The Herstal manufacturer has assigned us for testing an X-Bolt with GRS stock and Pro Long Range equipment chambered for the 6,5 Creedmoor cartridge: it is a model that covers the different needs of long-range shooting, range or hunting, where the barrel still maintains its dimensions and weight. The result is a happy compromise for having fun on hunting trips where transport is not yet problematic and you need to engage the game at a long distance, or it is very satisfying in the range where the adjustments of the stock allow you to optimize posture. The first considerations concern the external appearance and the stock of the Norwegian GRS in laminated wood with various shades of gray, dark orange and dark green captures the attention as well as its shapes not exasperated, but perfectly adequate for use in precision shooting. The stock is shaped to optimize the position of the face and the support on the shoulder: we observe the adjustable cheek piece, equipped with precise internal sliders and the rubberized butt plate, both adjustable by means of two large buttons embedded in the thickness of the wood on the right side.
The lower profile incorporates the deep indentation suitable for positioning on the rear pad, the so-called rabbit ears, and later the junction with the massive block of the pistol grip where the finger rests and the enlargement on which the palm stands out stand out. of the hand: in practice, there are similar advantages compared to thumb through stocks, with a greater speed of positioning and rearming, therefore with a particular eye to hunting situations. The continuation appears long and inclined towards the mechanical casing point, as has been normal for some time in specific shooting realizations like this one. X Bolt. The shaft and the consequent shaft under the barrel show a prismatic section with slightly rounded sides and chamfered junction edges with the lower part: the shaft undergoes a slight swelling compared to the shaft to allow a wider support base and therefore more firm in the shooting. precision: the integral plate is recessed in the recess which acts as the magazine filler with the built-in guard.
Castle and shutter
The castle is obtained from a billet of alloy steel, reserving a substantial dimension and an octagonal section for the upper part for the ring and the bridge, while for the lower part it is expected on a semicircle inscribed in the octagon. On the right you can see the ejection window sized in small sizes, below the slot for the magazine is obtained, this much wider given the arrangement of the cartridges in a circle. Basically the processes are not elementary, they require some increase in costs, however they provide considerable rigidity together with an appreciable containment of weight: an advantage not just and today always appreciated.
The ring houses the mortises for the closing lugs and the screw pitch for joining the barrel: during assembly between the face of the ring and the relief placed in the breech of the barrel, a shaped plate is inserted which acts as an unloading prism of the forces while in screwing the headspace is determined precisely, an important factor for accuracy. Externally, in a rearward position on the left side, the rocker lever protrudes for the full stroke extraction of the shutter whose stroke is recorded and facilitated by a synthetic hemisphere, protruding inside the side itself. An integral codetta is the last part of the castle to which is added the shaped base for the two-position safety button. Moving on to the shutter, an appreciable classic setting is highlighted with three fins on the head protruding from the cylindrical body with the innovation of a limited thickness and greater length: there is an adequate mass / resistant area by decreasing the radial depth of the grooves within the ring improving strength and rigidity. Here too, a slightly more expensive process, but of a higher class.
The face, much lowered to improve the support of the cartridge bottom, has the usual firing pin hole, next to the ejection pawl and, between two fins, the recess of the foil base for the reassuringly sized extraction nail. The central cylindrical body shows in this model a surface with helical grooves: in addition to the pleasant visual effect, there is a functional system for the collection of dirt or foreign materials, from the chopped dry leaves to the needles of conifers, from mud to snow in short, everything that can be unexpectedly stop the functionality which, in this way, is ensured. The handlebar is made up of a rounded tapered knob, a cylindrical arm and a ring base keyed onto the main body. The prismatic and shaped cap closes the whole: at its base protrudes, in armament, a chromed sheet with a red bar, also perceptible to the touch. The button safety with two positions blocks the opening, the release and the firing pin: there is a tiny square button, inserted at the root of the handlebar, by pressing which the shutter is released to extract any cartridge in complete tranquility dormitory.
Barrel and trigger
The 61 cm long barrel is distinguished by the tapered profile and the grooves, the muzzle brake with five series of radial holes screwed on a muzzle thread where the section measures 21 mm. A solution that satisfies hunting and shooting with remarkable performance: the broaching rifling is then hand-lapped and the products of royalties of Herstal require no introduction or comment. As for the shot is mounted Super Feather Trigger, excellent mechanism closed between two plates in aluminum alloy with the tops polished and then hard chromed: the rapidity of release and the speed of percussion are excellent; the weight of 1335 g, with the workshop adjustment, is at the top of the factory plants with waste of about ten grams and total absence of defects, equipped with a geometry that combines the safety of a stable positioning of the contrast surfaces and their disjoining away, avoiding any kind of malfunction.
The tests in the polygon
The shotgun deserves a repeated examination to probe more of themselves, given that the yields are constant and of excellent level. The two polygons visited are that of Carrù (CN) for the tests at 300 m and, subsequently, two appearances in that of Pian Neirèt sopra Coazze (TO) for the shots at 600 yards. A necessary premise: we got involved, knowing full well that many others would make better shot patterns, just to see what we are still able to squeeze out of such a shotgun.
Then it should be noted that, especially for the 600 yds, the support on bags of inert material approximates the shooting to that of hunting with the support of the backpack or a rock with the interposition of the hunter; later we used rabbit ears of reduced size. The cartridges used are the Hornady Match which we will discuss later. The climate was fully summer for the 300 m while for the 600 yds we encountered in mid-September a day of light and constant rain with no wind and excellent visibility (it is about 1250 m asl); the second day at the end of October saw splendid weather with clear air and therefore excellent visibility, but with a wind of 2-3 m / sec right across from right to left.
The cartridges: the first supply sees the Hornady Match precisely with the 147 gr ELD® MATCH bullet (# 81501) while in the second the bullet weight varies, down to 140 gr (# 81500). The times tables on the packages indicate a slight lowering of the shot to 500 yds, - 43,2 "for the first and - 44,4" for the second, so let's start hoping that the calibration carried out about forty days before does not play any jokes. Observing the hole that is fairly centered and higher than expected on the tablet comforts us: the rifle “is there”. We repeat a few pitches ending invariably on the left: we have not yet been able to notice the wind present which appears fully to us as soon as we stop in position with our eye on the telescope. A myriad of white particles fly happily horizontally in the direction where the shots go.
We are still of the generation that before touching the turrets sees if it can correct the shot by moving the position of the cross on the target: we mentally calculate the deviation in 35-40 cm and we put the reference so far away from the center. It works! We then read on the turret the click value equal to 7 mm at 100 meters: with the effort of a constitutional antimatic we think about the values involved and define the correction in three clicks, so five minus two, you never know ... The shots go where they should and in the meantime we changed the grip of the rifle by placing, against all our habits, the left hand on the optic with the turret protruding between the fingers. The result will not be a national competition, but it gives us a great satisfaction, especially for being able to read the wind and correct the optics.
At this point we can review the particularities of the shotgun shooting: the maneuvers are all not only easy, but also pleasant to perform as opening and closing the bolt handle, the cartridge that is placed on the magazine's lifting sole without inserting it, is pushed. in the room without finding hitches as happens with other actions. The shot Super Feather Trigger it is truly magical, one of the very few, almost unique, not to make us regret too much a beautiful stecher with two triggers with 250 g of release.
A few words about the Kite Optics KSP HD2 2,5-15 × 56 optics: we owe her an apology because at first glance we didn't credit her with what she really deserves. He gave excellent visibility in any weather, the shots as seen already in the first adjustment going from 300 m to 600 yds and then to hit the last group with the wind, have always proved to be correct and constant; here perhaps for our eye something more than 15x would have helped, but even so, in a decidedly hunting configuration, we managed decently.
The final comment is this: it is a shotgun that we regret making, very sorry.
The author thanks his friends Giorgio Rosso of the Carrù shooting range (CN 347 96 92 677), Marco Cenni & Famiglia of the Les Chamois shooting range in Pian Neirèt (TO - 347 91 61 112) for the exquisite hospitality and Carlo Bonardo of the homonymous armory located in Bra (CN) [email protected], distributor of BWMI
Data Sheet
Producer: Browning International SA - Parc industriel des Hautes Sarts, 3e Avenue, 25, B-4040 Herstal (Belgium) - Tel +32 (0) 4.2405211 - Fax +32 (0) 4.2405212 - www.browning-int.com - built in plant in Japan
Importer: BWMI Italy - Via Parte - Marcheno (BS) fax 030 - 8960236 - [email protected]
Model: X-Bolt GRS Pro Long Range
Type: rifle barrel
CALIBRO: 6,5 Creedmoor (alternatively .308 Win.)
operation: manual repeat and sliding swivel shutter
Castle: closed ring and bridge made from treated steel billet
Shutter: in steel with front head with three fins to grow with respect to the cylinder
canna: 61 cm long - floating mounting
Striker: inside the shutter, with helical spring
Supply: Detachable 4-cartridge packet magazine made of polymer
Triggering device: Super Feather Trigger on Al alloy plates and internal parts in polished steel - single trigger and direct release of particular speed and efficiency - verified at 1335 g (waste between 1318 and 1348 g therefore 2,25%: nothing!)
Extractor: pivoting nail with contrasting internal spring
Ejector: elastic piston in the shutter face
Line of sight: no metal sights
Optical attachments: two bases with screws on ring and bridge
Safety: two-position button on the extension of the castle tail: snap lock, percussion and handlebar - additional button for opening with safety inserted
Stocking: GRS Stock in laminated wood - pistol grip and shaped under barrel - smooth grip fields - adjustable cheek rest and butt pad - pegs for attaching sling or bipod t-shirts
Finishes: Cerakote for the mechanical parts - oil painting of the stock
Weight :: Approx. 3.800 g without attachments and optics
Price: indicative of € 2.190,00 (weapon only, VAT included)
Accessories: synthetic case and padlock to lock the weapon