® X-BOLT RIFLE OWNER’S MANUAL
Important operating instructions for: B R O W N I N G ® X - B O LT ® B O LT- A C T I O N R I F L E If you have any questions or comments regarding your new firearm, please contact us. Browning Consumer Information One Browning Place Morgan, UT 84050-9326 Phone: (801) 876-2711 browning.com Please use the space below to record information about your new firearm.
C O N T E N T S P A G E State Warning............................................................................................2 WARNING: You are Responsible for Firearms Safety............................2 General Description and Operation......................................................10 Nomenclature..........................................................................................10 Serial Number.........................................................................................
S TAT E WA R N I N G According to state law, California requires that firearm manufacturers, distributors and retailers include conspicuous, specific warnings with firearms sold in that state. Firearms must be handled responsibly and securely stored to prevent access by children and other unauthorized users. California has strict laws pertaining to firearms, and you may be fined or imprisoned if you fail to comply with them. Visit the Web site of the California Attorney General at https://oag.ca.
Please read and understand all of the cautions, warnings, notices, proper handling procedures and instructions outlined in this owner’s manual before using your new firearm. 1 ALWAYS KEEP THE MUZZLE OF YOUR FIREARM POINTED IN A SAFE DIRECTION EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE CERTAIN IT IS UNLOADED. Never point any firearm at anything you do not intend to shoot. Be extremely alert and aware of all persons and property within the range of your ammunition.
3 WHENEVER YOU HANDLE ANY FIREARM, OR HAND IT TO SOMEONE, ALWAYS OPEN THE ACTION IMMEDIATELY AND VISUALLY CHECK THE FIREARM’S CHAMBER TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT THE FIREARM IS COMPLETELY UNLOADED. Make certain the firearm does not inadvertently contain any ammunition. Remember, merely removing the magazine does not mean the chamber is unloaded. Always keep the chamber empty and the “safety” in the on safe position unless shooting is imminent. 4 ALWAYS WEAR EAR AND EYE PROTECTION WHEN SHOOTING.
HUNTING FROM ELEVATED SURFACES SUCH AS TREESTANDS IS DANGEROUS. Doing so may increase the risk of mishandling a firearm. The following rules should always be observed by you and those you hunt with: Always make certain that the stand being used is safe and stable. Always make certain that your firearm is unloaded when it is being taken up and down from the stand. Always make certain that your firearm is not dropped from the stand, or dropped while it is being taken up or down from the stand.
10 BE ALERT TO THE SIGNS OF AMMUNITION MALFUNCTION. IF YOU DETECT AN OFF SOUND OR LIGHT RECOIL WHEN A CARTRIDGE IS FIRED, DO NOT LOAD ANOTHER CARTRIDGE INTO THE CHAMBER. If your firearm fails to fire, keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction for a minimum of 30 seconds. Rotate the ejection area of the firearm away from you, carefully open the action and remove the cartridge from the chamber. If the primer is indented, the defective cartridge should be disposed of in a way that cannot cause harm.
assume no liability for incidents which occur through the use of cartridges of nonstandard dimensions or which develop pressures in excess of commercially available ammunition which has been loaded in accordance with standards established by the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute (SAAMI).
20 BE CERTAIN YOUR FIREARM IS UNLOADED BEFORE CLEANING. Because so many firearm accidents occur when a firearm is being cleaned, special and extreme care should be taken to be sure your firearm is unloaded before disassembly, cleaning and reassembly. Keep ammunition away from the cleaning location. Never test the mechanical function of any firearm with live ammunition. 21 TEACH AND SUPERVISE FIREARMS SAFETY TO ALL MEMBERS OF YOUR FAMILY, ESPECIALLY TO CHILDREN AND NON-SHOOTERS.
25 DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, ALTER THE TRIGGER, “SAFETY” OR OTHER PARTS OF THE FIRING MECHANISM OF THIS OR ANY OTHER FIREARM EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE DESCRIBED IN THIS MANUAL. We reserve the right to refuse service on firearms that have been altered, added to or substantially changed. Removal of metal from the barrel, or modifications of the firing mechanism and/or operating parts may lead to a refusal of service on such firearms.
FIGURE 1 Bolt Unlock Button “Safety” Bolt Receiver Barrel Fore-end Buttstock Recoil Pad Magazine Trigger Muzzle Magazine Release Bolt Handle G E N E R A L D E S C R I P T I O N A N D O P E R AT I O N The Browning X-Bolt is a bolt-action rifle that operates by lifting the bolt handle, drawing the bolt rearward and then sliding the bolt forward and rotating the bolt downward until it stops. This process takes a cartridge from the magazine and loads it into the chamber for firing.
FIGURE 2 FIGURE 3 “Safety” shown in the on safe position. “Safety” shown in the off safe position. SERIAL NUMBER The serial number of your firearm can be found on the right side of the receiver, in front of the bolt handle. O P E R AT I O N O F T H E “ S A F E T Y ” ALWAYS KEEP THE “SAFETY” IN THE ON SAFE POSITION UNLESS SHOOTING IS IMMINENT. ALWAYS KEEP THE MUZZLE POINTED IN A SAFE DIRECTION. FAILURE TO FOLLOW THESE WARNINGS COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.
FIGURE 4 FIGURE 5 Location of the cocking indicator, shown in the cocked position. Location of the bolt unlock button. DO NOT DEPEND ON THE RED COLOR ALONE TO INDICATE YOUR FIREARM’S SAFETY STATUS. TIME, EXPOSURE TO THE ELEMENTS, AND THE ABRASIVE ACTION OF CLEANING AGENTS CAN ERASE IT. FAILURE TO FOLLOW THIS WARNING COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. C O C K I N G I N D I C AT O R Below the bolt shroud and ahead of the “safety” is a serrated cocking indicator. The indicator is painted red.
operated to unload a cartridge from the chamber with the “safety” in the on safe position. To unload the chamber with the “safety” in the on safe position, simply press the bolt unlock button down and rotate the bolt upward, then draw it completely rearward. INITIAL CLEANING PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION BEFORE CLEANING YOUR FIREARM.
I N S E RT I N G A N D R E M O V I N G T H E B O LT ALWAYS KEEP THE MUZZLE POINTED IN A SAFE DIRECTION. BEFORE INSERTING OR REMOVING THE BOLT, VISUALLY INSPECT THE CHAMBER TO BE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN THE FIREARM IS COMPLETELY UNLOADED. PLACE THE “SAFETY” IN THE ON SAFE POSITION. FAILURE TO FOLLOW THIS WARNING COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. I N S E RT I N G T H E B O LT The X-Bolt rifle comes packed in a foam-padded box with the bolt removed from the rifle.
Press inward on the rear end of the bolt stop and carefully draw the bolt to the rear and out of the receiver. WHEN REMOVING THE BOLT FROM THE RECEIVER, TAKE CARE TO PREVENT THE COCKING INDICATOR FROM STRIKING AND DAMAGING THE COMB OF THE STOCK. AMMUNITION DISCHARGING FIREARMS IN POORLY VENTILATED AREAS, CLEANING FIREARMS OR HANDLING AMMUNITION MAY RESULT IN EXPOSURE TO LEAD AND OTHER SUBSTANCES KNOWN TO CAUSE BIRTH DEFECTS, REPRODUCTIVE HARM AND OTHER SERIOUS PHYSICAL INJURY.
DO NOT TAMPER WITH THE ASSEMBLY SCREW ON THE REAR OF THE MAGAZINE. DOING SO WILL RENDER THE MAGAZINE INOPERATIVE. LOADING WHEN LOADING YOUR RIFLE ALWAYS KEEP THE MUZZLE POINTED IN A SAFE DIRECTION, ALWAYS PLACE THE “SAFETY” IN THE ON SAFE POSITION AND KEEP YOUR FINGERS AWAY FROM THE TRIGGER. FAILURE TO FOLLOW THESE WARNINGS COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. DO NOT CARRY YOUR RIFLE WITH A CARTRIDGE IN THE CHAMBER TO AVOID ACCIDENTAL DISCHARGE.
cartridge rearward into the magazine under the feed lips (Figure 8). Load subsequent cartridges into the magazine in the same manner. FIGURE 8 THE BASE OF EACH CARTRIDGE MUST BE FLUSH WITH THE REAR OF THE MAGAZINE. IF THE NOSE OF A CARTRIDGE PROTRUDES BEYOND THE Depress the follower with the rim of the and slide the cartridge rearward FRONT OF THE MAGAZINE, IT COULD cartridge under the feed lips. CAUSE FEEDING PROBLEMS OR INTERFERE WHEN INSERTING THE MAGAZINE INTO THE RIFLE.
3 Insert the loaded magazine into the rifle by inserting it into the magazine well until it is retained in place by the magazine catch. 4 Load the chamber by pressing the bolt unlock button and simultaneously lifting the bolt handle completely up. Release the bolt unlock button and draw the bolt completely rearward, then push the bolt forward and rotate the bolt handle down. 5 Immediately verify that the “safety” is in the on safe position.
7 Immediately verify that the “safety” is in the on safe position. THE RIFLE IS NOW READY TO FIRE BY SIMPLY MOVING THE “SAFETY” TO THE OFF SAFE POSITION AND PULLING THE TRIGGER. S I N G L E S H O T L O A D I N G D I R E C T LY T O T H E C H A M B E R You may also load your rifle by placing a cartridge directly into the chamber. To load the rifle in this manner, use the following loading procedure. 1 Insert an unloaded magazine into the rifle.
2 Immediately verify that the “safety” is in the on safe position. 3 With a cartridge in the chamber, you need only move the “safety” to the off safe position to make the rifle ready for firing. 4 When ready to fire, move the “safety” into the off safe position, take aim and squeeze the trigger. 5 After a cartridge is fired, cycle the bolt rearward to eject the empty case. If you wish to continue shooting, push the bolt fully forward. This picks up a loaded cartridge from the magazine and chambers it.
ALWAYS INSPECT THE CHAMBER, BARREL AND MAGAZINE CAREFULLY AFTER UNLOADING TO BE SURE ALL LIVE CARTRIDGES ARE CLEARED FROM THE FIREARM. UNLOADING THE RIFLE 1 Open the bolt and eject any cartridge in the chamber. Leave the bolt in the rearward position with the action open. 2 Look into the chamber to verify that it is unloaded. 3 Push the magazine release button rearward and remove the magazine. 4 With the chamber empty and the magazine removed, close the bolt.
The top of the X-Bolt receiver is drilled and tapped for scope bases. Unlike other centerfire rifles, the X-Bolt utilizes four screws per scope base instead of two for attaching each base to the receiver. From the factory, the scope base holes are fitted with filler screws. ALWAYS USE THE CORRECT BASES FOR THIS RIFLE AND THE APPROPRIATE LENGTH SCREWS. 1 Place your rifle in a gun vise or on a table or other safe/secure location with the top of the receiver upward.
8 Tighten the screws evenly, in the pattern shown in Figure 9. This will allow the screws to be tightened with equal pressure. Tighten the screws snugly, but do not overtighten. 9 Mount your scope rings and scope as outlined in the instructions supplied with your scope rings and/or scope. Always make sure you have the proper eye relief. FIGURE 9 1 3 4 2 Tighten the screws incrementally in the pattern shown above.
FIGURE 10 FIGURE 11 Remove the two screws and lift the bottom metal from the stock. Adjust the trigger pull using a 2mm Allen wrench. 3 The trigger pull adjustment screw is located just in front of the trigger (Figure 11). To increase the weight of the trigger pull, turn the adjustment screw in a clockwise direction using a 2mm Allen wrench. To decrease the weight of the trigger pull, turn the adjustment screw in a counterclockwise direction.
WHEN USING A SUPPRESSOR, ALWAYS WEAR HEARING AND EYE PROTECTION. EVEN THOUGH SOUND IS REDUCED WHEN USING A SUPPRESSOR, THE NOISE LEVELS ARE STILL SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO CAUSE PERMANENT HEARING LOSS. BE AWARE THAT USING A SUPPRESSOR INCREASES THE BACK PRESSURE IN THE BARREL WHEN A CARTRIDGE IS FIRED. THE INCREASE IN BACK PRESSURE MAY CAUSE DEBRIS FROM THE CARTRIDGE TO EXIT THE EJECTION PORT OF THE FIREARM AND CONTACT YOUR EYES, EARS AND FACE, OR THOSE OF ANYONE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE FIREARM.
Whether using the thread protector, muzzle brake or suppressor, be aware that your firearm’s point of impact may change as the harmonics of the barrel are affected when changing the weight at the end of the barrel. CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE SUGGESTIONS PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION BEFORE CLEANING YOUR FIREARM. C L E A N I N G PA RT S W I T H S P E C I A L F I N I S H E S Be especially careful when cleaning guns with camouflage, Dura-Touch® Armor Coating and other special finishes.
PARTS, SOLVENTS OR OTHER AGENTS FROM CONTACTING YOUR EYES, RESULTING IN INJURY. KEEP ALL AMMUNITION AWAY FROM THE CLEANING AREA. NEVER TEST THE MECHANICAL FUNCTION OF YOUR RIFLE WITH LIVE AMMUNITION. FAILURE TO FOLLOW THESE WARNINGS COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. CLEANING PROCEDURES Your X-Bolt rifle will function better and more reliably over a longer period of time if it is properly maintained and kept clean.
To maintain the utmost accuracy of your rifle it is recommended you clean the bore with a copper solvent. Modern bullet jackets are made mainly of copper. Residues from copper bullet jackets stick to the barrel and require more frequent cleaning. Magnum calibers will require more frequent inspection and cleaning. Swab the bore of your rifle with a good copper solvent using the manufacturer’s recommended procedure. Browning offers a complete line of products to make cleaning your firearm fast and easy.
7 Wood surfaces can also be wiped with a quality, lightweight gun oil or they can be polished with any quality furniture wax (but not both). CLEANING THE MAGAZINE It is not recommended that the X-Bolt magazine be disassembled. Frequently inspect magazines to determine the need for cleaning as lubricant and dirt will gradually collect in the mechanism. Normally, the magazine should be cleaned after firing 500 to 1000 cartridges. DO NOT TAMPER WITH THE ASSEMBLY SCREW ON THE REAR OF THE MAGAZINE.
MAINTENANCE OF OIL FINISH STOCKS Keeping the oil-finished wood surfaces on your firearm looking their best requires only a small amount of maintenance. When the surfaces become spotted or dull, the affected area(s) can be treated using rubbing alcohol on a soft, lint free cloth and allowed to dry.
SERVICE OR REPAIR If your firearm should require service or repairs, we suggest you first contact a local recommended Browning Firearms Service Center. To locate a service center visit browning.com, contact our Customer Service Department or your Browning firearms dealer for the address of the Service Center nearest you. Otherwise, you may send your firearm directly to our Service Department in Arnold, Missouri.
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