Why do people hate Browning Firearms so much

[Buano]

Not a matter of hate---there are just better bolt rifles out there. Kind of like a Chevy 350 engine and a Honda 2.0 liter. Easy to find aftermarket parts to do whatever you want to one. There is a reason for that btw...

Yes, there are better bolt action rifles out there. Most of those cost 3-times what I paid for my first-generation A-Bolt Stainless Stalker. Within the same price range Brownings are among the best available. They tend to shoot better than out-of-the-box Remington 700s and look much nicer than Savages. A Sako 85 is a better rifle than the Browning A-Bolt, but not by much and the cost of the Sako is much more. The same can be said for a Weatherby Mark-V, nicer but more money. Yes, the custom & semi-custom rifles now available should beat any production rifle, but that comes with a price.

I have & have had bolt-rifles of many makes so I'm not one of the people who say the first rifle I bought is the only brand I'll ever own...

The "SLAM" Browning takes on sites like this one is these rifles are normally not the optimal basis for a custom build. Barrels are loc-tited on and custom stocks to fit are few & far between. A 3-lug bolt can be more difficult to get "perfect" than a 2-lugged bolt (but when it's right, it's a thing of beauty). That said, the custom builds based on A-Bolt actions I've seen have been rifles I would love to own.

 

[Silverback7]

"My wife did however, nearly kill me with a malfunction on that rifle. We were bear hunting, she was behind me with one up the pipe locked and loaded with the safety on. We were on our final stalk and we knew we were very very close in tight on that bear. When we next saw the bear we were about 8 or 10 feet from him. The old lady snicked off her safety (she was directly behind me and slightly to the right) and the weapon discharged into the ground. That's
about as close as I want to come untill the good lord calls me home"


If thats the only time your wife ever "almost killed you" you have a pretty good relationship.

 

[CLP308]

My brother has had a BLR in .325WSM and it would shoot .75" groups as long as you could take the recoil. He just bought an Xbolt also in .325 and has gotten even better groups. His BLR was stolen. We shot it at 250yds and were getting 1.5" groups(blr) and he popped a coyote at just over 300yds. I love them but also like my Rem Model Seven.

 

[PLHunter]

I grew up in Morgan, Utah home to Browning's USA headquarters and the original home before being bought out. My mom worked there and we ended up with some browning and Winchester firearms over the years.

I've sold savages, remingtons, and rugers but never one of those brownings I have two a-bolts, a buckmark, and a BPS. The lack of aftermarket support is a self fulfilling prophecy. People who customize don't buy guns because of lack of support and because those types don't buy those guns those guns don't get aftermarket support. It's a shame.

The actions are relatively amazing. Smooth, quick, tight, and cycle well. I have a buddy who just spent a small fortune for custom on what is basically a sloppy savage action... The action fits a million stocks but it sucks. I don't get it.

As far as accuracy goes my experience with 4 browning a bolts is that they shoot as well as remingtons or savages. Not better but about the same. With a custom barrel they shoot great showing that the actions aren't the issue. My tikka is the only gun that shoots noticeably better than the brownings but we are also comparing creedmoor to '06 calibers.
While they get a lot of flack and justifiably so for the pot metal you won't find many guns that have been through more than my abolt 30-06 I got when I was 11. It's been in a scabbard slammed against trees and drug through thick brush. Has deep scratches from Rocky rest on high mountain hunts but worst of all I got bucked off Only to watch the saddle come off and my gun get kicked about 20 feet in the air landing barrel first. Gun still shot straight and nothing broke. So yeah I wouldn't let anyone peer pressure you into hating your browning.

 

[JMW67]

dont know if you noticed the age of this thread

 

[PLHunter]

dont know if you noticed the age of this thread

Lol I swear I saw 2020!!!! Yikes!

 

[shinbone]

Interesting thread. Thanks for popping it back to the top.

 

[Axl]

So the conclusion i have is people DON'T hate Browning that much:
Over 10 years and only 50 comments, and not ALL from haters! LOL

 

[GatorTrapper]

+1 BH
And I'll add that most gunsmiths will not attempt to re-barrel Brownings, as they were never designed to rebarrel. The shank has to be sectioned/cut/milled out from the action.

Wrong. I have pulled several barrels off A and X bolts w/no relief cut. Warm up the receiver ring to melt the adhesive and they come right off.

 

[DJ Fergus]

I have come across on several occasions regarding how bad Browning Firearms are. I was just wondering why people feel that way. What is it that makes Brownings such terrible guns. The price for brownings are pretty high, so why aren't there guns good. I purchased a Browning A-Bolt 300. wsm and i have pulled a few real nice groups at 300 yards with it. I was just curious on why people feel that brownings rifles aren't any good. Im no browning fan im just wondering would it be smarter to sell it and replace it with say a remington or tikka.

I own 2 Remington and love them as well pulling off some nice groups there.

I have a Browning shot gun that I really like. I've owned three xbolts and only have one left. It's not for long range. As far as accuracy, I think there's just as much of a chance to get a Browning Sporter weight rifle to shoot accurately as any other factory rifle such as Remington, Ruger, Winchester, etc.... I think what's being paid for on a Browning rifle is aesthetics and some conveniences. I don't think their barrel making process is any more or less superior than any of the other factory rifles. They have a couple of rifles with hand lapped barrels now. I guess that's a step forward for them.

 

[buckdacious]

I have a Micro Medallion in .284 Win.

First of all, the mag is too short to allow the bullet to be seated anywhere near the lands.

Second, the machine finish in the barrel was atrocious. It fouled so bad, so fast, that I nearly sold it. It would pile up the copper so bad that ripped patches and hours of pushing blueberries were the norm. I paid to have it "lapped" only to find out later that it pretty much just got a scrubbing with JB's bore paste. Eventually it seemed to smooth out and would hold at 1 to 1.25" groups at 100. My dad loved it, and never really shoots, so I gave it to him.

I did kill my best black bear to date with it, and my son, his first antelope.

I like the 60° bolt throw, and the trigger seems pretty good. Just scared of buying another bad barrel.....

 

[Buano]

I have an original A-Bolt Stainless-Stalker, from the very first shipment. I doubt I will ever sell it. It's everything a big game rifle should be: reliable, smooth, ACCURATE, and easy to shoot well, with a very good trigger. I can load it HOT if I want without adverse effect. I have many other firearms that are not Browning, but I would have no reluctance about another Browning. I rank Browning ahead of most other production rifles, and I have many of those other brand firearms. I like Browning!

 

[matt_3479]

I have a Browning shot gun that I really like. I've owned three xbolts and only have one left. It's not for long range. As far as accuracy, I think there's just as much of a chance to get a Browning Sporter weight rifle to shoot accurately as any other factory rifle such as Remington, Ruger, Winchester, etc.... I think what's being paid for on a Browning rifle is aesthetics and some conveniences. I don't think their barrel making process is any more or less superior than any of the other factory rifles. They have a couple of rifles with hand lapped barrels now. I guess that's a step forward for them.

Haha this is a 10 year old post. I have since had a lot of experience with browning and almost all positive