Vanguard series 2 or tikka t3 lite?

[Sako7STW]

I will offer up a bit different opinion. I am a massive fan of both. Weatherby has a special place in my heart. I find on a lot of web sites you find Weatherby envy. Guys grew up hearing their dad's talk down the Weatherby because they couldn't afford one....Jealousy is the word (not saying that is the case with the above replies, most on this site are serious shooters and some as you seen do shoot the Roy's). So they naturally follow what they think they know. I have seen Weatherby's shoot with the best of them. The .300 Weatherby is an absolute beast of a round. My brother shoots the .300Roy in a Mark V topped with a Zeiss Conquest and I LOVE that gun. It is vicious on Elk shooting the Barnes 150gr TTSX. 500 yards is an EASY shot to make with this load and watched him do it twice on big bulls that dropped in their own tracks. HOWEVER I am not sure how well the high BC bullets like the Weatherby free bore. The general consensus on Berger is they like to be on the lands. Might want to ask around on that.

Now the other side...Tikka T3. obviously I am in also in love with Sako. Since Tikka is Sako you cannot go wrong as you have read on many of the posts above. My wife has a Tikka T3 in 25-06 and it is an amazing little gun. I love shooting it. I would definitely do the .300 WSM over a .300 Winbag. Sorry but I really am not a fan of the .300 Winbag or the .338 for that matter. I bought my son a 7mmWSM in a Savage Weather Warrior and am super impressed with the round and the rifle. Definitely am a WSM fan!

So if I was in your shoes......I would go with the Weatherby. You are already set up for it so why waste money getting setup for a different round? Of all the Roy's the .300 is the cheapest and most readily available. You can get brass for it from multiple manufacturers. Some at reasonable prices. You obviously have some reservations of the Tikka. This will always be in the back of your mind. I think if you go with the Weatherby you will not only have one of the best all time all around North American hunting rounds, you will also have confidence in your rifle. Confidence = better shooting, better shooting = meat in the freezer. Beside the V2 is Sub MOA guarenteed so how can you loose??

 

[BIG MO]

I have four Vangards 300WSM, 7RM, 270WSM, and 6.5 Lapua. It is a cock strong beefy action with integral recoil lug, forged one piece bolt, with a great extractor. They all shoot sub MOA at 1000yds. I can load the big bergers into the lands and still fit the mag in all four rifles. They are guaranteed to shoot sub moa and all mine will shoot 1/2 moa or better with tuned handloads. The new trigger, stock and matte finish on the S2 is money well spent.

I reload for a couple buddies Tikkas and have shot them during load development. They are just as accurate as the Vangards. The Tikka also has a great trigger for an off the shelf production rifle. They flat out shoot well.

For me, the Tikka feels a little light and wispy, especially shooting a long action magnum elk load. I prefer a little more beef in the action and stock. I feel the Vangard has a better recoil pad also.

I use the 300WSM as my go to Elk rifle. Its pushing a 190 Berger at 3100fps. Its got all the horsepower you need and it shoots dandy without a break. It also loves the 210 Berger if you want to throw bigger pills.

My recommendation-

Weatherby Vangard in 300WSM
Skip the break and buy 300WSM dies and brass
Talley light weight rings
Scope of choice

 

[cdbeagle]

I have held the Tikka's but don't own one. In our family we have two S2's and the previous model Vanguard. I prefer the Weatherby but have read so much good about the Tikka that I would say go with which rifle feels better in your hands.

 

[Tikkamike]

as stated above the S2 is sub moa guaranteed but so is the tikka. Also stated above is a comment about action strength. The tikka has a very very strong action. The more I think about it the mre I think the Tikka is a no brainer. great trigger, super light and accurate nobody that I know has ever heard of one failing.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

I vote tikka too as I have one and it is **** accurate. My only experience with the vanguard was a gen 1 in 243 and it flat sucked. My 12 guage shoots tighter groups with slugs that I could expect out of that 243 vanguard. It also has a better trigger. I hear the gen 2 vanguard rifles are better, but that was an easy bar to clear.

 

[terick26]

I own a tikka t3 lite in a 300 wsm. It is a little ammo sensitive, but I've found federal fusion will shoot a sub inch group. I've recently shot a series 2 wby which was much better then the original. All in all I would say it is a tie, take what ever you get the better deal on.

 

[winmag]

May want to consider the bbl length offered on both of those factory offerings!!!!!

My 26" barreled 300WSM, 180Accubonds @ 3100+ outruns my 24"piped 300Wby, 180 Accubonds @ 3076 & only 3 loads per Wby brass. No joke!
A 300Wby with a 24" pipe is so severely handicapped that its rediculous to own one IMO, & is almost a ballistic twin to a 300Win with a 24" bbl, but cost a lot more to shoot.
If it were me I'd only consider the 300Wby in a Mk-V or other 26" barreled factory offerings if there are any.
If its a Vanguard S-2 or a Tikka I'd look only at 300Win, & 300WSM. They can actually perform well with 24" tubes.

Just something to think about......lightbulb

 

[Dr. Vette]

May want to consider the bbl length offered on both of those factory offerings!!!!!

My 26" barreled 300WSM, 180Accubonds @ 3100+ outruns my 24"piped 300Wby, 180 Accubonds @ 3076 & only 3 loads per Wby brass. No joke!
A 300Wby with a 24" pipe is so severely handicapped that its rediculous to own one IMO, & is almost a ballistic twin to a 300Win with a 24" bbl, but cost a lot more to shoot.
If it were me I'd only consider the 300Wby in a Mk-V or other 26" barreled factory offerings if there are any.
If its a Vanguard S-2 or a Tikka I'd look only at 300Win, & 300WSM. They can actually perform well with 24" tubes.

Just something to think about......lightbulb

You've mentioned this before.
Do you think a faster powder would help with that 24 inch barrel?

 

[winmag]

You've mentioned this before.
Do you think a faster powder would help with that 24 inch barrel?

Not from what I've found. I've got the best velocity in my Wby with IMR-4831 (pretty fast powder for Wby case). I've tried a multitude of powders, but that was it for top velocity & accuracy with (MY) 300Wby.

If you even out the playing field & compare to a 26" piped Wby, there's no comparison. The 300Wby will walk on both the WSM, & Win mag. But in a 24" bbl it Severely handicaps the performance of a great cartridge.

I bought my old one back from my buddy, when I hered the news about Noslers new line of Long Range Accubond, & it's sitting in my gun cabinet untill I can afford to have it re piped, & bigger bottom metal put in.
I love the cartridge, but IMO its so handicapped that its counter productive to shoot one with a short pipe. It's like throwing $ out the window so you can ride the coat tails of the real 300Wby's ballistics, & reputation for the sake of saying you shoot a Wby.

 

[Dr. Vette]

Thanks for the info. I have a 300 Wby in a Vanguard that I received as a gift, and haven't yet shot it. At least I know what I'm in for given the short barrel.

We also have a 300Wby that "may" be a longer range rifle in the future but that one's a Mark V, 26 inch, with a brake.

 

[tbird1964]

I have a series 2 Vanguard that I just bought in 240 Weatherby magnum. I installed a scope and bore sighted it with a bore scope that I have and the first 3 shots at 100 yards off of my back porch was 7/16". It has a good trigger and I would not hesitated to buy another one. In fact I am considering one in 257 Weatherby magnum.