My checkered past

Further to the most recent post about my newly acquired 2020 Browning X-Bolt Medallion Maple hunting rifle, there are a couple of things that need to be done before taking a new hunting rifle afield. The gun needs to be thoroughly cleaned to remove any protective coating applied at the factory. It needs to have a scope mounted and sighted in. And it needs to have the barrel "broken in". Those are the standard "new gun" processes. But there is one other I thought needed to be done to assure the gun is ready for hunting season. 

2020 Browning X-Bolt Medallion Maple in .270

The checkering (that's the cross-hatch carving on the hand contact areas) was obviously done after the stock was finished so it looked raw, leaving the wood porous. I did some googling and found at least one forum that recommended treating the checkering with oil prior to taking the rifle into the field or otherwise subjecting it to the elements.

Per the Browning X-Bolt Owner's Manual: 

MAINTENANCE OF OIL FINISHED STOCKS

Keeping the oil-finished wood surfaces on your firearm looking their best requires only a small amount of maintenance. When the surfaces become spotted or dull, the affected area(s) can be treated using rubbing alcohol on a soft, lint free cloth and allowed to dry. A small amount of a linseed oil-based finish, such as Watco® Danish Oil Finish, Deft® Danish Oil Finish, or Formby’s® Tung Oil Finish should then be applied to the surface of the wood with a soft, lint free cloth according to the manufacturers’ instructions. To treat the checkering, a small amount of oil-based finish can be applied and then distributed evenly using a toothbrush or other soft bristled brush.

Applying an oil finish to the stock's checkering

Given the extremely shiny finish of the wood, I'm not sure my gun is an "oil finished stock". It looks more like a varnished finish. Nevertheless, I decided to treat the checkering as recommended.

My local Ace Hardware had the Watco, so that’s what I used. Toothbrush? Oh, hell no! I used a fine sable filbert paint brush from my oil painting box. I was scared to death that I’d fuck it up, but I was very careful and it seems to have worked out fine. The oil soaked into the wood nice and evenly. I'll give it a couple of days to dry and then see if it needs a second coat. 

Pistol grip checkering on the maple X-bolt

Next project: scope mounts!

There are many like it, but this one is mine.

It's still hot but as the summer starts to wane, I start thinking about Autumn. Fall is my favorite time of year for a lot of reasons, among them it is the start of the hunting season. For the past several seasons I have had the supreme pleasure of carrying my departed uncle's 1990 Browning A-Bolt rifle. It's a magnificent expression of all that the modern deer hunting rifle is: composite stock, stainless barrel, chambered in .270 Winchester. A benchmark rifle. But as this year's season approached, my uncle's grandson (my first cousin, once removed), from whom the A-Bolt was on loan, asked for it back. Well ain't that a kick in the pants.

1990 Browning A-Bolt, Stainless Steel in .270 Win

Actually it's great to have another young member of the family take an interest in hunting, and in the heritage and artifacts handed down to him from his grandfather; and while it was my honor to carry my uncle's rifle, I always knew it wasn't mine, that I was merely a temporary steward. So no spilled milk. But, that meant that I would have only my 1942 Swedish Mauser with which to hunt this year, and it has only iron sights with which my old eyes are having increasing difficulty. Though the 6.5 x 55 Swedish Mauser cartridge is among the very best available for whitetail deer, iron sights are a young man's game and I am no longer young.    

“A good sporting stock should enable the shooter to get a shot off quickly and accurately, and it should also be a thing of beauty” 

                                                                 - Jack O'Connor, The Big Game Rifle (1952)

So obviously there's only one thing to do! Time to buy a new deer rifle! As I set out on my quest, I vacillated between two rifles. My brother has bought several Tikka rifles over that past couple of years, and they are absolute tack-drivers. So I was seriously thinking about the Tikka T3x Forest, which features a lovely roll-over cheek piece on its walnut stock. But then I saw a limited availability Browning X-Bolt Medallion Maple and the damn thing just stole my heart. Though not unheard of, "blonde" maple stocks are pretty unusual on modern rifles - hell, wood stocks are getting to be unusual on modern riles - and they definitely stand out. It was basically a newer version of the rifle I've been using the last few years, which I loved and trusted and it was so beautiful I just had to have it!

2020 Browning X-Bolt Medallion Maple in .270 Winchester

If I had my druthers, I might have preferred the X-Bolt White Gold Medallion Octagon/Maple, but as far as I can tell they are not to be had. No use being greedy. The "standard" Medallion is plenty beautiful and will no doubt serve me well for my remaining years. And given the limited availability of this edition, I'm just happy I was able to get one - it seems the supply (at least those chambered in .270) ran out just about three days after I placed my order. 

As to the "how" of it, I ordered the gun on the web site of the local United Gun Shop. Ordered on August 12, delivered on August 20. I thought that was pretty good - there's a bit of a run on guns right now, what with the ongoing end of the world and all. 

When I went to pick it up, I was gratified that there was a bit of interest shown by the store's owner, himself the recent purchaser of an X-Bolt Pro Long Range Burnt Bronze in 6.5 Creedmoor which he was very pleased to show off for me. He's one of an increasing number of 1,000 yard shooters. His variant has a bi-pod and one of those gigantic scopes with the "extra" side focus knob. And another of the employees came by to ooo and aah over the gun. It does stand out.   

So now that I have the rifle, I have to put some glass on it and break it in. My non-departed uncle, the younger brother of my departed uncle, has suggested that the only appropriate scope to consider is a Leupold, which I can't argue with. But this season I think I'm going to have to go to war with the army I've got, which in this case is a Nikon ProStaff P3 2-7x 32mm with a BDC reticle. Made in the Philippines, it is from Nikon's budget line. But hey, a shitty Nikon is probably still better than the best Tasco, plus I already have it in inventory. I'll save up for the Leupold and maybe make that next year's acquisition. So it's off to the forest to play with my new gun. Heads up Paddy Mountain, here I come!