Looking at 30-06 rifles, Tikka? or something else

S

SARuger

New member
I want a 30-06, I have never had one. I was looking at Ruger American's then one of my friends said to get the Tikka. I'm a huge fan of anything Ruger but there are so many other nice bolt actions out there.

My price range will be less than 1k for rifle and scope. Yes I know the Ruger is way under that, the Tikka is doable though. And its so smooth!

What else is in that price range
 
You can get a decent scope for $200, no need to spend over $350, so that leaves a lot of options for a $700-$800 rifle.

Nothing at all wrong with a Tikka, they tend to be among the most accurate rifles. They are quite light, as is the Ruger American. For most folks they are about at the limit that most can shoot well in 30-06 and some find both too light to shoot comfortably. A lighter recoiling rifle in either of those would be a consideration, especially if recoil sensitive. A 308 will come within 100 fps of a 30-06 with the same bullet weights with about 25% less recoil.

I like the Ruger American too, but feel the Tikka is a little more refined, and in my experience a touch more accurate. About $150-$200 more expensive too. You could almost buy 2 Ruger Americans and scope them with your budget. In fact they offer a package deal with a very good Redfield scope. I see them locally for $550.

If you want something nicer I like either the Ruger Hawkeye or Winchester Featherweight. You shouldn't have any trouble finding a Hawkeye and scope under budget. The Winchester will be $800 +/- a bit so it's close and would limit scope choices.

Lots of other options, but those are my favorites.
 
Lots of good options. The Marlin X series (that would be XL in 30-06) is a fantastic rifle for very little money. The stocks aren't pretty but they are very functional. The Weatherby Vanguard is also an excellent shooting rifle that won't set you back too much.
 
Savage makes nice guns, or so says the internet. I almost bought one. CZ also makes rifles in your price range. My CZ American in .22 is a nice shooter, though I don't like wood stocks on bolt action rifles.

I was down to savage vs tikka, and I just pulled the trigger on the Tikka (in 30-06). It simply felt right, and there's no other way to describe it. Your experience may be different, and that's ok. After all, for most of us, these guns are a luxury. We don't need to hunt, or punch paper, so you should get the one you like, not necessarily the one that the internet says you should get. Most of the big brands make rifles in 30-06. Do you want a bolt, or are you interested in something different?
 
Any name brand rifle will be good. I confess a preference for the true Mauser 98 system. Most of my rifles have Leupold scopes. I find them a good compromise in price and quality.

Here's one of my '06s (I also like the Mannlicher stock style).

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For a bolt action centerfire, I have fairly strong preference for a model 70 Winchester. There are a few others I find interesting, but only with Walnut stocks.
 
If I was buying a bolt action in any caliber and wanted a new rifle, CZ is probably the only brand I'd look at. Prices have slowly crept up on CZ's, but their still worth every penny. I've had quite bit of range time and several hundred rounds thru my Dad's, and IMO you'd be had pressed to beat their quality and accuracy without spending a lot more.
They aren't made anymore, but my TC Icon is incredibly accurate. I just recently had it out on a 200 yard range to sight in for hunting, and it consistently shot 1" or better at that distance with my handloads. I'm a decent shot, but I couldn't believe how well I was grouping with that rifle with loads I developed for hunting not target shooting. Shame the never caught on.

IMO, the CZ is better than the Ruger and just as good the Tikka is most respects without the higher price.
 
I've purchased two Tikka T3 rifles over the past six years and couldn't be more pleased with them. I believe they are the best value in their price range.
 
Thanks everyone! I shouldered both rifles at sportsman's warehouse last night and the Tikka felt way better and the bolt is super smooth. I will be looking at other options to see how they feel as well.

I like American made products so that might sway me at some point.

I'm not recoil sensitive. I have hunted with some large caliber rifles before and shot them often. Marlin .444 and .45-70, I hunt with a .44 SBH now. None of them bother me
 
Looking at new rifles, The Tikka may be a step above the Ruger, but the Ruger American is also a great gun and a great value. I would also consider a Savage 11/111, 16/116 or maybe from their their Axis II line, if the others are out of the price range you want to be in. If you would consider used, some of the best buys I've seen at my LGS lately have been in the Savage 110. Although they don't have the Accu-trigger the trigger on thrones I've handled (and own) are very nice. The Winchesters, even used just seem to be a fairly large step up in price. I don't know if the step is justified, but they are very nice guns and the Model 70 is one I'd like to own someday.
 
I've been very impressed with my Tikka, having recently bought one of their CTRs. Its action is smooth as silk, and has a good trigger, and is very accurate. I just shot the groups below earlier today, and it's worth noting this was my first whack with this particular loading, so my starting load was either optimal, or there's still some accuracy to be gained with further tweaking. Either way, not bad for a factory rifle. ;)

TikkaCTR130VLD43grH4350_zps39680b39.jpg


The only things I don't like about Tikkas as hunting rifle are the 2-position safety, and detachable (and plastic) mags that seem easy to drop (as this latter issue goes, the CTR is a different animal).
 
I look at cheap rifles like the Ruger American and similar rifles from other manufacturers, as nothing to be proud of. Certainly not a good value. If you went out and bought a higher quality rifle and paid $1,000.00 for it, your cost of owning it over 3 years is less than a dollar a day. And after 10 years? C'mon guys, the average smoker spends more money on cigarettes than that. The correct answer is not more cheap guns; but rather, having a few of excellent quality that are absolutely worth more than a lot of cheaper products. Most of us can only shoot one gun well at a time anyway. No one gun covers all needs, so it makes sense to have those various needs covered well. But disposable plastic rifles? No, thank you. An excellent value is a used rifle in very good condition that you might not quite afford if it were new. By the way, a used Leupold scope has the same lifetime warranty as a new one.
 
So many other nice bolt actions and most are very nearly identical. Go try 'em on for size. One of 'em will speak to you.
 
Pathfinder, many people refer to me as a "gun nut." I have some very nice rifles. They spend the vast majority of their lives being safe queens. They eventually get sold at a profit and replaced with other safe queens. Most of the time,the same old beat up, banged around, re-barreled rifles keep getting the woods time. This year I only got out my 7SWM Winchester Coyotee (which looks like it traveled to hell and back) and the only deer I actually shot were shot with my Ruger American and 450 Bushmaster. The scope on the American is worth 2 1/2 times what the rifle cost. I bought the American because it was cheap and I intended to put it behind the seat in the truck or under the seat in the truck or perhaps even in the toolbox of the truck. After I put a Boyds stock on it, bedded it, and did a trigger job, it shot 3/8 minute with the first load I tried in it, so I decided to put Meopta on top of it and hunt with it.

I said all that to say this: If an Axis, American, or Venture floats your boat; then by all means buy it. It will most likely out shoot its more expensive counterpart.
 
I love the Hawkeye but its out of my range and I want synthetic stocks. I use my guns so wood doesn't hold up around me and stay pretty for long.
 
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