Tikka or Browning

[hugetacticles]

or if you load, you could go my route for deer. I'll be loading my 300WM with 152gr Hammer bullets for deer at smoking speeds for flat out killing performance. I'll have less recoil, excellent point and shoot ability, and it'll flatten any deer it hits.

Your 152 grain 300 WM will have less recoil than a 168 grain out of a 30.06?

 

[Canhunter35]

Your 152 grain 300 WM will have less recoil than a 168 grain out of a 30.06?

Lol, only if the 300wm has a muzzle brake and the 30-06 doesn't

 

[86alaskan]

The 300wm will be suppressed and loaded to about 3200fps, so yeah, less than the standard 168 in a 30-06. you could load the 30-06 with a lighter mono-metal and load it faster, it'll have less felt recoil. I've been doing it for a while and it makes a big shootability difference. There's no reason to shoot a deer with any big bullet unless it's long range. Since you're not doing anything over 5-600, I'd go faster and lighter with a good mono.

 

[imyourhuckleberry]

The .30-06 sounds nice until you want to practice with it for 1/2 hr. Then it's not so nice, and you'll be flinching after a few rounds. I downgraded to the 7mm-08, and I'm very happy.

Surprisingly for me. I found the recoil to be lighter than I expected for such a light rifle. Could be the type of pad that is used on the butt stock. Regardless it is lighter than the 30-06 Savage 110 I have as well.

 

[hugetacticles]

All good info! What did people do before forums? So much real life experience in one spot.

 

[MudRunner2005]

All good info! What did people do before forums? So much real life experience in one spot.

They hungout in gun stores and at shooting ranges and hunting camps... But even then you got to learn to weed through the ********, because just like with fisherman (I love fishing), you get those same "fish tales" (I used to work at a gun store)... "I swear that buck was THIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIS big!" And in reality, it was a only a 6-point that barely broke triple-digits live-weight and shot at less than 100 yards. But in the story it was a monster, and it was 500 yards away and was a bang-flop shot with a 55 grain bullet from a .22-250.

Forums like this, where the folks are honest and helpful, are very rare, but worth their weight in gold. Most folks on here are here to help others, or to learn themselves, and nobody here has time to BS anyone else...Unless they're a troll (which is rare here). Forums like this can be the most useful tool on earth, or, if you choose to keep listening to Billy Badass Wannabe at the gun store, you might keep barely making 1 MOA loads, and you keep trying powder after powder and bullet after bullet, because he gets paid commission to move product. I can't speak for everyone here, but some of us here are self-taught (like me), and learned so much from the fine folks on this forum, that we choose to give back as our way of "paying it forward" to others in need.

 

[walter351]

I have a tikka t3 lite 7mm rem mag, my brother has the xbolt long range 300WSM. Both guns shoot well under moa. I really like the tikka for the price. I am not sold on the button in the bolt of the xbolt, but my brother has not had any issues with it. Why do you want the varmint? Get the t3 lite and smile when you are carrying meat out.

 

[hugetacticles]

I'm a bit of a wuss when it comes to recoil. I would love a 7mm, I just don't know if I could handle the recoil. I wanted the varmint because it's a little heavier and I felt like it would help the recoil a bit. I have shot the browning xbolt 30.06 and the recoil is very manageable with 168 grain bullets. They also have a sale on the xbolt stalker not far from me, $499 with no sales tax. I'm going through paralisis by analysis.

 

[MudRunner2005]

I'm a bit of a wuss when it comes to recoil. I would love a 7mm, I just don't know if I could handle the recoil. I wanted the varmint because it's a little heavier and I felt like it would help the recoil a bit. I have shot the browning xbolt 30.06 and the recoil is very manageable with 168 grain bullets. They also have a sale on the xbolt stalker not far from me, $499 with no sales tax. I'm going through paralisis by analysis.

Look into the 7mm-08 Rem pushing 168 VLD or 175 Berger Elite Hunters. The ballistics are very impressive, and it will have less recoil than the .30-06 pushing a 168.

 

[BigSwede]

Looking for a good hunting rifle. Probably will never shoot game a distances over 500 yards. I am liking the 30.06. My question is for those that have or have shot them. What do you like better. The Tikka t3 varmint or the browning xbolt stalker or long range stalker? I have shot the xbolt hunter and love it, i just don't want a wood stock. I like the idea of a little heavier gun, I'm a wuss when it comes to recoil

If you are sure about not shooting past 500 and are recoil sensitive I would seriously consider the ever popular/useful/accurate etc etc great 308. Doesn't give up much to the '06' and Kills Elk and deer with ease. It covers the board with bullet selection both factory loaded ammo and components. Both rifles you're considering are excellent factory rifles. I've owned and shot both. I still own 2 tikkas and one browning. With hand loads they shoot great 1/2 min consistent. Tikka less ammo sensitive and better trigger. Touch both guns. Pick them up and hold them and buy the one that feels more like a part of you. Both good. 30-06, 308, 7-08(as mention by mudrunner) all good choices. -GOODLUCK
-Swede

 

[FEENIX]

Maybe I'm going about this all wrong. My plan is to get a round I can use for deer and elk. I won't be putting 2000 rounds through this every year. My though was to get a cartridge that works well for both, utilize my practice time, and become proficient with that cartridge. Maybe this is a rookie thought from someone who doesn't have a ton of experience with rifles. Any input would be appreciated. Again, it will be 99% for deer with the hope of elk hunting or moose at some point. If I put $1500-$2000 into a rifle I just don't think I would be able to justify having to do it over in the off chance i actually get to go on an elk hunt. Again, maybe I'm just not thinking about this in the right way.

I'm a bit of a wuss when it comes to recoil. I would love a 7mm, I just don't know if I could handle the recoil. I wanted the varmint because it's a little heavier and I felt like it would help the recoil a bit. I have shot the browning xbolt 30.06 and the recoil is very manageable with 168 grain bullets. They also have a sale on the xbolt stalker not far from me, $499 with no sales tax. I'm going through paralisis by analysis.

My go to chambering for antelope to elk size game is the .300 WM loaded (with 180g and up, mostly Berger bullets) up to 1K yards. This is NOT going to be the last time you will be faced with this kind of decision, when you get the LRH bug.

As far as your recoil sensitivity, muzzle brake is your best option. I understand it is not for everybody but it is very effective for the money. Most of my rifles sports a muzzle brake or suppressor; it serves two purpose, reduce felt recoil and muzzle rise allowing you to spot target on impact - PRICELESS. There are many well designed and reasonably priced muzzle brakes out in the market from $50 and up. If you get a rifle that is already threaded to accept muzzle device, then you're set for a muzzle brake or suppressor. If not, threading the muzzle is ~$100.

Just to give you a general idea, the felt recoil on all my .300 WMs propelling 180g is similar to that of .243s. I am not recoil sensitive and shot the .300 WM for nearly 25 years without muzzle brake. Started using muzzle brakes in 2003 and never looked back.

Just a thought for your consideration.

 

[Canhunter35]

A buddy of mine and one of the best hunters I know despises recoil. He bought a 308 and put a brake on it. After shooting his a bunch I've braked mine and these are heavy barrelled rifles. If you hate recoil, definitely consider a brake and amplified hearing protection. Run a 168 out of a 7-08 and the deer won't know the difference between that and a remmag. Brake a 30-06, 308, or 7-08 and you will love shooting it.

 

[TwoMore]

My go to chambering for antelope to elk size game is the .300 WM loaded (with 180g and up, mostly Berger bullets) up to 1K yards. This is NOT going to be the last time you will be faced with this kind of decision, when you get the LRH bug.

As far as your recoil sensitivity, muzzle brake is your best option. I understand it is not for everybody but it is very effective for the money. Most of my rifles sports a muzzle brake or suppressor; it serves two purpose, reduce felt recoil and muzzle rise allowing you to spot target on impact - PRICELESS. There are many well designed and reasonably priced muzzle brakes out in the market from $50 and up. If you get a rifle that is already threaded to accept muzzle device, then you're set for a muzzle brake or suppressor. If not, threading the muzzle is ~$100.

Just to give you a general idea, the felt recoil on all my .300 WMs propelling 180g is similar to that of .243s. I am not recoil sensitive and shot the .300 WM for nearly 25 years without muzzle brake. Started using muzzle brakes in 2003 and never looked back.

Just a thought for your consideration.

+1 here

I am not recoil sensitive but when my sons started to hunt with me I started using brakes for them and my shooting got better. I started noticing that I could see the impact and not having to find the target again helps hear the whop.

I own two A-bolts and I love those triple lug actions , really smooth and real easy to get the triggers in the range I like with a spring change actually I shortend the springs. I won a Tikka 7mm rem mag in a raffle and it shot great, but I sold it to a good friend, I ended up putting a brake on it for him lol it kicked pretty good as did my A-bolt 7wsm which I put a brake on to lol. The trigger was easily adjusted to 3 pounds but that is as far as it would go on the tikka. I like the side bolt release on both,but to me the browning is just built better JMO

 

[Elkhunter1983]

Own a Stalker LR and have shot a few Tikkas. Both are good shooters. I like the features of the X bolt a little better. Recoil Lug design and the fact that even with a cheap factory stock, the X bolt comes bedded. I really don't like the feather trigger and will be replacing that as soon as time allows. I have even competed in some F Class mid range with the X bolt and did just fine, the thing will flat out shoot. I do think the x bolt also has the advantage when it comes to recoil between the two.