I'm looking for a new hunting rifle. Preferred calibre is 30:06 but am considering 7mm. Now I got to use my buddy's Sako fin lite a couple of weeks ago and fell in love with it. However Sako is outside my budget so am considering the Tikka. I should mention that I'm also looking to get the rifle in left hand so my options diminish quickly. There is a browning medallion x bolt in 30:06 at the local gun shop as well as a T3 in 300wm. The action on both rifles are nice and smooth but the stock on the tikka feels cheap and I'm not sure if I'm a fan of the plastic magazine. I'd like to hear from those who have experience with both the xbolt and t3 to help influence my decision. The rifle will be used mostly for moose hunting and the occasional black bear. Any wisdom you can provide is greatly appreciated.
Looking for some wisdom- x-bolt or tikka t3?
- Thread starter Kgstewie
- Start date
do you hunt at longer ranges?
30.06 will easily get you 300-350 yrds
300 wsm & 7mm much farther,but the 7mm at close ranges tends to drill small holes in animals and not stop/drop them unless pin point accuracey which its capable of ,are you? as for the rifles I realy like the browning xbolts ,I have a buddy with a Tika t3 in 300 winmag that he wont shoot as its just to light and beats the crap outa him.he wants to find a .270 in same rifle.
30.06 will easily get you 300-350 yrds
300 wsm & 7mm much farther,but the 7mm at close ranges tends to drill small holes in animals and not stop/drop them unless pin point accuracey which its capable of ,are you? as for the rifles I realy like the browning xbolts ,I have a buddy with a Tika t3 in 300 winmag that he wont shoot as its just to light and beats the crap outa him.he wants to find a .270 in same rifle.
I use Tikka T3 with Polymer magazine that I love shooting with. Polymer mags are much better than steel and last way longer with no rust issues. Tikka is an extremely accurate rifle with adjustable trigger made by Sako in Finland at less than half the price of Sako. I would buy it in 270 caliber instead of 30-06. Anything that 30-06 could do, the 270 does is better.
Generally hunting under 200 yards. 30:06 is a family tradition and it's never disappointed. Only toying with the idea of 7mm because of its longer range. Personally don't like any of the 300 magnums. My question is more about browning vs tikka but I can't find a lefty tikka in .06.
I just had a major rust episode on my family heirloom P17 so am favoring a stainless gun in synthetic stock. This is where to T3 shines but I haven't been able to find a lefty in a caliber I like. Thus contemplating the x-bolt.
I just had a major rust episode on my family heirloom P17 so am favoring a stainless gun in synthetic stock. This is where to T3 shines but I haven't been able to find a lefty in a caliber I like. Thus contemplating the x-bolt.
Sbarkowski
Regular
Ergonomics, fit and finish.. x-bolt. Smooth and accurate (just barely better).. T3. Battled this decision myself. You really cant go wrong with either. The browning feels like it belongs in you hands. The tikka will perform but the stock is definately the weak spot. B&C stock upgrades are around $300 but apparently complete the rifle. I've shot both and that still didnt finalize the decision for me. I had to narrow it down to how much I was willing to spend. Ended up with the Tikka only because it went on sale and came with a free pair of binoculars with the deal. No regrets, but I will be changing the stock at some point. Now I just need to find a good reason to buy the browning too 
- Location
- Quebec city
Yea that!!
I have owned a number of Tikka and Sako Rifles and love them all. The Sako's are a bit fancier, but the barrels and triggers are the same.
The only Browning rifles I ever owned was a rattletrap, loud, I didn't care for the magazine system and the trigger was very mushy compared to any of the Finnish rifles I've owned. I would buy the Tikka in a heartbeat.
The only Browning rifles I ever owned was a rattletrap, loud, I didn't care for the magazine system and the trigger was very mushy compared to any of the Finnish rifles I've owned. I would buy the Tikka in a heartbeat.
A few years back I was contemplating the t3 vs. A-bolt as the x-bolt wasn't on the scene yet. I went with the t3 in 300 wsm in left hand and have found it to be a great gun. What did it for me was the stainless and synthetic stock for moose and hunting the steep mountains where the big muleys like to live here in BC, I have packed that gun through some of the nastiest bush you could find and I'm not sure I would have done it with one of my wooden stocked and blued rifles. Sure it is a lighter gun but not by much once you put on a scope and load it, also when you are packing it around all day long you will appreciate the lighter weight gun, as for recoil I just took a bull moose last week in region 5 with a 180 grain tsx bullet and didn't even notice the recoil! If you are that worried about recoil use a lead sled or similar type of rest at the range or put on a decent aftermarket recoil pad ($30 approx), I am using a slip on pachmayr recoil pad over the end of the stock to dampen the recoil but also to give me a little bit of extra LOP as I am a bigger guy and wanted the extra inch or so that the pad gave me.
Synthetic and stainless are a definite preference but I tend to be impatient and don't want to wait on an order that has no definite delivery date. Sounds like I need to spend more time in the store handling both rifles before deciding. I really appreciate all your input. It's great to hear from guys who actually shoot these brands.
drum_boy101
CGN Regular
- Location
- Highland Valley, BC
I just picked up an x-bolt hunter lefty in 30-06. Love it, fits great, shoots great. It was approx $100 less than the t3.
Some rather odd advice here in this thread.
The 7mm mag does not make small holes/doesn't stop/drop them up close. Where the heck did you hear this nonsense?
A 270 does anything a 30-06 could do better? That's new to me.
A 300 win mag won't weigh 6.5lbs. Have to put ammo and scope mounts/scope on it too. My 338 win mag with a conquest weighs ~7.5lbs ready to hunt. Limbsaver pad on it and recoil isn't an issue.
To the OP: I would get the T3.
Oh and here is a picture of a buck I killed last year at 20 yards with a 7mm mag. Small holes? DRT.
Oh and here is a picture of a buck I killed last year at 20 yards with a 7mm mag. Small holes? DRT.
Wow, that 7mm mag even cleans it for you also!!!
I have both. Shoulder each of the rifles and cycle the bolt as if you are trying to get a quick second shot off. I know which one you will pick once you try that. Tikka has a better trigger. I like the thumb safety on the browning and the ability to open the bolt with the safety on. The tikka carries better in my hand(medium sized hands), find the x-bolt to round and fat when carring at my side with one hand. Tikka stock dosent feel as nice/grippy as the rubbery coated browning stock but it is a a bit stiffer in the forend, squeeze the forend and barrel together, the injection moulded browning is more floppy/noodle like. Tikka puts fibres in their injection moulded stock which makes it a bit stiffer but the stock is slippery when wearing gloves. Both have plastic magazines, I find the browning can be easier to accidently hit the magazine release and have it drop out, less so with the tikka. If you look in the bore with a borescope the tikkas on average have better finished smoother bores and chambers but they both tend to shoot very well. Stock of the tikka fits me better, browning might fit you better. Browning is easier to single/top load with the magazine in as it has a bigger opening, tikka has a narrow coin slot type opening that takes a little more dexterity to load that way. However because of the narrower opening the tikka has a bit stiffer receiver. Brownings are glass bedded, tikkas are not, they have a seperate recoil lug bedding system that seems to work very well. Just my observations, your mileage may vary. Pick the one that you like and don't worry about other peoples opinions, you are the one who will be using the gun.
30-06, 7mm, 300wm all are long range if you make it.
I am also a lefty and do have both 30-06 and 300wm in T3. If you are looking for a all around rifle short or long, i'd go with 300wm rather then 7mm.
300wm will give you much versitile range of reloads. if you do not reload, then there are way more factory loads for 300wm than 7mm.
7mm can range from 120-175 grains of bullets depends on which 7mm you are thinking of, 120 grains will push around 3300-3400 FPS max load and 175 grains at around 2600-2700FPS max.
300WM can range will range from 130-200 grains of bullet. 130 grains will push3400-3600FPS max and 200grains will push out 2700-2800FPS max. (both are defined in Barnes bullets)
If you want a all around caliber that you wnt to use short and long range, I would for sure go with 300wm. just way more choices in both reloading and factory rounds.
30-06 will bascially reload just like 300WM with around 200-300FPS less then 300WM. but than 30-06 will top in choices of factory ammo if you do not reload. (and cheap)
I am also a lefty and do have both 30-06 and 300wm in T3. If you are looking for a all around rifle short or long, i'd go with 300wm rather then 7mm.
300wm will give you much versitile range of reloads. if you do not reload, then there are way more factory loads for 300wm than 7mm.
7mm can range from 120-175 grains of bullets depends on which 7mm you are thinking of, 120 grains will push around 3300-3400 FPS max load and 175 grains at around 2600-2700FPS max.
300WM can range will range from 130-200 grains of bullet. 130 grains will push3400-3600FPS max and 200grains will push out 2700-2800FPS max. (both are defined in Barnes bullets)
If you want a all around caliber that you wnt to use short and long range, I would for sure go with 300wm. just way more choices in both reloading and factory rounds.
30-06 will bascially reload just like 300WM with around 200-300FPS less then 300WM. but than 30-06 will top in choices of factory ammo if you do not reload. (and cheap)
