Browning BXR—A Load that Could Make Deer Hunters Think

by
posted on September 28, 2016
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
browning_zent_f.jpg

For deer hunters preparing for the season, deciding what ammo to shoot when there are so many excellent options nowadays could be considered a good problem to have. That quandary just got a bit more unsettled for me after a trip to the range to test-fire the new Browning BXR. It’s part of a wide-ranging collection introduced early this year, including centerfire rifle, rimfire, pistol and shotshell cartridges, Browning’s return to the ammunition business after a 35-year absence.

While I got to see the line’s other centerfire offering—BXC (i.e., expansion controlled—in action during a New Zealand stag hunt in April, this was my first serious range work with the BXR (expansion rapid). To gauge the accuracy of the BXR .30-06 155-grain loading, I fired groups from a Browning X-Bolt Hell’s Canyon Speed Edition bolt rifle, the same model we used in New Zealand with the stouter controlled-expansion loads. Given the .30-06’s popularity, I expect it will be Browning’s top-selling rifle number, though in fact there are seven calibers in BXR line, ranging from .243 Win. to .300 Win. Mag. Whatever the caliber, if other hunters get results like I did, this stuff is really going to get a lot of attention.

To cut to the chase, my average for five 3-shot groups at 100 yards was .76 inch. The first group (on the middle bull) was the loosest (getting used to the trigger, perhaps) but after that the rig settled right in, eh? Group 4 (at 9 o’clock) opened a little, but the final cluster (3 o’clock) is back down to just over a half-inch. In my long experience, this is about as good as it gets from an out-of-box production rifle shooting factory ammunition. Now I want to be careful not to fall for a new flame after just one giddy “dance” and so intend to continue getting acquainted and extend the test-firing to a couple more rifles. Even so, a lot of deer hunters—me included, at times—have chosen a pet load based on even slimmer evidence.

Along with accuracy, deer hunters often seek ammo that optimizes fast knockdown. Of course the biggest part of that is shot placement, regardless of brand or bullet construction, but consensus holds that fast-expanding projectiles placed in heart-lung anatomy produce more immediate knockdowns than do tough controlled-expansion (bonded or copper) bullets that penetrate further before mushrooming, if they mushroom at all. Browning Ammunition achieves sudden upset by pairing a tapered jacket with an oversized proprietary Matrix Tip. Forced back on impact, the copper/polymer nose-cone jump-starts expansion at the front where the jacketing is quite thin. However that deformation is checked by the thicker taper at the bullet’s base. As such the BXR is designed to hold together and keep penetrating, most likely achieving complete pass-through. If it works according to plan, I’m predicting very few of them will be recovered from deer-sized game. I’ll also bet that many, if not most, users will have a sure-thing blood trail to follow.

Deer hunters also tend not to pay top dollar for their ammo. In that, they’re being practical, not cheap, because added expense is mostly in the bullet, which, as suggested above, may be counterproductive to on-the-ground expectations. Browning Ammunition is positioned in the mid-price range, a spend quite a few hunters will make for top performance. If you end up using a BXR load for your deer hunting drop us a line to share the outcome. If I get lucky when our season comes in, I’ll do the same.

Latest

LEDE Count Some Quail
LEDE Count Some Quail

Count Some Quail, Tally Some Turkeys

The Arkansas turkey season ended in May, but there’s still good reason for hunters and outdoor enthusiasts to keep the birds in mind when they head out to their favorite hiking trail or drive the backroads of The Natural State. Outdoorsmen who scare up coveys of quail are welcome in the survey as well.

2025 Online Firearm Sales Continue to Grow

While nationwide firearm sales have held steady this spring, guns.com is reporting significant growth, surpassing 10-percent year-over-year gun sales growth in the first half of 2025, according to the company's internal data.

#SundayGunday: Henry Special Products Division HUSH

This week on #SundayGunday, we’re checking out the HUSH Series, from Henry’s new Special Products Division, SPD for short.

New for 2025: Federal’s Personal Defense HST .44 Rem. Mag.

Federal Ammunition has recently added a new HST .44 Remington Magnum “Light Magnum” load featuring a specially designed hollow-point bullet, ideal for those seeking HST performance for self-defense with magnum revolvers.

Utah Wildlife Board Updates

The Utah Wildlife Board approved a few new and updated rules, some of which are necessary after recent legislative changes—including the wildlife management area license requirement for certain counties and the new process for regulating hunting guides and outfitters—along with a few other proposals during a public meeting Thursday.

Member's Hunt: A Tale of Two Moose

This month's Member's Hunt comes from John R. Bean of Tucson, Ariz.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.