New Guy with a couple of ????s about Browning A-Bolt

[snugg56]

Hello All, my name is Doug and I am new to the site. I am an avid hunter and I own quite a few guns. I am in the market for a new rifle and have a couple of questions that can hopefully be answered.

I am looking for a gun that I can shoot at least 300 yards. I have decided on a 300 WSM. I have also narrowed it to a Browning A-Bolt but dont know which model.

The two models I have narrowed it down to are:

300 WSM Stainless Stalker- 23" barrel, 6.6lbs 6 oz. and has an overall length of 42 3/4"
http://www.browning.com/products/catalog/firearms/itemdetails.asp?value=001B&cat_id=035&type_id=008&item=035008346

300 WSM M-1000 Eclipse- 26" barrel, 10lbs. and has an overall length of 45 3/4"
http://www.browning.com/products/catalog/firearms/itemdetails.asp?value=001B&cat_id=035&type_id=007&item=035007346


Will the longer and heavier barrel make that much of a difference?
Which one will be a better gun for hunting since one is quite a bit heavier and a little longer?
Does the BOSS system improve accuracy as much as they claim?

Any and all info would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Doug

[hossdaniels]

I went with the 270 win stainless stalker when I went through this a few months ago. It is just for whitetails, so I didn't need anything bigger than a 270. It is very accurate without the B.O.S.S. I shoot baseballs at 450 yards to show off to my buddies. I believe the BOSS does work, but no better than finding ammo your rifle likes(I went through 10 different brands/weights). If you do get the BOSS use the CR version to save your eardrums. The Eclipse will most likely be a bit more accurate, but will never be enough of a difference to make up for the extra weight.

[Jimro]

Will the longer and heavier barrel make that much of a difference?
Yes, even a short magnum needs a longer barrel to really shine.

Which one will be a better gun for hunting since one is quite a bit heavier and a little longer?
Depends on whether you hunt from a stand or do a lot of still hunting or stalking. I like a heavier rifle to mitigate some recoil.

Does the BOSS system improve accuracy as much as they claim?
Yes, but they really don't claim that much, and if you don't know what you are doing then adjusting the BOSS to get your optimum barrel harmonics for a load is going to be an exercise in frustration. BOSS will make a good barrel/load combination better, but not "one ragged hole" on the target.

Jimro

[snugg56]

Thanks for the replies and keep em coming.

I live in Florida and hunt in NC and Al. I usually hunt out of tree stands and occasionally ground blinds. I would like to make a trip one day out west to do some spot and stalk hunting for Mule deer or Elk though

I have heard from some people that the short mags dont need as long of a barrel because of the way they are designed, but I have also heard some people say the exact opposite of that.

I want a gun that I can shoot 350 yards with confidence and consistency.
Will the 23" barrel do that?
On one hand I am a little worried that the shorter barrel wont give me the results that I want. On the other I am worried about the inconvienence of a bigger gun in a stand.

[Clayfish]

Since it's for hunting I would definatly go with the stalker. The weight difference is huge and lugging a 10 lb (12 with a scope) into the woods and up a stand will not be fun. You need a rifle that you can manuever quickly in the stand and while walking in the woods. The stalker will be plenty accurate enough for hunting at 300 or so yards. You made a great decision by going with the Browning BTW.

[hossdaniels]

When shooting past 250 yds, it is really the shooter knowing the range, wind, and hold over more than the actual rifle that makes hits or misses. The stainless stalker in that caliber should be good to atleast 500-600 yds if you put in the time to learn what you and your rifle are capable of.