Browning X Bolt GRS

It’s odd how things take off, back in 2012 hardly anyone had heard of GRS Riflestocks of Norway, I saw one, liked it, and bought it for my 6.5 Creedmoor custom and also did an article on it. Next thing they seemed to be a ground swell of interest with more people buying them. Private sales aside GRS seems to have come to the attention of some of the major players, with none perhaps more so than Browning. As a company they need little introduction and in the UK are perhaps best known for shotguns, however they do have some good rifles too.

Their A-Bolt has been around forever and a decent if quirky design it is, I say this as the magazine system is near unique with a hinged floor plate that has a detachable 4-round box mag clipped to it. This I have always felt was its Achilles heel as it never really gained acceptance in the UK, though it’s ergonomic bolt design and ambidextrous, tang-mounted safety gets my vote. In 2008 Browning launched the successor in the form of the X-Bolt, which had more than a sniff of A-Bolt about it, but in a far more streamlined package and a normal DM magazine. Plus a quick unlocking button integral to the bolt.

LIKE IT MORE

I liked the X-Bolt so I bought the Hunter version in 270 WSM and it’s a good gun. Unsurprisingly Browning have been constantly adding to the range with various new models. One that caught my eye last year was the Varmint GRS, which as the name suggest offers a heavy barrelled action in the aforementioned GRS Sport/Varmint furniture. I’m here to say it’s a marriage made in heaven as depending on calibre you can hunt, shoot critters with it or even take it to the range for a bit of paper-punching.

Compared to my Hunter, which is a 100% light sporter the Varmint is a tad more substantial, with a 24”, heavy, fluted barrel threaded 18x1mm at the muzzle. The action remains the same with its steel receiver that comes fitted with Browning’s own bases. The bolt handle is a sort of A-Bolt style though flattened and swept back a little. Useful is the unlocking button at its base! With the action cocked and locked (safety on) press the button and it will open for a safe unload.

I like tang-mounted safeties and the X-Bolt’s does not disappoint, ideally placed for firing hand thumb operation, push forward to FIRE and reverse for SAFE, it does not disturb your shooting grip. Just in front and under the bolt shroud is the cocked action indicator, which can be both seen and felt. Feed is from a detachable, polymer, 4-shot rotary magazine with integral release catch at the front. It feeds from a central position and has to be filled, base-first from the front.

BIG DEPARTURE

The biggest departure is the GRS Sport/Varmint stock. Browning is no stranger to alternative furniture as their A-Bolt Eclipse and Varmint/Tactical attest to. However, the GRS is a little different as it has been designed with pure ergonomics in mind. I also think it looks good too! The butt is L-shaped with the majority of the underside material removed, which gives a sort of gripping hook, useful for prone shooting. Both the butt pad and comb/cheekpiece can be altered for height/length by large, inset (Speed Lock) buttons that give 30mm of adjustment. The former has a Limb Saver rubber recoil pad fitted.

But there’s more, as the pistol grip is a large scalloped shape that is offset 6° to the right to give a comfortable and non-stressed hand/arm position. It feels a bit like a thumbhole but without the top strap. The forend is wide and slightly tapered and offers a decent free-float for just about any barrel profiled. There’s a QD sling stud underneath with a second mounted on the side of the butt.

The inlet is 100% but Browning have also synthetically bedded the action, this is not a new idea for them as all X-Bolts are done this way, but this is perhaps the best job I have seen to date! The all-up weight of the Varmint is 3.7 kg, but add in a decent scope, bipod and maybe a moddy and you are looking at around 12 lbs of rifle! So more a static gun than a handy hunter!

SECOND THOUGHTS

Given the spec Browning only offers the X-Bolt in three calibres: 243 Winchester, 6.5x55 Swedish and 308 Win. Good enough and covering all bases but I’d have liked to have seen 22-250 Rem and 223 Rem too. My tester came in 243, which I’m not a big fan of, though I’d not deny its popularity. However the 24” heavy tube seemed to get the best out of it and if picking a Varmint then I would certainly re-consider that one! On top went my Leupold 4.5-14 x 50 LRT with M1 turrets in Nightforce rings. Ammo was from Winchester with 80-grain PSP, 95-grain Ballistic Silver Tip and 100-grain Power Max Bonded. Plus some Remington 95-grain Premier AccuTip. For a moderator I used the new Wildcat Evolution reflex, this mid-weight/size can worked very well.

The X-Bolt is a well made and presented rifle and showed few bad habits, the bolt is smooth and sure in operation and the magazine fills, fits and feeds easily. Settling behind the rifle you soon appreciate the offset pistol grip and the comfortable hold it offers. Equally setting up the comb and length of pull is the work of seconds. I have two niggles 1 - the trigger was a bit heavy; certainly for a varminter, 2 – the barrel fluting was very shallow and if anything more cosmetic than anything else! It’s here with deeper grooves Browning could have saved some weight without sacrificing consistency or accuracy and maybe even improved barrel cooling.

Taking the action out of the stock showed there’s a single weight adjuster Allan screw on the base of the mechanism. This is lacquered in position, but it can be adjusted a little to reduce the weight. However, as it’s factory set I would say a dab of thread locking compound would be a wise move afterwards! However, Browning will shortly be launching their new, Super Feather Trigger. Breaking at a pleasing 2.7Ibs it will feature on all new X-Bolts.

ACCURATE IS

To be honest and trigger aside the X-Bolt did not step outside one inch with any of the four loads I used and was returning some good figures, doubtless due to the 24” heavy barrel. Neither did it split its groups as lighter weight tubes can often do, with two tight shots and a third that steps out from the group. (See table)

As can be seen energy figures are in general good, which I put down to the longer barrel gaining more speed in most cases. My gut feeling is that the rifle, as with a lot of 243s is leaning towards the lighter/faster loads. A friend of mine who swears by this calibre said try a 70-grain Nosler Ballistic Tip which can run around 3400/3500 fps to give around 1900 ft/lbs. I am being sent Winchester’s latest ammo the Varmint X and the 243 loading runs a 58-grain ballistic tip at a quoted 3800 fps/1875 ft/lbs; we shall see!

Overall a pleasing rifle to shoot, the heavy weight of the package makes it stable so no problems seeing the fall of shot or quarry! But it also makes it a bit much for the walk and stalk hunter! Everything works fine and the new Feather Trigger will be the icing on the cake! I don’t think I’d want a 243 deer rifle, but the GRS layout, accuracy and consistency potential of the heavy barrel etc makes it one to seriously consider. Plus the price makes it almost impossible to ignore, given what a GRS stock would cost you alone; well worth a look!

FOR:Bags of accuracy potential, Superb stock design
AGAINST: Heavy trigger, Weight could be saved with proper fluting
VERDICT:Nice off-the-shelf varmint/precision package, Great price