i am about 95% sure my mind is made up on the decision of buying a Browning A-Bolt II Long Range Hunter(stainless Mossy Oak brush camo) within the next 2 or 3 months or after i pay off my current purchase.I have been eyeing it for a while now and really, really like it. it has a type of camo finish called a brush camo pattern that is new to me but i like it very much. it has a 26'' fluted medium heavy barrel and 26'' is one of my preferred barrel lengths, especially for this type of rifle and shooting. it comes in 4 different chamberings and they are the 7mm Rem. Mag, the .300 Win. Mag, the .300RUM and the 6.5 Creedmoor which is a cartridge that is new to me but i did some reading about it and found that it is a fairly new cartridge and i think it has some pretty good ballistics for it's intended use and i kind of like it. however i'm thinking about getting the .300Win. Mag in this rifle. even though i'm certain i'm getting this rifle as soon as i can i'd still like to hear, learn, findout and know anything and everything about it i possibly can. So i would like to know if anyone here has any knowledge, experience or actually owns this rifle and what their thoughts or opinions of it are and what caliber they have it in or think would be the best caliber to get it in. I don't own a Browning firearm and this will be the first one i've ever bought. Thanks very much.

Pez:

I had Browning send me a Stainless Stalker varmint in .308 to review for a magazine for which I write. It has a heavier then normal barrel. My intention was to shoot it, work up some loads, then send it back.

It was so accurate I bought it (we get to buy it for a price similar to what you would pay if you had an FFL). The thing one-holed factory ammo.

I took it out Friday morning for my weekly 500 yard gong shoot. My first two shots shooting sitting with a bipod and sling had two shot touching. A third round made the group about 3 inches. I then shot sitting with just my sling. My first shot hit the two inch orange circle I painted on the gong. My next one was high about 4 inches.

What more could you ask for from a factory rifle?

quote:

Originally posted by AnotherAZWriter:
Pez:

I had Browning send me a Stainless Stalker varmint in .308 to review for a magazine for which I write. It has a heavier then normal barrel. My intention was to shoot it, work up some loads, then send it back.

It was so accurate I bought it (we get to buy it for a price similar to what you would pay if you had an FFL). The thing one-holed factory ammo.

I took it out Friday morning for my weekly 500 yard gong shoot. My first two shots shooting sitting with a bipod and sling had two shot touching. A third round made the group about 3 inches. I then shot sitting with just my sling. My first shot hit the two inch orange circle I painted on the gong. My next one was high about 4 inches.

What more could you ask for from a factory rifle?

hey, thanks very much for telling me about that! sounds good to me! that just makes me even more sure about getting this rifle just as soon as i can. this will be my first Browning ever and from the sound of the first reply on this topic it's very possible it won't be my last. i know i absolutely love the looks of this rifle. on top of it, i'm starting to become obsessed with the .300 Win. Mag cartridge and i would rather get it in this particular rifle way more than any other i've seen. i'm a little interested in that 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge but it's not even close to my .300 Win. Mag interest.

I have a Browning Stainless Stalker in .375 H&H. It's a MOA rifle depending on load. One of these days I'm going to get John Gallagher to bed the stock and take the barrel down to 23". All in all a good rifle.

You should like it. I have never had a Browning that didn't shoot excellently right out of the box. Even my BLR is MOA. The Highwall and Micro-Medallion are both very capable of ragged hole groups, if I do my part.

sounds like Browning makes some great rifles.

Today was 500 yard gong shoot day. I took out the X Bolt and shot sitting with my Harris bipod. I shot three shots this way. One shot hit the 2 inch circle and the two others were within 1/2 inch. I fired two more sitting with just a sling. First shot hit the circle; the second one was about 4 inches low. The wind was gentle right to left; could not see mirage and the flags were calm but my lighter flame bent to the right. I held about three inches right for windage.

Again, everything is factory on this rifle; my load is 45 grains VARGET under a 180 Hornady SST. Cal is .308 Win.

quote:

Originally posted by AnotherAZWriter:
Today was 500 yard gong shoot day. I took out the X Bolt and shot sitting with my Harris bipod. I shot three shots this way. One shot hit the 2 inch circle and the two others were within 1/2 inch. I fired two more sitting with just a sling. First shot hit the circle; the second one was about 4 inches low. The wind was gentle right to left; could not see mirage and the flags were calm but my lighter flame bent to the right. I held about three inches right for windage.

Again, everything is factory on this rifle; my load is 45 grains VARGET under a 180 Hornady SST. Cal is .308 Win.

impressive accuracy for a factory rifle! sounds like the Browning A-Bolt II Long Range Hunter will be a great choice. i went ahead and bought a box of .300Win Mag 150gr Power Points today. I usually go ahead and buy a box of ammo when i make up my mind i will be getting a gun in that caliber.