First Rifle Choice

[COhunterDave]

I'm new here and would like some opinions on a rifle. I am looking at a Browning X Bolt and a Tikka T3X. I think I would be happy with either but I found the X Bolt for $100 cheaper and with my budget, I would prefer to spend less. I am still open to both if anyone wants to weigh in on their opinions or inform me of their experience. My main question is about caliber. I live in Colorado and will be hunting elk and mule deer mostly, possibly black bear and pronghorn in the next few years. For elk and mule deer, I am torn between 7mm mag and 300 win mag, I know a lot of people on here like 6.5 cm but I think I would rather stick with "a little more" gun. I will get a smaller caliber if I get into pronghorn in the next few years so thats sort of irrelevant for now. Just curious on what yall think! Thank you.

 

[Raghornklr]

Either works across the board, the 7mag will be lighter on the recoil side.

 

[Scottf270]

Rebate on x bolt of $50.00 right now.

 

[Taudisio]

Just confirming this is your FIRST rifle ever?

 

[180ls1]

The X-bolt Hunter is $599 at Cabelas and BassPro right now. Its pretty much an unbeatable deal. Add $15 for a lighter trigger spring and you're off to the races.

 

[Antares]

I'm not sure how much shooting experience you have, but your post says "first" rifle. I would recommend strongly against getting any magnum cartridge for your first rifle. It'll be expensive to shoot and the heavy recoil is going to give you bad habits (e.g., flinching).

 

[COhunterDave]

Just confirming this is your FIRST rifle ever?

I’ve borrowed and shot other rifles from friends and family, but have never owned my own rifle except for an AR. I’ve shot 308, 30-06, 300 weatherby, and 223 a ton while working nuclear security.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

I like the X-Bolt rifles, but Rokslide is the Tikka capital of the internet lol. With the rebate and the deals I say go for the X-Bolt, it'll make a nice rifle. You may consider getting it in 308 for a first starter rifle if you want to keep with a larger bore diameter, you'll be able to shoot a lot more for practice both due to price of ammo as well as comfort of the rifle.

 

[COhunterDave]

I'm not sure how much shooting experience you have, but your post says "first" rifle. I would recommend strongly against getting any magnum cartridge for your first rifle. It'll be expensive to shoot and the heavy recoil is going to give you bad habits (e.g., flinching).

Edit to add: I have a moderate amount of shooting experience in general. I grew up hunting waterfowl so I’ve been shooting shotguns my whole life. I did a lot of handgun and rifle shooting for fun throughout my teens and 20s, but very little with magnum cartridges. Shot a 300 weatherby mag a handful of times. Recoil hasn’t seemed to affect my ability to shoot accurately all that much.

 

[Taudisio]

If you MUST have a magnum, get a 6.5prc and a case of ammo with the gun. Shoot 9 boxes at the range before hunting season and use the last box to go forth and kill everything with confidence and more practice than a lot of people have.

 

[COhunterDave]

I like the X-Bolt rifles, but Rokslide is the Tikka capital of the internet lol. With the rebate and the deals I say go for the X-Bolt, it'll make a nice rifle. You may consider getting it in 308 for a first starter rifle if you want to keep with a larger bore diameter, you'll be able to shoot a lot more for practice both due to price of ammo as well as comfort of the rifle.

You responded to my other forum post too! Thanks! And yeah, 308 and 30 06 have definitely been on my radar as well. I think I was instilled with an old school mentality from my older brother that 30 06 will always be the go to caliber. And I grew up in Illinois where I feel like everyone I knew was hunting white tail with a 308.

 

[COhunterDave]

If you MUST have a magnum, get a 6.5prc and a case of ammo with the gun. Shoot 9 boxes at the range before hunting season and use the last box to go forth and kill everything with confidence and more practice than a lot of people have.

Alright, I’ll look into the 6.5 prc and I plan on shooting a lot before rifle season!

 

[COhunterDave]

The X-bolt Hunter is $599 at Cabelas and BassPro right now. Its pretty much an unbeatable deal. Add $15 for a lighter trigger spring and you're off to the races.

That’s the exact deal I found!

 

[eric1115]

I have a moderate amount of shooting experience, a little with magnum cartridges. Recoil hasn’t seemed to affect me too much.

There are a lot (a LOT) of us who have gone from magnums to more moderate cartridges.

There's a ton more to it than how much the recoil bothers you. Hit rates, spotting shots, speed of follow up shots all improve substantially as recoil goes down. I grew up on 12 gauge slugs, shot a 7mmRM as my main rifle for quite a while, recoil has never "bothered" me, but now my long range big game rifle is a .243AI. No regrets making that shift.

Cheaper, more productive practice, better hit rates from close out past 1000, better recoil management from awkward field positions. All wins.

Look at the .223 and 6mm threads for lots of evidence that the right bullets in smaller calibers are more than enough terminal performance for any elk or deer. The ranges at which a 7mm or .30 cal magnum gives an advantage are long enough that if a guy isn't shooting a few thousand rounds per year of serious long range practice he has zero business shooting an animal at that range.

I don't mean this to be a peeing in your cheerios post, but more of an "I've been down the road you're starting down, and here's what I wish I'd known back then" post.

Good luck, and to answer your original question, I'm a Tikka fan, but the X-bolt is a fine rifle too. I don't think you'll go wrong with either. There are X-bolts in 6CM which is a great chambering, but a 6.5CM Tikka is no slouch either. No factory 6CM Tikka's unfortunately, or that would be my recommendation.

 

[NVUplandHunter]

you gotta do some digging on here.. lots of info on here about smaller calibers.

Here is great podcast done with a member of Rokslide going over more info than you could ever need -

Def listen to part 2 as well.

I was really set on upgrading from my 6.5CM and after doing some reading on here and listening to the podcast i am VERY firm in staying with my 6.5. the thing has everything i need it to do and the rest is on me. There is also the fact that ammo is very inexpensive compared to other chamberings. just picked up some Hornady Match for $38/box and thats going to be what i hunt with also.

There are lots of guys here that shoot a 6cm or a 243 or even the 223 for large game at longer ranges. if you can hit a target at your intended range and the bullet has the speed to do what it does, you dont need a big gun.

 

[Antares]

There are a lot (a LOT) of us who have gone from magnums to more moderate cartridges.

There's a ton more to it than how much the recoil bothers you. Hit rates, spotting shots, speed of follow up shots all improve substantially as recoil goes down. I grew up on 12 gauge slugs, shot a 7mmRM as my main rifle for quite a while, recoil has never "bothered" me, but now my long range big game rifle is a .243AI. No regrets making that shift.

Cheaper, more productive practice, better hit rates from close out past 1000, better recoil management from awkward field positions. All wins.

Look at the .223 and 6mm threads for lots of evidence that the right bullets in smaller calibers are more than enough terminal performance for any elk or deer. The ranges at which a 7mm or .30 cal magnum gives an advantage are long enough that if a guy isn't shooting a few thousand rounds per year of serious long range practice he has zero business shooting an animal at that range.

I don't mean this to be a peeing in your cheerios post, but more of an "I've been down the road you're starting down, and here's what I wish I'd known back then" post.

Good luck, and to answer your original question, I'm a Tikka fan, but the X-bolt is a fine rifle too. I don't think you'll go wrong with either. There are X-bolts in 6CM which is a great chambering, but a 6.5CM Tikka is no slouch either. No factory 6CM Tikka's unfortunately, or that would be my recommendation.

Exactly. I'm not telling OP what to do, but I shot .30-06/.303 British for a long time and my current rifle is a suppressed 6CM Tikka. I have no intention of going back. I was troubleshooting my friends .270 the other day, shot about 30 shots total. It just served to remind me that I have no lost love for all that extra recoil and noise.

 

[Wapiti1]

First, unless you are planning on an aftermarket stock at the get go, I would choose the rifle that fits/feels better to you. Some Tikka models have stock mods for the factory stock that are nice. I don't believe Browning has this, but have not kept up with their model lineup.

As for cartridge, as others have stated, smaller and non-magnum will be more pleasant to shoot and generally cheaper, so you will be more inclined to practice. At least that is the theory. I think it holds true most of the time.

I am a big fan of the 30-06 for a general purpose shooter. Very versatile and cheap to shoot.

Just my 2 cents.

Jeremy

 

[sndmn11]

I'm new here and would like some opinions on a rifle.

Mine-----> deciding you need a magnum while also lacking the experience to choose between two basic models is contradictory.

I'd buy the lighter or the cheaper of the two.

 

[Coyotecalling]

Like others have said, there’s a ton of information that may point you towards a lighter caliber. I’d actually focus more on the budget for the optic and accessories. Do you have a good amount budgeted in for a solid optic? If you’ve got $1000 to spend I’d split it 50/50 between the rifle and a solid scope with 4-12 magnification and a good warranty. Don’t forgot about the rings, bullets, etc. it all adds up quickly and you don’t want to run out of money with things still on the need list!

 

[NVUplandHunter]

Mine-----> deciding you need a magnum while also lacking the experience to choose between two basic models is contradictory.

I'd buy the lighter or the cheaper of the two.

agreed.

if you dont have the experience you're not going to be able to handle a big gun and have the foundations of shooting to shoot a mag well.