Tikka t3 vs Browning xbolt comparison

[Jchip]

Tikka t3 vs Browning xbolt

So I often see people looking for opinions between these two guns. Owning both, I figured I'd make a comparison.

Action: Tikka, as advertised, has an action smooth as butter. It's easy to work and NEVER hangs up. Xbolt is good as well, just a touch rougher. You have to be sure to pull/push straight back/forward with the xbolt or it catches and stops. Admittedly I've had the Tikka much longer so I'm sure as I use the Browning I'll get more used to it. In my opinion the edge goes to the t3.

Trigger: Out of the box the t3 has a very light trigger. Clean break, no creep. Always seems to go off just before I expect it to (which I like). The xbolt comes much stiffer. The same can be said about the clean break and no creep but it is a noticeably heavier pull. I adjusted the trigger pull weight down and it is much better. Being used to the Tikka I find I have to work a touch harder than I want to to pull the trigger on the xbolt. This one comes down to personal preference. For me the edge again goes to the t3.

Stock/handling: The duratouch finish on the xbolt feels great in hand, and makes the gun feel higher quality than the t3. However, in -30C I didn't feel as though it gave me noticeably more grip than the plastic stock on the Tikka. I've personally never been bothered by the plastic stock on the t3 but the xbolt is nicer. Browning also puts a quality limbsaver on the gun from factory, saving you having to buy a limbsaver if it's a heavier cartridge. Both guns fit me well, Tikka feels a touch front heavy in comparison to the xbolt. Edge goes to the xbolt for the duratouch finish.

I can't speak to recoil as my Tikka is a 300wm and my Browning is a 243. I imagine they'd be fairly similar. Also to keep in consideration is the Tikka is slightly lighter and less expensive. Both shoot well. Can't go wrong with either one. If I had to choose right now my preferred gun would be the t3. That's due in part to being more familiar with it, and could change with more time spent behind the xbolt.

[sns2]

Good job on your comparison!

[270person]

I think the spread between the two widens if you sub the T3x for the T3, especially if you compare wood stock versions. I've HAD both. Didn't care for the Xbolt at all. Couldn't get over the trigger issues, didn't care for the stock configuration or the scope mounting options. It went but bye.

About the only advantages I'd give the Xbolt over ANY Tikka would be slightly less weight, imo, and a better recoil pad. A lot of the T3 objections went away with the T3x.

[Jchip]

Originally Posted by 270person

I think the spread between the two widens if you sub the T3x for the T3, especially if you compare wood stock versions. I've HAD both. Didn't care for the Xbolt at all. Couldn't get over the trigger issues, didn't care for the stock configuration or the scope mounting options. It went but bye.

About the only advantages I'd give the Xbolt over ANY Tikka would be slightly less weight, imo, and a better recoil pad. A lot of the T3 objections went away with the T3x.

Agreed t3x is a better comparison , but I don't have one so had to be the t3. I have a limbsaver on my tikka so not much of a consideration there for me. I feel the t3 and t3x are still close enough for this to be an accurate comparison

[270person]

Originally Posted by Jchip

Agreed t3x is a better comparison , but I don't have one so had to be the t3. I have a limbsaver on my tikka so not much of a consideration there for me. I feel the t3 and t3x are still close enough for this to be an accurate comparison

I agree. Jyst took it up a notch to the newer model being that pricing is similar to the old.

[Roamer]

Going against the grain here, I prefer the X bolt (have two of them). Though I have never owned the Tikka, my friend has one (it is a great rifle) and I have handled many.

I like everything about the Tikka except:
-safety location (must move your entire shooting hand to operate the safety)
-you can’t extract a live round from the chamber with the safety engaged
-the fact that short action chamberings are built on long action receivers (one action length for all chamberings).
I would also say the Tikka trigger is better.

The reasons I prefer the X bolt are:
-it fits me better (the stock)
-palm swell on the grip
-tang safety (right where your thumb is, like it should be)
-60 degree bolt lift (I know it’s only 10 less than 70, but less is less)
-you can exctract a live round with the safety engaged
-flush mount magazine (one hand carry).
I will say the feather trigger leaves a little to be desired. They are supposed to be adjustable down to 3lbs, neither of mine can get below 4lbs, they do have a crisp break though. But, even with the stiff trigger pull I find the way the gun fits me, I don’t end up pulling the rifle off target, the palm swell might be helping here?

Both of my X bolts are lights out with my hand loads and Precision hunter ammo, and both shoot the same load great (yes, I have two X bolts chambered in the same cartridge, not very imaginative, haha!).

There’s my take on the two. Ultimately they are both excellent factory rifles, it’s up to the purchaser to decide which they prefer.

[Bushrat]

Have owned 7 tikkas, .223, 243, 25-06, 6.5 x 55, 270, 308. 4 x bolts .223, 243, 6.5 creedmore, 30-06.

Differences i have found:

Stocks: synthetic stocks are stiffer but slippery, feel cheap on tikkas, X bolts are plastic rubber floppy noodles but feel great in hand and fit me better. Tikka wood stocks are same dimension as their synthetic. X bolt wood stocks are fatter than their synthetics and feel like a club in my hands. I don't have large hands

Barrels: Observation with borescope (have borescoped many more of these rifles than just the ones I've owned) shows consistent higher quality machining and bore surfacing on tikkas, Xbolts can vary from pretty nice to pretty rough, though they still tend to shoot as well as tikkas on average. I find they copper foul much quicker than tikkas. borescope says they tend to erode faster than tikkas (especially their blued barrels) with equal number of shots.

Actions: Tikkas much smoother to operate. Find the bolt handle rather small on xbolts, shoulda made it 1/4 inch longer with a bit larger knob. Have no preference on the 60 or 70 degree bolt throw difference on either. Very convenient nicely placed tang safety on xbolt with the option of having safety on while unloading some people prefer though it makes little difference to me as I just eject the chambered round and drop the magazines on both to unload. This xbolt option maks for more small parts that may tend to corrode, rust or malfunction.

Triggers: tikka clearly the winner here though the xbolt does have a larger trigger guard that may accommodate a gloved trigger finger easier. Have yet to find an xbolt trigger that could be adjusted down to their advertised weight, and find out of the box trigger pulls among different rifles vary from about 4 lbs anywhere up to 6+ lbs. Browning could take a lesson from Tikka here.

Magazines: Xbolts clearly the winner. Magazine longer than Tikkas, they fit flush making the rifle single hand carry much nicer than the tikkas that stick out the bottom. X bolt chambering and longer magazine geometry combined with short chambered throats allows bullets to be seated longer and allow reloaders to seat bullets on the lands if they choose. On the other hand tikkas have long throats and short magazines rarely allowing a reloader to seat bullets anywhere near the lands and allow the cartridge fit into the magazine. Tikka could take a lesson from Browning here.

They each have their good and bad points. Pick the rifle that fills your boots.

[Jchip]

Agree with both of you. I don't like that Tikka only builds off one action but it's not a huge issue for me. I like that I can eject a chambered round on my xbolt, but mostly because that gun will be used with newer hunters/shooters. For myself I don't walk with a round in the chamber so the only time I'm ejecting a live round is when I'm about to leave the blind. Being familiar and comfortable with firearms it doesn't bother me much. I'd agree the tikka magazine could be longer. Even with some factory loads I find they rub at the front. I'm considering an aftermarket trigger for the xbolt to see if it swings my opinion one way or the other.