New Rifle: Tikka T3, Weatherby Vanguard S2, or Savage 11

[kazpilot25]

I'm looking at getting a new rifle and finally upgrading to something of quality. I've narrowed it down to either of these three:

 

Tikka T3

Weatherby Vanguard Series 2

Savage 11/111

 

Both the Tikka and the Weatherby have the sub moa guarantee.

 

Do any of you guys have some input?

[firstcoueswas80]

The Tikkas are hard to beat. Light and accurate.

[onlycoues4me]

A couple years ago i bought my son a tikkia in a 270 wsm. That gun shoots great had it shooting clovers at 200 yards with factory ammo. I think santa is bringing my other son a new tikka this year.

[Willyhunts2]

+1 tikka. I have one in 25-06 and freind has same gun .270 wsm love them. They are light so pack a bit if a wallop.

[PRDATR]

What caliber? I have T3 in 308, sure is light.

[STOMP442]

I vote savage just for the ease of upgrading and barrel swapping ability. The Savage will shoot just as good if not better than anything out there.

[BruinPoint]

I have a T3 Lite stainless and a Savage 11, both in 7mm-08. Both are easily MOA rifles with factory ammo and the TIkka is a 1/2-MOA rifle with handloads . T3 is lighter and has a detachable magazine, but does have noticably more felt recoil. Savage is heavier, has a blind magazine, and the action is MUCH sloppier, but I paid about 40% less than what I paid for the Tikka. Those are the pros and cons as I see them. FWIW I like the way the Weatherby Vanguard S2 handles at the gun counter, just keep running into other deals I can't pass up so I haven't had one to play with!

[Couzer]

Tikka all the way! It's light weight, sako extractor, drilled bolt handle, adjustable trigger, detachable mag, guarantee I think 1" group @ 100 yards, and Sportsmans has a stainless fluted barrel model on sale now.

[AZBob]

Tikkas cycle shells smoother than anything else I've tried, and their trigger is a lot better than the Vanguard. I have an old Savage that doesn't have the Accu-trigger, so I can't compare it to their current model. I'd vote for the Tikka, too.

[Coach]

I haven't shot the Tikka, but everyone seems to really like them. My first two "go-to" guns are Savage.

 

#1 is a 14 American Classic in .300 WSM. I've never seen another one of these - it's got an oiled walnut stock, medium contour barrel and a parkerized barrel and action. The barrel is slightly heavier than the regular American Classic, and the stock is dark oiled instead of glossy. It has a Cabela's Alaskan Guide scope on it in 6-20 x 50 (?? I'll have to look to be sure). For the price, under 1K for both the rifle and scope, with handloads, this gun shoots amazingly well.

 

#2 is a Savage 110FP in 25-06. Another Cabelas Alaskan Guide Scope, this one I think is 4-14 x 50AO, cheezy savage plastic stock. Talk about a lights-out shooter, the accutrigger on this one is actually a lot better than my 14. It likes the moly coated CT in 117, but I've had great results with Barnes TTSX 100 grain handloads as well. This would be my all-around gun, if not with the 1" bull barrel and big scope it weighs in around 12 pounds. But it, like the Marine Corp, kills everything it sees. LOL.

 

Based on what you are looking at, if I were getting a new gun, it would likely be the Tikka in .270 WSM.

 

If I had to sell all my guns and get just one rifle, it would be this one...

 

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=313997098

 

And I'd do a Leupold or Huskemaw turret system.

[AZbowhntr]

I am going to have to agree with just about everyone else. I recently bought a T3 in 270 WSM and absolutely love it. It is smooth as can be. I had a muzzle brake installed as soon as I bought it. I could shoot it all day long. In fact my daughter is going to shoot it on her hunt coming up in December.

[kazpilot25]

Thanks for the input guys! After lot's of research and asking around, I've decided on the Tikka. I've been wanting a 7mm-08 for a while now so that's what I'm going with. Cabela's has a couple in stock, but not stainless. I'll have to swing by Sportsmans after work today and see what they got. Otherwise, I'm off to Cabela's.

 

Can't wait to get my new Vortex Viper 6.5-20x50 mounted on it and start shooting!

[rclouse79]

I love my .270 tikka t3. The bullets hit where my scope aims.

[452b264]

The Vanguard S2 are tack drivers, the triggers are very good, it takes a Timney trigger to make me happy, but I can happily live with new trigger on the vanguard, the Savages can be absolute tack drivers and you can change out your own barrels, haven't owned a Tikka, don't over look the TC Venture, light and they shoot VERY well, guaranteed moa.

[rclouse79]

I am a tikka fan. I only have one, but it is a tack driver.