243..tikka or browning

Originally Posted By: pahntr760 I certainly DO NOT like the "bolt button" on the Brownings.

Guess I'm wierd cuz that's another thing I like about em. LOL
But again, "everyone likes something different".

Sure do agree with ya about plastic stocks though.
Comparing any of em is like comparing a Yugo to a Hundai IMO.
Give me a good ol piece of Walnut for my hunting rigs every time.
 
Yep,,,, Back before B&C got their act togeather I went through several H&S's and liked every one of em.
Still something about the feel of a nice piece of Walnut in the hand that pleases me though.
But then you knew that too.
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I've a pretty good mix of old and new guns, and I gotta say I have a LOT harder time selling off an old blued/walnut classic than I do any of the newer "high tech" stuff......
 
Make sure you look at all the attributes as well as fit to you the shooter. I could never buy a Browning due to the palm swell on the A-Bolt composite stock, bolt shape and throw, floor plate/box mag, and the safety. It seems dumb to some folks, but I don't like a bolt action that I can't open when it is in the safe position. It is the only reason I still don't have a Savage(although they are tempting). It is a pet peeve of mine. I like a 2 position safety, not 3 position. That kills Rugers and Mauser type actions for me too. My theory is I don't want the mechanical safety disengaged when I'm trying to take the ammo out of the gun and make it safe. Someone thought the gun deserved a safety, I want to use it when the gun is most dangerous. I believe the safety throw direction should match the bullet direction. I want all motions forward when firing a rifle not forward and back like CZ does(sorry Foxy
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). Crossbolt on the trigger I can deal with. Forward to fire or crossbolt left as a right handed shooter. Hammered pistols and lever guns for some reason feel right though, go figure
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. As to the 3 position, there is no such thing as half safe to me, it is on or off. That's just my quirky nature, but it is something I can't overlook. I like a DBM or floorplate, not both together. I like the Remington and Savage DBM and like a simple floor plate with internal spring and follower like many make, I can't get use to a blind mag or ADL. The pistol grip in the synthetic stalker makes me look like a cat with tape on my paws
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. It just feels wrong to me. The bolt throw feels wierd to me too. None of my other rifles or many of the rifles I shoot have it, so it just doesn't feel right when I shoot one of my bosses or my brothers A-bolts. It feels like a slide more than it does an un-camming operation with the locking lugs. Maybe it is because my formative years were spent holding guns made by Remington and T/C, but I doubt it because I didn't get into bolt guns until the last 12yrs and was a pump or single shot guy before that.

I've only shot one Tikka T3 and that was to help a guy get it sighted in due to his overwhelming case of the flinches
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. It was a 270WSM something or other. It shot decent. It was stainless and had rust on it. Probably not cared for though. I thought his trigger needed adjustment, but it was his rifle so I made do. It didn't feel terrible, but I didn't feel all giddy after I shot it either.

All that said, Brownings, Tikkas, Savages, CZ's, Remingtons, Coopers, T/C's, Winchesters, etc... shoot good for all kinds of people. But rarely do any of them shoot good for people that can't stand the feel and function of them.
 
I've had both but still have two Tikka's, 22-250 and 223 in T3 lite. I bought them as hunting rifles and really like the detachable mags. I might load and unload my rifle 10 times in a day. I also like the stocks because they are indestructible. I have the extended mag for my 223. I saw a used 243 Tikka T3 lite in SS for about $425 last fall but I was short on cash so I had to pass. I like the actions of the Tikka's so much I am thinking about building a custom rifle out of one of them. The plastic bolt shroud is just for looks. If it broke I would probably not replace it.
Dave
 
A buddy of mine has an Browning X-Bolt in .243 Win. It looks very good as far a looks go.It feels good in my hands, and it shot good also.

Looked at a Tika lite, worked the action and was not impressed with the feel of the action. Never shot one and could not say how it looked.

I do own 2 - .243's One a Winchester Youth Ranger, I like it. It shoots very well even up to 5 shots groups, O course I have bedded the action in the factory stock and floated the barrel. It makes a very handy quick handling rifle.

The other WAS a Rem. SPS Buckmaster youth compact. It shot good, held point of impact very well, It handled great. Changed the stock to a laminated stock, just because I wanted a wood stock. Didn't make much of a diff. in the accuracy Department. But it looks nicer. Now it has morphed into a custom rifle, which I'll pick up today at 4:30 PM
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All of the cheap rifles have their faults that is why they sell for less than a quality rifle.
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Handle all of the brands and see which one you like the best and buy it. If you go buy what others say is the so called best and you don't like it, you will never like or be satisfied with it.

All I got to say is why not buy a quality rifle in the first place ( not cheap rifle ) and cry once, than buy a cheap rifle and cry for ever.

Remember Don't buy a thousand dollar horse and put a fifty dollar saddle on it. And on the other hand don't buy a fifty dollar horse and put a thousand dollar saddle on it.


This all has been just my opinion and opinions are like arse wholes and they all stink, and worth just what you paid for them.

DAB
 
Between those two I would go with the Tikka hands down. I was in the same boat about six months ago and for me I narrowed it down to Tikka and TC Icon. You cant go wrong with a tikka.
 
Gonna have to go handle them a bit more, might check out the Howa's a bit more also but they did not seem to fit me quite as well as the Tikka or A bolt. I do like Howa's hogue stock.
 
25 guns and the one I grab 1st is the Tikka. They can complain about all the lugs,long actions and more but for the money they shoot like a dream.
 
I own a Tikka T3 Lite in .243 and am so far very pleased. It does feel cheap, but that's not something a little aftermarket magic won't fix. Good luck!
 
I own a Tikka T3 Hunter Deluxe in .223 . It's a fully free floated wood stock but the rest is just like the T3 Lite. Their are some legitimate criticisms to made about the Tikka, particularly the recoil lug system IMO. I don't know if I would trust it on a big caliber, but on a smaller caliber like my .223 it has held up fine so far. Here's the good about the Tikka:

1. Absolutely fantastic factory trigger. Adjusts down to 2 lbs.
2. Exceptionally smooth bolt operation
3. Accuracy. I only shoot factory ammo in mine and it shoots great.
They have very nice barrels which no doubt contribute to this.

No experience with the Browning. Check them both out if you can, one may fit you better. Good luck.
 
I have hunted with my 243 T3 Lite for 4 years..fired every bit of 500 rounds with temps in the 90's to -20 below all kinds of weather and the gun has never had a problem mechanically or with accuracy.In my opinion Tikka offers awesome performance That is hard to beat for huntin.
 
i have an x bolt 243 stainless stalker and absolutely love the gun. it shoots great and feels just as good. i also have a .308 and a .338win mag x bolt and love them all.
 
I have owned a few T3's and one a-bolt II

The tikkas were very good performers right out of the box, no problems. May buy another down the road sometime without reservations

the a-bolt II, not even close. I could not get that thing to shoot under 3" groups for nothing. The performance of that one soured me to being interested in another browning rifle.

I do own a few browning sporting clays shotguns and they are all dandys, so I am not anti- Browning.

My experience has suggested that there are better rifles out there.
 
I have a t3 lite in 300 win mag and love everything about it. I had a muzzle break put on and installed a limbsaver recoil pad. The stock is a little cheap feeling but has held up prefect for three elk seasons and no problems with the recoil lug or bolt cover.
 
Originally Posted By: brassheadI have a t3 lite in 300 win mag and love everything about it. I had a muzzle break put on and installed a limbsaver recoil pad. The stock is a little cheap feeling but has held up prefect for three elk seasons and no problems with the recoil lug or bolt cover.

I agree I have several hundred down the tube of my Tikka 7 mm Rem Mag.I added a Limbsaver And its still ringing Gongs beyond a 1000 yards with Amax. I also have 2x 223, 2 x 204, and a 22-250. Love them all, no issues.
Cant speak for the Browning, Ive never owned or shot one.But you won't go wrong with a Tikka T3, and use the difference in price to upgrade the scope..
 
I have both and prefer the Abolt, seems better built. I actually like the bolt throw on it and the detachable mag inside the hinged floor plate, even if you accidentally hit the release the mag won't drop off right away and be lost. It's a metal magazine as opposed to the plastic Tikka mag that costs as much or more and the Tikka doesn't hang flush with the stock. Tikka has the better trigger and is probably more accurate out of the box. It all comes down to what you prefer when you handle them, both will get the job done. If you like the Howa, I would suggest the Weatherby Vanguard, the polished version of the Howa action. The Vanguards biggest problem was the trigger, but they've improved them on recent versions.
 
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