Question about Browning Rifle

[Otown]

So I am getting this new Browning rifle and I was deciding between the 7mm and the 7mm WSM. From a little research, I have found that the WSM is slightly more accurate but the 7mm has a 3 inch longer barrel. Does the 3 more inches of barrel make the 7mm more accurate than the WSM? Also, does anyone know the difference between Browning's A-Bolt and X-Bolt?

 

[T Bone]

Oscar III,

Browing makes a fine rifle. Since you don't reload, I'd go the 7 Rem Mag route. It will handle anything on the continent. Best of luck on your decision and please leave some big bucks for me.

 

[Otown]

So why does reloading make you suggest the 7 Rem Mag? Is it from a cost for bullet standpoint or what?

 

[thecrittergitter]

I'm guessing he meant that if you aren't reloading, the 7mm Mag is going to offer you lots of factory bullet choices wherever you go.

I've been a die hard 7mm Mag fan for years, in fact, the ol gun saved my life on a charging griz two years ago.

Both are extremely great calibers, the only difference you should take note of is that 7wsm bullets are going to be less abundant.

 

[putm2sleep]

I have an Abolt in .300 and it has killed a lot of animals. Smooth shootin' too. Not sure of the difference between the A and X, but would go MAG if you are after bigger game! ---Longer barrel, not as accurate, less punch/power - decision made, yes?

 

[T Bone]

Yes cost per bullet and also availability. You can find 7 Rem Mag ammo just about anywhere. 7 WSM ammo is much less abundant.

 

[6speed]

I own a 7mm WSM and it's a great caliber. I would have to agree that is slightly more accurate than the 7mm Rem Mag. That being said, Midway for example has 66 different loads for the 7mag ranging from $19.99 up. They list 12 choices for the 7 WSM with the cheapest box starting at $32.99. I love my 7 WSM and would never think of getting rid of it. I buy factory ammo when it goes on sale and I reload. The shorter action makes it nice to carry in my pack and on my shoulder through the hills. If you go with the 7 WSM keep ammo on hand as it is sometimes hard to find and you can't run into any local sports shops and find it every time. From a gun standpoint I'm sure you would be happy with the 7 WSM. Based on real world performance the difference between the two 7's is not enough to outweigh the price and availability of ammo issue and if I had it to do over again I would probably not go with the 7 WSM. The other aspect you may consider is the 7mm-08. It combines the short action attributes of the WSM with more reasonable ammo choices and prices and would be just as capable as the magnums at or under 300 yards.

 

[putm2sleep]

A box of 20 lasts a real long time if you only need 1. And ammo is about the cheapest thing on a hunters check list these days : tags, gas, outerwear / gear, boots, packs, extra habitat stamps, food. So, cost per bullet is a non factor for me personally. Not sure availability is an issue either, but as stated, I do not own a wsm? (Some of the guys on here could probably use their iphone to check stock, order a box, and schedule it drop shipped to camp???) j/k

 

[noharleyyet]

7mag ammo availability is a good point but I would not let it stop you from picking the short if that's what you want. Both excellent rounds.

The X-Bolt In A Nutshell
The X-Bolt is basically an updated A-Bolt with more modern styling, a few neat design features, and a lower price point. It seems to me that Browning hit on the perfect mix of old and new with the X-Bolt line.



The X-Bolt retains the A-Bolt's three locking lugs and short, 60-degree bolt lift. The shroud-mounted loaded-chamber indicator remains, as does the tang-style safety. A stout, M16-style extractor and plunger-style ejector serve to pull empty casings from the chamber and eject them well clear of the X-Bolt's steel receiver.



A detachable, rotary magazine of rugged polymer feeds the rifle. In a clever design twist, the release lever is part of the magazine, so you can't help but end up with the magazine in your hand when you release it. The magazine lines up the top cartridge with the center of the bore so that cartridges feed directly into the chamber. This straight-line feeding makes for sure, smooth loading. Molded-in shoulders inside the magazine keep cartridges from battering their tips on the front of the magazine during recoil.



Another useful change is the bolt-release button. The button is mounted on the base of the bolt shank. By depressing it, you can cycle the bolt without deactivating the safety--a big safety improvement in my book.



The top of the receiver is where the X-Bolt gets its name. Rather than the conventional two-hole set-up for attaching scope bases, the X-Bolt has four screws per base. There is one screw at each corner, hence the "X." This would give lesser makers fits, as any degree of error would make mounting a scope darn near impossible. But with the level of tolerance Browning's factory is able to hold, it's no problem for the X-Bolt.



The X-Bolt's new Feather Trigger is the feature Browning's engineers are most proud of. The trigger is set from the factory at approximately 3.5 pounds, and it is user-adjustable from 3 to 5 pounds. The steel trigger components are hard-chromed, and all engagement surfaces are polished to a high sheen for the cleanest trigger pull. The unit is contained in a rugged, alloy housing. The simple, robust system uses three levers to reduce creep and minimize overtravel. The mechanical advantage gained by the addition of the third lever makes the trigger feel completely devoid of creep

 

[6speed]

A box of 20 lasts a real long time if you only need 1.

Hopefully the kind of guys who only plan on 1 round a year don't get the chance. I get what you are saying but I wouldn't take a gun in the field that I didn't run a few rounds through before the trip. I have hunted with an "I sighted it in after I bought it 15 years ago" guy but it only happened once and it will never happen again.

As I said before I wouldn't give my 7mm WSM up and I love shooting it but I would not recommend buying one without looking into the ammo issue first. Before I closed the Midway window I used for the info for my last post I noticed of the 12 choices they offered 4 were out of stock. I can usually find the 160 grain Accubonds at Sportsman's or Cabelas and I always keep at least 1 box on hand. If you watch the sales they come down about $10 a box every year or so. Odds are if you shoot one you will like it well enough you won't care about the ammo though. That's what happened to me.

 

[Blacktailbc]

I would go with the 7mm Remington. The WSM is a good caliber, and I have shot the A-bolt in the WSM. The ammo availability is an issue, and the 7mm WSM will only get less and less common. The Remington mag is tried and true, and will be great for anything in North America. The x bolt is a great choice.

 

[Goldtip]

Otown, congrats on getting the new gun and a even bigger congrats on that awesome deer last year. Another aspect for you to look at is the weight. If you look purely at the Browning A-bolt in stainless stalker, the 7mm rem mag is listed at 7lbs and 3 ounces. The 7WSM is listed at 6lbs 6oz. Thats a weight difference of the entire scope (very close anyway, depending on the scope). Which at your age may or may not be that big of deal, but later on in life you will appreciate the lighter gun. Ballistically the two rounds are essentially twins with factory ammo.

 

[MNHunter]

Both are good choices. FWIW, by buddy shoots the WSM version and he does not reload….he wishes all the time he hadn’t gone the WSM route as he has trouble finding factory ammo he likes.

 

[sagebrush]

I have 4 A-Bolts and just got an X-Bolt. If I wasn't 60 years old, I would replace all my A-Bolts primarily because I bought Hunters and should have waited on Stainless Stalkers. Every one is a tack driver that shoots better than I do. You will be happy with your new Browning.

I would choose the 7MM Remington over the 7MM WSM. I don't reload and having more choices of factory ammo is important to me. With each rifle, I bought as many different factory loads as I could find that were appropriate for my hunting intentions. I then spent a lot of time at the range to find out which load shot best. Over the years, I have found a Hornady load that works in each rifle, interesting coincidents.

I have taken game out to 397 yards with my .270 and my new X-Bolt .338 Win Mag kills paper just fine out to 650 yards. Hopefully, I'll have a chance to test it on an elk one day. I have a .338 Medallion that has accounted for 3 elk and two oryx, the farthest being an oryx at 301 yards. Last year, my wife made a 453 yard shot out of her .270 on a mule deer in NV.

All of our rifles are topped with Leupold scopes, rings and bases. I can heartily recommend the VX III in 4.5-14X40. Once you have a load that shoots accurately, you can send your scope to Leupold and have a CDS turret made that will make long range shooting a breeze.

 

[Bambistew]

Ammo availability is a concern if you don't reload, but probably not that big of one. I'm sure Remington or someone will offer something for it for as long as you're alive. Might not be the biggest baddest wonder bullet but I'm sure it will be adequate for most all hunting.

I'm not sold on the WSM being any more or less accurate than a standard cartridge. Its a marketing ploy. If we were talking match rifles then there is proably an edge in accuracy, but for a factory rifle... its just smoke. A factory produced rifle is only capable of a certain level of accuracy, its been my experience that the it would be impossible to compare one to the other due to differences between EVERY rifle made. That said I currently have 2 WSMs and sold another, all shoot/shot well, but not any better than anything else I own. As a matter of fact the best shooting rifle I have is a 7Rem Mag.

I think people get to caught up in 'performance'. In the end its picking nits and nothing more.

I'd personally go for the lightest one, and forget about the cartridge.

 

[npaden]

I'll be the first to throw out an alternative that you aren't even asking about.

I have a 7mm Rem Mag A-bolt Stainless Stalker and am happy with it. I don't reload but keep my brass and was suprised when I rounded it all up last year to sell it that I had just a few rounds under 200 through it in just 3 years so ammo does add up between target practicing, shooting pigs, coyotes, etc.

If I was to buy a gun today I would go with the .300 WSM X-Bolt in Stainless Stalker. The long barrel on the 7mm Rem Mag can get a little unweildy going through brush with it on your shoulder or in your scabbard on your backpack. A few inches isn't going to help much, but it would help a little on not hanging it up on every tree branch you stepped under.

The .300 WSM gives you WAY more choices of factory ammo than the 7mm WSM and if you ever reload gives you access to all the .300 caliber bullet choices. The recoil is going to be very similar on a .300 WSM and a 7mm Rem Mag. With a good limbsaver recoil pad you won't even feel it. Ammo might be a little more expensive on the .300 WSM but not a whole lot, and out of all the WSM calibers that one is going to be around the longest based on popularity.

One other tip, don't get the BOSS setup on the barrel. It might be great at the range wearing ear protection, but you don't always have the time to use ear protection in the field and just a few shots with the BOSS without ear protection can damage your hearing for the rest of your life.

The best advice I got when shopping for a gun a few years ago was to just relax and go with what you want. It's not like you are getting married to the gun or anything, you can always sell it and buy a different one if you end up not liking it.

Nathan

 

[gundog]

Bambistew is absolutely correct about the accuracy issue. Triggers, bedding, chamber size, headspace and barrel and receiver alignment are the bigger issues with factory rifles. All of the Browning A Bolts I've tested have shot 1.5 inches or less. I know most hunters don't like the BOSS because of the noise, but if you only shoot factory ammo you can dial it in and shrink group size.
If you reload, you can accomplish the same thing in a standard barrel with good load experimentation.
I'll give the 7mm Rem my vote.

 

[OKED]

One thing you asked about was barrel length? A longer barrel does not make a rifle more accurate, it only affects muzzle vel. A shorter barrel is actually a little bit stiffer so technially a shorter barrel should have a slight advantage. But in the real world it does not make a difference.

 

[Lawnboy]

O town I would go with with the plain old 7mm over the WSM. As was mentioned you aren't seeing hardly any difference ballistically in the two. Between the 270, 300, and 7mm in WSM the 7 has the least difference in ballistics. As was mentioned earlier go with the one that has cheaper and more available ammo. I've gotten caught in some poe dunk towns without my 270 wsm ammo and was out of luck. If I would of had the plain old 270 or 7mm I could of boughten bullets. Might sound silly but it can happen. It's a win win for you bud.

 

[bobbydean]

I agree with not getting the BOSS system. I have hunted all my life with no hearing loss. Got a 338 with BOSS about 10 years ago. Immediate hearing loss! You are much too young to deal with this. I am almost 60 and should have been smarter, Hearing is essential for my work and hearing aids are in my immediate future!