Now I may not buy anything!(Or maybe I'll buy a CA Mesa?)

[JeffRaines]

So if you read my original post, sorry for the multiples, I was considering a Browning x-bolt in 280. I ended up going up and taking a look at a few rifles, including the ss xbolt, the hells canyon, a CA Mesa and just noodled with a Kimber MA(as a side note, I hated the MA. even if it was in my budget I couldn't bring myself to pay for that, but thats another story).

I really liked the HC... so much so that I decided I'd just go 7mag and I was planning on picking it up over the next week or two... until I started reading reviews tonight. I didn't see too much negative about the accuracy, but it seems the customer service at browning is lacking to say the least. So. many. complaints. I really like the rifle, but I can't bring myself to pay a grand for something I may or may not be able to get prompt service on... if I get service at all. Some people complained about their rifles not having a warranty whatsoever.

Anyways, I guess its back to the drawing board for me. The Mesa seems intriguing, and they have one in a 7mag and its only slightly more... but then what about long term customer service, and I haven't seen many reviews on these at all... maybe I'll just buy another Tikka, or wait on the new Savages...

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Just get the Browning if you like it. Personally, I'd buy a browning with no reservations, you can find bad reviews about almost anything online and Browning sells a ton of guns so Id bet the number of complaints is proportionate to other companies.

 

[wind gypsy]

Funny thing is you'd probably get significantly less customer service and slower response from many of the popular gunsmiths and smaller shops we spend multiple thousands on a rifle from.

 

[Josh Wright]

I have a 7mm08 that has a Pendleton stock on it in an Xbolt. It was the micro hunter version. I had a sling stud come loose and the gun detached from the sling and cracked the wood stock. You could say this was my fault, browning sent me a new stock no questions asked.

I had a Christensen Arms Ridgeline in a 26 nosler. Also loaded one in 28 nosler for my dad. The stocks did not come torqued appropriately. A little ridiculous for the money you pay for them. I also had issues with muzzle brake threading on the 26 Nosler. They fixed the issue but it took a bit.

I also have a Kimber MA in a 6.5 creedmoor. This is my wife's gun and it has done nothing but surprise me on how well it shoots. She loves it. She is a small frame shooter so it's perfect for her.

For your money, IMO, the hells canyon would he the ticket over the CA.

 

[statikpunk]

I think browning makes a great gun but I have not been a fan of the Hells Canyon. Someone in my family got one in 6.5 creedmoor and it wasnt shooting (close to 2 inch groups with everything we put through it). Upon closer inspection the stock was not free floated enough to keep from touching the barrel, the crown was questionable, and the bedding job was very dissapointing (a very small dolop of bedding was used, I think it functioned but just didn't look like a quality job) Long story short, a hundred or so test rounds, a new crown, and some sanding on the barrel channel and she shoots sub MOA now with bergers and bergers only (slightly over 1 MOA with other bullets, not bad but not great considering it's a pretty stout barrel). talking with the local gun dealer who has sold a lot of them shows that we were not the only ones to get a bad one either. Non of them were major problems and nothing more than you need to do to half the kimbers out there, but it was dissapointing, and I just wanted to let you know my experience.

 

[mmac]

I agree with the other posts that they all have negative experiences. I have a Browning stainless stalker and service is non existent. Kimber I have shoots as well as my coopers. Did have to have a new firing pin, but service was great for me. However, have you thought about a Weatherby Range whatever they call them? I have an old sub-moa and it shoots great. They come with the load they were tested with to get you close and service is great. I don't see any love on boards from them, but the Vanguard is a great value and the range also has the Bell stock. Just a thought to further add to your decision.....

 

[Lawnboi]

Iv been happy with my mesa. I shot the old abolt for years, and honestly didn't really care for it. Only thing I like about browning is the 60* bolt throw. Their newer guns don't appease me what so ever.

The mesa has some pretty awesome features. Trigger is amazing, recoil pad, solid stock, ceracoated, threaded, 700 clone so upgrades are unlimited.

 

[JeffRaines]

I agree with the other posts that they all have negative experiences. I have a Browning stainless stalker and service is non existent. Kimber I have shoots as well as my coopers. Did have to have a new firing pin, but service was great for me. However, have you thought about a Weatherby Range whatever they call them? I have an old sub-moa and it shoots great. They come with the load they were tested with to get you close and service is great. I don't see any love on boards from them, but the Vanguard is a great value and the range also has the Bell stock. Just a thought to further add to your decision.....

I’ve considered it, but I had two of their wilderness models before that I couldnt get to shoot and ended up just selling them. The idea of them are great, and I’m sure if I spent the time to send them back they would’ve been okay but to have two of them with the issue... on top of that I don’t believe that any of them are free floated.

I know a lot of people have great luck with them, I’m just unimpressed.

 

[JeffRaines]

Iv been happy with my mesa. I shot the old abolt for years, and honestly didn't really care for it. Only thing I like about browning is the 60* bolt throw. Their newer guns don't appease me what so ever.

The mesa has some pretty awesome features. Trigger is amazing, recoil pad, solid stock, ceracoated, threaded, 700 clone so upgrades are unlimited.

How does yours shoot? And what is yours chambered in?

 

[Lawnboi]

How does yours shoot? And what is yours chambered in?

300 win mag. Shoots the 3 factory ammo I fed it just well under a MOA out to 300 yards, which is all I was able to shoot this last year. I got it to stretch it out a bit and plan on doing some longer shooting this summer. I prefer shooting it to lightweight kimbers I have at my disposal, actually felt recoil is less than my kimber in 308.

I did get a gen 2 apa micro bastard brake for it to replace the radial for prone shooting, but wouldn't hesitate to shoot it unbraked.

I have no complaints, this gun checked a lot of boxes for me, it shoots well, and doesn't beat me up like a super lightweight gun. Comes with the best factory trigger iv ever felt. I'm a one gun quiver kind of guy and can't see myself upgrading unless I came on some very disposable funds.

It worked great in the field this last year, only thing I short with it was in bow range at 50 yards

 

[JeffRaines]

300 win mag. Shoots the 3 factory ammo I fed it just well under a MOA out to 300 yards, which is all I was able to shoot this last year. I got it to stretch it out a bit and plan on doing some longer shooting this summer. I prefer shooting it to lightweight kimbers I have at my disposal, actually felt recoil is less than my kimber in 308.

I did get a gen 2 apa micro bastard brake for it to replace the radial for prone shooting, but wouldn't hesitate to shoot it unbraked.

I have no complaints, this gun checked a lot of boxes for me, it shoots well, and doesn't beat me up like a super lightweight gun. Comes with the best factory trigger iv ever felt. I'm a one gun quiver kind of guy and can't see myself upgrading unless I came on some very disposable funds.

It worked great in the field this last year, only thing I short with it was in bow range at 50 yards

I was originally considering 300 but felt it would be too much gun. I don’t want something I’m not gonna want to shoot, you know? I’ve shot 7 mag before and on paper it’ll do everything I want it to do farther than I need it to go.

 

[Lawnboi]

I was originally considering 300 but felt it would be too much gun. I don’t want something I’m not gonna want to shoot, you know? I’ve shot 7 mag before and on paper it’ll do everything I want it to do farther than I need it to go.

Understood, in fact I'd like to get one is 6.5 for the wife. The 300 is very tolerable at the weight it is, or the weight mine is at with a nightforce scope and bipod. I wouldn't hesitate to get your cailiber of choice, I got the 300 mainly as a do everything caliber that I can grow into if I have e time and money.

Another reason I went 300 was the ability to shoot lighter monos pretty fast

 

[Josh Wright]

I personally shoot a Fierec Ti Edge 26 nosler. That dude is bad ass. But on his price range, from my experience, I'd pick the xbolt.

 

[JeffRaines]

I personally shoot a Fierec Ti Edge 26 nosler. That dude is bad ass. But on his price range, from my experience, I'd pick the xbolt.

From a feature standpoint I really like the xbolt, I really do. But experiences like statikpunk posted make me really hesitant.

I swear I'm not hard to please - I bought my wife a RAP in creedmoor that I have nothing but good things to say about, even though I had to retorque the action screws and sand the barrel channel... in a $300ish gun, thats perfectly acceptable. It'll stack 140 elite hunters one on top of the other. I haven't bothered trying any other bullets in it... well I take that back, it shoots Hornady precision hunters and barnes LR 127 factory stuff sub moa as well... but bergers are all I loaded.

At $1000, I don't expect it to have any finishing issues. I shouldn't have to sand the barrel channel at that price point, the trigger should be 100%, and it should be able to group more than one bullet type reasonably(by reasonably I mean .75 3 shot group, cold bore obviously). I just feel like I may buy the Browning and end up dissatisfied... I really don't want to be sitting there feeling that way after spending a grand and wishing I had just spent an extra hundred or two and gotten something I would've been happier with.

With that said I'm still up in the air. I really appreciate everyones responses... I don't have anyone I know personally that gets into hunting and firearms in general like I do, and I certainly don't know anyone with the collective knowledge on forums like this, so its nice having people that can share their experience/opinions.

 

[howl]

Yeah, Browning's "we'll fix it if we feel like" is nonsense.

If you want something from one of the companies with a non-warranty, you can get it through Davidson's. They have an over the counter secondary warranty. You have to talk to both Davidson's and the manufacturer to see how their relationship plays out.

 

[JeffRaines]

I wonder how that would work out with an accuracy issue

 

[2five7]

You are putting too much stock into people's complaints, and not enough into other people's good experiences. A small number of complaints shouldn't overrule many more positives.

I own 3 A bolts, and 2 x bolts, no issues with any of them and they all shoot just fine. Best one is a 22 hornet that shoots .25 moa all day, worst one is a .338 that shoots right at 1 moa. Some of them required a good bit of load tweaking, others shoot great with factory or little to no load development.

There is no rifle in your price range that will guaranteed shoot awesome with the first thing you try, and for sure never ever have any problems. Buy what your gut tells you and move on the fun stuff, range time!

 

[Linedawg]

Myself and a friend of mine both have Mesa 7 mags we run 168 Berger vld
Both guns shoot consistent 1/2in groups good fit and finish 0 problems so far
Would not hesitate to buy another one and may in 6.5 creedmoor when funds allow

 

[wannakillabigbull]

Myself and a friend of mine both have Mesa 7 mags we run 168 Berger vld
Both guns shoot consistent 1/2in groups good fit and finish 0 problems so far
Would not hesitate to buy another one and may in 6.5 creedmoor when funds allow

Factory or handloads?

 

[JeffRaines]

Just went and looked at them again. Probably gonna grab the Mesa. Much better fit and finish. Trigger is better as well - the browning definitely had some creep in it. I know Timney is making a trigger for them now, but that’s about the difference in price between the two, if not a little more.