243..tikka or browning

rogge

New member
I'm going to be picking up a 243 soon and I like the tikka t3 light and the Browning a bolt ll. Who all owns one of these and what do you like about them?What can I expect for accuracy?
 
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I love my regular A-Bolt Micro in 243.
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The trigger needed some TLC and the 20" barrel's pretty loud, but despite allegations of design and metallurgy flaws by some self proclaimed experts it's been trouble free and killed everything I've pointed it at for the last ten or so years.
Super accurate with several loads, 60 degree bolt lift, and detachable magazine are all pluses in my mind.

Tika? While they do have excellent Sako barrels, I just can't get past the tiny ejection port, long action for a short action cartridge, and lack of recoil lug (especially for heavier recoiling cartridges), but that's just me.
Luck

 
In other words, it is okay for you to critique the Tikka and give your honest opinions about it, but anybody who does the same concerning the Browning is a "self-proclaimed expert". Whatever. It is funny, the "rules" that some play by. So I guess then, by your way of thinking, that would qualify you as a "self-proclaimed Tikka expert".........
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Im no expert just from my experience the tikkas that I have shot and reloaded for were great shooting guns. I personally have a 7-08 and have friends with 2 25-06, 223, 30-06, 243. they all shoot great.
 
Of those two choice, I would say the Browning. But I love my Rem M7 in 243. I get 1/2" groups with ease. I have some 1/4" groups as well. Just yesterday, I was ringing a 8" gong at 325 with ease.
 
Thanks guys, keep the opinions of the two guns coming, these two handled the best of the 243's I've been looking at lately. I started this thread to get solid info from people who know, like most of the above posts, not for someone's personal pissing match. If you want to snipe at each other please take it to another thread. Thanks.
 
I have a Tikka in .243 and I love it. I have shot it for a few years now and will continue to do so.
 
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As for Tikkas, Charlie nailed it. Tikkas have very good triggers, and good barrels. Everything else is not so good IMO. Long actions that utilize a bolt stop for short action cartridges, a joke of a recoil lug, small ejection ports, plastic magazines, plastic bolt shrouds that are known to break, expensive (overpriced) replacement parts, slow customer service, and little aftermarket parts availability(although getting better), and resale value is so-so at best. Every last part of the Tikka rifle, other than the barrel and the trigger, was designed with one thing, and one thing only in mind: to cut mfg. costs.

A-Bolts, well, let's just say there is a reason why the X-bolt exists as Browning's new flagship rifle. It is now offered in more variations than the A-bolt is, and I would not be surprised if they phase the A-bort out altogether. Trigger design is amongst the worst ever, IMO. Bolt design not much better. Detachable-box-magazine-hinged-floorplate- thingy sucks too. Again, all these design isues have been addressed(i.e. changed) on the X-bolt. As for metallurgy, well, lets just say when you take a barrel off and the threads strip, tapped receiver holes strip, or that when you drop your rifle and the metal trigger guard shatters, the metallurgy probably can't be that good. There are very little aftermarket parts available, factory replacement parts are way over priced, and resale value is not good at all, if you can manage to sell it.

As far as the X-bolt goes, I have no experience with them in the field, and probably never will. Metallurgy is probably the same(maybe that's why they doubled the amount of screws it takes to mount a scope base), and there are simply too many other good bolt actions rifles out there for me to waste my time with Browning, a company who has never gotten bolt guns right to this day, IMO.

In conclusion, it is my belief that there are better choices out there than Browning or Tikka. When all things are considered, other makers offer me more for my money.

These are my honest opinions given to help you out with your purchase. Not to raise the ire of others or start a pissing match. I couldn't care less about what others buy/shoot. Whether or not others choose to respect your wishes and not trash your thread by "sniping" is up to them.........

 
Thanks for the opinions guys. I'm really still looking and I'm not set in stone on one of these two yet, they are just a couple of the finalists so far. I would like to check out some Howa's and Savage's yet before I make my decision. As for Remingtons, it seems like all I see anymore is quality issues with them. I have to admit that is scaring me away from them at this time.
 
Originally Posted By: 2muchgunIn other words, it is okay for you to critique the Tikka and give your honest opinions about it, but anybody who does the same concerning the Browning is a "self-proclaimed expert". Whatever. It is funny, the "rules" that some play by. So I guess then, by your way of thinking, that would qualify you as a "self-proclaimed Tikka expert".........
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Go back and read it again, only "slowly" this time.
You'll see that I gave pros and cons of BOTH rifles, and qualified it with "BUT THAT"S JUST ME".
Take a pill and then "slowly" unbunch your panties. You'll feel much better.

FWIW,,, I bought my Browning several years ago because I'd lost interest in big game hunting but still wanted a nice compact little rifle with a wood stock that I could shoot a few meat Deer with and hunt Wolves when the odd opportunity arises.I doubt I'd buy one to take to Africa, but for "MY" needs, it's a great little rifle that I don't regret buying one little bit.
Despite the alleged flaws, mine shoots straight and again "has been absolutely trouble free". As a matter of fact, it's hard to find anyone, whether on the interweb or in the real world, that actually owns one and doesn't say the same thing.




 
My tikka t-3 lite is a .223. Trigger needs no help at all. You can tune the weight without taking it out the stock which is nice. Moa or better with every factory load I have tried yet. Very little shift in POI left to right, just vertical which is to be expected.

It is true the ejection port is small but I don't shoot on the bench or go after anything more dangerous then a hog so it really doesn't matter. The bolt shrouds have been known to break and I plan to get an aluminum one eventually. The plastic mags are wayyyyyy over priced.

To sum it up, I'll get another in .243 one day. I would sell off my wife before I would sell my tikka or my franchi 48. Both are just so sweet to carry in the field and work very well. Since the economy crashed I had to sell off all my other guns. I had 5 rifles and now just one, the tikka.

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Tikka. My t3 lite was a shooter.

IMHO they are the best bang for the buck.

Lightweight, silky smooth action, and shoot great. Ask any tikka owner what THEY think and 99% will sing its praises.
 
Although I value REPETE's opinion , I have owned both and for accuracy, smoothness, Trigger adjustability, and the slickest action in the world, I would go with the tikka. Prolly a bit less expensive also.

Dave
 
I know my tikka 595 in 22-250 shoots so good with the factory (white box) winchester 45gr loads...that I haven't even tried to reload for it yet.
 
Another vote for the Tika. I have one in 223 and an A Bolt in 7 mag. I prefer the ease of trigger adjustment and light weight of the Tikka. Good luck.
 
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