Rank these plastic stock stainless in terms of "value for money"
- Thread starter galamb
- Start date
Are Brownings hard to work on for Gunsmiths? They seem to be great rifles with a lot of features for the money (hand reamed chambers, adjustable triggers, many models have bedded actions, etc.) but they don;t seem to be too popular on this forum for some reason...
nowarningshot
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Are Brownings hard to work on for Gunsmiths? They seem to be great rifles with a lot of features for the money (hand reamed chambers, adjustable triggers, many models have bedded actions, etc.) but they don;t seem to be too popular on this forum for some reason...
Firstly, i am not a gunsmith, secondly i did not stay at a Holiday Inn express last night.
Lastly, from my gunsmith...apparently the thread between barrel and receiver is extremely fine, and the trigger is permanent. So if one wants to change or rebarrel it is very easy to cross thread and ruin either/and the barrels and receiver. The permanent trigger is neither easy to adjust, or easy to work with too bed a rifle. This is just second hand, but from a source i trust. Personally i have found them to be good quality, great fit and finish, and very accurate out of the box
I cannot agree with this comment at all. The stock is definitely cheap tupperware but the rest of the Tikka T3 is a finely crafted piece of equipment and well worth the price when compared to other firearms in a comparable range. The cheap stock hinders nothing about the rifle and perfectly fits the bill for light weight and functional.
I believe the Tikka is the best value over the other options for a hunting rifle because:
1. Silky smooth action that is very quiet with light bolt lift.
2. Fantastic crisp trigger that can be adjusted to your liking
Replacement Magazines are stupidly expensive I won't argue that one. These mags are very small and lightweight which is very good.
I really like savages but I would put this on the bottom of this list for a hunting rifle because their actions are horribly rough, clunky and noisy and have very heavy bolt lift. The magazines are also finicky as heck to change in a hurry.
I live in the North where everybody hunts and the Tikkas are becoming extremely popular and I have never met someone who bought one and was unhappy with it. They are proving themselves in the heat, the cold, the rain and the snow.
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Thanks for the clarification! My limited experience with Brownings has been similar. Which is why I was having trouble understanding the lack of love for them on this forum. I thought maybe it was just because of the brand name maybe...
I've never actually tried to adjust one of their adjustable triggers. I take it that it's a complicated process?
Budget features on Tikka:
1) Single action length regardless of cartridge chambered.
2) Recoil lug is a part of the stock
3) Plastic bolt shroud, bottom "metal," mag feed lips and mag catch.
4) Tubberware stock
5) Very thin Bluing on the blued models
I didn't say they were a bad rifle. They are light for the price. Tend to be accurate, good triggers (although most everyone has a pretty good triggers in that price range.) However, they have many budget features compared to others in the price range.
I don't see the point in worrying about the recoil lug when the rifle shoots so darn good. Put the stock back on and go shoot something lol.
I haven't taken apart a browning but I know that you will find things that are less than ideal on the sav and rem. The browning costs more so if these small issues on the tikka are enough of a problem for you that you are willing to pay more than I guess you get higher perceived value out of the browning. This is where it all gets very subjective. I can't say that I've heard anyone who was unhappy with their x-bolt so its not like that is a bad way to go.
What is the weight of the x-bolt stainless with magnum chamberings?
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Ok the tikka is 6 lbs 6 oz in mag config so slight advantage.
I think that if the OP hands the customer the x-bolt and the t3 there is no wrong choice for the customer to make and it could really just come down to what is available at that time in the customer's cartridge of choice.
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BrotherRockeye
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Rural Saskatchewan
for anyone that simply can't live with the "plastic" bolt shroud and bottom "metal" on their Tikkas, there are kits available to replace the plastic with actual metal. Bolt handle/knob included. It's roughly another $250 but hey, that's what you saved to begin with.
for anyone that simply can't live with the "plastic" bolt shroud and bottom "metal" on their Tikkas, there are kits available to replace the plastic with actual metal. Bolt handle/knob included. It's roughly another $250 but hey, that's what you saved to begin with.
My buddy's bolt shroud broke. If mine breaks I'll buy the upgrade. I've never seen any problems with the bottom metal (er. bottom plastic lol) that plastic is strong and light.
"900-1200'ish retail range"
huh? savage doesn't belong in this contest, 699 for my 16 fcss regular retail with accustock,....not silky smooth and not refined, but great shooters for the money and durable, I like the accustock
very happy with my xbolt...the trigger doesn't bother me, adjusts easily and light enough for my tastes for a hunting rifle
1 browning xbolt
2 tikka
3 rem
huh? savage doesn't belong in this contest, 699 for my 16 fcss regular retail with accustock,....not silky smooth and not refined, but great shooters for the money and durable, I like the accustock
very happy with my xbolt...the trigger doesn't bother me, adjusts easily and light enough for my tastes for a hunting rifle
1 browning xbolt
2 tikka
3 rem
Tabacco Brook
Regular
- Location
- Nova Scotia
I always get a kick out of these rifle comparison threads and how people are always saying you can't get this for the Browning or you can't get that for the Browning, but you can get this after market item for this brand of rifle or there's a kit for that brand of rifle, ..........does any body know why this is????...it's because Browning doesn't need all the after market up grades they are set up right when they come from the factory.
As someone already said the savage doesn't belong in comparison between the other 3.
Remington does not interest me in the least,...they have accidentally discharged and shot to many people for me.
I am sure the Tikka is a great rifle but the plastic stainless model Tikka lacks when compared to the X-bolt ,...such as the magazine,..steel lips on magazine,..no need to be there, just extra drag on shell casing when cycling ,..Brownings rotary magazine is all polymer and ammo cycles like silk,..(NOT SAYING THE TIKKA DOESN'T CYCLE SMOOTH BUT MAY BE EVEN SMOOTHER WITH OUT THE STEEL),..the stock is cheaper looking and feeling compared to Brownings duratouch armorcoat stock,...plastic bolt shroud,..why not make it metal from the begining.
Now,..with all that being said, I think other model T3's with wood stocks are very nice looking rifles and seem to have much more quality for the money.
So my order of preference in this model comparison would be:
Browning
Tikka
Remington
Savage
As someone already said the savage doesn't belong in comparison between the other 3.
Remington does not interest me in the least,...they have accidentally discharged and shot to many people for me.
I am sure the Tikka is a great rifle but the plastic stainless model Tikka lacks when compared to the X-bolt ,...such as the magazine,..steel lips on magazine,..no need to be there, just extra drag on shell casing when cycling ,..Brownings rotary magazine is all polymer and ammo cycles like silk,..(NOT SAYING THE TIKKA DOESN'T CYCLE SMOOTH BUT MAY BE EVEN SMOOTHER WITH OUT THE STEEL),..the stock is cheaper looking and feeling compared to Brownings duratouch armorcoat stock,...plastic bolt shroud,..why not make it metal from the begining.
Now,..with all that being said, I think other model T3's with wood stocks are very nice looking rifles and seem to have much more quality for the money.
So my order of preference in this model comparison would be:
Browning
Tikka
Remington
Savage
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I don't like stainless, but...
To me the Savage is worth the extra $50 over the Remington because it's a Savage, and although the 700 is a sound design and has been the industry benchmark for much of the model's life, a Remington is still only a Remington.
The Tikka could be worth $110 more than the Remington but I wouldn't buy it because the T3 Lite forestock is awkward in my hand. An unfortunate personal quirk for me.
I would certainly like a Browning X-Bolt more than a Remington 700, but I wouldn't pay $300 more for it than for the Remington because I could get the Savage for only $50 more than the Remington.
To me the Savage is worth the extra $50 over the Remington because it's a Savage, and although the 700 is a sound design and has been the industry benchmark for much of the model's life, a Remington is still only a Remington.
The Tikka could be worth $110 more than the Remington but I wouldn't buy it because the T3 Lite forestock is awkward in my hand. An unfortunate personal quirk for me.
I would certainly like a Browning X-Bolt more than a Remington 700, but I wouldn't pay $300 more for it than for the Remington because I could get the Savage for only $50 more than the Remington.
Well that sure clears things up.
