New rifle options

Looking at a Tikka for $550. Anything else in that price range I should consider? Will i be dissapointed in the Tikka? .308
Thank you

"You won't be disappointed" will bet he consensus on THF. You might consider spending another $100 and getting stainless, but that's just me.

X2. I have two, they've been awesome.

I know of nothing in this price range as good as a Tikka. I have 3 and the bolt is smooth, outstanding trigger and they are consistently accurate.

I got the stainless T3 Lite. I wiped down the barrel the other day. It was so grimy that I was ashamed, but I do love the low maintenance aspect.

Yup. I have two, zero complaints.

ruger American in 6.5 creedmoor

Same, and I would spend the extra $$ and get stainless.

Tikka!

Sometimes you find ""benchmark" products that you learn that you can trust to always be what you expected them to be ...I've owned 3 T3's & an older 695...so far, and expect to own some more....and YES, I'd suggest a Stainless too.
Ron

I was considering a Browning X bolt but they are pricey. I was also considering a .270 but am now leaning towards a .308. I have been looking at the Tika's but I had wood and gun blue in mind instead of composite and stainless. Also planning to buy a Vortex to mount at the same time.

my X-Bolt in 7mm-08 is VERY accurate!!, nice gun, well finished. feather trigger is very good at 3.5# you would like it

I own 2 Sako 85's and absolutely love them. their distant cousin...Tikka is a nice gun too for the $$

Savage makes some great wood and blue guns too

I have a Tikka t3 in 270 stainless. Incredibly accurate. Awesome trigger/bolt.

Weatherby

I've never owned or even handled a Tikka, but on the strength of reports from other shooters whose opinions I respect, I'd say that you can't go wrong with a Tikka.

I hear lots of good reports about the Tikka, but the gripes are few and far between.

The one I keep looking at is the Forrester. (Wood and blue)

In the same price range I think the Tikka and Weatherby Vanguard are head and shoulders above the rest and they both come with sub-moa guarantees. They are different animals though. The Tikka's are light rifles and the Vanguards are heavy. I buy Vanguards because I've had three shoulder surgeries and the weight really mitigates recoil. If not for that I would definitely own at least one Tikka. A friend here on THF recently purchased a T3 Lite Stainless 7mm-08 and purchased a suppressor for it. I mounted a scope on it a few weeks ago and we sighted the rifle in. With the suppressor it was a joy to shoot.

Yes, exactly. The Vanguard is very accurate and a quality firearm -- but heavy. Not that big a deal for Texas blind hunting, but not something I'd want to lug around in the mountains.

The X-bolt has both accuracy and light weight and is better quality than the Tikka, but it's in a higher price range. If you can stretch for it, I'd get one.

I have an X Bolt and they are solid rifles. In the same price range as the X Bolt is the Winchester Model 70. I have one of those too and though it'll be heavier (unless you get the Featherweight) it's an EXCELLENT choice as well.

Can't go wrong with the Tika or the X-bolt.

I think Browning has the best out of box trigger.

ThIs pretty well sums it up-if you're going with a higher-recoiling chambering unsuppressed, then I would stick with the Vanguard.

Just buy what you like. Just about every manufacturer is making good firearms today.

I am looking seriously at one of the less popular rifles... The Winchester model 70 Sporter.

It is heavier than the popular Featherweight, and will have a longer, slightly heavier barrel for whatever caliber you prefer. The stock is more substantial and has none of that French-looking Fluer-De-Lis BS on it, just some good old-fashioned wrap-around checkering.

The Sporter in 30-06 for example has a 24" barrel, the Featherweight in 30-06 is 22".

I had a Sporter some years ago chambered for 338 WM and found that the stock fit me perfectly. It was a sweet shooter.

So, in addition to the Howa or the Weatherby Vanguard, the Winchester model 70 Sporter is another good choice if you want something with a little more heft to it.

The more expensive model 70 Super is a Sporter with some nice cosmetic touches if you like fancy.

This

if you're thinking of Tikka; you can't go wrong

I bought a Tikka T3 stainless and a T3 Tactical (20" heavy barrel) in .308
just to try out. I used a standard load of Varget and Nosler 168gr BT
and both shot .5" on average. It was on a day that I was not in my best
behavior and the weather was less than ideal

Just stirring the pot, by I would hand back a free Tikka to pay retail for a Howa...I must prefer the one piece bolt, the integral recoil lug and the Sako type extractor. The Tikka just feels cheap to me, like a Bic lighter that you throw away.

Have a T3 in 270 WSM. I love it

I am looking at buying the Howa 7mm-08 the base model and then buying and aftermarket Black Hawk Axiom stocks for it they are suppose to take up 70% of th recoil with with superb accuracy and lighter I got to fire the other one Black Hawk makes the thumbs Whole stock in a 25-06 you early felt it and it would almost clover leaf them. if you buy the guy with the stock on it your paying more I can get the How I want for 350$ and the stock off amazon or several other sight s for less then 200 for a light weight gun that adjust to fit you with almost no recoil all for 500 you cant beat it I would choose a vanguard of the teka as well nothing agent them ihav not owned one but will not sure what yet because between my 243 that my son will shot and the 708 there isn't anything around here were i need a bigger gun even in Washington state i did my bear and elk hunting with my 30-30 never had one go mor the 40-60 yards when i have heard nothing but good thing about tika i was going to just wait and get the brooding xbolt with thumb through stock of 875 but have made up my mide on the Howa and the black hawk stock i cant take much recoils

i handled the T3 the vanguard the xbolt Howa and the savage 16- axis to the me most comfortable was the axis the the vanguard but it was heavey felt solid so did the howa the t3 was nice but it just want stomaching i had to have if i had to leave the store that day i would have left with the axis and had them redo the trigger to 2.5lbs the savage 16 was in wood and i liked it a lot but i like the Howa more and that black hawk stock was comfortable as hell most the new guns all shot really well even the cheap mosburg shots well a few little tweaked and you have a nice shooting gun set up to you it doest matter to me if the gun is 200-600 it if is not comfortable to hold and cycle feels good when you shoulder it then get it i dont even look at the brand it'll haver i has held it i dont want the name to influence my decision so I close my eye pick up the gun shoer cycle it it sounds silly but i want it to be comfortable and accurate axes gun are cheap but they are really accurate and they are starting to put the acutriger in them it they do that my next gun will be an axis cant beet the out of box accuracy of savage or the price the money you save on the gun you can put in to the sights and some places i seen were making after market laminated stocks so you can piller and bed them

You will be happy with whichever you choose.

Be sure you get the best scope you can afford. It will make your new rig just that much more better

The older I get the more money I spend on the scope and the less I spend on the rifle.

charlesb mentioned the Model 70 Sporter. They cost quite a bit more than a synthetic Vanguard but a Sporter will be my next rifle. .264 WM.