Browning X-Bolt 2 Nordic stainless review: a £1,299 all-weather rifle

Years ago I owned one of the first synthetic Browning A-Bolts, a .243 Win wearing the old Ballistic Optimising Shooting System (BOSS) muzzle device. It was loud, but it shot beautifully. Browning’s current X-Bolt comes in plenty of forms, from long-range models to lightweights with carbon-fibre barrels, yet the plain Vari-Tech version remains a serious option for anyone shopping for a stalking rifle.

It is sensibly priced as well, from £1,299 at the time of writing. This one is the stainless-steel model, which makes it well suited to foul weather and hard use. Could it be the ideal estate rifle? That is what I set out to find.

The Nordic sits within the X-Bolt 2 line-up, and in stainless steel it may well be the most practical of them all.

It weighs a light 6lb 12oz and measures 40.5in overall. The slim 20in barrel is threaded M14x1 for a moderator, and the Vari-Tech stock can be set up to suit the individual.

Compared with the previous X-Bolt, the X-Bolt 2 has a shorter barrel, a spiral-fluted bolt and the new Vari-Tech stock.

I rate the X-Bolt because it gives its rivals at this price a proper contest without any unnecessary frills. It is a rifle built to do a job.

The Vari-Tech stock

What sets this rifle apart visually is the stock, along with metalwork that is stainless throughout. Inside that stock is the new Vari-Tech adjustment system. Of the X-Bolts I have tested, the Vari-Tech is my least favourite to look at, as I prefer the walnut thumbhole of the Eclipse, but it is properly weather resistant and adjusts well, which helps get the fit right.

That might sound unkind. It is simply that, to my eye, black synthetic is about function rather than looks.

Where the stock wins me back is the rubber inserts on the grip and fore-end, which hold far better than most, and the grip insert can be swapped for other sizes and shapes. The back half of the stock is really three pieces: the cheekpiece, the main body and the adjustable rear section.

Take off the soft, grippy 1.25in Inflex recoil pad and you can add or remove the four ¼in plastic spacers supplied, giving a length of pull from 13.125in to 14.125in. The spacers sit inside the stock, so the outline stays clean rather than showing a stack behind the pad. A shorter 1in Inflex pad is sold separately.

Undo two more internal screws and the cheekpiece can be raised or lowered, so the rifle can be made to fit shooters of any age or build. This is my third time with the system and my first lukewarm impression has changed. With every bolt done up properly, it is practical and certainly weatherproof.

Bolt, safety and trigger

The action is more conventional, though there are some welcome upgrades, notably the new spiral-fluted bolt. Its three-lug layout gives a low, smooth lift, helped by the slightly larger proportions of the X-Bolt 2. The stainless bolt is beautifully made, with a bright polished body, deep, wide flutes and a satin handle and shroud. A small polymer guide set into the body runs against the action wall to stop it binding, and all three lugs engage fully. A sprung ejector set into the face works with the side extractor to handle cases reliably.

Handily, the bolt knob unscrews, so other shapes can be fitted to suit how you shoot.

As on every X-Bolt, the safety sits on the tang. Pushed down gently it is silent and locks the bolt. If you need to lift the bolt and unload while the rifle stays on safe, a button on top of the bolt handle lets it open with the safety still engaged.

Browning triggers are generally good, and the new DLX multi-lever unit is designed to cut creep, take-up and overtravel. It gives a crisp single-stage pull, and on test broke at 2lb 8.8oz, lighter than earlier models I have tried but still a safe weight for a hunting rifle.

The all-polymer magazine is another plus. It holds four rounds of .308 Win, will not rust, weighs little and fed reliably throughout.

Barrel and moderator

This stainless model has a 20in barrel, where the blued Vari-Tech I tested recently had 18.5in. Even with the extra length and a Browning Iridium moderator on the end, the rifle never felt unwieldy. The barrel is unfluted, 0.612in across at the muzzle, free-floated, threaded M14x1 and given a satin stainless finish to cut glare.

Accuracy

The rifle was zeroed at 100 yards with a Kite scope and the Iridium moderator fitted before testing began.

First up was lead-free RWS HIT 165gr, which gave solid minute-of-angle accuracy at an average of 2,571fps over three shots, for 2,422ft/lb.

Hornady Superformance SST 150gr is a lead-cored and very quick .308 Win load, and from the 20in barrel it averaged 2,882fps for 2,767ft/lb. Enjoy it while it is still allowed.

Sako Powerhead Blade is lead-free, an excellent all-rounder and a good bullet for home loading too. The 162gr load ran at 2,594fps for 2,421ft/lb and grouped 0.885in at 100 yards.

The Iridium moderator impressed me as well. It is light and cuts the noise considerably, even if it looks a little bulky. Among my own reloads, the light Barnes TSX 110gr over 45gr of Reloder 10X shot very well, at 3,086fps and 2,327ft/lb, into 0.85in.

For a heavier, more traditional .308 load that is still lead-free, the 168gr Barnes TTSX over 43.25gr of Vihtavuori N140 gave 2,588fps and 2,499ft/lb and grouped just inside an inch.

In the field

With the Blade ammunition loaded I had hoped for a rutting roebuck or a young stag, but the scorching summer made it hard work for someone better suited to snow and ice. The stainless metalwork and Vari-Tech stock at least took the worry out of it: I never had to think about scratches or a soaking when crawling through cover.

I called for roebucks in Surrey without success. What did turn up was a lone fox crossing the stubble looking for a meal, and the Blade dropped it on the spot at 117 yards.

I have a lot of time for X-Bolts. They always handle nicely, shoot most ammunition accurately and have proved dependable in the field over many years.

Frequently asked questions

How much does the X-Bolt 2 Nordic stainless cost?

From £1,299 at the time of writing. For comparison, the X-Bolt 2 Distance Eclipse Walnut is £1,539.

What has changed from the original X-Bolt?

A shorter barrel, a spiral-fluted bolt with slightly larger proportions, the adjustable Vari-Tech stock and the DLX multi-lever trigger, which is designed to cut creep, take-up and overtravel.

How does the Vari-Tech stock adjust?

Remove the Inflex pad and the four ¼in internal spacers set the length of pull anywhere from 13.125in to 14.125in. Two internal screws release the cheekpiece so its height can be changed.

How accurate was it?

Solid minute-of-angle with RWS HIT 165gr, 0.885in at 100 yards with Sako Powerhead Blade 162gr and 0.85in with a Barnes TSX 110gr home load.

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Browning X-Bolt Stainless Stalker – the earlier stainless X-Bolt.

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