X-bolt or T3X?

[AZsniper]

Both are a great gun. I looked at both and landed on the xbolt for my 6.5 purchase. It is dead on at 500 yards.

 

[Sportsman]

IMO the XBolt will control recoil better. The 60 degree bolt lift, 26" barrel and the three position safety makes the XBolt win for me. Shot my truck with the Tikka while unloading one evening... a story for another time. Will not own a rifle with a two position safety now.

Don't know why Tikka doesn't move to a 3 position safety. It's the only reason I haven't bought one and the reason I'm reading this thread deciding between a Weatherby Vanguard Badlands and an X-bolt.. Will probably pay the extra money for the X-bolt.

 

[brettdunn7]

X-Bolt all day long.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[brettdunn7]

Thanks everyone! I’ve handled them both not side by side but so far I’m leaning towards the x-bolt, just more that apeals to me and covers more bases for what I like, but I’ll have to pick them both up side by side just to be sure

Wait until Juneish if you can. They are releasing their Hells Canyon Max Long Range then.

X-Bolt Hell's Canyon Max Long Range

www.browning.com

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Flatgo]

I’ll through a another option out there that is very similar to the tikka but I believe is nicer. The sauer 100. I personally think it has a nicer stock than both and a better trigger. It’s in the same price range too. Worth a look if you have not checked it out

 

[rodney482]

I have both, love both

x-bolt req a trigger upgrade. $200
T3x req a stock upgrade $600

*xbolt came with McMillan stock $600

 

[Desk Jockey]

Tikka fan here. I have 2 and like them but admit the stock is cheap feeling. I have shot and handled an xbolt. It was my runner up a couple of years ago when I ended up getting a tikka in 6.5 creed. Xbolt, Feel, fit and finish are all superior to the tikka but in fairness the xbolt is +$1100-1200 and the tikka can be had for closer to $600. I think the new version of the tikka you reference offers some improvements but I hear the street price is going to get pushed up to close to $1000. Hard to say which is better, as I have t seen the new tikka released yet but I tend to think both are solid choices.

 

[Castle Rock]

I’ll through a another option out there that is very similar to the tikka but I believe is nicer. The sauer 100. I personally think it has a nicer stock than both and a better trigger. It’s in the same price range too. Worth a look if you have not checked it out

And a better magazine

 

[manitou1]

X-Bolts start in the upper 700 to 800 dollar range. Unless you are going for a McMillen or Hells Canyon.

 

[LightFoot]

I’m looking at getting a new rifle for all around in north west Canada. Already decided on a 7mm Rem Mag, just debating on between the Browning x-bolt hell’s canyon long range, and the new tikka t3x veil wideland. I like the 26” barrel of the browning over the 24.3” of the tikka but like the smoother bolt on the tikka, need some insight on both here, thanks in advance

What did you end up with? Browning? Tikka?

>>>----JAKE----->

 

[TNKnoxville]

I have a X Bolt Hells Canyon Speed in 30 06 and a X Bolt Max Long Range in 300 Win Mag. Both are awesome tack drivers.

 

[bird35]

I have a couple x-bolt hells canyon lrs and a couple tikkas. I don't really prefer one over the other. I do like the longer barrel on the browning, mine are 26 and 28 noslers my tikkas are 260 Remington and 270wsm. To me they are similar as far as the smoothness of the bolt and the throw, tikka edges the browning slightly i think. I think the stock is better on the browning but i kinda like the trigger on the tikka. The new t3x veil looks really nice though.

 

[BCD]

Definitely the XBolt

 

[Hogyotedeer]

I own one Tikka in 243 Win. and I love it. I ordered a Tikka stainless fluted in .223 Rem which was on order for 6 months (I live in Romania). I got tired of waiting and "settled for" a stainless Browning X-Bolt. After shooting and hunting with the X-Bolt for a year, I decided to get another stainless 30-06. I walked right passed the Tikka order counter and ordered another Browning X-Bolt. I've had it for about a year now and I'm very happy I got the Browning, And I love Tikka's.

 

[MarcherLord]

I’ve had a few xbolts but never could bring myself to like the right handed palm swell of the stocks (lefty shooting right handed gun). I’ve several Tikkas currently and am happy. Accuracy was equal between the two and I don’t think you can go wrong.

 

[WKR]

I have the x bolt hells canyon long range in 7mm mag and I love it. Shoots great and is probably the lightest recoil on any rifle I've ever owned. I did throw a timney trigger on it cus I couldn't get the factory trigger down to anything bellow 3 lbs.

 

[Dobermann]

I have an X-Bolt and a Tikka, although in different calibers.

As others have stated, I prefer many features of the X-Bolt:

• Three position safety / bolt release
• Tang-mounted safety
• Far superior recoil pad
• 60 degree bolt lift
• Less fiddly magazine-seating
• Better stocks in the budget options (at least to my feel).

The two things I didn't like was the Dura-Touch stock (I've seen it both melt and delaminate, both ending up in a gooey mess), and the bolt somehow getting bound up during removal, so that it couldn't be reinserted. I couldn't work out how to fix it, and mentioned it at the gun store - they said it's a common issue, and told me how to wrestle it back into place. I'm guessing it won't happen again, now that I know what to look out for ... and if it does, I can fix it, but it did spook me a little.

Having said that, I went with Tikka for the most recent purchase - first, because I wanted something that was more of a 'beater'; second, because I drank the Rokslide Kool-Aid ; and third, because Browning annoyingly reduced their range of left-handed offerings a couple of years back.

One thing I think Tikka seem to be falling behind on is their range of stock and format offerings. The Tikka UPR changes things up a bit, but the range of stocks and configurations offered by Browning is so much broader (to the point of almost being too much, when you factor in all of their SHOT specials and limited editions).

As for reliability, would love to hear what @Formidilosus's experiences have been with Brownings ...

 

[Leatherneck]

How do you guys compare the two different magazines? I own a Tikka, but have not owned a X-Bolt. I actually like the single stack magazine on the Tikka. Not so sure of the rotary inline one on Browning. Is one better than the other?

 

[sndmn11]

Don't know why Tikka doesn't move to a 3 position safety. It's the only reason I haven't bought one and the reason I'm reading this thread deciding between a Weatherby Vanguard Badlands and an X-bolt.. Will probably pay the extra money for the X-bolt.

This is one of a few reasons I gave my Tikka to my step dad and got a Vanguard.

 

[Dobermann]

How do you guys compare the two different magazines? I own a Tikka, but have not owned a X-Bolt. I actually like the single stack magazine on the Tikka. Not so sure of the rotary inline one on Browning. Is one better than the other?

I haven't got any reflections on the single stack vs rotary in terms of feeding and reliability to relay ... would be interesting how the long-term reliability compares, or whether there are any issues known across the board / from a wide sample.

However, I'd say that the Browning is far cleaner to seat; the Tikka seems fiddly at the front end. Gave mine to a very experienced shooter to test-fire on the weekend, and he thought he'd seated the mag when it was not engaged properly at all - the back end tends to click in, giving the impression that the mag is ready, but the front end isn't seated, and rounds won't feed. Not so bad once you know what to look for, but it's not intuitive, adds an unnecessary error factor, and could be an issue should you ever need to change mags in a hurry.

Again, this is coming from a guy who is really trying to get on the Tikka bandwagon!