New guy here I posted on Scout about which 6.5 creedmoor hunting rifle I should get and I'm leaning heavy towards the xbolt hells canyon speed from Browning. I got a lot of suggestions for a Tikka, but still no feedback from anyone who's actually shot the Browning. I really like the look of the rifle as I'd end up getting some kind of cerakote done on my next rifle anyways. It is factory glass bedded and I really like the action with the short throw bolt. My question comes down to has anyone here actually shot these guns and witnessed what kind of accuracy they are capable of?Â
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Browning Hell's Canyon Speed
- Thread starter DustyRoads91
- Start date
I haven't seen any out in the wild yet to look at. I will weigh in on your general choice if I may. The Xbolts are great factory rifles. I don't think I've known anyone to have an innacurate one. However, there just isn't that much aftermarket support for them to justify buying one when there's so many better choices.
If you really like the Browning, I'm sure it would make a very serviceable rifle. Just realize there's better choices out there for less money. Triggers, barrels, accessories etc will all be severely limited.
If you really like the Browning, I'm sure it would make a very serviceable rifle. Just realize there's better choices out there for less money. Triggers, barrels, accessories etc will all be severely limited.
Yea thats a good point Yoteski, I have a model 700 I've modded quite a bit with aftermarket parts. And I'm a big AR guy so I'm all about putting my own stuff together but after handling this browning everything from the weight to the trigger felt fantastic so I'm hoping I wouldn't need to change anything. I'm more or less just wondering about how it shoots.Â
What do you want from this rifle? Will it be strictly a hunting rifle or do you plan to build on it for target or competition. Like Yote no experience with the hells canyon but the xbolts in general are pretty rifles relatively smooth action and no after market support. Accuracy is good for a hunting rifle but don't expect sub MOA as a rule. These make a nice hunting package and is easy minute of deer for close to medium range hunting. I would second the Tika or look through the rifles for sale. If you are looking at an affordable 6.5 for distance shooting the Savage LRP is an excellent budget gun
I own an X-bolt in .223 and it's an absolute tack driver. I thought the exact same thing with it too. Perfect trigger for me. Great weight. Good bolt/bolt handle. I've handled the Hells Canyon speed and I'd love to own one also
Spock, this is going to be my main hunting rifle so I don't necessarily need sub MOA but I figured with the 6.5 cartridge it should still be relatively close. I'll be using it to hunt elk so I want to make sure it's going to hit right where I aim because shot placement is going to be key with those tough bastards.Â
Alberta, thanks for the feedback I really loved the weight of it too. That's one of the key things I'm looking at is it is relatively low in price compared to some of the higher end lightweight rifles like fierce or the kimbers. 6 and a half pounds give or take with light weight rings and I already have a super light leupold vx6 3.5-18 I plan on mounting on it so I'm hoping it'll be < 8 pounds fully loaded which is perfect for packing around the woods all day.Â
Should fit the bill nicely then. They are pretty and smooth! Just be aware sub moa factory pencil barrels are not a given by any means. That being said it should be plenty accurate for your needs. Having shot a lot of elk with every thing from a 22-250 to a 338 LM the 6.5 creed is at the low end IMO for a lot of western elk hunting. Shot placement is key but those big suckers can really soak up the damage. Good luck and enjoy the new rifle.
Gotcha yea I'm a little worried about elk hunting with the 6.5 but have had a lot of guys tell me that it'll do just fine. I took my first bulk with a 7mm mag and it dropped like a rock but the 6.5 is a lot smaller so I guess we will see how it goes. I'm pretty confident in my ability to place a good shot just hope there is enough bullet there to finish the job. Otherwise I'll be going back to a bigger gun. I like the idea of a 6.5 so that when I'm not hunting I can screw around shooting 1000 yard dingers without blinking an eye.Â
Lots of hunting rifles being introduced in 6.5 CM these days. I recently bought one of the Sauer Classic 100 XTs in 6.5 CM waiting on bases and rings to arrive now. Not sure how the new X-bolts shoot, but I've got an old A-bolt in .270 thats sub-MOA as long as I don't let it get too hot.
101 I have heard that the a bolts are really accurate rifles from quite a few guys. That gives me a some confidence that the xbolt should be accurate too. I played around with one again today at a gun shop and I'm thinking unless somebody can give me a compelling reason not to get one my mind's made up.Â
As already mentioned as a pure hunting rifle I think they're quite nice, I'm actually planning on picking one up in 300wm. I like having a flush mount yet removable mag and the fact that it's already cerakoted from the factory is nice. My buddy has a regular X-Bolt in 7-08 and it's easily sub MOA for the first 5 shots. After that the light barrel heats up and it starts to open up. They also do a version with it in a McMillan Game Scout from the factory if you felt like you wanted a better stock.
SNAFU yea I looked at one of those in the McMillan stock I think it's the long range edition or something. They are a little heavier than the speed edition. Not sure if you guys saw it but they are releasing a limited edition version this year call the xbolt pro that looks pretty badass. But they want quite a bit more for it, more than I'd like to pay for a factory rifle.Â
My brother has a speed in 308 that is easily sub MOA. He shoots reloads but everything he has shot out of it has been submoa. The trigger is a good factory trigger. User adjustable. I have his at just over 2#. No pre-race and break is on the end. Very little over travel. Well balanced rifle. I have an xbolt 7mm that is very accurate
That Browning will serve you well. For elk , I would recommend a bullet known for penetration, Barnes TTSX , Accubond ect. 6.5 will take elk with a well placed shot , I wouldn't feel under gunned with the right bullets.
6.5 leaves less margin for error on Bull Elk. Just keep in mind the velocity and energy at the distance you plan on hunting .
While vital hits are vital hits, if Im shooting Bull Elk at 500 yards plus, it's with heavy 300wm projectiles. I owe that to them if I've decided to engage them that far away.
While vital hits are vital hits, if Im shooting Bull Elk at 500 yards plus, it's with heavy 300wm projectiles. I owe that to them if I've decided to engage them that far away.
I have been a 6.5 shooter for close to two decades using the .260, which has a small velocity edge on the 6.5CM. I would not recommend either for Elk beyond 300-400yd.
The critical issue is not about shot placement; and choosing a specific chambering because of accuracy is missing the point.
The critical issue with hunting bigger game is terminal energy delivery. A hunter should be able to deliver the shot ontarget regardless of chambering, and only then does chambering choice make the difference, specifically in delivering adequate energy to that point of impact.
The same rifle is available in .30-'06, and I would much prefer that chambering out of respect for the animal; it deserves a swift and reliable kill. If you're not handloading, then at least invest the time and effort into the accuracy evaluation of available factory ammo that is built around a bullet with reliable expansion at the expected impact velocities.
I'd start my testing with Hornady Precision Hunter 30-06. It's a cruise missile with serious energy delivery capability.
I know from my own experience that the .30-'06 can deliver significantly sub-MOA accuracy performance at 200yd out of a 22" sporter barrel in a Winchester Model 70 Featherweight. The handload used is Rem brass, 48.1gr of IMR-4064, Win WLR Large rifle Primer, and the Sierra 165gr GameKing. Your results might vary, but I don't think by much; as the same load with the 168SMK was developed as a clone for Federal FGMM 168gr Match, and performs as intended. That rifle and load (168FGMM) took 4th place in the NJ State Sniper Championships in 1997 shooting off a bipod. No, it's not a max load; it's an adequate load with impressive accuracy, which is what I think you're actually looking for. On deer, it flat out works for me.
The topic's subject rifle looks like a very good one; and for Elk, the chambering escalation should be a reasonable choice. Recoil is going to be a factor, but should not be an issue with a hunting rifle. I suggest .30-'06 because I believe it is a good compromise between terminal performance and recoil. The real issue with recoil is that too much discourages the volume of practice that a good shooter needs to engage.
My own choice of deer rifle is a Model 70 .30-'06 Featherweight, and for Elk, the chambering would not be a smaller one.
Greg
The critical issue is not about shot placement; and choosing a specific chambering because of accuracy is missing the point.
The critical issue with hunting bigger game is terminal energy delivery. A hunter should be able to deliver the shot ontarget regardless of chambering, and only then does chambering choice make the difference, specifically in delivering adequate energy to that point of impact.
The same rifle is available in .30-'06, and I would much prefer that chambering out of respect for the animal; it deserves a swift and reliable kill. If you're not handloading, then at least invest the time and effort into the accuracy evaluation of available factory ammo that is built around a bullet with reliable expansion at the expected impact velocities.
I'd start my testing with Hornady Precision Hunter 30-06. It's a cruise missile with serious energy delivery capability.
I know from my own experience that the .30-'06 can deliver significantly sub-MOA accuracy performance at 200yd out of a 22" sporter barrel in a Winchester Model 70 Featherweight. The handload used is Rem brass, 48.1gr of IMR-4064, Win WLR Large rifle Primer, and the Sierra 165gr GameKing. Your results might vary, but I don't think by much; as the same load with the 168SMK was developed as a clone for Federal FGMM 168gr Match, and performs as intended. That rifle and load (168FGMM) took 4th place in the NJ State Sniper Championships in 1997 shooting off a bipod. No, it's not a max load; it's an adequate load with impressive accuracy, which is what I think you're actually looking for. On deer, it flat out works for me.
The topic's subject rifle looks like a very good one; and for Elk, the chambering escalation should be a reasonable choice. Recoil is going to be a factor, but should not be an issue with a hunting rifle. I suggest .30-'06 because I believe it is a good compromise between terminal performance and recoil. The real issue with recoil is that too much discourages the volume of practice that a good shooter needs to engage.
My own choice of deer rifle is a Model 70 .30-'06 Featherweight, and for Elk, the chambering would not be a smaller one.
Greg
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The Hell's Canyon barrel is 22" and I like my 6.5 CMs to have at least a 24"er. And this would be especially true if hunting Elk with it, which I don't. As others have said you won't find the aftermarket support is as broad as for other platforms. A few others to look at in this price range are the T3 CTR and the Bergara, especially the HMR. The Bergara also has a 22" barrel but being a Remmy clone you will find it easy to upgrade and find a smith to work on it. I can never leave rifles as-is but you may find the Hell's Canyon is configured perfectly for you.
Greg, thanks for taking the time to post all that info on another option, I used to hunt deer with my dad's 30-06 I think it's a good caliber. Like you and Tyler stated the range for a clean kill is going to be lower than the cartridge is capable of going but I don't ever plan on taking a shot further than 300 yards anyway as the area that I hunt is pretty wooded and I've never had a shot opportunity that extended beyond 200 yards. And just personally Im not comfortable enough yet with my ability to accurately dial into an elk past that anyways, I just haven't had enough range time yet at those distances. I like the 6.5 because it will give me the opportunity to increase my long range shooting skills however I am fully aware of its limitations for killing clean past a certain distance
I know I'm late to this thread but I'll add my .02. Bought my son an x-bolt and I have the BAR. Both 30-06. Shoot both. As my son played alot of baseball my shooting and hunting was not active for 20 yrs. Getting back into it and spending time at the range. Regular X-bolt are great hunting rifles. My BAR/me out shoot the X-bolt/son..but I out shoot him for time being anyway..lol. That being said, you cannot shoot strings of rounds out of either. When those barrels heat up, accuracy is non existent. So if you want a range gun that is also a hunting gun, you better have patience. Also makes it hard to test reloads in a single day...for me anyway.
Great shooters first couple mags.
I love them and would love to shoot more so I'm looking at the X-Bolt HC Long Range with McMillian Stock. It has medium heavy barrel so I should be able to shoot longer at range and take it on shorter hunting trips which most are lol.
I looked at the Christensen Arms Ridgeline but the internal mag is set to SAMMI standard COAL so playing with reloads sounded iffy.
If anyone has the xbolt long range McMillian I would love to hear about it. Again..my .02 summation on Browning X-Bolts (regular barrels): Great Shooters but not range rifles.
Great shooters first couple mags.
I love them and would love to shoot more so I'm looking at the X-Bolt HC Long Range with McMillian Stock. It has medium heavy barrel so I should be able to shoot longer at range and take it on shorter hunting trips which most are lol.
I looked at the Christensen Arms Ridgeline but the internal mag is set to SAMMI standard COAL so playing with reloads sounded iffy.
If anyone has the xbolt long range McMillian I would love to hear about it. Again..my .02 summation on Browning X-Bolts (regular barrels): Great Shooters but not range rifles.
I have both the HC speed and the HC long range with MCM stock. The speed I chose the 300 short mag and the LR MCM I went with 300wm. Both are under an inch 5 round group guns. These are strictly hunting rifles for me. The LR MCM wears a TB ultra 7 suppressor with a Kahles 624i gen3 and the HC speed is just the brake and a Razor Gen2 3-18. For hunting, you can't get much better out of the box. Cerakote, glass bed, threaded barrel, detachable mag, fluted barrel, the stock, etc. Last year I built up a Remington 700 300wm for hunting and by the time GAP was done with it, it was much more money and lended the same accuracy. Bottom metal with inlet, threading barrel, external bolt release, trigger, complete cerakote, Etc. The LR MCM came with the 20moa base and also had the QD cups in the stock. And the browning with the ATACS is a plus for me also.
With the speed, the groups do start to open up after the first 3-5 rounds. But if your hunting, who is putting 5 rounds for a 1moa groups on game at distance? If you can't get it done in 1-2, your not doing something right. The HC speed will be my high country woods gun, and the MCM is my more open country rifle. I'm in CO and here in the West, there are opportunities from 20 yards out as far as you wish. 700 meters is my personal comfortable limit on large game. I practice on 10 inch circle plate and go for consistent first round hits anywhere on the plate.
I started buying / building higher quality rifles after I had a 300 inch + bull at 550 yards and did not take the shot as I was not confident in my setup. That was 7 years ago, and I would never turn down that shot again. Obviously I practice at further distance then this and my rifles with hand loads are dialed in. These x-bolts I have 100% confidence in taking those shots.
FYI.. I can load my rounds OAL longer in the Browning, then I can with the AICS 300wm mags or my Magpul AI spec mags in the Remington.
With the speed, the groups do start to open up after the first 3-5 rounds. But if your hunting, who is putting 5 rounds for a 1moa groups on game at distance? If you can't get it done in 1-2, your not doing something right. The HC speed will be my high country woods gun, and the MCM is my more open country rifle. I'm in CO and here in the West, there are opportunities from 20 yards out as far as you wish. 700 meters is my personal comfortable limit on large game. I practice on 10 inch circle plate and go for consistent first round hits anywhere on the plate.
I started buying / building higher quality rifles after I had a 300 inch + bull at 550 yards and did not take the shot as I was not confident in my setup. That was 7 years ago, and I would never turn down that shot again. Obviously I practice at further distance then this and my rifles with hand loads are dialed in. These x-bolts I have 100% confidence in taking those shots.
FYI.. I can load my rounds OAL longer in the Browning, then I can with the AICS 300wm mags or my Magpul AI spec mags in the Remington.
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Just picked up the X-Bolt Western Hunter / Blued Barrel 6.5 Creedmoor. Same gun as the Speed, same stock, same trigger, 22" barrel w/ muzzle break. You loss some sexy factor, No fluting or Cerakote, but save around $250. Browning site show both rifles at 6.5 pounds, would have thought the Speed would have a few ounces advantage with the fluting (maybe barrel profile?). I used the $250 I saved and applied it to a Vortex Razor.
It does love the ELD-X 143gr. in Precision Hunter. I did experience the groups opening up without a decent cool down. Best group was .515 ...worst 1.262 (hot barrel with one flyer, user error is not out of the question) Average even with the flyer .925 with 5 - 5 shot groups. I'll take that all day.. I am extremely happy with this rifle, first time I pulled the trigger my initial thought was I had an under charged round... nope they all shoot that soft. I was actually looking for a Bergara B14 HMR but I have no issues at all toting around 3 less pounds with the X-bolt.
It does love the ELD-X 143gr. in Precision Hunter. I did experience the groups opening up without a decent cool down. Best group was .515 ...worst 1.262 (hot barrel with one flyer, user error is not out of the question) Average even with the flyer .925 with 5 - 5 shot groups. I'll take that all day.. I am extremely happy with this rifle, first time I pulled the trigger my initial thought was I had an under charged round... nope they all shoot that soft. I was actually looking for a Bergara B14 HMR but I have no issues at all toting around 3 less pounds with the X-bolt.
My brother has this same set up except with a Zeiss. Having similar results with the 143. I'm going to have access to a 1200 yard range starting this Sunday so I'm excited to try his 6.5 western hunter/ eld 143 combo at some extended ranges.
Hi guys,
I have a 300 Win Mag HC Long Range.
With factory ammo, I've tried Hornady Superformance 180gr SST, Hornady 200gr ELDX, Winchester Interbond 180gr and 185gr Browning BXC Controlled Expansion 180's...
The rifle seems to consistenly put out groups around 1 MOA, but often put out 1.5 MOA groups like today with a tail wind at 100 meters.
It's not BAD, it is more than capable as a hunting rifle out to 500 meters which is what I got this for however it's not what I'm exactly satisfied with... I'll have to hand load surely to squeeze out the performance that it should be offering.
What WEIGHT and brand projectiles have you had luck with in your 300WM HCLR's???
Thanks
I have a 300 Win Mag HC Long Range.
With factory ammo, I've tried Hornady Superformance 180gr SST, Hornady 200gr ELDX, Winchester Interbond 180gr and 185gr Browning BXC Controlled Expansion 180's...
The rifle seems to consistenly put out groups around 1 MOA, but often put out 1.5 MOA groups like today with a tail wind at 100 meters.
It's not BAD, it is more than capable as a hunting rifle out to 500 meters which is what I got this for however it's not what I'm exactly satisfied with... I'll have to hand load surely to squeeze out the performance that it should be offering.
What WEIGHT and brand projectiles have you had luck with in your 300WM HCLR's???
Thanks
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Had the muzzle brake changed out for the Terminator T2 black, rear ported brake fitted by a local smith along with having the trigger lightened to about 2.5 pounds.
Now, with the Hornady Superformance 180gr SST rounds it's much happier with good results to 500 meters.
Got a box of 178gr 30cal ELD-X projectiles on the weekend so will begin hand loading these however it's a much different rifle with the more effective T2 brake... Cut recoil by a massive margin, much easier to shoot well from prone.
Group is 3 rounds at 100 meters (109yd).
Now, with the Hornady Superformance 180gr SST rounds it's much happier with good results to 500 meters.
Got a box of 178gr 30cal ELD-X projectiles on the weekend so will begin hand loading these however it's a much different rifle with the more effective T2 brake... Cut recoil by a massive margin, much easier to shoot well from prone.
Group is 3 rounds at 100 meters (109yd).
My old man just bought a hells canyon long range McMillan in 6mm creedmoor. It shoots Hornady precision hunter like it is loaded for the rifle. We only put 20rds through it. 3 rounds to sight it in and the rest to play with. We worked over a 12” plate at 750 yards.
The action is nice. I like the short and light bolt lift. The trigger is okay for a hunting rifle. The bedding job is horrible but the rifle shoots just great anyhow. The magazine doesn’t give positive feedback when it is inserted. You better do a good push pull to make sure that thing is seated. We had it pop out a couple times while firing.
I wouldn’t want to pay the hefty price tag for the long range model but you couldn’t hardly have a better hunting rifle.
The action is nice. I like the short and light bolt lift. The trigger is okay for a hunting rifle. The bedding job is horrible but the rifle shoots just great anyhow. The magazine doesn’t give positive feedback when it is inserted. You better do a good push pull to make sure that thing is seated. We had it pop out a couple times while firing.
I wouldn’t want to pay the hefty price tag for the long range model but you couldn’t hardly have a better hunting rifle.
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