Browning T-bolt in 17hmr??

[frank c.]

I have been looking at buying the browning T-bolt in syn.stock,target barrel in 17 hmr cal.Has anyone shot one of these rifles?How accurate are they?Thanks for any info.:)

[Doug Roberts]

Looks like nobody's got one, Frank. You are apparently going to be the test case. Will it be your first HMR?

I've had several HMRs of different brands and all of them have been very accurate. If the Browning doesn't shoot well, it would be the exception, I'd say.

Let us know.

[frank c.]

Looks like nobody's got one, Frank. You are apparently going to be the test case. Will it be your first HMR?

I've had several HMRs of different brands and all of them have been very accurate. If the Browning doesn't shoot well, it would be the exception, I'd say.

Let us know.Thanks Doug,I guess I will be the test model:D I also have a savage BTVSS in 17 hmr that is a tack driver.I ended up ordering a T-bolt in the 17hmr wood stock model verses the syn.stock.The sad thing is it will not be delivered until june:eek:I guess with what is going on in the gun/ammo world I believe they are that far behind on orders.I ordered a browning micro 22 hornet this past Jan.my dealer told me it might be a 1-2 year wait:(

[Doug Roberts]

Thanks Doug,I guess I will be the test model:D I also have a savage BTVSS in 17 hmr that is a tack driver.I ended up ordering a T-bolt in the 17hmr wood stock model verses the syn.stock.The sad thing is it will not be delivered until june:eek:I guess with what is going on in the gun/ammo world I believe they are that far behind on orders.I ordered a browning micro 22 hornet this past Jan.my dealer told me it might be a 1-2 year wait:(

Hope those Brownings are worth the wait! I don't have that kind of patience.

[frank c.]

Hope those Brownings are worth the wait! I don't have that kind of patience.I hear ya doug,I don,t have much patience myself:D I currently own a browning 22 hornet mirco medillion that is a tack driver I hope the other brownings are worth the wait.:D

[Southpaw]

Was making the T Bolt again . I bought a T Bolt 22 back in the 70's . I liked the straight pull push action .
Guess I will have to get to looking .

[george in KY]

i had the new 22lr T-bolt target/varmint REAL NICE rifle shoot great.

[Southpaw]

No wonder I never have any spare cash , You guys have all the right information .
Now I just got to have another 17HMR ..... ;):cool:
I bought a Savage @ wally world . It was 179$ and other than a lousy trigger ... It shoots minute of Gopher right nice. :rolleyes:
The trigger I polished down to a nice 3lb pull . Neighbor bought one , same model # but is different . His composite stock didn't have soft recoil type butt , screws holding action to stock different size , trigger a bit different . And ,,,, The pull was over 9 lbs.
I spent an hour with my dremel a felt tip and a bit of flitz. It now has a nice 3lb 8 oz pull with little creep. I think it would have come down a bit more but he wanted 4 lb.
9 lbs is so bad that one runs out of breath before the trigger releases , then it would jerk off target. Nice now ....
But still, the Browing T Bolt is calling ...........:)

[Southpaw]

Browning , T Bolt Target /Varmint ,Heavy stainless matt barrel , Laminated checked stock , adjustable trigger , 22" barrel . Semi-match chamber, satin finish , sling studs installed. Whoopee !!!
Nikon Buckmaster 6-18 40mm 48MM bell , side focus ,mil dot reticle, matte finish ..... Now for the pain :rolleyes:
Wife will have 2 new chairs for the LR :cool:

[frank c.]

Browning , T Bolt Target /Varmint ,Heavy stainless matt barrel , Laminated checked stock , adjustable trigger , 22" barrel . Semi-match chamber, satin finish , sling studs installed. Whoopee !!!
Nikon Buckmaster 6-18 40mm 48MM bell , side focus ,mil dot reticle, matte finish ..... Now for the pain :rolleyes:
Wife will have 2 new chairs for the LR :cool:
Southpaw,gald to hear you have one on order,they are a sweet rimfire;)

[Southpaw]

Perhaps we can out shoot George Ky ? :D:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :cool:

[Darrel in Minn]

How do these new T-Bolts compare to the old ones in terms of accuracy, fit, finish, price (compareable), and resale? I have seen a few new ones and they are impressive, then I saw an old one and decided I liked the old one better. Darrel

[frank c.]

How do these new T-Bolts compare to the old ones in terms of accuracy, fit, finish, price (compareable), and resale? I have seen a few new ones and they are impressive, then I saw an old one and decided I liked the old one better. DarrelAs far as the old T-bolts that were made in belguim I wonder venture to say they would have a higher resale than the new Japan made T-bolts.I ended up buying the wood version over the Syn.stock.I cannot speak of acurracy yet as my 17 HMR T-bolt will not be here until June.:)

[Southpaw]

My old Belguim .22 had a salt stock . I didn't realize they had a recall on them . I bought a new stock from the company in Calgary Alberta . They had bought up all of Brownings old parts inventory from the Utah group.
The stock was 3 x of what I had paid for the whole rifle in 1970. Lots of plastic even in 1970 , trigger , sights .
The new T-Bolts trigger assembly housing is plastic . the adjustable trigger will go no lower than 3 1/2 lbs . The action is glass bedded , barrel free floated . Initial groups were tight @ 25 yards . 5 shots in a dime sized area . I mounted a Nikon Buckmaster 6-18x40 Side Focus mil dot scope 1/8"clicks.
My17 HMR is a SS semi match chamber laminated stock model . The Plastic stock model has a spare clip mounted in the butt plate. Slick . Spare Clips are $45 ea . Slick double helical 10 round clips . Work flawlesly and pop out nicely.
I have more money in this rifle and scope that any other rim fire rifle I have ever owned .
A bit more work on the trigger and it should be a fine rig. I'm left handed but bought the right handed model . Tried a left handed Savage once and it seemed real awkward. :)

[webfoot56]

bought one of the special run of t-bolts they had this summer called the browning summer blast program---this year it was a special run of t-bolts with a laminated thumbhole stock and a varmint barrel available in 22 magnum and 17hmr in blued or stainless finish. I recently took delivery of mine that had been on order since the first of july. Really nice looking a 17hmr in stainless---was pricey though 797 dollars delivered. I mounted a pentax pioneer in 4.5x14x42AO with weaver #15 bases and medium matte burris signature zee rings. Have not shot it yet--really cold here in iowa right now.

[Eric A]

Some years back...maybe 8 to 10 years ago..I bought a Browning T bolt made in the mid 70s in .22 caliber. I tried various brands of .22 ammo but I could never get it to group better than a 50cent piece at 40 yds.
Finally in fustration I sold it and made 100 bucks or so on the sale.
Tried several scopes on it also ,so I figured I had a dud of a rifle.

I am hearing from several hunting magazines that accuracy on these new T bolts is very good...we'll see. New T bolts are a nice looking rifle as well , good luck... Frank with this new model.....looks like they're made in left hand so I've had my eye on these new models too...:)

[frank c.]

Some years back...maybe 8 to 10 years ago..I bought a Browning T bolt made in the mid 70s in .22 caliber. I tried various brands of .22 ammo but I could never get it to group better than a 50cent piece at 40 yds.
Finally in fustration I sold it and made 100 bucks or so on the sale.
Tried several scopes on it also ,so I figured I had a dud of a rifle.

I am hearing from several hunting magazines that accuracy on these new T bolts is very good...we'll see. New T bolts are a nice looking rifle as well , good luck... Frank with this new model.....looks like they're made in left hand so I've had my eye on these new models too...:)I finally got a scope mounted on the T-bolt Leupold VXII 2X7X33.Its just to darn cold out this time of year to get it sited it,maybe in early spring.:D

[geno]

I have shot one, and use to own one of the older 22 t-bolts. They are very nice, accurate, but the trigger could use a little work. Not bad though...Just got to get use to not bending the bolt so much when I go to eject a round...

[xring]

How do these new T-Bolts compare to the old ones in terms of accuracy, fit, finish, price (compareable), and resale? I have seen a few new ones and they are impressive, then I saw an old one and decided I liked the old one better. Darrel

I like the old ones better because the wood ( to me ) is a lot nicer . Have owned four old T-Bolts which I bought used and all printed the right Ammo to 0.5 inches , 5 Shots at 50 Yards . The Triggers had all been reworked and were very light , and I'm used to under 16 oz. triggers . Wish I knew who reworked those triggers . Kept another new T2 which I have not shot yet . Never had a Salt Stock , but have seen two .

[Doug Roberts]

I'll bet it will shoot! I've had several HMRs and they've all shot very well. I think it's just an inherently accurate round.

[Jim in Mich]

Just took my new T-Bolt 17 HMR out the to zero in the scope and it shoots pretty good. It was windy but seemed to group around an inch or so at a 100 yds. Will probably get a better idea after I get a few hundred rounds down the tube and not shivering my ass off. I sure do like the 10 round mag and the ease of cycling the action. Traded an Anshultz 17HMR for the T-bolt. I didn't like the 4 round mag and the first round I always had to put my hand under the mag and push up to get the first round to feed. The Anshultz was a tack driver though.

[budrichard]

The original Belgium made T-Bolts are boys rifles as the stocks are very small and short. I had one and could not get used to the short stock. Making 22lr stocks small was in fashion for most of the 20th century for most 22 lr because most were used by children or so the makers thought.
The new T-Bolt is designed for an adult. I have the Target/Varmint and there is no way I would chose to shoot a Belgian T-Bolt over this one. I don't have the old one anymore so I can't compare how they shoot but subjectively, the new T-bolt shots much better not to mention the 10 rnd mag capability. I have had only one miss in three squirrel seasons. -Dick

[Army]

Hey guys! It's been a while since I was here last. Nice to see the site is still up and running.

Picked up my new .22 T-bolt Target/Varmint today, and sighted in with Winchester white box. At 25yds, a ragged hole became normal, so I stretched it out to 75yds. Keeping 5 shots well under an inch is easy even that far, so the next target was set out at 125yds.

Now, I'm not going to BS you with tales of benchrest tiny groups, but the T-bolt easily kept all 10 shots to "minute of squirrel head" on a 2" steel ringer.

Very nice piece of wood with some bold figure, with a dab of glass bedding cradling the receiver ring. A gentle beavertail fore-end compliments the fully free-floating barrel, and helps it settle in and ride the bag smoothly. The bolt really locks into the receiver, forcing the round into the chamber tightly. Being new, the action felt very stiff as if all the new sharp edges and burrs were working together against my cocking and reloading efforts. By the end of 400 rounds, the action had smoothed, but was still stiff. I'm not minding that, as I imagine the good tight lockup will last for many years. I still may run some Flitz through it though.

Big disappointment is the trigger. Heaviest trigger pull of any gun in my safe.......EVER! You can adjust sear engagement/over-travel, but there is no user provision to lessen pull weight. Not good on a rifle sold as, and named, "Varmint-Target". The assembly is a seemingly sealed polymer housing, but indications of it being snapped-locked together appear worthwhile to pursue an attempt at reducing the pull.

Still, despite the awful trigger, I am really happy with my very nice looking new pop-gun and its current accuracy potential.

[Dave H]

Bet someone at rimfirecentral.com could be helpful with information on trigger options. I think you'll continue to be pleased with the .17HMR..great round on PDs within its range limits,IMHO.