For 2024, Browning updated their popular X-Bolt line, and unlike so many other companies who update things that already work, Browning knocked it out of the park. The new X-Bolt 2's stock design is smart, fully adjustable, and still looks good when you add things like shims for length of pull. It has a tough Cerekote finish for harsh environments, and the trigger is fantastic.
Browning released several versions of the new X-Bolt 2, and I was eager to test out a long-range target model, specifically the Target Competition Lite. As a lightweight production gun, it would be eligible to compete in several types of matches, and it could be used in the field for hunting, too. I got a chance to spend some time with the new Target Competition Lite and put it through it's paces. Here is my full review.
Browning X-Bolt 2 Target Competition Lite Specs and Overview
Length: 44 inches
Weight: 7 pounds 3 ounces
Barrel: 24-inch Carbon fiber
Action: X-Bolt 2 bolt-action
Trigger: DLX adjustable trigger
Capacity: 10 rounds
Finish: Cerakote
Stock: Vari-Tech composite stock
Chambering: 308 Winchester, 6mm Creedmoor, 6.5 Creedmoor (tested)
Price: $2,739.99
Browning’s Vari-Tech stock is the stand-out feature on the new Target Competition Lite . It’s adjustable for length of pull via a set of internal shims that don’t alter the look of the rifle. The comb height is also easily adjustable on the fly without tools. You can even change out the grip for a different angle. My test rifle shipped with a more vertical grip designed for target shooting.
X-Bolt target guns use AICS-style magazines from MDT and have a metal cage around the magazines to help brace the rifle on a barricade. The rifle also has a section of Picatinny rail up front for a Bipod with an eye drilled into it for a sling swivel.
The Target Competition Lite comes with a carbon-fiber barrel and Browning’s Recoil Hawg muzzle break. The break is extremely effective at reducing recoil and can be easily removed to use the rifle with a suppressor.
Finally, the DLX trigger is one of the best things about the X-Bolt 2. It’s adjustable down to 3 pounds and breaks cleanly and consistently. It’s one of the best triggers I’ve shot on a target or hunting rifle, and it almost feels like your pushing a button to make the gun go off.
Related: Springfield Armory Model 2020 Boundary Rifle Review
How I Tested the X-Bolt 2 Target Competition Lite
First, I mounted a Leupold Mark 5HD 5-25X56 Target Scope and an Atlas Bipod, and then I shot several five-shot groups at 100 yards from a bench rest, using several different brands of ammo and different bullet weights. Then I measured the groups to get an idea of how much precision you could expect from the rifle.
After that, I shot the gun in field positions from the kinds of barricades you’d find in a match. This gave me a good idea of how the rifle would feel in a competition environment. I also shot the rifle supported from standing, kneeling, and prone at steel targets at various distances.
Throughout the test, I evaluated the rifle on how it’s put together. I noted any malfunctions and evaluated features like the adjustable stock and the Picatinny rail for attaching a bipod.
Browning X-Bolt 2 Target Competition Lite Test Results
Overall, the X-Bolt 2 Target Competition Lite is smartly designed and well-put-together. The stock adjustments were easy to make and when locked down, it all felt very solid; it didn’t leave you with a rifle that feels like it's rattling or made out of LEGOs, like some.
The Picatinny rail is nice for mounting a bipod, but I felt like this was a bit of a dated feature. It would have been nice to see a more squared-off forend with a row of M-Lok or an ARCA rail, but you could add ARCA rail to the rifle with a little kitchen gunsmithing. The AICS magazine well worked with the MDT magazine provided, but it was a bit tight for Magpul magazines. I didn’t have any metal AICS magazines to test, but they tend to fit better in all rifles. There were some feeding issues when shooting from the bench, but nothing out of the ordinary for most rifles.
For what it is, this rifle is lightweight—coming in a just over 7 pounds bare—which helped offset the heavy target scope I was using. It handled well during the field shooting portion of the test, which would suggest the rifle would work well for hunting or target shooting. From the bench, the rifle shot really well with some loads, but not so much with others.
It's not unusually for a good-shooting rifle to be finicky about what you feed it, but I suspect the inconsistent results also had something to do with how hot the barrel was getting. Browning’s carbon-fiber barrel is on the thin side and after about five shots it was screaming hot. There was a noticeable mirage in the scope, and I needed to cool the barrel down often between shooting sessions. It's worth noting here that Browning offers a nearly identical rifle, the X-Bolt 2 Speed LR, with a steel barrel, and if I were looking to shoot matches, I'd take a close look at that one.
I shot my best group with a 120-grain load from Sako, which averaged well under an inch. This was a copper solid hunting bullet. Other standby target bullets like the Sierra Match King and Hornady ELD-X didn’t agree with the rifle, but this could just be the particular sample rifle that was finicky. F&S Shooting Editor, Richard Mann, was testing a hunting version of the X-Bolt 2 at the time, and it shot very well and consistently.
Final Thoughts on the X-Bolt 2 Target Competition Lite
For me, the X-Bolt 2 Target Competition Lite falls somewhere between a target and hunting rifle. While it does a some have features you’d expect to find on a target gun, the rifle makes sense for the woods, too. It carries nicely, and I could see it being right at home on a western mule deer hunt.
The biggest issue I had with this rifle was the barrel getting too hot. For a match, this might be a dealbreaker, but in the field, it wouldn’t really matter. And the weight savings you’d get from the carbon-fiber barrel would be a plus while hunting. If you're after a hunting rifle that you can also use in a match, I'd look closely at the steel-barreled version mentioned above. Overall, I think Browning’s new X-Bolt line is a hit, even if this carbon-fiber-barreled rifle may not be ideal for what it's name suggests.
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