Browning releases carbon fiber barrel option for 2024

For 2024, Browning has released what I’ll call an updated version of their X-Bolt line of rifles. Their new version is called the X-Bolt 2, and they are now offering a few carbon fiber barrel rifles. It’s no secret, but I truly love the performance, precision, and accuracy I get from a Browning rifle. I’ve taken Browning rifles to some amazing places over the past eight years.

Check out a full video review below:

In the video, I walk through some highlights of the new rifle, plus I show a 3-shot group at 900 yards, and then I take a shot at over a mile (1,825 yards).

Earlier this fall, I received the X-Bolt 2 Pro McMillan SPR Carbon Fiber rifle in 300 PRC (there are actually nine different X-Bolt 2 models available for 2024). After picking this rifle up, I couldn’t wait to get home and head into my reloading room. I went to work adding 20 MOA picatinny rail and mounted up a Vortex Razor HD Gen III 6-36x56 riflescope.

Before that, I made a quick stop at the office to weigh the rifle on a shipping scale. The rifle, with nothing on it but a bipod picatinny rail, weighed in at 6 lbs. 9.2 oz.

Here is a quick look at the rifle specs:

Browning X-Bolt 2 Pro McMillan SPR Carbon Fiber in 300 PRC

Let’s talk about in-the-field performance

I’ll be honest: Before this year, I’d never personally hunted with a carbon fiber barrel, and I’d never shot a rifle with a barrel this short. My dad has a carbon fiber barrel rifle, and I’ve seen him take a lot of animals with his rifle, but this fall was the first time I had hunted with one myself. I will say, I was impressed!

I got this rifle earlier this fall, around October, and luckily, I had a mule deer hunt coming up. I put round after round down the barrel at the range. I’m sure most people are this way, but shooting perfect groups puts a smile on my face. This rifle was a joy to shoot.

Adam in our office let me borrow his Garmin Xero C1 Pro Chronograph, and I put it out next to this rifle when I was getting it dialed in. I personally love to handload everything, but I figured it would be great to test out the performance with some factory rounds. Below is some data from a 10-shot string using factory-loaded Hornady 225 grain ELD Match rounds:

On my hunt this fall, I took a mule deer with one shot at 350 yards. Hit him right in the shoulder, and he tumbled off a ledge and was down in less than 20 yards. The rifle performed flawlessly!

As mentioned earlier, when doing the video review of this rifle, I decided to stretch out the distance. I thought, why not see what this rifle can do at a distance of over a mile, 1,825 yards to be exact. I had not shot this rifle at a mile before this, I dialed up 70.5 MOA and 3 MOA left. The rock I have to shoot at is roughly 18 inches wide and 12-ish inches tall. The shot made me laugh, I put a round, maybe a couple of inches above the rock! And I have Cody, who was filming, to back me up and confirm that was actually a true first round.

In conclusion

Overall, if you’re looking to pick up a new rifle, you won’t be disappointed when it comes to Browning’s new 2024 X-Bolt rifles. They flat-out shoot!

Be sure to check out all the new 2024 rifles, especially their new Vari-Tech stock with OVIX camouflage that features an adjustable length of pull, adjustable comb, interchangeable grip modules, and overmolded grip surfaces.

5/8”-24 muzzle thread

The model I used had a 22” barrel

A shorter barrel length is optimized for use with a suppressor

Three-lever design

Zero creep, zero take-up, and zero overtravel

Adjustable trigger weight (I was able to set mine to 2 pounds)

6.5 Creedmoor, 308, 6.5 PRC, 6.8 Western, 7 PRC, 300 Win Mag, 300 PRC