Rifle Review: Browning X-Bolt 2 Speed SR in 6.8 Western

Is your rifle fully set up and ready for hunting season? That's a question all too many hunters don't ask until it's nearly go-time. This episide addresses rifle choice and scope selection, how to mount your scope for best performance, crucial accessories like an anti-cant scope level, rifle sling, and bipod, and how to set the complete system up properly. ENJOY!   FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars. VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:  www.browning.com www.barnesbullets.com www.timneytriggers.com www.leupold.com www.onxmaps.com www.silencercentral.com https://www.portersfirearms.com/ www.siembidacustomknives.com https://javelinbipod.com

What causes some cold-bore shots to go astray? And can a good rifleman eliminate them? This episode discusses bore condition, barrel quality, clean-bore shots, and the human element, debunking myths and providing practical solutions to overcome unexplained first-shot misses. ENJOY!    FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars. VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:  www.barnesbullets.com www.timneytriggers.com www.onxmaps.com www.silencercentral.com www.leupold.com https://www.portersfirearms.com/ www.browning.com www.siembidacustomknives.com https://javelinbipod.com

Folks, I've fielded a lot of questions about this rifle—so here's a 15-minute bonus rifle review for you. This is the build project I did last year to create my ultimate .280 Ackley Improved custom mountain rifle. It was built by my old friend Steve Pratt of Elk Meadow Performance, using the following components:  Defiance Anti-X action Proof Research 22" 1:8-twist Sendero profile carbon-fiber barrel Timney Elite Hunter trigger Hawkins Precision "Hunter" bottom metal Proof Mountain Hunter stock Leupold VX-6HD 3-18x44 scope It turned out wonderfully... Weighs right around 7.5 pounds ready to go up the moutain!     

Recorded raw in the field off coastal Alaska, this episode takes place hunting from the Venturess, a fishing/hunting boat operated by Alaska Premier Sportfishing. Even though we experienced constant rain, wind, and cold, our group of 7 hunters managed to take 4 great bears, plus our limit of halibut, rockfish, king salmon, and several yelloweye.  My daughter Sophie turned 12 on the boat, right after taking the biggest bear anyone in our family has ever shot! She dropped it with a perfect 251-yard shot after stalking up the Alaska coastline. Color me proud.  This is a long episode full of great stories and details of planning, gear selection, hunt methods, unexpected challenges, and of course rifle, cartridge, bullet, and optic selections. ENJOY!    FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars. VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:  www.browning.com www.barnesbullets.com www.timneytriggers.com www.leupold.com www.onxmaps.com www.silencercentral.com https://www.portersfirearms.com/ www.siembidacustomknives.com https://javelinbipod.com

How do you pick the right hunting mentor? And how do you distil what gear you really down to a practical setup? This episode is all about being a practical hunter with solid (but not expensive) gear, and about learning from real-deal hunters rather than popular, trendy influencers. Guest is Tate Bradfield, owner of Process Based Hunter. He's a young but savvy hunter with a world of experience. ENJOY!    Sign up for the 3-day Elk Hunting Boot Camp, co-hosted by Joseph von Benedikt on-site in southeastern Idaho.    FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars. VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:  www.browning.com www.barnesbullets.com www.timneytriggers.com www.leupold.com www.onxmaps.com www.silencercentral.com https://www.portersfirearms.com/ www.siembidacustomknives.com

RIFLE REVIEW! For the first time ever, Weatherby's excellent new Model 307 action is available with a carbon-fiber stock and a carbon-fiber-wrapped barrel. It's called the Alpine CT, and is a wonderful lightweight hunting rifle.  I took one chambered in 7mm PRC to New Zealand this spring, and was real impressed. It's reliable, accurate, ergonomic, and has all the features I like in a backcountry hunting rifle. And for what you get (custom-level action & trigger; high-end carbon-fiber stock; carbon-wrapped barrel) it just might be the best value on the market. ENJOY! 

How good are modern monometal hunting bullets? All-copper and copper-alloy designs have undergone a lot of evolution in the past couple decades, and are becoming more and more popular. This episode takes a deep dive into the primary performance characteristics of the type, focusing on:  Killing effectiveness Accuracy potential Different expansion mechanisms Long-range capability Barrel fouling and how to manage it How to choose the right bullet for your specific hunts We talk through the specific performance features of bullets by Barnes, Hornady, Hammer, Nosler, Federal and others, and detail what each is particularly good for.  ENJOY!    FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars. VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:  www.browning.com www.leupold.com https://www.portersfirearms.com/ www.siembidacustomknives.com www.onxmaps.com www.barnesbullets.com www.timneytriggers.com www.silencercentral.com https://javelinbipod.com  

Are the .308 and .30-06 similar in performance? Or are they actually quite different? This episode takes a deep dive into the performance and characteristics of each cartridge, in an effort to determine which is the better hunting cartridge. ENJOY!    FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars. VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:    www.timneytriggers.com www.onxmaps.com www.silencercentral.com https://javelinbipod.com https://www.portersfirearms.com/ www.leupold.com www.browning.com www.barnesbullets.com www.siembidacustomknives.com  

Browning's new X-Bolt 2 Speed SR may be the best hunting rifle on the market in it's price bracket. This video takes a deep dive into just why that is. Showcased is a 6.8 Western version, along with the factory ammo it shoots best. ENJOY!   FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute to help keep the podcast living! 

This episode covers the gear we take for spring bear hunting on Alaska's rugged coastlines, and details exactly why each specific item is chosen. From game bags to rifles, we cover it all!  We filmed as we discussed each item in the pile of gear, so if you want to put eyeballs on them, head on over to our new Backcountry Hunting Podcast YouTube channel and give us a like and subscribe!  ENJOY!   FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.   VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:  www.browning.com www.barnesbullets.com www.timneytriggers.com www.leupold.com www.onxmaps.com www.silencercentral.com https://www.portersfirearms.com/ www.siembidacustomknives.com https://javelinbipod.com