Author Topic: Browning A Bolt Shotgun  (Read 3967 times)

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Offline BIG JAKE

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Browning A Bolt Shotgun
« on: March 12, 2011, 02:58:17 PM »
Does anyone own one? If so how well do they shoot? Thinking about buying a new one.
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Offline 6x6 elk

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Re: Browning A Bolt Shotgun
« Reply #1 on: March 14, 2011, 05:04:31 AM »
I have the synthetic stock version. These are great Slug Guns, they feel like a rifle when you put them up to your shoulder. the tolerances are alot tighter than the Savage 210, and I have never had an ejection issue. It shoots the 3'' accutips and the Federal 3'' Tipped Expanders at 1 to1.5'' groups all day long. They are pricey but you wont' be looking to upgrade in the future.

Offline BIG JAKE

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Re: Browning A Bolt Shotgun
« Reply #2 on: March 14, 2011, 07:35:17 AM »
Thanks for the info. They are going for 1200.00 msrp. That's why I was asking before I dropped the cash. I always wanted one and browning brought them back this year. Thanks again.
squeeze it, don't pull it!!!!

Offline SHOOTALL

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Re: Browning A Bolt Shotgun
« Reply #3 on: March 14, 2011, 07:39:03 AM »
My buddy has one but it dosen't shoot better than my savage 210 .
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Offline Varmint Hunter

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Re: Browning A Bolt Shotgun
« Reply #4 on: March 14, 2011, 04:33:21 PM »
My buddy has one but it dosen't shoot better than my savage 210 .

That seems to be a fairly common observation. I like the Browning but it doesn't shoot well enough to justify the cost - actually, some much cheaper shotguns shoot better.

I use an 11-87 with the Rem fully rifled cantilever barrel. It will shoot between 1.5-2.5" @ 100yds. Actually shot a .75" group once, but what does "once" mean? Plenty of accuracy for a shotgun and the gas operated action absorbs recoil too. Works for me.

Offline LanceR

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Re: Browning A Bolt Shotgun
« Reply #5 on: March 15, 2011, 02:43:23 AM »
Jake, I've never I've never owned the Browning and only got a chance to fire one of them.  It didn't seem to shoot any better than either of my Savage 210F slug guns but I didn't get a chance to try different loads and slug guns can be even more finicky than centerfire guns with different varieties of ammo.  I have no idea if it's owner had tried a wide variety of loads or just grabbed the first one he found.

I can tell you that the Browning trigger was a whole lot better than the quite heavy Savage triggers.  Both my 210s had 7-8 pound triggers.  Not bad as to creep and over travel but heavy.  I had a local gunsmith who has a national reputation for making slug guns shoot like centerfire rifles do a trigger job on one of the Savages and he brought it to the  glass rod breaking" weight of 4-1/2 pounds.  I wanted that weight so I could feel the trigger with heavy gloves and cold hands.  It really helped ($54 cost).  The gunsmith (Dave Klotz of Weedsport, NY)  liked the Savage so much he bought one.  It is worth noting that he holds some patents on slug gun accessories and improvements and his shop modifies several hundred slug guns each year.  I figure that is a pretty good testimony for the Savage.

Savage has no intention of redesigning the 210 to accept the Accu Trigger (I asked).

When the Savage 220 slug gun, with the Accu Trigger, came out I bought one of the very first ones.  It had light firing pin strikes and some ejection issues.  After repair it has been great.  As far as I can tell it was an early production issue that has been fixed.

The 220 shoots 3/4 to 1 MOA groups with the Federal Barnes 5/8 ounce Tipped Expanders.  It weighs 3/4 of a pound less than the 210, has the Accu Trigger and has a pretty good recoil pad.  Add in the 165 yard 6" mean point blank range (slug  no more than 3" above of below the line of sight) and the much lower recoil and I think you might want to take a good look at them.   The Savage would leave a lot of cash in your wallet, too.

Savage recommends trying three loads that have proven consistently good groups.  Mine like the Federals and Dave the gunsmith was getting softball sized 100 yard groups with the same load.  He tried several loads and found one that punches 1 MOA groups.  It just goes to show the value of trying every slug load you can get your hands on until you find a good load.

This last deer season I took 5 shots with the 220 and hung up 5 deer.

Hope this helps.

Lance

Offline jjas

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Re: Browning A Bolt Shotgun
« Reply #6 on: March 15, 2011, 05:06:27 AM »
I wasn't aware the new Browning A-bolts were out yet.  I know dealers are taking orders for them but haven't seen one anywhere.  It should be a shooter (as the old ones were) and the new ones have a faster twist barrel to better handle today's faster saboted ammo.

As far as the Savage 210, it has been replaced by the new Savage 212.  Like the 20 gauge 220, the new 212 has a removeable 2 round clip and the accutrigger.



Offline SHOOTALL

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Re: Browning A Bolt Shotgun
« Reply #7 on: March 16, 2011, 03:20:37 AM »
I wasn't aware the new Browning A-bolts were out yet.  I know dealers are taking orders for them but haven't seen one anywhere.  It should be a shooter (as the old ones were) and the new ones have a faster twist barrel to better handle today's faster saboted ammo.

As far as the Savage 210, it has been replaced by the new Savage 212.  Like the 20 gauge 220, the new 212 has a removeable 2 round clip and the accutrigger.
Its your fault I need a new one now !
If ya can see it ya can hit it !

Offline jjas

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Re: Browning A Bolt Shotgun
« Reply #8 on: March 16, 2011, 06:13:46 AM »
I wasn't aware the new Browning A-bolts were out yet.  I know dealers are taking orders for them but haven't seen one anywhere.  It should be a shooter (as the old ones were) and the new ones have a faster twist barrel to better handle today's faster saboted ammo.

As far as the Savage 210, it has been replaced by the new Savage 212.  Like the 20 gauge 220, the new 212 has a removeable 2 round clip and the accutrigger.
Its your fault I need a new one now !


So do you need a new 212 or a new A-bolt? ;D 

Offline BIG JAKE

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Re: Browning A Bolt Shotgun
« Reply #9 on: March 16, 2011, 06:32:20 AM »
Thanks gentlemen. I think I'm going for the A-Bolt. Always fall for the prettier ones.
squeeze it, don't pull it!!!!

Offline nimrodder

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Re: Browning A Bolt Shotgun
« Reply #10 on: March 16, 2011, 01:33:12 PM »
Don't blame you a bit 8).
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