TexasSportsman
Well-Known Member
I traded for a Browning X-Bolt with a composite stock. The bolt was hard to cycle, the bolt release was very stiff and the magazine wouldn't seat properly. The previous owner(s) really over torqued the front screw to the point the composite stock compressed that it wouldn't decompress when the screw was removed. My gunsmith fixed it with an aluminum sleeve machined and fitted to the stock so the screw cannot be over torqued.
Composite stocks are great for reducing weight for the shooter and makes lots and lots of money for the gun companies because its very cheap to make stocks using the molded injected plastic method of manufacture. But they are plastic and when that front screw is over tightened the plastic will compress and not decompress to original when the screw is removed.
I felt my gunsmith billed me a reasonable amount to correct what some #$@%&^ newbie did to the rifle. Torqueing tools are a necessity when working on cars, aircraft, motorcycles, firearms and anything else worth money out of your pocket. Don't tighten a screw, bolt or nut until you believe it will hold, do the trick or is close enough for government work.
Do it right the first time with the right tools/equipment or pay someone who knows what they are doing to do it for you. I am not a gunsmith and I found one that I can trust to do it right.
The X-Bolts are fine and accurate shooters. Now that the issue has been resolved and verified at the range minor adjustments to windage and elevation I feel much better about the whole situation.
Composite stocks are great for reducing weight for the shooter and makes lots and lots of money for the gun companies because its very cheap to make stocks using the molded injected plastic method of manufacture. But they are plastic and when that front screw is over tightened the plastic will compress and not decompress to original when the screw is removed.
I felt my gunsmith billed me a reasonable amount to correct what some #$@%&^ newbie did to the rifle. Torqueing tools are a necessity when working on cars, aircraft, motorcycles, firearms and anything else worth money out of your pocket. Don't tighten a screw, bolt or nut until you believe it will hold, do the trick or is close enough for government work.
Do it right the first time with the right tools/equipment or pay someone who knows what they are doing to do it for you. I am not a gunsmith and I found one that I can trust to do it right.
The X-Bolts are fine and accurate shooters. Now that the issue has been resolved and verified at the range minor adjustments to windage and elevation I feel much better about the whole situation.
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