Opinions on 3 rifles

[Luked]

Looking at getting something a little nicer than my Howa 1500.
Unsure yet on caliber I want just yet.
Have thought 6.5PRC but unsure yet.

Would like your opinions on
Browning X-Bolt Hells canyon
Christiansen arms Mesa
Tikka T3X

Have handled all 3 once and like the feel of all 3.

Will be mounting a Leupold 3x18x44 VX6 on top.

Mainly deer hunting but possibly using for an elk hunt in the future.

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[Stalker69]

Tikka, hands down.

 

[Bubblehide]

Tikka is a no nonsense very functional rifle with a smooth short bolt throw rifle that has a solid reputation.

Lots of people like the hell's canyon. Although I have shot a few, I have never owned one.

Unfortunately Christian has had quality control and accuracy issues. You could get a good one, or a dud.

 

[Doc Holliday]

They all feel very different. Different stocks, palm swell, trigger, and balance. Which did you prefer?

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Tikkas are a safe bet.

Those new Brownings are pretty slick though, those long range mountain x-bolts with the carbon stocks sure do check a lot of boxes for me.

 

[MeatMissile]

Tikkas are functional, but are as inspiring as a Glock. They are “smooth” because of the single column magazine. Smooth means one less round, which may not matter. It wouldn’t with me. But, if someone walked up to me and said they’d give me the hunt of a lifetime with the catch that I buy a brand new rifle....I’d buy a Tikka. One less thing to worry about.

 

[Luked]

The Tikka I handled i believe weas a Roughtech. I liked the way it felt.
The Browning felt like it had a wide palm area which was different but didn't feel bad.
Honestly I didn't notice a huge issue in any of the three.

 

[Keener22]

Of those three, probably a Tikka. Christensen can be very hit and miss, and for some reason I’ve never been compelled to like Browning over some of the more “traditional” manufacturers. Like someone else mentioned, the stock is very important and often overlooked. In todays world, any rifle can shoot good enough for hunting purposes. It’s the feel and smoothness of the rifle and it’s parts that really matters. I’ll throw you a few more, of varying prices.

Savage Ultralight
Bergara Premier (honestly not sure what their lightweight mountain rifles are called)
Nosler Carbon
Proof Elevation

My main hunting rifle, until I need something bigger, is a Proof Elevation chambered in 6.5 CM. My next one will be another Proof, a Nosler (with a Proof barrel), or something custom with a Proof barrel lol. My Elevation shoots about .4 MOA with factory Hornady ELD-X 143 gr. The gun just feels so balanced and well built on all fronts. What sold me on Proof (even with their track record) was when I bought one of their .223 Wylde barrels for my Mk12ish build. That thing will do .4-.5 MOA with Fiocci factory 50gr Polymer Tipped Boat Tails. If you have the coin, get a Proof, Custom build, or Nosler. If you don’t, get the Savage with the Proof barrel.

 

[7MMMAG]

not a fan of the brownings, personally. But I do like the rem700 footprint actions like the Christensen. I also am impressed what proof has to offer.

 

[Fartrell Cluggins]

My Mesa 6.5 PRC is very accurate. It took a trip back to the factory to get it that way. CA was great to deal with through the process though.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

I have owned all three. Actually multiple x-bolts and christens and one tikka. I vote christensen. I no longer have a mesa but own two of their carbon barreled rifles and really like them. Tikkas have been hit and miss with my buddies - there is probably 4 or 5 that I have shot and helped do load development on. Back when you could pick them up for $500, it wasn’t a big deal to just rebarrel them. Every single Xbolt I have owned or shot has been very accurate. They dont have as much after market support as the CA (M700 footprint) or tikka, but they shoot.

My primary elk rifle is a 6.5 PRC. I love it.

 

[z987k]

Tikkas are functional, but are as inspiring as a Glock. They are “smooth” because of the single column magazine. Smooth means one less round, which may not matter. It wouldn’t with me. But, if someone walked up to me and said they’d give me the hunt of a lifetime with the catch that I buy a brand new rifle....I’d buy a Tikka. One less thing to worry about.

Care to elaborate on the smooth because of the magazine part?

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Of those three, probably a Tikka. Christensen can be very hit and miss, and for some reason I’ve never been compelled to like Browning over some of the more “traditional” manufacturers. Like someone else mentioned, the stock is very important and often overlooked. In todays world, any rifle can shoot good enough for hunting purposes. It’s the feel and smoothness of the rifle and it’s parts that really matters. I’ll throw you a few more, of varying prices.

Savage Ultralight
Bergara Premier (honestly not sure what their lightweight mountain rifles are called)
Nosler Carbon
Proof Elevation

My main hunting rifle, until I need something bigger, is a Proof Elevation chambered in 6.5 CM. My next one will be another Proof, a Nosler (with a Proof barrel), or something custom with a Proof barrel lol. My Elevation shoots about .4 MOA with factory Hornady ELD-X 143 gr. The gun just feels so balanced and well built on all fronts. What sold me on Proof (even with their track record) was when I bought one of their .223 Wylde barrels for my Mk12ish build. That thing will do .4-.5 MOA with Fiocci factory 50gr Polymer Tipped Boat Tails. If you have the coin, get a Proof, Custom build, or Nosler. If you don’t, get the Savage with the Proof barrel.

I’d love a proof elevation in 300 win mag.

 

[sndmn11]

Restock the howa, timney, and add what is saved to what you'd spend on the subpar leupold so you can get am outstanding scope.

 

[Chuckybmd]

I have an xbolt hells canyon speed in 7 mag and the Tikka t3x in 7mm-08. I love them both, but the xbolt is my preference. Why? Mostly just how it feels to me. The bolt lift, the range of motion of the bolt, and the general ergonomics win out. Not to mention the xbolt looks great.

Of course the are both very accurate. I use the 7mm for elk and the 7mm08 for deer.

 

[Forest]

Of those 3 tikka gets my vote. I've got some older brownings that were my favorite till I got my first tikka. Browning makes a nice gun tho and wouldn't be scared of it at all. Christensen gets too many mixed reviews for me to try

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[Stalker69]

Care to elaborate on the smooth because of the magazine part?

Yea, that doesn’t make any sense. You can feel how smooth it is without pushing a round in the chamber. As compared others.

 

[ZAK13]

I have an X-bolt and am very pleased with it, never owned a Tikka but have heard great things about them. Either of those would be my choice, or both if I could afford them.

 

[turley]

Of those three I'd lean towards Tikka as I prefer the Sako/Tikka action...and Tikka normally has excellent out of the box accuracny.
With that said I went with a Fierce Fury as it uses a Sako/Tikka clone action primarily because I liked the stock and fit much better on the Fierce over the Tikka.

 

[Jonesry09]

I have a couple hells canyons (300 wsm and 6.5 prc). Both of those guns shoot 1/2 moa with factory loads. I have target photos and video if anyone feels the need to dispute. Not only that, but of the 4 guys I regularly shoot with, 3 of them have hells canyons as well. The other has a Christensen ridgeline and although he likes the trigger quite a bit better, he cannot get that gun to group like the rest of us.

I'll admit that I have never shot either of the other 2 guns you listed but that is because I haven't had the need to. I was kicking tires about buying a custom build or semi-custom build in .300 prc when I was reminded what I have in my safe. I was reluctant to get another rifle that aesthetically looked like 2 others in my safe, so I was very happy to see Browning come out with another camo so I don't have to do that. I will be purchasing a 300 prc in the x-bolt pro mountain tungsten here in the next couple weeks.
If that one shoots like its relatives, then it will be a 7 rem mag next year. If it doesn't shoot like the other, a Seekins Element will be what I go with next.