Browning Hells Canyon Speed or Tikka?

I seen a Browning Hells Canyon Speed in 6.5 CM today. It was a pretty nice rifle and very light. I had put a 700 ADL in lay away a couple weeks ago but started thinking about by the time I buy a new stock and bottom metal I'll have a grand in it. Although I already have a Trigger tech for one.
Or I could just buy a nice rifle and be done.
I've always bought cheap rifles and made them nicer.
I also debated on buying a Tikka but i would have to drive an hour to look at them. I know I can get a basic Tikka a little cheaper.

I would like to know what you think? The Browning is going to be right at $1200 after tax. Im sure I can get a nice Tikka for that. There are a few nice guns based on 700 actions I could also get. Decisions decisions.
I really like light weight guns. I carry and hunt with all mine. I will start another thread on this topic as I'm curious what people like and why
 
You can't go wrong with the Tikka. They shoot very good and hold their value if you ever decide to get rid of it. My smith has the Browning you mentioned. It a nice rifle and shoots very good as well. If the Remington is the plastic stock model, your probably going to want a better stock but it will be a decent hunting rig.The Tikka and Remington have a lot of after market parts. The Browning, not so much. Just another option, you might take a look at the Savage High Country rifles. They're pretty nice to.
 
Brownings are nice and are accurate. However, I've heard on more than one occasion that 'smiths don't like to re-barrel them. Therefore, you might think about that if you ever want to go that route.

Tikkas are about as good as it gets from a feeding, trigger, extraction and accuracy perspective. You don't have to upgrade anything unless you want to.

Remingtons are the Chevy small block of the industry. Lots of after market support. However, out of the box, other brand have better fit and finish (and accuracy).
 
So I drove an hour today to check out Cabelas and Sportsman warehouse. Sportsman didn't have anything good except a couple Christensons that were a little over my price range.

Cabela's had what I thought was a stainless Tikka 6.5 CM but looking closer it ended up being cerakote silver. It's a little dark in there. I wasn't crazy about the stock colors either.
They had a nice Bergara with a wooden stock which I liked and came really close to buying.

They also had a regular Browning X-bolt with a wooden stock and then a Browning X-bolt Medallion that was really nice. All these were in 6.5 CM.
They had a Win model 70 in 6.5 PRC. Unfortunately I was looking for 6.5 CM since I already have everything to load for it. I would love to have a nice M70.
After a little thinking The medallion followed me home. It's a nice rifle.
The only scope mount they had was a Leupold STD. I really don't like them but it's all they had. Unfortunately I picked out some low rings that ended up being a touch too low for my scope i have for it so I'll have to go find some tomorrow.
I still have a Rem 700 ADL and a Hells Canyon both in 6.5 CM in lay-away. I definitely don't want the hells canyon. I never was crazy about it.
I'm really thinking about keeping the 700. I already have a trigger and a DMZ scope mount and the rifle is cheap enough. Hopefully they will both shoot the same loads.
 
I have never owned a Browning and have to say that historically I have been a Remington 700 fan but all of my 700's are older models.
That being said, the past few years I have branched out and bought a CZ 527 in 17 Rem and a Tikka T3X Superlite in 243 Win.
While I very happy with both rifles, since you asked about the Tikka I speak to it. I wish I had discovered the Tikkas long before I did. I was looking for a rifle to sit between my 220 Swift and my 7mm RUM and settled on the 243 Win. The action is very smooth and the trigger very crisp. I did purchase an after market trigger spring for $10 dollars and now have my trigger set at 1.75 lbs.
I started out shooting a box of factory Barnes Vor-tex 80 gr TTSX because that is the bullet I wanted to reload. Out of the box it shot 1/2 inch MOA which was very impressive. After working up a load for it using the same bullet it is shooting 1/2 inch MOA but I am shooting 30fps faster than what Barnes is publishing on their factory load.
I am thoroughly impressed with the Tikka rifles and would not hesitate to recommend them.
 
I'm a real fan of Tikkas, have 223 up to a Veil in 6.5 CM. Shot the Veil several weeks ago at 600yds, and shot a 3 shot group that measured 1 1/4". Stock gun except for a new trigger spring. Never shot a Browning. Hard to beat a Tikka for the money.
 
Tikkas are hard to beat. Don’t have to upgrade a thing if you don’t want to. Of course that is what some folks don’t like about them I think.
 
I've got two Tikkas now, a 22-250 and a 6.5 CM. Both are very accurate. THe 22-250 is one of my favorites. I sold my first 22-250 to a friend and it was probably the most accurate factor rifle he had. Said he shot so many coyotes with it, he wore out the barrel.
 
Tikka is a resounding yes. I currently have 6, and have owned over a dozen in the last few years. Never seen one that didnt shoot. Only downside is their stock design and lighter weight means it inherently kicks you harder. The 6.5CM I had kicked like most 308's or 280's in other guns. That was a stock rifle though.

I would get a Tikka, put a good pad on it or replace the whole stock and have less money into a better shooting gun with a better trigger. Those XBOLT trigger IMO suck
 
I've had several Tikka I3's and all shot very good. Now I have 2 Tikka's but they are the 595 and the 695 Master Continentals. Both are varmint barrels in walnut stocks. Ones a 22-250, the other a 25-06. Both shoot very good and no plastic. I had a Browning a few years ago and it shot good as well. Mcarbo offers a trigger spring for the X bolt and it makes for a better trigger.
 
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