Used Browning Abolt 25-06

[ksubuck]

New to the forum but have been lurking for a while. Appreciate all of the information and expertise offered in here.

I have a rifle in about every caliber except for a quarterbore. Been thinking it is time to pick up a new toy. Was at the gun shop the other day and found a rifle on the used rack and wondered if anyone had any thoughts. It is an Abolt 2 composite stalker in 25-06 BOSS-CR priced at $449.00. I'm not looking for a gun to customize, just one to burn up on paper, yotes and chucks. So I looked the gun over.

Gun shop said it was a trade for a larger caliber from a young guy that needed something with a little more pop at longer range out here in the plains. The gun had not been cleaned in the shop as their theory is that they want buyers to see what the previous owner did to take care of the gun. The stalk is scuffed and still has heavy tape residue on it from the ballistic chart taped to it. Appears free floated but has a pressure point at the forend of the stock. Rifle bluing is good. I was unable to remove the BOSS-CR as it appears stuck with powder residue so I couldn't see the barrel crown well. Trigger feels like other Browning rifles I have. Bolt looks pretty good but is dirty. Bolt face same, lugs have slight scuffing. Looking into the barrel all I see is powder residue. Looks like someone had a campfire in there. But barrel itself looks pretty clean.

Any thoughts? Price in line with a fairly used gun? Anything else I should look at? Maybe I should offer less cause I think I will have lots of cleaning to do...

Thanks for any input.

 

[MudRunner2005]

New to the forum but have been lurking for a while. Appreciate all of the information and expertise offered in here.

I have a rifle in about every caliber except for a quarterbore. Been thinking it is time to pick up a new toy. Was at the gun shop the other day and found a rifle on the used rack and wondered if anyone had any thoughts. It is an Abolt 2 composite stalker in 25-06 BOSS-CR priced at $449.00. I'm not looking for a gun to customize, just one to burn up on paper, yotes and chucks. So I looked the gun over.

Gun shop said it was a trade for a larger caliber from a young guy that needed something with a little more pop at longer range out here in the plains. The gun had not been cleaned in the shop as their theory is that they want buyers to see what the previous owner did to take care of the gun. The stalk is scuffed and still has heavy tape residue on it from the ballistic chart taped to it. Appears free floated but has a pressure point at the forend of the stock. Rifle bluing is good. I was unable to remove the BOSS-CR as it appears stuck with powder residue so I couldn't see the barrel crown well. Trigger feels like other Browning rifles I have. Bolt looks pretty good but is dirty. Bolt face same, lugs have slight scuffing. Looking into the barrel all I see is powder residue. Looks like someone had a campfire in there. But barrel itself looks pretty clean.

Any thoughts? Price in line with a fairly used gun? Anything else I should look at? Maybe I should offer less cause I think I will have lots of cleaning to do...

Thanks for any input.

I'll put it this way...

For that price, if you don't buy it, I'd appreciate the gun shops name and phone number....

If the barrel is trashed that just gives you an excuse to stick a nice stainkess Shilen #17 contour (Rem Sendero/Varmint contour) 26" barrel on it, chamber to .25-06 Ackley Improved 40* Shoulder, and stick it in a B&C Medalist and have an awesome 1/4-bore that is capable of LR target shooting, and you should be in a custom rifle for under $1,000 including your initial investment of $450, and the smith work.

Browning A-Bolt II's are excellent actions straight of the factory...There really isn't much (if any) smith work that needs to be done to them to accurize. They are pretty true and straight from the factory, according to my smith.

Like I said, if you don't want it, please pass it along, because I'll rebarrel it immediately with a #17 chambered in .280 Ackley Improved 40*...

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

I wouldn't pass this one up.... 25-06 is a fantastic caliber! Its my favorite cartridge next to the creedmoor. My brother has an A-Bolt chambered in a 280 rem and that gun is a tack driver! 1/2in or under groups with 140's @100 yards all stock off the shelf! You wont be dissapointed with this rifle!

 

[RT2506]

With the rifle being that dirty you know that the past owner did not hurt the bore or crown by cleaning it too much. People can do much more damage to a rifle by cleaning it improperly than they will by ever shooting it. The 25-06 is one of my favorite calibers. I see young guys all the time that think they need a big magnum but find out that the old 25-06 killed deer size game just a well if not better. I would dicker with the gun shop to see if they would drop the price a little but I sure would not leave without it.

For a one load do it all. 115 Nosler ballistic tip, 52 grs H4831 will fill the ticket.

 

[MudRunner2005]

With the rifle being that dirty you know that the past owner did not hurt the bore or crown by cleaning it too much. People can do much more damage to a rifle by cleaning it improperly than they will by ever shooting it. The 25-06 is one of my favorite calibers. I see young guys all the time that think they need a big magnum but find out that the old 25-06 killed deer size game just a well if not better. I would dicker with the gun shop to see if they would drop the price a little but I sure would not leave without it.

For a one load do it all. 115 Nosler ballistic tip, 52 grs H4831 will fill the ticket.

Growing up as a man, you are always taught that bigger is better, it's part of our DNA makeup. And I'll admit, I was the same way...I went from a .30-30 to a 7mm-08, then to a 7mm RemMag, then to a 7mm STW. And still have all of them, but after seeing how much meat the STW ruined at close range, I decided to hunt with the 7mm RM again. LOL

However, about 5, almost 6 years ago I bought my first 1/4-bore (Weatherby Accumark in .257 Wby Mag), and took it out the first time and drilled a big ole doe with it. Externally you don't see much impressive results (pin-hole entrance, dime-sized exit)....Cut it open and you will see what 3,460 fps with a 110gr Accubond will do. The heart and both lungs looked like a pot of strawberry jam. You couldn't find a piece bigger than your thumbnail. She ran probably 35-50 yards tops, right back into the thicket and I heard her crash like the Titanic. Quick, painless, and ruined no meat. After that, I was hooked, and became a believer that shot-placement was more important than the size of the bullet you're shooting at them.

I agree....Try to talk them down to $350....$400....But even if they won't budge....I'd still not hesistate to give them $450 for it.

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

Growing up as a man, you are always taught that bigger is better, it's part of our DNA makeup. And I'll admit, I was the same way...I went from a .30-30 to a 7mm-08, then to a 7mm RemMag, then to a 7mm STW. And still have all of them, but after seeing how much meat the STW ruined at close range, I decided to hunt with the 7mm RM again. LOL

However, about 5, almost 6 years ago I bought my first 1/4-bore (Weatherby Accumark in .257 Wby Mag), and took it out the first time and drilled a big ole doe with it. Externally you don't see much impressive results (pin-hole entrance, dime-sized exit)....Cut it open and you will see what 3,460 fps with a 110gr Accubond will do. The heart and both lungs looked like a pot of strawberry jam. You couldn't find a piece bigger than your thumbnail. She ran probably 35-50 yards tops, right back into the thicket and I heard her crash like the Titanic. Quick, painless, and ruined no meat. After that, I was hooked, and became a believer that shot-placement was more important than the size of the bullet you're shooting at them.

I agree. You dont need all the power that people think they need. I shot a 312 lbs black bear with the 6.5 creedmoor and what a mess that made of his insides! Similar results, small entrace hole and because of the way he was angled i lodged the 140 a-max in his opposite shoulder. He never made it 20 yards. His lungs were pretty much just a pile of mush.

 

[ksubuck]

Thanks all for the replies. Appreciate them. Seems like we all go the same route when building our arsenals. Start with the venerable 30-30, move up to the whizzbang mags, then settle down with some maturity. I sit with a 223, 243, 270, 7mm RM, 30-06, 325 WSM, and 338 WM in bolt actions. Missing the 25 and 26. Kinda like golf clubs, huh. Used to joke with my best hunting buddy that we needed caddys.

Bad news, I snoozed and lost. Gun went out the door this morning and I didn't get back til this evening. I promise I will be on the trigger quicker next time. They did have a Rem 700 ADL new at same price, but I want the long barrel...