Tikka T3 vs Browning Quality

[greg788]

In pure fit-and-finish and build quality, how would you rate Tikka vs. Browning? I'm speaking of things like the stock inletting (on the walnut stock ones), quality of bluing, etc.

Accuracy seems close on average (the nod probably going to Tikka slightly).

But the Tikka is an awfully inexpensive rifle for something coming out of Finland. And that bothers me somehow. I love the X-bolt, oddly. But I read great things about Tikka. I've played with Tikka a few times at a very distant gunstore but otherwise they're a mystery to me.

 

[stalkingbear]

While tikka does make a good rifle,IMO it'll never be a browning-either in design,accuracy,or craftsmanship. I have several browning a-bolt/x-bolts and will buy no other new centerfire bolt action factory rifle than them. In fact,I always have an eye open for cheap or scratched up a-bolts to strip down for the action to build custom rifles from.

 

[viking499]

The wood on the browning is nicer.

 

[sernv99]

Tikka makes a good quality gun, in terms of reliability, fit and finish. I remember reading about them back in the '80s along with Sako.They market military sniper rifles, per Janes Infantry Weapons yearly guidebook. If they were lousy rifles, you wouldn't be seeing them around today making rifles.

 

[hossdaniels]

A Tikka has way to much plastic to be a Browning.

Tikka is a awesome shooting ugly plastic rifle.

Browning is a very good shooting well built rifle.

I'll take my a-bolt over any tikka, even though it wont shoot with most tikkas I've seen. It shoots under 3/4" with its favorite ammo. I've seen tikkas shoot under 1/2".

Sako is a different story, sakos are not tikkas.

I'm not a huge fan of the x-bolt, I dont see any improvement over the a-bolt. And it kinda looks like a tikka. But it is $50 cheaper.

 

[Lone_Gunman]

I don't know about Brownings, but I owned a Tikka T3 for a while, and although it was accurate, I didnt much care for it. It has a cheap plastic magazine that will cost $60 to replace. It also has a plastic trigger guard.

The Tikkas all have long action receivers even if they are short action cartridges. That kind of cheesey engineering bothers me.

 

[SwampWolf]

Awfully hard to beat a Browning when it comes to "from the factory" fit and finish.

 

[Horsemany]

I'd say the Tikka'a are actually well built when you take one apart and look at how precisely things were machined that are hidden from the stock. They rival a lot of American guns these days in that respect. And the triggers adjust down to just under 2lbs and are VERY crisp.

That said, it aint a Browning. The new X-Bolt is calling my name after handling a few. They are possible the smallest, quickest handling rifle I've ever handled. The fit and finish on the Japanese Brownings are excellent. You'll look hard for sharper hand cut checkering. I've had some Citori's that would leave checkering impressions in your palms upon firing. I likey that stuff.

The A-Bolt's and Tikka's are always the noteworthy guns when I spot for sight-in-days at my local club. I'll sight in 30-40 rifles per day so it's a nice representative of what's available. I can't remember a Browning or Tikka that didn't shoot itty bitty groups. The Tikkas dominate the "sporter class" benchrest at my club. One member one a national match shooting a 9" 1000 yd group from his T3 in 7mm-08.

 

[f4t9r]

I like Browning and they have treated me well over the years. They also have a beautiful finnish.
So I am sure you know what my choice would be.

 

[Jerry D]

Browning magazines/locking/holding mechanism are superior to Tikka's... They both feed reliably though.

imo loading the "third" round into tikka magazines just pisses me off... its tedious where as with browning there's plenty of room as its a double stack design.

I also prefer the way browning magazines lock into the gun on that hinged floor plate vs how tikkas magazines are inserted into the gun.

I also don't like the loading/ejection port on the Tikka - its too small for me.

The cocking indicator is plastic... The Tikka for me is just too many plastic parts. I pefer steel even if the plastic is quality. I like steel and will take steel components and parts over plastic ones any day so I'll pick a Browning A or X bolt over a Tikka T3

Also finally when working the bolt on the tikka it sort of makes that noise that makes you shiver, sort of like when someone runs their fingernails across the chalk board. The Abolt is plenty smooth for me and both are much much better compared to say the rem 700.

Personally I like build quality in my firearms. Proper designs, proper materials. My opinion is that guns should be metal, not plastic, so I like Brownings... however Tikkas do shoot and work too, and their cheaper - both do the job.