Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles tikka t3 hunter or browning a-bolt

I have a Browning A-bolt White Gold Medallion 270 that is the most beautiful gun I own, absolutely stunning wood. It will touch 3 shots at 100 if I do my part, but it was professionally bedded, free floated, and trigger worked before I bought it. It gets used on blue sky days in a shooting house, it's not a woods gun!

I have 2 Tikkas, 22-250 Superlight and 25-06 T3 Lite. Haven't shot the 25-06 yet but my 22-250 went under 1/2 inch with only handload I've tried. Both have fantastic triggers and I love the light weight and slick bolt.

My hunting partner has several A-bolts in blued/synthetic Stalkers. He loves them and they are good, accurate rifles but I prefer my Tikkas for an all-around hunting rifle.

Based on looks,fit and finish alone Browning all the way!
Tikkas definitely shoot but they still feel cheap!
That checkering on the hunter is hideous, real euro-trash styling.

just handled a tikkA to me its a toss up as to which is lighter. didnt care for the plastic magazine on the tikka tho

+1. Don't listen to the "racist" Abolt haters. My abolt II '06 is one of the most accurate rifes I have owned.

the a bolt definitely felt a little better in my hands

Sounds like a done deal. Don't forget the range report.

Friends don't let friends drive A-Bolts....

For all of the Browning hate, I don't read about many specific, first-hand accounts of problems. I really like my A-Bolts for their accuracy and design (bolt lift, tang safety, palm swell). They have never let me down, either.

I don't have any first-hand experience with a Tikka, so I can't compare the two.

This spring I mail ordered a Tikka T3 Hunter in 6.5x55 and a few weeks ago it arrived. All smiles here. It's only my second centerfire rifle, so I can't be much help to the OP's question about the A-Bolt. But I can say that it feels great to me, not cheap, and I can't wait to take it into the field.

There's a guy on this site named Steelhead, he once posted a picture showing what a tikka is really good for. Maybe he'll see this tread and post it again

what was the photo?

That's what I thought!!!! Who the heck would buy a Browning when you coulda had a tikka. I don't have a tikka yet but I'll be adding a 6.5 x 55 to my arsenal very soon.

Shod

well. like i said ive shoty remington for 15 yrs. mever really looked at another rifle. always thought brownings were suposed to be great rifles. i handled both rifles today and unless the tikka shoots better i liked the browning. will look into it more before buying tho

Still waiting to see what you prefer. Savage probably

I have three Tikkas and one Browning......... 'Nuff said. I like the Browning lots, and it's a great shooter, but the Tikkas just keep me smiling. My favourite is the T3 in 6.5 Swede -- astounding!

I love all these guys bragging about how light a Tikka is.........They are comparing the synthetic stock to other guns' high quality wood furniture and obviously never look at the Brownings. The A-Bolt is no slouch in the lightweight smooth bolt throw dept either, with a 60� throw to the Tikka's 70�. I'll have to admit, these two are very similar in that regard. Compare apples to apples.

A-bolt Hunter wood stock .308 22" bbl--6lb 8oz
Tikka T3 Hunter .308 22 7/16" bbl--6lb 13oz

A-Bolt Composite--6lb 4oz
T3 Light--6lb 3oz

My first gun was a A bolt 300 ultra and it felt great but would not shoot until I did a little work. I've owned 3 tikka and no work needed they shoot better then any gun I've had. Browning barrels are slow and I loved my 300 but I could not find any gunsmith that would change out the barrel for me. All my guns now are sako but tikka are the best bang for your buck out there.

x2. Lots of subjective opinions, but no objective facts. All my A-Bolts and my one X-Bolt flat out shoot. I'm a huge fan of the tang saftey and 60 degree bolt lift. I've never shot a Tikka, so I can't help you much there.

Shoulder both to get the feel and let that drive your decision.

I own a Tikka T-3 Hunter in 6.5x55mm that I've had since 2004 and it is has become one of my favorite hunting rifles.
I bought the Tikka as I had given up on finding a Sako in 6.5x55.

It is silly accurate, one of the least finicky rifles I've ever owned.

I do recommend Tikka's to family and friends and they all have had great results in 223, 25-06, 6.5x55, 270, 270 WSM, 308 and 30-06.

I've used a few A-Bolts, and even owned a BBR a long time ago; just not my cup of tea.

Either one will probably meet your needs.

Handle them both, shoulder them, you'll know which one fits you best.

Both my A-Bolts shot like schitt.... one a .270, the other a stainless/synthetic .25-06. My main beef with Browning is stock ergonomics... they seem to magnify recoil. That .25 was an angry little wench when you touched it off... but it did routinely put everything I loaded for it in nice 2" groups.... lose/lose if you ask me.