I read these forums and gun rags ), but as much as I try to tease my buddy about his go-to rifle, you can't argue with the performance.



If everyone submits their sample of 1 (one), maybe we can build a database that we can actually draw a conclusion from.

Cheers,
Canuck

Canuk-

I'll start it off. Two abolts no problems what so ever.

I can't remember one time that I talked to someone who actually had a problem with one. Its always "I knew a guy with an abolt and blank and blank were wrong with it" It will be interesting to get only users answers.

Six Stainless Stalkers. All 3/8" to < 3/4" shooters, with an absolute minimum of load development (no boss). Sold a 1/2" shooter in 7 Mag to a persistent hunting buddy and replaced it a few years later, again 1/2". Found zero factory flaws to deal with and zero incident of mechanical failure, afield. I like the appearance, features and function of these rifles. They seem to recoil less than other rifles, caliber for caliber, despite often weighing a touch less, perhaps due to the stocking. The average, out-of-the-box accuracy of these rifles compares quite favorably with the cylindrical actioned, heavy barrel for caliber, Remingtons and the pre-Garcia boeffers barreled SAKO's, IMHO. If more folks took the time to bone up on the design features, rather than dismissing them off hand, as mere "push-feeds", they might discover a consistantly fine and servicable factory rifle at a very competitive price.

I have owned a Stainless Stalker in 30.06 since 1991. I have hunted elk and deer in varying conditions (snow, rain, sand) and have not had a problem with it. It's a great horseback/scabbard gun from a size and weight standpoint.

I killed jackal to Eland in Africa this year using it.

I know they have improved the bolt design since I bought this rifle but I like it enough that I don't want to sell it. It's been a good reliable rifle and it shoots well.

So, there's my 2 cents!

John

Gee- After reading some of these replies I'm gonna have to sell my Boss equipped.375 H&H Browning A-bolt stainless stalker right away. Let's see I've shot what 40 African animals with it, on three safaris including two cape buffalo. It was even my back-up gun of choice on my last Ele hunt too. It shoots less than 1 inch groups at 100 yrds, and I can work the bolt faster than most of my other bolt guns. It's been dragged all over Africa and Australia too. Funny it never jammed on me and it's been full of dirt on more than one occasion. I liked it because it was light, reliable, very accurate and inexpensive. Now that I know for sure it's not a reliable DGR it's gotta go! Thanks for saving me!-Rob

Rob,

I totally understand what your talking about, I had a browning abolt in 280 that shot half moa with anything I stuck in it.......but once I got on this site and threw it away. And after reading some of the other posts.........I threw my Remington in 375 H&H away, the same one thats been with me from Alaska to Africa .......the one I smoked the pig with out from under the light when we were pig huning a while back........I thew it away and will only use my CZ in 375 from now on........ Don't be a stranger........come back to Texas anytime, we will pick you up at the airport anytime.

Gringo Cazador- Yup, we were idiots! what were we thinking. An A-bolt is simply not a appropriate weapon to own. you should not have used it to make that 250 yrd shot on that pig at night. What was wrong with you? Don't you know it could have gotten beer in the action and jammed? Seriously, I really enjoyed the hunt and meeting you. Glad we agree on A-Bolts. Seems like others share the affliction. I miss mine already. Now if they only made them in 45-70.-Rob

quote:

Originally posted by Robgunbuilder:
and I can work the bolt faster than most of my other bolt guns. Thanks for saving me!-Rob

That's a good point that has not been mentioned on earlier A-Bolt threads. The 60 degree bolt lift, made possible because of the three lug configuration, results in extremely fast and reliable function. The magazine box, although detachable, is quite well designed, maintaining firm control of the cartridge until it is well up the feedramp.

Yet, a lot of good riflemen consider it a poor choice. I am not locked in to any B/A rifle design. I have owned and used many, including some very pricey custom mausers. If Browning were to offer a .416 tomorrow, I would likely buy one.

quote:

Originally posted by Iron Buck:
I own & use a LH SS A-Bolt-II in 375HH. It is a very accurate (3/4" 3-shots @100 yards with factory 270 grain Remington ammo) & light hunting rifle. I have no complaints with it. I use it for fowl weather black Bear hunting & have taken it deer hunting a few times. I have used teh factory open sights until this year. I have put a 2.5x Leupold on it. I plan on using this rig for a bear hunt in Alaska in the future.

I have read lots of complaints about A-bolts here. Made in Japan. Pot metal parts (?????). And of course.............for The AR buffs & faithful, the ultimate blasphemy..........IT IS NOT CRF Not a M70. Not a Mauser Etc.

It is a good , factory gun. One to use as is. Not a gun that I'd put $$$ into to customize. Just a solid working gun platform. It does not cost a ton of money. I like the tang safety a bunch. My trigger works fine as is. It can take the abuse of hunting & come back for more. It has a synth. stock that I do not worry about when I am ramming through the brush on a bear drive here in PA. LIke I said, a working gun.

Good post!

i have friends who use them to smack anything from eland to leopard. whatever they shoot etnds to fall down pretty dead, pretty quick (read 2 steps).

i have shot game from baboon to wildebeest with them myself... a good working gun, accurate and reliable.

last one i played with .300wsm had one odd problem, it would not feed the last round in the mag.

shot them in 22.250, 308, 300 wm and 300 wsm played with the 375 with boss, but have never hunted with it.

good bats in my opinion