Recommend a Gunsmith for Browning X-Bolt

[Family Man]

Have 2 Browning X-Bolts That I want to re-barrel in 338 Rem Ultra Mag and 243 Ackley.

Who has experience with Browning's actions? These are hunting rifles.

 

[Family Man]

Still looking for a Smith.

 

[LightFoot]

MG Arms
Spring, Texas


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Formidilosus]

Still looking for a Smith.

@Shooter71 is the best smith I’ve used, and I’ve used most.

 

[JohnyRingo]

Have 2 Browning X-Bolts That I want to re-barrel in 338 Rem Ultra Mag and 243 Ackley.

Who has experience with Browning's actions? These are hunting rifles.

I just had Straight Jacket Armory in Evanston, WY rebarrel an XBolt for me with a new Bartlein 2B. They were the only ones that I contacted that would touch that job.

 

[kevlar88]

I have an x-bolt in 300 win mag that shot incredibly well for about 400 rounds and then unexpectedly went to crap real quick. I tried everything to make is shoot straight again and it just wasn't happening. I decided to re-barrel and ordered a prefit from McGowen also chambered to 300 win. I ordered an action wrench and barrel vise because I like to tinker and I didn't want to throw a ton of money at a smith. I already didn't have a lot of money in the rifle so I didn't care to much if I destroyed that action with playing around and experimenting.

Long story short, if I can do this in my garage, any smith that says they can't work on a browning I wouldn't trust to work on rem 700 or even pump gas into my truck.

The McGowen barrel spun right on and head spaced perfectly, now the rifle is back to shooting wonderfully.

 

[drumjunky91]

@kevlar88 hey man, I know this is an older post but what action wrench did you buy for your X-bolt barrel swap? I've been scouring the internet and this is the first actual post with pictures and real life results. Much like your original reply, everybody says that smith's won't touch it because the barrels are "on too hard" and that they won't come apart. Like you, I'm not afraid to go for it myself. Just having a hard time finding the correct action wrench size. I've heard 700 standard fits, I've also been told they don't so.... yeah...

 

[Wapiti1]

@kevlar88 hey man, I know this is an older post but what action wrench did you buy for your X-bolt barrel swap? I've been scouring the internet and this is the first actual post with pictures and real life results. Much like your original reply, everybody says that smith's won't touch it because the barrels are "on too hard" and that they won't come apart. Like you, I'm not afraid to go for it myself. Just having a hard time finding the correct action wrench size. I've heard 700 standard fits, I've also been told they don't so.... yeah...

I would suggest the wrench that Brownells sells for this. A Remington wrench can work as well, but doesn't grip as well as a purpose made wrench with flats in the right places. Use heat on the action. Brownings may or may not have locktite on the threads.

I chuck Brownings in a lathe and make a relief cut at the action, then they spin off pretty easy in most cases. Occasionally you'll get a stainless one that is galled from the factory and fights you the whole way out. When that happens, I cut the barrel off at the action and bore it out. Way easier than grunting on a wrench.

You can make a relief cut with a hacksaw if you are careful. Cut about 1/8" deep all the way around the barrel right at of within a sliver of the action.

Jeremy

 

[drumjunky91]

I would suggest the wrench that Brownells sells for this. A Remington wrench can work as well, but doesn't grip as well as a purpose made wrench with flats in the right places. Use heat on the action. Brownings may or may not have locktite on the threads.

I chuck Brownings in a lathe and make a relief cut at the action, then they spin off pretty easy in most cases. Occasionally you'll get a stainless one that is galled from the factory and fights you the whole way out. When that happens, I cut the barrel off at the action and bore it out. Way easier than grunting on a wrench.

You can make a relief cut with a hacksaw if you are careful. Cut about 1/8" deep all the way around the barrel right at of within a sliver of the action.

Jeremy

Please forgive my ignorance, but which wrench exactly? That's my issue, the only one I see listed is for the A-bolt. Are they the same receiver? I don't have an A-bolt to compare my X-bolt. Thank you for the response! That was good info about relieving the barrel, much appreciated.

 

[Northpark]

This is a great thread to stumble on. I didn’t even know anyone mad prefits for an x bolt. I’ve got a 300 win mag that’s only got a few more years of life left in the barrel so I may look into a prefit when it’s time.

 

[Wapiti1]

Please forgive my ignorance, but which wrench exactly? That's my issue, the only one I see listed is for the A-bolt. Are they the same receiver? I don't have an A-bolt to compare my X-bolt. Thank you for the response! That was good info about relieving the barrel, much appreciated.

Sorry, yes, the a-bolt wrench fits the x-bolt better than the Reminton wrench does. Put card stock (business cards work well) in between the wrench and action to keep from marring the finish.

Leave the bolt in when you snug the wrench onto the receiver and crank on it. It supports the receiver and helps keep you from distorting it when you snug the wrench. Don't get too western with the torque on the wrench bolts, something like 15ft-lbs is plenty. On a Winchester, Mauser, Enfield, you remove the extractor then put the bolt back in. I've seen a couple of receivers ruined after a ham fisted hillbilly crushed the ring with an action wrench. You're also distorting the ring on the barrel threads that you want to move easily. Kind of self-defeating.

Don't use 90ft-lbs to put the barrel back on with. Use 20-40ft-lbs. Or basically, touch, and give it one good snug up. That will hold fine and you can just use a big adjustable wrench next time for an action wrench. People think it needs a lot of torque. Hand tight is really all you need, the torque is just to keep it from vibrating loose. Systems like the switch lug wouldn't work if you needed torque.

Jeremy

 

[drumjunky91]

Sorry, yes, the a-bolt wrench fits the x-bolt better than the Reminton wrench does. Put card stock (business cards work well) in between the wrench and action to keep from marring the finish.

Leave the bolt in when you snug the wrench onto the receiver and crank on it. It supports the receiver and helps keep you from distorting it when you snug the wrench. Don't get too western with the torque on the wrench bolts, something like 15ft-lbs is plenty. On a Winchester, Mauser, Enfield, you remove the extractor then put the bolt back in. I've seen a couple of receivers ruined after a ham fisted hillbilly crushed the ring with an action wrench. You're also distorting the ring on the barrel threads that you want to move easily. Kind of self-defeating.

Don't use 90ft-lbs to put the barrel back on with. Use 20-40ft-lbs. Or basically, touch, and give it one good snug up. That will hold fine and you can just use a big adjustable wrench next time for an action wrench. People think it needs a lot of torque. Hand tight is really all you need, the torque is just to keep it from vibrating loose. Systems like the switch lug wouldn't work if you needed torque.

Jeremy

Thank you so much, that's exactly the info I was looking for! Can't thank you enough!

 

[Formidilosus]

Don't use 90ft-lbs to put the barrel back on with. Use 20-40ft-lbs. Or basically, touch, and give it one good snug up. That will hold fine and you can just use a big adjustable wrench next time for an action wrench. People think it needs a lot of torque. Hand tight is really all you need, the torque is just to keep it from vibrating loose. Systems like the switch lug wouldn't work if you needed torque.

Jeremy

Nothing against anything else you wrote, but 20-40 ft-lbs can and will have a zero shift if the barrel gets knocked. This has been shown multiple times, in multiple places.

 

[kevlar88]

@kevlar88 hey man, I know this is an older post but what action wrench did you buy for your X-bolt barrel swap? I've been scouring the internet and this is the first actual post with pictures and real life results. Much like your original reply, everybody says that smith's won't touch it because the barrels are "on too hard" and that they won't come apart. Like you, I'm not afraid to go for it myself. Just having a hard time finding the correct action wrench size. I've heard 700 standard fits, I've also been told they don't so.... yeah...

Yes, I used a 700 wrench. It worked just fine but I did use the the lead shims as you can see in the pictures.

 

[Wapiti1]

Nothing against anything else you wrote, but 20-40 ft-lbs can and will have a zero shift if the barrel gets knocked. This has been shown multiple times, in multiple places.

I have not seen that, but I've also not looked for any studies on it or done any personal testing. This was how I was taught.

Thank you, I'll look into it.

Jeremy