Browning x bolt western hunter 26 nosler

My Xbolt Hells Canyon Long Range in 6.5 Creedmoor 1:7 started out with groups like your picture and frustrated the heck out of me until I had about 80 rounds through it. Now using factory loads of several manufacturers I can put 10 rounds under 1" at 100yds and I love it. My 10 and 8 yr old boys love shooting it as a well. The only thing I wish I'd done differently is wait a year and bought the newly released 6.5 prc in same gun... my model was purchased Jan 2018...

My suggestion - based on my experience - is to recheck the things suggested above with action screws and scope, then shoot it. Clean it well (I use jags and brushes). Shoot it more. Repeat. Be safe and enjoy!!

Realized I have a best group photo I can attach.

I won a 28 nosler western hunter at a banquet a few weeks ago, haven't shot it. Like all Browning's looks solid. Barrel surprised me a little on how light the contour was. Few things I would start with is not shooting more than a three shot group, letting it cool down a little longer, and last take your base off count how many turns until front base screw touches tenon, then put your base on making sure it's torqed before touching tenon. Or you might have resort to the 140's. Simple stuff I know, but overlooked by myself more than once. Good luck
Chad

I did check all screws had stock off to lighten trigger. Torqued to factory specs after a couple phone calls to browning and a post on here. I do know that I may have over torqued the scope rings I think I tightened them around 25 inch pounds a found out later that vortex calls for 18. That was going to be my next check was going to loosen and remove one ring at a time to inspect for damage. I did damage a vortex scope by over tightening on another rifle that's when vortex told me 18 inch pounds and no loctight. These are my first two vortex scopes and I can't help but feel that the tubes are a bit soft. I have never used a torque wrench in the past until this rifle and never had an issue but that is with leupold scopes

I hope this is more of a break in problem. I had a guy tell me not to clean the copper every time. Last time I cleaned it I looked in the muzzle with a light and could not see any copper fowl that is why I chose not to run a brush and copper cleaner down it

Gills said:

I hope this is more of a break in problem. I had a guy tell me not to clean the copper every time. Last time I cleaned it I looked in the muzzle with a light and could not see any copper fowl that is why I chose not to run a brush and copper cleaner down it

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Once it is broke in you do not have to remove the copper fouling every time but it is essential to do so during the break in process. Here is a link on how to do a proper barrel break in.
https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/new-barrel-break-in-and-cleaning-methods.160450/

Frog4aday said:

Another thought? Are the action screws torqued properly? I'd loosen them, then torque in the correct order and to the correct amount. A warped action can cause a gun to shoot really poorly.

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Scope, action skrews and crown (check for nicks or uneven crown). Most common problems.
My freind had a new .270 ruger with a skrewed up rifling he didnt notice until he tried every load and couldnt get a winner.

Gills said:

View attachment 127059 ok. So I recently started sighting in a browning xbolt. Western hunter in 26 nosler. It seems to be all over the place. I shoot and wait 8-10 minutes between shots. I always use the same time on a particular day but time varies day to day. Warmer the day longer I wait. I shot a box and half of factory loads 129 able from nosler. All my groups where 3". At least. I will show you a picture and mark my first few shots to get an idea.

After those it seemed to settle in. I did clean the rifle before shooting it every time but just a powder jag through it. So I guess. What I am trying to decide is should I run a third box of factory loads through it before I start working up a load or do I start with reloads now. If I do another box of factory should I try a heavier bullet. I really wanted to shoot the 129s or lighter. Only plan on shooting deer or antelope with it. Any input or suggestions. Also curious if anybody else has jad this trouble.

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I am not trying to insult you or your intelligence, trying to help with your situation. Start with the basics first. Take the scope mounts, bases and rings off the rifle and recheck everything for quality control, rings and bases. Then meticulously make sure that your scope base screws are not bottoming out "before" they can hold the base tight to the rifle's receiver. Check your receiver screws to make sure that they are tightening the receiver to the stock and not bottoming out. Put everything back, locktite a torque everything to specs. If possible either put your scope on another rifle that you know and trust and shoot it on that rifle, or take a scope that you know and trust and put it on the rifle that you are having difficulties with and shoot it. I have a friend who bought a new Winchester model 70 in .270WSM that ran into a similar problem with good groups and then fliers. He was three weeks prior to a mule deer/antelope hunt in Wyoming, he bought that rifle for the hunt and wanted to use it. Eventually we discovered where a scope ring had cracked, scope rings never crack!!!!!!!! I've also had a similar problem with my Ruger 77 in 35 Whelen where I had the front scope ring loosen up, and this was right after I had torqued the scope rings down. Stuff happens.

I will go through everything one more time just to see.

Gills said:

I will go through everything one more time just to see.

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In my opinion I think that is a prudent place to start, a lot of work however you remove any question/doubt of it being an equipment failure. My friend with the .270WSM that I wrote about in a previous response was sweating and starting to question his shooting abilities with his new rifle. I was watching his posture, breathing and let off to figure out if he was flinching or doing something that he should not have been doing, and when he took the shot off the bench I noticed that the rear of the scope moved ever so slightly. I've been shooting a very long time, have never seen a scope ring crack right up close to the base. New rings, new bases and MOA rifle. I hope that this check will take care of your fliers.

There is a strong possibility that your rifle just does not like that particular ammo. I'd jump right into handloading, unless you plan on shooting factory ammo. My LR McMillan shot just ok with factory Nosler stuff, but put handloaded ELD-M's under 1/2" right out of the gate.

Ya was just afraid that I would be chasing my *** with handloads if I have a different problem. I think I have decided to shoot another box or two of the factory loads first I need some more brass anyway and this will have them neck sized ready to run

Gills said:

View attachment 127059 ok. So I recently started sighting in a browning xbolt. Western hunter in 26 nosler. It seems to be all over the place. I shoot and wait 8-10 minutes between shots. I always use the same time on a particular day but time varies day to day. Warmer the day longer I wait. I shot a box and half of factory loads 129 able from nosler. All my groups where 3". At least. I will show you a picture and mark my first few shots to get an idea.

After those it seemed to settle in. I did clean the rifle before shooting it every time but just a powder jag through it. So I guess. What I am trying to decide is should I run a third box of factory loads through it before I start working up a load or do I start with reloads now. If I do another box of factory should I try a heavier bullet. I really wanted to shoot the 129s or lighter. Only plan on shooting deer or antelope with it. Any input or suggestions. Also curious if anybody else has jad this trouble.

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Haven't seen it mentioned here but probably was. Make sure to use thread lock on all scope mounts. Had a freedom arms 454 casuul and let sportsmans warehouse put a new scope on it. Didn't lok tite it. Next thing I see is the scope flying thru the air on the 4th round.

operator1 said:

Haven't seen it mentioned here but probably was. Make sure to use thread lock on all scope mounts. Had a freedom arms 454 casuul and let sportsmans warehouse put a new scope on it. Didn't lok tite it. Next thing I see is the scope flying thru the air on the 4th round.

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Sounds like a little more than a lack of threadlocker played a role here...