I must say, choosing a new rifle can be daunting when you want to be sure you are picking the right one without handling and shooting them firsthand. I have used all the action types, just not the particular ones I have been considering here.
The first step is to choose the right caliber for your applications and I feel that while there are better calibers for the big brownies, for
most applications the .30-06 is the best overall choice as ammo is readily available almost everywhere and a rifle with less powerful ammo is better than a rifle without magnum or niche caliber ammo.
The next step was to choose the appropriate action, the single action, while rugged, doesn't allow for quick follow up shots if necessary.
The pump action is a complicated design comparatively speaking and doesn't allow for easy access to the action or breakdown for in-depth cleaning in the field with limited or no cleaning supplies.
The lever action, while probably simpler in design than a pump still has an enclosed receiver, making it harder to access or to give a more thorough cleaning and I'm not sure you can even remove the bolt to break down and clean if required. I also feel that the lever lends itself to easy damage if left extended and it were to have something fall on it, such as the user.
I feel the pump and levers would be harder to get back into action should one drop it into a muddy puddle, their more complicated designs with enclosed receiver would make them harder to get clean enough to use with confidence.
I feel the the bolt action is the most reliable with the fewest parts and most rugged design with less to possibly go wrong. The bolt is easily removed and when removed gives total access to the action, the action is as simple as a rock and it is a repeater albeit slightly slower than the other types.
Then the challenge becomes which bolt action out of the hundreds of makes and models available. As most people I am also concerned with cost to a point. If it costs more to get the attributes I require, then so be it.
Narrowing the caliber down did help, but not by a significant margin. So I began searching via the qualities I wanted in a bolt-action which were
detachable magazine and a 60 degree bolt throw. This narrowed the field down significantly as I could only find short throw bolts made by Sako, Tikka, Browning and the new Winchester XPR's.
I liked the XPR, it has short bolt throw and detachable magazines and the price is very right, but they are only available in 24" barrel lengths which I find a tad too long for my tastes.
The Sako and Tikka line of rifles appealed to me as well as they have a stellar reputation, but they use some sort of mutant bolt, half control-feed, half push-feed. But that wasn't the deal killer, reviews of their detachable magazine and it's difficultly in installation and removal steered me away from them.
Of the Browning X Bolt models that are offered I prefer the Browning X Bolt Hunter Full Line Dealer with raised cheek piece.
However, I am having a hard time finding this particular model available anywhere, Item Number 035281226, UPC 023614397243.
What a journey this has been, but I feel confident that after much diligence, reviews and comparisons, that this rifle would suit most of my hunting needs with reliability, ruggedness, simplicity, ease of cleaning, accuracy and effectiveness and topped with a fixed 4x scope would make it
The Hunting Rifle.