Browning

[Jester896]

Been cleaning rifles for weeks it seems...finally got to the one I was looking for.

This old baby is accurate as all get out with Winchester silver box 180gr Power Points
I don't see many of these, they were made from '78-'84 pre A-Bolt. The date code says this one is '79



Locks up pretty good





It looks like it may have had some pretty hot loads sent down the pipe. Barrel looks good as new and shoots in the same hole at 100. She sits in the back corner of the safe and doesn't get much use. Last time she shot a deer it was hung over my desk.

Now that I am through with this one I can start on the second...shouldn't take as long for that one

@rosewood light a fire and immabout to eat a sammich and go size a 5 gal bucket of .223s

 

[BriarPatch99]

Nice looking A-Bolt .... that model ended just before I got my A-Bolt in 85/86...

 

[Railroader]

Very nice rifle. They called those the BBR, for of all things, Browning Bolt Rifle... ?

 

[HughW2]

Jester,

I had a BBR made in 83 or 84; it was a .30-06. Nice rifle but; but kicked like a mule, I never had a .30-06 that kicked that hard. I let it go. I hope you have better experience. I just don’t think the stock fit was good for me.

 

[bullgator]

I have a BBR in 30-06 also. Very accurate with the old Federal 165 gr ammo.
I believe they were the same Howa actions used in the Vanguard rifles and Weatherby made them stop selling them. Mine came with really nice wood.

 

[SC Hunter]

I sold an A Bolt for my daddy in 270 several years ago because of the recoil. It was like somebody hitting you with a bat when you touched it off. Very accurate rifle but he didn't like it. Knowing what I know now I should have bought it from him and put a break or different stock on it.

I have a soft spot for a nice browning rifle!

 

[Jester896]

I hope you have better experience.

Just an occasional back spasm and that 1 cut eyebrow...it's been Saweet!
All of the Browning rifles I have ever shot kicked a good bit except my High Wall. My .270WSM kicks more that the Win Mag and it is a way heavier rifle... with a heavy barrel even.

I have a BBR in 30-06 also. Very accurate with the old Federal 165 gr ammo.
I believe they were the same Howa actions used in the Vanguard rifles and Weatherby made them stop selling them. Mine came with really nice wood.

This rifle was also made by Miroku like the A-Bolts...all 3...and the X-Bolt Pro. They made some early model Charles Daly O/U before they made Citoris and I think they do something for Winchester..maybe levers or Falling Blocks or both. I don't know if they made the Browning High and Low Wals but it wouldn't surprise me. I almost have to small base size brass for my High Wall if it wasn't fired in it.

 

[Dub]

Dang.....ya'll got me skeert to choot'em up with and A-Bolt3 I picked up for a a steal last year.

Gonna deliver a thumping to my big ole self. It's my one and only .243.



Maybe I'll download it for some mouse loads that won't hurt.





Seriously, though.....I've never noticed them thumping worse than other brands. I've shot a buddy's 7mm A-Bolt (wood stocked) a good bit. Comfortable gun.

 

[Throwback]

My dad has a BBR in 25-06. Sweet rifle!!

 

[sghoghunter]

I bought what I was thinking at the time was one of the original Abolts in 25-06. A guy had it listed on FB for $300 with a scope and painted rattle can camo. If I remember right I talked him down to $225 or $250. I bought a decent Vortex scope and me and my brother put a better looking paint job on it and also changed out the old stock to a Browning stock with the palm swell. Which year or years did they make the fluted bolt?

 

[bighonkinjeep]

Careful man, you know none of these youngsters believe that the antiquated old 30-06 will even hit the broad side of a barn, much less make one ragged hole. LoL ?. I picked up a used BBR in .270 a decade or so ago. Stripped and refinished the stock with Tru oil. Man it was a beautiful rifle with that rosewood fore end cap. It was easily minute of deer vitals but I couldn't find a load for it that met my accuracy expectations and had too many other projects.. It wound up getting traded at a local shop on a grade 2 BLR in .22

 

[bighonkinjeep]

I bought what I was thinking at the time was one of the original Abolts in 25-06. A guy had it listed on FB for $300 with a scope and painted rattle can camo. If I remember right I talked him down to $225 or $250. I bought a decent Vortex scope and me and my brother put a better looking paint job on it and also changed out the old stock to a Browning stock with the palm swell. Which year or years did they make the fluted bolt?

That's not fluting, it's the locking lugs. You might consider stripping and refinishing the original wood stock. I'd wipe it down with goof off or something and see if the paint will come off. The old BBRs had a really thick poly coat on the stocks that most likely protected the actual wood from that paint. Most of the old stocks I've seen on these were georgeous.

 

[rmp]

Seriously, though.....I've never noticed them thumping worse than other brands. I've shot a buddy's 7mm A-Bolt (wood stocked) a good bit. Comfortable gun.

Lot of perceived recoil comes from stock design and fit to the shooter. The amount of drop at the heel makes a big difference. Sometimes it’s the flex in the stock (composite) that makes things feel worse.

I’ve spent a fair amount of time with an A-bolt 300 WSM and it was fine. Nothing to write home about. Classic stock design which helped as it fit me well.

 

[Jester896]

The Thumbhole Eclipes stock that came on the A-Bolt II .270WSM has a pretty straight top line. I attribute that to the amount of felt recoil...my 6.5WSM is in an HS Precision and it isn't as brutal

 

[sghoghunter]

That's not fluting, it's the locking lugs. You might consider stripping and refinishing the original wood stock. I'd wipe it down with goof off or something and see if the paint will come off. The old BBRs had a really thick poly coat on the stocks that most likely protected the actual wood from that paint. Most of the old stocks I've seen on these were georgeous.

The fluting I’m talking about isn’t the locking lugs it’s the bolt on my browning rifle is fluted. Also all my rifles don’t live a lifetime in a dark safe so all the stories don’t show as bad on synthetic material like it does wood and that palm swell is the bomb

 

[01Foreman400]

Very nice Browning. It’s shoots well is a plus.

 

[bighonkinjeep]

The fluting I’m talking about isn’t the locking lugs it’s the bolt on my browning rifle is fluted. Also all my rifles don’t live a lifetime in a dark safe so all the stories don’t show as bad on synthetic material like it does wood and that palm swell is the bomb

My mistake, was still thinking BBR. That dang poly their stocks is sooo thick it almost may as well be synthetic. I don't think factory fluted bolts showed up till the A bolt 2 prolly late 90s or early 2000s or so. A lot of innovation in factory bolt actions around that time period from all the major manufacturers.

 

[sghoghunter]

My mistake, was still thinking BBR. That dang poly their stocks is sooo thick it almost may as well be synthetic. I don't think factory fluted bolts showed up till the A bolt 2 prolly late 90s or early 2000s or so. A lot of innovation in factory bolt actions around that time period from all the major manufacturers.

My brother has the Abolt2 stalker and the bolt on it is kinda weird shaped. Not sure if it’s octagon shaped but I do know it has some flat sides. I’ve got an AB3 too and the bolt on it is round. I took it to a gunsmith to see if he could flute it or something to add some character to it.