Can' t decide

bentbarrel · 11-25-2003, 10:54 AM

Buying a new rifle and can' t decide! I' ve always wanted a 7mm Rem Mag. so I' ve decided to get one. This rifle will be used mainly for deer hunting over soybean fields....shots can be out to 200 yards. Here are the finalists:

Tikka T3 - everyone has nothing bad to say about these rifles so it' s a contender. I like everything about the T3 but the looks of it. I know it' s not really important but I prefer the " classic look" of rifles. I' m also concerned about the lightness of the T3....in a magnum cartridge that can be a problem right?

Remington Model 700 - what else can be said about the 700? Some say Remington is not producing quality anymore...anyone agree?

Browning A-bolt Stainless Stalker - never owned a Browning but all my friends shoot these fine rifles. The thought of being made in ***an does bother me a little but not a big deal. They are a little pricey too...I' m waiting on a price from a dealer to see if it' s even affordable. It may not be so that may eliminate this one?

Any thoughts on the three mentioned?

Thanks for the help fellas!

mainehunt · 11-25-2003, 10:59 AM

I think that any of the 3 would be good. The brownings that I have shot are beautiful, and very accurate. Pricey though and being made in ***an sucks.

I don' t have any experience with the Tikka.

I would go with the Remington if I was limited to those three choices.

JimboHunter1 · 11-25-2003, 12:39 PM

Remington all the way.

Aught Six · 11-25-2003, 02:34 PM

One one my shooting buddies has a 700 Sendero SF in 7mm Mag that produces really tight groups. I' m a Remington fan, and I stand by their rifles (well, maybe not the 710).

Tikka and Browning are both excellent makes to consider, but I don' t have first-hand experience with them.

Hope that helps!

Superpig · 11-25-2003, 02:47 PM

All of the firearms yoy' ve mentioned are worth considering. The fit & finish of the Browning and the Tikka will be better than the Remington. I own and have owned all but the T3. That said all are accurate rifles. I have three shooting acquintances that use the new T3' s. They aren' t in magnum calibers though. I believe in the 7mm Magnum I would probably choose the Remington. I say this because in either ADL or BDL configurations the Rem. will weigh more than the other two. The 7mm is a stout kicker in most rifles. The weight of the Remington will help reduce the amount of felt recoil over the other two rifles. The Remington will weigh 1-1-1/4 lbs more than the other rifles. If you are considering installing a muzzle brake then I would choose any of the three.

skeeter 7MM · 11-25-2003, 03:24 PM

All three are good choices and I have shot them all with similar results, it boils down to the guy holding the rifle and footing the bill. I currently own a 700 BDL DM in a 7 rem mag and abolt SS stalker in 270win, both are fine rifles and haven' t caused me any issues. I use the 700bdl more since I love what the 7 rem mag has to offer for my usage.

Good Luck[8D]

DANTHEHUNTER · 11-25-2003, 08:55 PM

RUGER OR REMINGTON ARE MY CHOICE, I HAVE A BROWNING A BOLT IN 270WSM AND LIKE IT ALSO

GordonGekko · 11-25-2003, 09:42 PM

bentbarrel, here' s my take on the three

Tikka - shooter and reasonably priced, they are good guns and will serve you well, one of the best buys for the buck out there. I don' t like removable magazines on bolt guns, but this one is better than most.

Remington - some of the 700' s I really like, and others I don' t. I have an 80' s 700 mountain rifle that I love (at least I think I bought it in the 80' s). But, I don' t like many of the new ones save the sendero and the LSS, they are good guns just not my favorite.

Browning - good guns, if the made in ***an is a problem then stay away, otherwise buy and you will be very happy as I have. Mine is one of the best shooting guns I have, which is something considering it is bone stock and most others except for my Remington have had some Smith work done to tweak them a little. The one thing I don' t care for is the sythetic stock, but it is bearable and I am pretty hard to please. It will be a little higher in price than the other two (depending on which 700 you chose that is).

You mention wanting a magnum for shots up to 200 yards, I really don' t think you need a magnum for a 200 yard shot, look at the 280, 270, and 7mm-8 and see if that won' t do what you are looking for, they should be just the ticket. To justify a magnum you' ll be needing to go after larger game than deer or really wan' ting to stretch your barrel (which I don' t advise unless you practice it religiously). My choice for what you want, on a budget, get the Tikka t3 in 7mm-08 or 270. Or if you spend a little more the A-Bolt in 280 would be a winner.

Gordon

bentbarrel · 11-25-2003, 10:01 PM

Thanks for the replies guys. I want this rifle as a new toy and a hunting rifle...I guess the 200 yards info is irrelevant. I already own a 270 and a 7mm-08. Both have served me well. I just like the extra advantage of the 7 mag. Could be a trip for me in the future where the magnum may come in handy. I thought about the .300 Win Mag but then I thought " overkill" for my current situation.

As far as the three choices...I' m still not sure about the T3 in a magnum cartridge...it could mean more felt recoil in the T3 Lite. What do you think?

As far as Remington...it would be the BDL SS. I like the weight and the 24 inch barrel.

In the Browning...I like everything but the 26 inch barrel. Will the 2 inches and overall rifle length bother me in deer camp? Who knows?

I' m going tomorrow to look at all three and compare and get the feel for all. I know I' m being picky but this is probably my last rifle purchase for a while. [:' (]

Right now...I' m leaning towards the 700 BDL SS!

Quilly · 11-26-2003, 02:44 AM

even thought they are made in ***an.. they are one of the best rifles i have ever owned. i would not care if they where made in mexico. the quality and craftsman ship are still there.
i once was bitter and said i would never buy a gun from the ***anese. but ended that real quick when i got my first one.

i would stay awy from the remington line of guns. i have had a few problems with remington . if you can get a late 80' s early 90' s rem guns . but i think remington is more interested in coming out with new stuff , when they should go back and redue over there rifle lines and go back to quality.

i would say the browning or T3 would be the way to go..