Range Day with the new Browning T-Bolt 22LR Target/Varmint

[J.Baker]

Been looking around awhile for a nice heirloom grade 22LR bolt gun, but didn't want to spend $1500-2000 on an Anschutz. Somewhere along the way I saw the Browning T-bolts and liked the uniqueness of the configuration, they're available in left-hand, and most reports I read indicate they shoot pretty darn good to. So I bought one a few weeks ago and took her out to the range for the second time today (rounds 51-300).

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v632/MrFurious45833/Gun%20Stuff/DSC00396.jpg

All I can say is that it shoots WAY better than I can, and when the wind cooperates and I manage to keep my Schlitz together it will shoot some really impressive groups for a bone stock factory rifle with a 3-1/4lb trigger.

Wind was gusting pretty good today which made shooting good groups especially tricky, but I did manage a few worth noting.

50 yards with CCI 40gr. Standard Velocity
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v632/MrFurious45833/Gun%20Stuff/th_IMG_1457.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/MrFurious45833/media/Gun%20Stuff/IMG_1457.jpg.html) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v632/MrFurious45833/Gun%20Stuff/th_IMG_1458.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/MrFurious45833/media/Gun%20Stuff/IMG_1458.jpg.html) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v632/MrFurious45833/Gun%20Stuff/th_IMG_1459.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/MrFurious45833/media/Gun%20Stuff/IMG_1459.jpg.html)


50 yards with Norma Tac-22 Ammo
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v632/MrFurious45833/Gun%20Stuff/th_IMG_1461.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/MrFurious45833/media/Gun%20Stuff/IMG_1461.jpg.html) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v632/MrFurious45833/Gun%20Stuff/th_IMG_1460.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/MrFurious45833/media/Gun%20Stuff/IMG_1460.jpg.html) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v632/MrFurious45833/Gun%20Stuff/th_IMG_1462-1.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/MrFurious45833/media/Gun%20Stuff/IMG_1462-1.jpg.html)


100 yards with various ammo
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v632/MrFurious45833/Gun%20Stuff/th_IMG_1455.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/MrFurious45833/media/Gun%20Stuff/IMG_1455.jpg.html) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v632/MrFurious45833/Gun%20Stuff/th_IMG_1456.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/MrFurious45833/media/Gun%20Stuff/IMG_1456.jpg.html) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v632/MrFurious45833/Gun%20Stuff/th_IMG_1454-1.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/MrFurious45833/media/Gun%20Stuff/IMG_1454-1.jpg.html)

[jonbearman]

Is that you in the video with the wood block for cocking savage bolts?

[J.Baker]

Yep - but no, I don't have a southern draw, that was just for dramatic effect. lol

[scooterf79]

Nice! Seems to shoot really well. Definitely a good purchase...even if its not a Savage 😉
Scooter

[Fotheringill]

I have shot the rifle several sessions.

It was surprisingly accurate even though it had a pig of a trigger. Try using ammo that is one shelf above what you have been shooting and the groups tighten up.

Have fun.

[J.Baker]

Trigger isn't bad. No it's not a super light match trigger, but at about 3 to 3-1/4 pounds it's surprisingly crisp with no noticeable creep and very little over travel. I'd hate to see what it could do with a good trigger of 1-1/2 pound or less, but unfortunately nobody offers a replacement trigger for these. Seems the Japanese engineers at Miroku have made all the new Browning and Winchester rifle triggers American-proof.

[J.Baker]

Had the little Browning out to the range again today and it's quickly becoming one of my favorite guns to take shooting. Started out with two 10-shot groups using some cheap Federal Champion ammo to foul up the barrel since I had cleaned it after my last outing. After that I switched over to the Eley Club ammo and got down to business shooting a total of 18 5-shot groups. One group measured in the high 1's. Two groups measured in the 2's, six were in the 3's, and three were in the 4's. The largest group was 0.693", and most of the seven groups that fell into the 5's and 6's had just one shot I pulled left or right with the other four shots in one ragged hole. All groups shot at 50 yards. Average of all 18 groups is 0.439".

Not too shabby for a bone stock factory rifle with a 3-1/4 pound trigger.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v632/MrFurious45833/Gun%20Stuff/DSC00581.jpg
Bottom two targets in the center row weren't included in agg since I screwed up and put 8 in the first one thanks to a guy that kept distracting me while I was trying to shoot.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v632/MrFurious45833/Gun%20Stuff/DSC00580.jpg

Prior to this outting the smallest group for this rifle was 0.221" which was shot a couple weeks ago using Norma Tac-22, but the Eley Club raised the bar today with a 0.187" group. At this point I just need to tighten up the nut behind the butt a little more so it's more consistent from group to group.

[DrThunder88]

Beautiful rifle and great shooting!