Tikka vs christensen arms & Etc.

[Jarek49]

All good choices.
I don’t know anything about Brownings.

Tikka has a large following so they must be doing something right - on average they shoot better than most, which is probably the main reason for their popularity. I don’t care for the plastic parts and the relatively fragile cocking knob that seems to get bent when disassembling the bolt if not done correctly.

I shoot a Christensen Mesa 6.5 PRC barrel on my Remington action and the profile is ideal for an accurate light mountain rifle. These barrels shoot well. Since it’s a clone of the Remington 700, the design has been proven and tweaked for over 70 years - the reason it’s the worlds most popular bolt action design is it works. Being the most copied basic design also means there are more options for stocks and aftermarket triggers than any other. You’ll hear a lot of arguments for the factory trigger and against the Remington, but any factory trigger should be replaced with a smoother and lighter aftermarket unit. Don’t be fooled by guys simply replacing springs - the entire factory trigger needs to be replaced on any rifle of any make.

If you had a 243 or 6 creed next to a 6.5 PRC in the truck and a javelina, coyote, rock chuck, prairie dog, or just a nice looking rock to shoot, I would always bet lunch you’d grab the 6mm first. 6.5 or 7 PRC are better hunting cartridges, but they aren’t as much fun to shoot as something smaller. Same thing applies to shooting steel plates at the range - bigger cartridges may be fun to shoot a few times, but 90% of the time you’ll reach for the 6mm. It’s a universal reaction that goes back well into the 1950s when a guy with a 270 and 243 wants to clobber a big varmint of some kind or just plink. If you already have a 6mm and want something bigger go with the 6.5 PRC, if not, the 6 creed or 243 is a much better base to start from.

Very well said partner. I agree

 

[schmidty3]

The thing that swayed me to the tikka over the browning was the accuracy guarantee (or lack there of), the cost, and the customization possibility. The hells canyon felt great. But also wasn't a fan of the rubberized stock that was still polymer.

Of course I ended up needing to thread the tikka and buy a new stock (so it was then more expensive, but i did have a proper solod stock at that point). If you never planned on touching the gun and using it as is and also weren't expecting to ever need to swap the barrel the browning isn't a bad choice.

Here I am 8 years later about to rebarrel my tikka 300 mag to a 25 prc. And I'll be able to do it in my garage no factor.

The 6.5 prc seems like a very reasonable choice to me. Low enough recoil and will hold velocity further then most should be shooting.

I'm trying a 25 for the lolz.

 

[TaperPin]

Very well said partner. I agree

That 7 PRC also makes a good hunting round. Of the bunch I’m a 7mm fan. Eventually a Mesa take off barrel in 7 PRC will come along and I’ll grab it to add to the collection.

 

[Jarek49]

I have a mesa fft that I absolutely love. It was great to just order the gun and have it show up ready to shoot in the configuration I wanted. It’s super accurate, feeds great, and is so nice and light to carry. I paid $1250 for it and I would happily do it again.

I just bought my son a tikka t3x based on the hype here. We haven’t even shot it yet but out of the box it didn’t blow me away. It feels like a $700 rifle should. I’m going to have to get the barrel threaded, buy a brake, and eventually upgrade the stock which will put the cost above the Christensen. The tikka has a plain blue finish which I’m hoping holds up well. The Christensen came with a much better finish.

I think it’s going to end up being a wash (assuming the tikka shoots good). The reason I got the tikka for my son is so that he can use the compact stock until he’s big enough to invest in something high quality and full size. And Christensen doesn’t make the mesa fft in any small calibers. If mesa fft came in 6 creedmoor or fast twist 243, that’s what I would have bought.

In the end, it comes down to preference, current sales, and availability.

I think it just comes down to what you like in your hands. Any of the rifles on your list will work. The Tikka PRC will be slow for that caliber. If you really want the PRC performance bump don't get the Tikka unless you want to put a new barrel on it right away. Of get it and shoot it out practicing a lot. I don't know why people post anecdotes about killing animals as some kind of proof a rifle is good. There is a higher chance, based on past performance, that a Christensen could have an issue out of the box but it seems that they have always fixed any issues.

Like rookie alluded to above, people are happy with lots of various rifles. Find the one you like and buy it and go shoot.

Why will the 6.5 PRC be slow in the tikka? And why would I need to re-barrel it right away?

 

[z987k]

I'm a tikka fan but the new browning pro SPR in whatever cartridge you want looks super nice. A buy and go hunt gun with nothing to be done. It's also 2x+ the cost of a tikka, but to get a tikka there youd be the same cost.

 

[Snowhunter11]

Jared,

Once you spend some time searching on this forum you will understand the benefits of Tikkas. You simply cannot deny the safety, reliability, accuracy, decent weight, and current availability of aftermarket upgrades. I used to make fun of my buddy with that ugly a$$ tikka. Now I have two that shoot lights out and I could care less how they look if the tool works. 6.5prc will kill most everything dead..if that’s what you want get it. Best of luck on your search!

 

[Leaf Litter]

Hello guys, needing some help deciding on a 6.5prc lightweight rifle for backcountry/long range hunting out here in AZ for everything from Javelina to Elk. Here's my options.

●Tikka T3X Tan stock (Black Blued Barrel 24")
●Christensen arms Mesa (Burnt Bronze 24")
●Christensen arms Mesa 7mm PRC (FFT 20")
●Christensen arms evoke (22" barrel)
●Browning X-bolt Speed LR (26" barrel)

Of these options:

1A. Browning
1B. Tikka
2. Attempt to make steel from iron ore, machine an action and barrel myself and carve a stock from an old 2x8.
...
...
137. Anything Christiansen

 

[Jonputters]

For the money I like tikka