my Mountain Rifle choice

[Litehiker]

Next week I will take delivery on a 6.5 CM Browning X-Bolt Pro. This rifle checks virtually all my boxes for a mountain rifle - without a Home Equity Loan, that is. This is Browning's best hunting rifle, which they call a "semi-custom" rifle.

1. 6 lbs. 1 oz.
2. carbon fiber stock (360 deg. full wrap CF construction)
3. bronze Cerakote on barreled action and CF stock
4. spiral flutes on bolt and bolt handle
5. fluted barrel
6. brake & muzzle cap
7. quality polymer magazine (as opposed to my $45.(!) plastic Ruger American mags.)
8. very good trigger (felt as good as SAKO Model 85 trigger, which is saying a lot)
9. 3 lug bolt
10.locking bolt and bolt unlock while ON safe
11.proprietary barrel lapping

I realize many of you folks have custom mountain rifles but since this rifle was so very close to all I wanted in a mountain rifle and is of such high quality I decided to get it rather than face an interminable wait for a custom rifle. Whaddya think?

Eric B.
BTW, I found the scope I want (MARCH 3 - 24 x 42) but have not saved enough $$ yet. A spendy scope.

UPDATE: Took the X-Bolt Pro out to shoot two days ago (Dec. 7) and my last three zeroing shots were less than 1/2" at 100 yards at my club range.

Then I went to the steel silhouette range and from 212 yards (range is in meters) to 547 yards I rang every chicken pig and sheep or gong on the 1st shot, except one narrow gong at 547 yards that took 2 shots. I AM A HAPPY X-BOLT OWNER!
->140 gr. Hornady ELD-M ammo
->SWFA SS 3 - 15 x 42 scope, FFP, mil/mil, side focus
PHOTO with new Talley matching burnt bronze Cerakote finish and zero target soon.

 

[Barrelnut]

I like your reasoning and choice. Would love to see some posts on how you like the rifle. Functionality, accuracy, etc., vs you expectations.

 

[lancetkenyon]

If it shoots as good as a custom, I am all for it.
I bet with good handloads, it should be a 1/2MOA or better rifle.

 

[cheechin]

I like those Rem LSS Mountain Rifles...they are sharp. They used to make their Mountain Rifles in that and with regular wood, blued barrel and a detachable magazine (DM). That's the one I have in a 280 Rem (actually its still in layaway). I've always been a die hard 270 Win guy but there's so much potential in the 280 and it's, IMO, one of the great underrated cartridges in history. It will send equal weight bullets right on the heels of the 7mm Rem Mag with much less powder.

I was eyeing the LSS myself a while back, but when I was at the gun shop, they had a sale on the DM style....I don't think they're making them anymore and it was too good a price to pass up so I put it in layaway. I like the Browning rifles but personally, I think that one is a titanium and probably gonna cost you at least several hundred more (maybe close to twice the price). My advise: get the Remington Mountain rifle in either 270 Win or 280 Rem.

 

[Litehiker]

Cheech,
I have a Ruger Precision Rifle in 6.5 Creed. for competition so I'm staying with that cartridge B/C I have a ton of brass and 6.5 CM Redding Precision Dies. The 6.5 CM is a very good hunting cartridge, not to take anything away from Jack O'Conner's venerable and deadly 270 Win.

And I did get a good deal on the Browning X-Bolt Pro B/C that lists for over $2,000. MSRP.

Barrelnut,
I absolutely will have rifle pics posted WITH target pics ASAP.

Eric B.

 

[lancetkenyon]

.280 Rem is not "right on the heels" of a 7RM.
But a .280AI is close.

 

[Lee D]

.280 Rem is not "right on the heels" of a 7RM.
But a .280AI is close.

this. a 280AI with a 24" barrel would be well suited as a mountain rifle type setup. but that is correct, standard 280 isn't scaring 7mm rm in terms of performance.

 

[Lee D]

OP, check out the razor LH 3-15. that's the scope i'm eyeballing when I do a lightweight setup. Thinking about doing a 6.5 PRC or potentially a 270wsm

 

[nbowlin]

March makes a good scope and they are not heavy.

 

[Litehiker]

Someone told me about the Bergara mountain rifle. I looked it up and Holy Cow, that rifle has a lot going for the money.

nbowlin,
I'll look at March but they can be spendy. Wish I could afford that Vortex Razor AMG (or a Schmidt & "Bendover").

Eric B.

 

[COBrad]

I just ordered a NULA in .284. A little research and I found a 2.5-8x36 Leupold VXi III from hollandguns.com with their ART reticle and CDS knobs for $975. Stock scope can be found for around $575. Weighs only 11.5 oz.

 

[nbowlin]

Food for budget minded thought. We (Chris with long range customs) took a used factory tikka 300wsm. Pulled the barrel, bolt and had them spiral fluted, a little milling on the receiver, cut the barrel to 22"s, 3 port brake. Left the factory stock......Mcmillan's hunters edge would drop it 7oz.....
With a VX3i it weighs
7 pounds 3 ounces. Ran a 200gr nab with rl 16 at just shy of 3000fps. It's at 1moa and we have just started load development. Looks like it's going to settle in the low 2900's. Pretty cool for something that's affordable for a lot of people.

 

[Litehiker]

@nbowlin,
Wow, I looked at MARCH scopes and their 3 - 24 x 42 is absolutely perfect for a mountain rifle - but alas not perfect for my budget.
It has a great magnification range, is short at just over 13 inches and very light at 21 oz.

But I may save up for it because I have not seen a better mountain rifle scope, anywhere.

Put it on a 5 lb. mountain rifle and you'd have to tether it to yourself to keep the rifle from floating away.

Eric B.

 

[nbowlin]

The glass will ruin a guy for ever using a lot of other scopes. I can't afford one either but my gun smith has customers who have bought them and they are something.