How do the Browning AB3, Tikka T3 Lite, and Weatherby Vanguard compare

[mustardtiger56]

Hi all,
Curious as to what the advantages and disadvantages are to each and which you would use personally, as well as your overall opinions. Thanks, much appreciated.

 

[idaho elk hunter]

The Vanguard/Howa is by far the best all things considered, they do however have a shorter barrel.

Tikkas use a different lead and throat system to enhance accuracy but loose substantial velocity in doing so. They too are prone to having shorter barrels.

The Brownings are overlooked so much by the accuracy group that no one pays much attention. That is too bad. They have better engineering and are stronger than the Howa 1500, The strength of the action, precision machining, and factory barrel quality can only be rivaled by the standard Weatherby and outdone by the Accumark.

I have some of each of the above that you have asked about and have compared these in several calibers and separate firearms. The results are the same.

The Nosler 48 is in the same category as the Vanguard buy with a optional longer barrel. Still not the Browning.

I would ask anyone with a opinion on this subject if they have had experience with each one of these to get a honest evaluation not just a personal opinion from a experience with just one, maybe two of these rifles.

 

[mustardtiger56]

Thank you for your detailed reply .
So in closing, if you could rank these three rifles in order how would it go? Also, how does the browning compare in terms of durability? I noticed the plastic trigger and bolt head, but I also know the tikka has quite a few plastic components as well.

Thanks again

 

[snipersam]

The Vanguard/Howa is by far the best all things considered, they do however have a shorter barrel.

Tikkas use a different lead and throat system to enhance accuracy but loose substantial velocity in doing so. They too are prone to having shorter barrels.

The Brownings are overlooked so much by the accuracy group that no one pays much attention. That is too bad. They have better engineering and are stronger than the Howa 1500, The strength of the action, precision machining, and factory barrel quality can only be rivaled by the standard Weatherby and outdone by the Accumark.

I have some of each of the above that you have asked about and have compared these in several calibers and separate firearms. The results are the same.

The Nosler 48 is in the same category as the Vanguard buy with a optional longer barrel. Still not the Browning.

I would ask anyone with a opinion on this subject if they have had experience with each one of these to get a honest evaluation not just a personal opinion from a experience with just one, maybe two of these rifles.

can you tell us more about the different lead and throat system to enhance accuracy in the tikka?

 

[idaho elk hunter]

On American designed and made rifles the standard lead was a 3 degree angle. The newer modern lead is a 1 degree minus 30 minutes.

I have never cut a Tikkas chamber or barrel in half to verify what I am about to state.

Sako/Tikka take the lead and make it progressive until it comes into full height and depth of the rifling. Consider it a taper bore or shotgun choke type system that is done at the chamber end and not the muzzle end. This causes gasses to exit around the bullet due to the bullet not sealing into the rifling until it is farther into the barrel. This lowers the internal pressures thus resulting in a lower velocity.

I do know this. I have been fortunate enough to own more than one caliber and brand of rifle. The Tikkas have always shot WAY slower with the same loads and same length of barrel, Same cartridge, same everything.

This "test" I have repeated many times over with several different Tikkas VS brand XX

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

I only own one Tikka 270 t3 lh but I can tell you it is hitting the 3050-3150 fps mark with 130 grain bullets without pressure issues; not bad for a 22.5" bbl.. It is also in the top three of the most accurate guns I own. The other two would be my browning ss lh 300win (ab II)and my rem 300rum. My rem 7rum is coming on very strong of late also. Strangely, my stw is only mid pack and she's the only one with a custom bbl. on her.

I have a low opinion on the Howa/Vanguard rifles as we've had a number of them that would be better off as fence posts. I hear they are better of late, but if I want an import I'll buy a Tikka or Browning.

As to the wby mk5 (not vanguard) I would buy one if the price was right but realize it may take a bit of work to get them really accurate. I had to run around 100 round through a buddies' 300roy accumark before we had two loads that were consistent sub moa no matter the conditions. I suppose we might have gotten wby to re-barrel this one, as it was shotgunning the target at 100 with wby factory ammo.

 

[Unofficial Gun Addict (UGA)]

That's weird... About tikka having slow barrels. Perhaps I have 2 aberrations, but my tikka t3 light and t3 tactical 308s both shoot 50 fps or more faster than my savage. The light has a longer barrel... So that makes sense... But my tactical has the same barrel length as my hog Hunter.... And it's a minimum of 50 fps faster with the same loads sometimes 75 depending on the bullet used.

They always exceed what quickload predicts by a pretty good margin also.

 

[brd922001]

I have owned all three of these rifles. Without question the Tikka is by far the most accurate. I have also heard people talking about "slow" Tikka barrels. For the most part this is total BS. However, there is two calibers that have an issue with a "SLOW" barrel. These are the WSM lines. The problem is Tikka builds these using the short action which I think is a mistake IMHO. The short magazine and bolt throw limits the length of the round and the throat is drilled for the heaviest of bullets. This combo results in a big jump for the bullet to the lands, thus reducing pressure. I have a Tikka in 270WSM and with a little work have created a wonderful hunting rig. I able to get just over 3200fps with 130 Accubonds. I'm not loading very hot and could go higher but it shoots one big hole @ 100 yards, so I'm good with that. I changed the bolt stop and cut magazine spacer out to allow the round to go all the way back (Long Action). This allowed me to reload rounds in which I can bump the bullet right up to the lands. Matter of fact I have converted all my Tikkas (6 in all) to long action. I have become to really big fan of the Tikka rifle.

 

[mustardtiger56]

so based on the fact you have owned all three what do you think the pros and cons are of each? or are they fairly comparable across the board?

 

[brd922001]

Owned several Brownings and all shot well. Only two Vanguards and would say accuracy was average but not bad. Actions on all are good with the Tikka smoother but only one action length. I think one thing is if you reload or not, the Tikka is a reloader's dream. If you don't reload is a toss. Either way I don't think you will be unhappy with any one.

 

[mustardtiger56]

ok so when you say "several brownings" do you mean the ab3 specifically? I did recieve an ab3 and want to know if is suitable for some abuse in the cold, snow, and woods in mid january/february. I have mounted a nikon prostaff on top. It seems to have alot of polymer(like the weatherby and tikka) so I am wondering if you think this combo will serve me well in this regard for many years. I really don't want a rifle with a beautiful stock or finish that requires babying, I just wanted something that is very rugged,accurate, durable, and functional.

Let me know if you think this will do the trick.

 

[roninflag]

what are you shooting at??

 

[mustardtiger56]

Primarily deer and predators. Perhaps Elk next year.

 

[brentc]

That's weird... About tikka having slow barrels. Perhaps I have 2 aberrations, but my tikka t3 light and t3 tactical 308s both shoot 50 fps or more faster than my savage. The light has a longer barrel... So that makes sense... But my tactical has the same barrel length as my hog Hunter.... And it's a minimum of 50 fps faster with the same loads sometimes 75 depending on the bullet used.

They always exceed what quickload predicts by a pretty good margin also.

It's not that they are slow. It's that the chamber design has a different pressure engagement. When compared to a standard leade, the Tikka will produce less pressure, therefore adding more powder to get the pressure up can result in higher than expected velocities with pressure equal to a standard leade with a standard load. Make sense?

This explains why you see guys reloading for Tikka's ending up with higher powder charges (a grain or two) than normal max when working up their hand loads.