Layne Simpson calls the Winchester XPR “Best Looking in its Class.”
Layne Simpson calls the Winchester XPR “Best Looking in its Class.”
Avid readers of the firearms press instantly recognize and respect the byline of veteran gunwriter Layne Simpson. For decades Simpson has delved into the infinite details of what makes a rifle shoot well.
In the November/December 2017 issue of Rifle Shooter Magazine, Simpson delves into what makes the Winchester XPR a bolt-action rifle to be reckoned with.
“I have long been an admirer of the Winchester Model 70 and own several in calibers ranging from .22 Hornet to .458 Win. Mag.,” Simpson begins. “All things considered there will never be a better big game rifle, but I have to admit the XPR is an improvement in several ways over the old Model 70.”
“…I have to admit the XPR is an improvement in several ways over the old Model 70.”
“One area is the trigger,” Simpson continues. “The M.O.A. trigger was introduced several years back on the new-production Model 70, and…out-of-the-box quality is superior. Trigger pull on the XPR test rifle began with a total absence of take-up, followed by a smooth, crisp break that terminated with zero overtravel…the company most definitely has a winner.”
“…The bolt on the (XPR) featured in this report traveled to and fro like it was on roller bearings,” Simpson reports, attributing the slick bolt movement to the long-lasting nickel Teflon™ coating, a huge advantage for both smooth operation and corrosion resistance.
“The bolt on the (XPR)…traveled to and fro like it was on roller bearings,”
The heart of any rifle’s accuracy is in the barrel, and here the XPR’s bore really shines. “The chrome-moly barrel is button rifled…” notes Simpson. “A Lyman Borecam revealed extremely smooth six-groove rifling with not a single toolmark waiting to accumulate copper fouling.”
“While I have no immediate plans to sell off my Model 70s, I am greatly impressed by the XPR,” confirms Simpson. “Its durable, polymer magazine is easy to load, easy to slip home and cartridges glide into the chamber with very little push on the bolt handle.”
“You won’t find a better trigger on any factory rifle,” concludes Simpson. “And (the XPR’s synthetic stock) gets my vote as the best looking in its class. On top of all that, it is accurate…and the price is right.”
“On top of all that, it is accurate…and the price is right.”
You can read Simpson’s entire review of the Winchester XPR in the November/December 2017 issue of Rifle Shooter Magazine, which should be on sale at your local newsstand now. You can subscribe to Rifle Shooter Magazine online at rifleshootermag.com.
Check out the XPR at your local Winchester Repeating Arms dealer today. Available in numerous chamberings and in wood, black synthetic and many popular camo patterns, it’s one slick shooting bolt-action that’s priced right for today’s hunter.
And always remember, at Winchester, We Know Bolts.
Original article copyright Rifle Shooter Magazine 2017. Photos are copyright Rifle Shooter Magazine, Winchester Repeating Arms and/or used with permission or attribution, or are in the public domain. Review written by Winchester staff writer, Scott Engen. Copyright Winchester Repeating Arms, 2017.