Browning X-Bolt or Remington 700

[adrock1978]

I've heard good and bad about both the Browning X-Bolt and the Remington 700. Originally I was leaning towards a 700 chambered in 30-06 for Continental U.S. hunting. I like the history the 700 has, along with its often copied design. I'm comfortable knowing thousands of people before me chose the 700 and it seems like the standard by which bolt guns are measured.

Now, I've also heard wonderful things about the Browning X-bot. I like that every one of them has a free-floated, glass bedded barrel (not just the tacticool ones like Remy). I like the more modern look of the X-bolt, and the opinions I've heard about it. I just know nothing of its design. I've never heard anyone copy the design, or say "X-bolt type" action. I've never seen the Browning action offered by custom rifle manufacturers, like the 700.

Any opinions appreciated.

 

[1sharpedge]

I have a 700 bdl i have been using for hunting for 3 years now in 7mm. I currently have no complaints. I have heard that the x-bolts are nice, just dont like brownings.

 

[Machaira]

I own both. Both are great firearms.

The Remingtons tend to be heavier "bench" rifles, but mine are very accurate straight out of the box.

The Xbolt is lighter, more of a field rifle. The Xbolt has a great safety feature. You can unbolt it while the safety is on.

I prefer .270 or .308.

M.

 

[adrock1978]

I own both. Both are great firearms.

The Remingtons tend to be heavier "bench" rifles, but mine are very accurate straight out of the box.

The Xbolt is lighter, more of a field rifle. The Xbolt has a great safety feature. You can unbolt it while the safety is on.

I prefer .270 or .308.

M.

Thanks. I'm gonna go compare some of the models I'm interested in, between the two rifles. The 700 CDL I held didn't seem too bad, but some of the other 700s were much heavier.

 

[hlee]

I own both. Both are great firearms.

The Remingtons tend to be heavier "bench" rifles, but mine are very accurate straight out of the box.

The Xbolt is lighter, more of a field rifle. The Xbolt has a great safety feature. You can unbolt it while the safety is on.

I prefer .270 or .308.

M.

The remington 700 mountain rifle tips the scales at just over 6 lbs, but the standard contour rifles are around 7.5 lbs. Neither is terribly heavy in my estimation. And, it has been over 20 years since Remington produced a rifle that had to be off of safety to work the action. Current production remington 700 rifles DO NOT require the safety to be off to operate the bolt.

 

[adrock1978]

The remington 700 mountain rifle tips the scales at just over 6 lbs, but the standard contour rifles are around 7.5 lbs. Neither is terribly heavy in my estimation. And, it has been over 20 years since Remington produced a rifle that had to be off of safety to work the action. Current production remington 700 rifles DO NOT require the safety to be off to operate the bolt.

Yeah, I just looked. The 700 only appears to be 8 to 12 ounces heavier than the x-bolt depending on the model. Ahh see... knowing both sides of a fact, helps.

 

[adam4584]

i have a 700 pss in .300 win mag that i use for hunting it's a little heavy but i like it. it has a harris adjustable bi-pod that i use alot on it also a has shepherd drop comp scope that i love. pic below. my dad has an x-bolt also in .300 win mag. both are great shooters tho the browning is not as accurate as my 700 but it shoots 3-4" groups at 500yds w/ a 180gn nosler partition. its a great rifle. i would say it's personal preference. though if i had to choose i'd go with the 700.

 

[adrock1978]

i have a 700 pss in .300 win mag that i use for hunting it's a little heavy but i like it. it has a harris adjustable bi-pod that i use alot on it also a has shepherd drop comp scope that i love. pic below. my dad has an x-bolt also in .300 win mag. both are great shooters tho the browning is not as accurate as my 700 but it shoots 3-4" groups at 500yds w/ a 180gn nosler partition. its a great rifle. i would say it's personal preference. though if i had to choose i'd go with the 700.

Thanks! I'm gonna go handle both today.... I'm Adam too!

 

[WA Martin]

I've got a 700 BDL .30-'06 LH I love. My next rifle will probably be the same but the CDL version.

 

[adrock1978]

Well, I went and handled several models of both. I'm still up in the air, but here is what I found. This is nothing you guys with both dont already know. The X-Bolt is almost an identical action to the Remy. Similar bolt, with extractor/ejector on the face of a cylindrical bolt. I notice both guns had a lot of bolt wiggle, when in the open, rear position. Normal I assume. Both lock up well, but the 700 bolt handle actually wiggled slightly, while closed and even jumped when I dry fired. The X-Bolt locked up with very little movement. The weight was very close between the CDL and Hunter, but the Browning was slightly lighter. The X-Bolt trigger on the rifle I held was amazing!!! Very crisp with almost zero trigger pull. Even looking at it while pulling it, I hardly saw it move. I also like the placement of all the controls on the X-bolt. The tang safety was easier and the bolt release control is in a MUCH better spot, on top to the left of the action, rather than in front of the trigger on the 700. I dont really want to be reaching around the trigger for any reason. I didn't notice if the 700 had a similar button that allowed you to cycle the bolt with the safety on, like the X-bolt did, but that was convenient too. Maybe the 700 just cycles without a button?

All in all, both guns were very close. I was just happy to see the Browning seemed quite refined yet similar to the 700.

 

[whetrock]

I'd go with the Remington 700 mainly because they've been around forever and there's a plethora of aftermarket parts for them.

 

[Kirk_Ferentz]

you may want to take a look at my posts a few months back ... I was deciding on a 30-06 model. I decided on a Savage with an accu-trigger. I came in thinking that I would get a Remington, but despite the fact that Savages have traditionally been second fiddle to remington/browning/winchester, I think the Savage has the others beat.

 

[thephatboi]

Didn't the Remington 700 have an issue with the safely not working and misfires? I don't want to offend anyone but I saw a special about a cover up Remington did and that a few people have been shot or shot someone accidentally, if that is true I wouldn't want one near me....Anybody here have a problem with that?

 

[bhyde]

Didn't the Remington 700 have an issue with the safely not working and misfires? I don't want to offend anyone but I saw a special about a cover up Remington did and that a few people have been shot or shot someone accidentally, if that is true I wouldn't want one near me....Anybody here have a problem with that?

Probably not considering the thread you replied to is ~4yrs old...but then again...I have the x-bolt myself

 

[M67]

Didn't the Remington 700 have an issue with the safely not working and misfires? I don't want to offend anyone but I saw a special about a cover up Remington did and that a few people have been shot or shot someone accidentally, if that is true I wouldn't want one near me....Anybody here have a problem with that?

700s have been having "issues" for years....mainly Freedom Group and people messing with triggers who know nothing about adjusting triggers.

Remigntons and Knights used very good adjustable triggers, ones that you could get very light and you could get them set safely, and you could get them adjusted not safely. People figured out that they could get a pound trigger, sometimes less, but the sear engagement sucked so sometimes the striker would ride down them the bolt closed, or the striker could slip off the sear if it (buttstock, rifle, etc.) was hit hard enough. Or if the trigger got a lot of gunk in them, they could have issues.

So, like most things gun issue related....it's mostly user error

 

[leghog]

Friends don't let friends buy new Remingtons. Today's Remingtons are not like yesterday's. That's just the truth of the matter.

Remington is currently replacing triggers on millions of M700s.

http://www.nbcnews.com/business/bus...massive-fix-countrys-most-popular-gun-n262721


Regardless, I'd rather have an action with controlled feeding ala Mauser vs push feeding ala Remington. Anyone settling on a Remington should look at a used/vintage Model 700s or the smaller actioned and more compact Model 7.

 

[Brommeland]

I'd go with the Browning. I was pretty disappointed in my last 700 and sold it off pretty quickly. I now hunt with a sporterized '03 Springfield that I just truly love.....However, I practically stole it off Gunbroker. Having another one done just like it would cost close to two grand - about ten times what I paid for mine. If I were gonna buy a stock bolt rifle today, it would be an X bolt or a Sako....

 

[manassas dragon]

Remington has announced a recall on model 700's for a long standing issue with the trigger.
seems some 700's fire w/o the trigger being touched.

 

[leghog]

I'd go with the Browning. I was pretty disappointed in my last 700 and sold it off pretty quickly. I now hunt with a sporterized '03 Springfield that I just truly love.....However, I practically stole it off Gunbroker. Having another one done just like it would cost close to two grand - about ten times what I paid for mine. If I were gonna buy a stock bolt rifle today, it would be an X bolt or a Sako....

Right at the turn of the century, I had a rifle custom built for me off a military action I bought for 80 bucks in the late 90s. Steyr Model 1903 Mannlicher-Schönauer.

6.5X65MM MS I60 grain 0.0012" off the lands. Outstanding sectional density and excellent ballistic coefficient. Custom stock. Custom Krieger barrel.