Tikka T3 lite vs weatherby vanguard in .243 (Ford vs Chevy)

[bigdonniebrasco]

I love my Tikka in .270 with a Leupold scope! I got a great deal on the rifle and the glass.

Now it's time to buy a rifle that will be shared between my wife and daughters, for game no larger than Kansas whitetail. As far as caliber I am strongly leaning toward a .243, and I have a good friend in the business that can get me a vanguard for $350. I obviously can't get a Tikka for that price, however I would rather pay MORE for a better quality, more intrinsically accurate rifle.

I am looking for some opinions on what you all would do in this situation.

Not sure if it matters in this scenario but I do NOT reload, and I doubt this gun would ever see anything aside from pigs, whitetail, and Pronghorn.

Thank you!

[VikingsGuy]

I own two tikka 3Tx lite and a vanguard 2. My experience:

- both shoot great (easily sub 1 MOA)
- vanguard 2 action+barrel (actually a Howa 1500 I think) is significantly heavier than tikka t3x action/barrel
- the vanguard 2 stock is not as crappy as the bottom line savage and ruger plastic stocks but I still didn't like it and added a H&S Precision stock that I like quite a bit
- the tikka T3x stock is the one sub $650 rifle plastic stock that is useable for me (but I still stuck them in B&C stocks)
- my vanguard 2 is a drop plate magazine while the tikkas are drop box magazines -- both are fine but I like the plate approach (one less thing to drop in the field).

In the end they both will kill stuff.

[88man]

If you can afford the Tikka I would get the Tikka. If not a vanguard is fine.

[VikingsGuy]

Also, new tikka T3x is worth the extra $ over leftover prior T3 model.

[1_pointer]

243 Win is fine for the chambering and one of a few that I'd suggest for a non-reloader. If you can afford it, I'd get the Tikka as it's lighter. IMO/E with my sons, rifle weight matters in their ability to safely handle and accurately shoot a firearm.

Then again, letting handle both and that guide your decision is rarely a bad way.

[ishootdasmallones]

I love Tikka's and if the rifle was for me that's the way I would lean. But if you are talking for a new or inexperienced shooter, I would go with the Vanguard for several reasons. First, and most important, the safety is better. You can open and close the bolt with the trigger still blocked, the Tikka you cannot do this. Second, the rifle rifle will be heavier resulting in a more stable platform and less recoil. Third, the barrel is 24 in long vs the 22 and change on the Tikka resulting in a slightly faster bullet, not much, but some. Just my .02

[LuketheDog]

The Vanguard is a perfectly acceptable rifle and will shoot as well as your family can at hunting ranges. Lighter is not necessarily better for new or young shooters either. There here is a Vanguard tailored ergonomically to women that has a pretty wood stock on it, if your buddy can get you that one, I was looking at it for my wife...

[MinnesotaHunter]

A buddy of mine's wife has a Vanguard Camilla in 243, and it sounds like a real sweetheart. It is tailored for the female frame as well.

As for the mechanics/accuracy of the rifles, most has been already discussed. The only other difference is the Vanguard has a 3 position safety (so you can unlock the bolt/load/unload) without turning it off safe.

[MTANTELOPEHUNTER]

I have a Weatherby wilderness. I believe it weighs 6.75 #, its chambered in 240 Weatherby. Very accurate with the cheap Weatherby factory ammo. The ammo is a little more than 243 but its a good deer antelope caliber. The rifle does not have much recoil , I think they are about 650.00$

[golfer]

I’m in the same boat. I bought the 243 vanguard for the girlfriend and she shoots the gun lights out, but when it comes to packing the gun around the weight is a definite down fall. I’ve considered getting rid of the vanguard to buy her a 243 in a lighter rifle just so it’s more comfortable for her to pack around the hills.

[JohnCushman]

Another thought...

If recoil and weight could be an issue, how about an AR10? It will do everything you want and will be big enough for if either of them ever decide to hunt elk, plus it would give you a backup gun for elk. Palmetto State Armory always have flash sales for components and you could build your own for a lot less than buying one off the shelf. And with a multi position collapsable stock, it would fit all of you.

[bigdonniebrasco]

There you go, all making sense and stuff! Thanks!

Another thought...

If recoil and weight could be an issue, how about an AR10? It will do everything you want and will be big enough for if either of them ever decide to hunt elk, plus it would give you a backup gun for elk. Palmetto State Armory always have flash sales for components and you could build your own for a lot less than buying one off the shelf. And with a multi position collapsable stock, it would fit all of you.

[Brian in Montana]

I have both - Tikka is a .308 and the Vanguard is a 300 WM. I like both for different reasons. Both are accurate and have very smooth actions. I hunt more with the Tikka because it's light and I tend to walk a lot and it will do pretty much whatever its called upon to do.

[Rancho Loco]

Ruger American deserves a look.

[VikingsGuy]

Ruger American deserves a look.

I have two - they are cheap and do shoot straight out of the box, but the stocks are really poor in my opinion - I put mine in boyd's (the laminate will also give a little heft if looking for recoil control).

[mthillrunner]

I have a tikka in 300 wm and weatherby vanguard in 257 weatherby. I like both in different ways. I like how light the tikka is, I didn’t like the stock so I replaced it. The weatherby is heavier for sure. Both shoot sub moa. I did add a brake to the tikka also. My 11 yo son and wife shoot both. My son prefers the tikka as it’s lighter. My wife is indifferent between the two. I prefer the hinged floor plate of the weatherby, as someone else stated, one less thing to lose.

[Rancho Loco]

I have two - they are cheap and do shoot straight out of the box, but the stocks are really poor in my opinion - I put mine in boyd's (the laminate will also give a little heft if looking for recoil control).

I don't know when you got yours, but the present stocks are greatly improved from the flimsy POS when they first rolled out.

[VikingsGuy]

I don't know when you got yours, but the present stocks are greatly improved from the flimsy POS when they first rolled out.

3 years ago or so. Glad to here they are getting better.

[SDS14]

Personally I would choose Weatherby... that's just me. If I woke up in your shows I would go to the local sporting goods store and have my wife and daughters hold and get a feel for the Tikka and Weatherby in your price point and buy the one that they like the most.

[Dougfirtree]

I would make that decision based on weight. They're both good rifles, but the Tikka is significantly lighter. If that's important, you have your winner. If not, I'd say you also have a winner.

[Dougfirtree]

One other thought: the Tikkas have terrible recoil pads. That might be a factor for you too...

[VikingsGuy]

One other thought: the Tikkas have terrible recoil pads. That might be a factor for you too...

For non-magnums, the new T3X pads don't seem too bad, I understand they were upgraded with the new version.

[Dougfirtree]

For non-magnums, the new T3X pads don't seem too bad, I understand they were upgraded with the new version.

I hope they have. The old ones were really useless and cut at a weird angle so that it would be tough to replace them with a worthwhile pad. I always felt like that was the one big flaw in their rifles.

[bigdonniebrasco]

I replaced my T3X pad with a limb-saver before I ever even shot it.