# tikka t3 vs browning x bolt



## goosefever

Pretty much had decided on a tikka t3 in .308 until i saw the x bolt at the new als in logan last night. Anybody have experience with either rifle? Both can be had for about the same $ both are very nice.


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## trclements

I have a tikka t3
stainless hunter in 300 wsm and it is awesome. 2.5" groups at 300 yards and .5" groups at 100 yards. It out shoots my Remington 700 any day and it is lighter.


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## outdoorser

Just curious, how much $$ are they?


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## goosefever

Both are about 700


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## Huge29

I really like the short throw of the Browning bolt. Recoil should be less on the Browning due to being a little heavier. I know people who swear by both, but I haven't ever shot or owned a Tikka. I don't think that you can go wrong with either one. Why the 308 cartridge, just curious?
I just looked up the reviews of each on Cabela's site and they are nearly identical with about 98% giving them the perfect 5 star rating, so it likely comes down to how she feels in your hand and up to the shoulder.


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## DeadI

I have a browning xbolt in 7mm and love it. I am shooting 3/8"-1/2" groups at 200 yards. Low recoil and love the short throw. That being said I have never shot the Tikka.


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## waspocrew

I have both rifles and enjoy them quite equally. My Tikka is a 270 WSM and my X bolts are .223 and 25-06. Here's my thoughts on each:

Tikka 
Pros: great trigger, accurate out of the box, lightweight, silky smooth action, great gun for the money. 
Cons: factory stock feels cheap (replaced mine with a BC Medalist and LOVE it), stock recoil pad is junk as well, magazine will really limit seating depths if you reload (can't make heavier bullets reach rifling), magazines are spendy to replace (I've never felt that was make or break for me)

X bolt
Pros: fairly light, short bolt throw, rotary magazine that doesn't affect seating depths as much, recoil pad is EXCELLENT, much better finish and overall feel to the gun (I have the hunter stainless model, and a special laminate varmint model), good trigger. 

Cons: not too many to list here besides a lack of aftermarket parts and worrying about scratching up the wood stock haha. I should've been patient and waited for the stainless stalker to come in stock:smile:

I think both rifles are real winners for sure. Which model of x bolt was it by chance? For $700, you'll most likely be looking at the baseline model - personally, if I were buying another bolt gun, I'd pick up a T3. They are excellent for the money!


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## Fishhuntthendie

*Tikka t3*

I have not shot this particular Browning so I will not comment on it...but I own a Tikka T3 in .308 and also in 300 WSM. 3 of my hunting buddies have been converted to Tikkas because of the out of the box accuracy we have found with these two rifles. Their's are not shabby shooters either and they shoot factory ammo out of theirs. I was converted by a fellow hunter/co-worker that swore up and down by his Tikka...and it shot .30 or better groups consistently when I shot it off the bench...so I had to get one of my own to try it out.

I have now shot approximately a dozen different Tikkas and every one of them would shoot sub MOA with decent ammo. With handloads and some work, they are the most accurate rifles I own...to include a couple of custom rifles that cost 3-4 times more. When I bought my .308 I loaded up 8-9 different loads with 150-168 loads with different bullets just to see what it would do. All shot sub MOA and some were down in the .50 range with the original test loads. It will one hole Gold Medal Match ammo and I have several loads with Varget that will shoot .25-.50" pretty consistently. I recently shot a 4" group at 600 yrds at the KD range at a local military range with this .308 and I have done nothing with it except putting a Zeiss scope on it and camoing the whole thing up as I like to shoot predators with it at long range..as well as a varmint or two when I can find them.

I was so happy with my .308 that I subsequently purchased at 300 WSM in Tikka T 3, put a Bell Carlson stock on it, glass bedded it, put a Zeiss scope on it....and it is currently shooting .25 groups with 168 Berger Classic Hunters. This rifle shoots all my other hand loads sub MOA but it loves this particular Berger load with H4350 and WLRM primers.

There is a reason why Tikka still guarantees a 3 shot 1 MOA accuracy on their rifles and few other manufactures do the same til you get to the $1,000 or so mark. I would not hesitate for a minute in suggesting that you buy a Tikka. I personally prefer the stainless models..and mine are both stainless.

If you buy a Tikka and it doesn't shoot, I would suggest letting a friend shoot it as well to make sure it is not operator error. I have yet to see one that would not shoot well...and unfortunately, I can 't say that about any other rifle manufacturer....and I have owned almost all of them.

Good luck with your Tikka


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## RandomElk16

I have the Tikka T3 SS Lite in 7MM REM MAG.

I had typed up a big review for it, and about my experience with the X and A bolts. In short though, I love my Tikka and would buy it over and over. A nice optic on it will leave you with a serious shooter and a great hunter.


Sportsmans offers the Tikka SS for $629 I believe, and right now most their rifles are tax free. Not sure if the Tikka are but that was the best price I could find it.


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## wyogoob

I've owned/have both Tikkas and X-bolt. 

X-bolt is a better made firearm overall and the X-bolt design is cool. The Tikkas are more accurate though.


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## SLCHunter

I am shooting a T3 Lite Stainless Left-Handed in 30-06. Decided for it because of the great reviews, and the price ... especially with LH action. I'm shooting factory ammo (Nosler 165gr AB) and get sub-MOA at the range. 

The stock is the weak link ... I had stringers in my groups. After I carved/grinded down the stock a bit to get a true free float, the stringers disappeared. Some day I'll probably replace the stock.


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## Cooky

The X-Bolt beats the T-3 hands down in ergonomics and looks in my opinion. The trigger on the X-Bolt is slightly better. The short bolt throw on the X-Bolt vs. the smoothness of the T-3 makes that about a wash. The T-3 depending on which version is lighter.
My choice would be a walnut stocked X-Bolt unless I planned on long hikes, then the T-3 Lite with the stainless fluted barrel would get the nod.


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## Huge29

Cooky said:


> The X-Bolt beats the T-3 hands down in ergonomics and looks in my opinion. The trigger on the X-Bolt is slightly better. The short bolt throw on the X-Bolt vs. the smoothness of the T-3 makes that about a wash. The T-3 depending on which version is lighter.
> My choice would be a walnut stocked X-Bolt unless I planned on long hikes, then the T-3 Lite with the stainless fluted barrel would get the nod.


Good info Cooky! Is there a ton of difference between the Abolt vs the Xbolt?


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## Cooky

Huge29 said:


> Good info Cooky! Is there a ton of difference between the Abolt vs the Xbolt?


 The A-Bolt and X-Bolt are quite different other than the shared 60° bolt throw. The A-Bolt has an outer aluminum rotating guide on its' bolt while the X-Bolt has a one piece all steel bolt. The safety locks the bolt on both but the X-Bolt has a release button in the base of the bolt handle that allows the action to be opened with the safety engaged. 
The trigger on the X-Bolt is adjustable to a lighter weight of pull and feels cleaner with very little perceptible movement on the break.
The X-Bolt has a detachable magazine that feeds more smoothly than most; the A-Bolt has a standard type magazine with an opening floor plate.
The X-Bolt has a nicer recoil pad.
The X-Bolt is a few ounces lighter.
Then there's the 4 screws on each of the two piece scope mounts.
Browning also has the AB3 (looks like a cheap A-Bolt); friends don't let friends buy an AB3.


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## SLCHunter

Cooky said:


> The X-Bolt beats the T-3 hands down in ergonomics and looks in my opinion. The trigger on the X-Bolt is slightly better. The short bolt throw on the X-Bolt vs. the smoothness of the T-3 makes that about a wash. The T-3 depending on which version is lighter.
> My choice would be a walnut stocked X-Bolt unless I planned on long hikes, then the T-3 Lite with the stainless fluted barrel would get the nod.


I thought exactly about these two rifles, and chose T3 for weight and price. Would have taken the fluted barrel with the camo stock -- which has a slightly better feel to it than the black standard -- but it's not available for lefties.


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## EricH

I have a Tikka T3 in .243 Win and love it. It shoots almost anything I can load to MOA or better, is lightweight, has a great trigger, and has the smoothest bolt I've ever felt. My only complaint is that they only make a long action.


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