# Tikka, Savage,or Weatherby Vanguard



## sodakhunter (Dec 17, 2007)

New to predator hunting
New to the site.

Right now I own a WallyWorld special Win. Model 70 .243 WSSM that will not group, and after exhausting all options and a year of frustration. I am moving on.

Not wanting to go through the same thing agian, I am looking for some insight from shooters and not salesman. Right now I am leaning towards the Tikka, but the twist is 1:14 on the Tikka and 1:12 on the other two, wondering what effect this will have.

Thanks guys.


----------



## Fallguy (Jan 23, 2004)

I am not the guy to comment on twist rate. ( I would talke to SDHandgunner or Plainsman-they know their specifics on twist rates).

I was shopping for a new rifle this summer, and I looked at the 3 you mention. Those Tikkas are nice guns. The action is silky smooth, and the people I know who have them are really happy with them. Out of the 3 you are looking at that one will probably cost the most.

Same with Savage-people that have them have a lot of nice things to say about them. The accutrigger sounds like a neat thing. I was considering a Savage Predator Hunter. The gun looked great-but with a big price tag too

I ended up buying a Weatherby Vanguard. It fit my budget, had the features I wanted, and people really commented on how accurate they were. The final thing that sold me on it was the fact that when I handled it and shouldered it at the store it just fit me great! At the time I was deciding between that and a Savage Stevens 200 (another gun I have heard nothing but good things about). I just didn't like how the Savage felt in my hands. The whole time I would have that rifle (the Stevens) I KNOW I would have wondered it I bought the right gun. I have more important things to worry about when I am out calling coyotes.


----------



## 308 (Jul 10, 2007)

yah sdhandgunner knows about that suff. I would get the vanguard from personal expierience :sniper:


----------



## ay tee (Jun 11, 2007)

science would tell you that the twist rate will affect the rotation of the bullet leaving the barrel... think football for a second, the quarterback wants to throw a spiral every time the ball leaves his fingers, why is this... because if the ball is spinning it stays straighter from nose to tail as if flies through the air, this will result in the perfect pass to the receiver, where accuracy is key
1:14 and 1:12 means there is 1 rotation in the barrel every 14/12 inches, if you have an 18 inch barrel there will be 1 1/2 rotations in the barrel with a 1:12... with a 1:14 there will be 1 1/4 so the 12 rotation is moving faster therefore keeping the bullet straighter... if there is no rotation in the bullet it would want to "wobble" from side to side, making it lose velocity and accuracy...
a different example of this is something like this... take a quarter hold it upright between your finger and a table top and flick one side of it making it spin, it stands on end correct?... now hold the quarter up with one finger while the opposite side is on a table top, and let go without spinning it, the quarter fell over... now the faster that quarter spins the longer it stays upright on end...

i am not a scientist and i did not stay at a holiday inn express lastnight, but i did save a bunch of money on my car insurance by switching to geico


----------



## sodakhunter (Dec 17, 2007)

Thanks for the advice ay tee, now i can insure my new truck.
Really though thanks for the advice. I just purchased the tikka. I asked about the difference in twist between these three and the salesperson told me that no matter the twist, tikka is still the most accurate out of the box with a one inch group gaurantee. I have a buddy that has a vanguard w/ a VXIII on it, and 1.5" groups is the best he can do with factory rounds, and he does log a pretty good amount of trigger time. Since I have the 1:14 twist will that affect the lighter, or the heavier rounds. 40gr. vs. 55gr.?
Thanks for your input guys...


----------



## Bloodyblinddoors (Oct 25, 2006)

I believe with that twist, your gun will prefere the heavier rounds. But custom rifle makers will tell you that a good barrel will shoot impresive groups no matter what the twist, no matter what the grain of bullet.


----------



## ay tee (Jun 11, 2007)

dont get me wrong... there is more than one way for a gun to not shoot accurate... one right may not fully cover for one wrong, or vise versa... some guns are more accurate because they have a better build than others... dont look at the twist rate to ensure an accurate gun... there is more to it than just that... if you have 1 negative and 2 positives the 2/3 positive will dominate over the negative... it will be the entire gun that makes the accurate shot, not just the twist rate of the barrel...


----------



## hagfan72 (Apr 15, 2007)

Nope, I was always taught that the heavier the bullet, the faster twist it would need to stabilize it.


----------



## Bloodyblinddoors (Oct 25, 2006)

hagfan72 said:


> Nope, I was always taught that the heavier the bullet, the faster twist it would need to stabilize it.


You're right. I got it backwards.


----------



## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

hagfan72 is correct the heavier the bullet the faster the twist. I'm assuming you're shooting a 22 caliber with the 1/14... people that shoot at extended ranges with a 22 center fire will shoot a 1/9 or a 1/8 to stabilize the heavier match rounds down range. What did you end up going with? (.223, 22-250, etc)?

You're will do great for smaller bullets. I too just ordered a tikka. Good gun. the only grip that i have is the magazine well is pretty small, so bullet over all length is compromised if you handload. thats the only thing i've found. no big deal.

xdeano


----------



## Fallguy (Jan 23, 2004)

I can't remember where I heard it (I want to say on here...SDHandgunner maybe?), that another factor to consider when looking at twist rate is not just the bullet weight, but the LENGTH of the bullet. Isn't that important also?


----------



## hagfan72 (Apr 15, 2007)

Well yeah, of course. I mean, the diameter is all but limited (caliber) so the only way to add weight to a bullet is to lengthen it. Other than changing the material it is made from, etc.


----------



## sodakhunter (Dec 17, 2007)

I went w/ the 22-250. No particular reason I guess over the .223. It just felt like the right thing to do. There is another forum here for the debate of the two, so ill just leave it at that.


----------



## CoyoteBlitz (Apr 11, 2007)

Fallguy he said something about lenght when I was talking to him about twist rates one time.



> CoyoteBlitz, I am not sure how knowledgable I am, but in regards to the .22-250, depending on what 55 grain bullets you are planning on using you should be fine. The exceptions could be 55gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips or Hornady V-Max as they are quite long for a 55gr. bullet.
> 
> Here are some bullet lengths I have measured, and their cooresponding recommended twist rates per the Greenhill Formula.
> 
> ...


----------



## tfrost808 (Dec 22, 2007)

Fallguy said:


> I ended up buying a Weatherby Vanguard. It fit my budget, had the features I wanted, and people really commented on how accurate they were. The final thing that sold me on it was the fact that when I handled it and shouldered it at the store it just fit me great! At the time I was deciding between that and a Savage Stevens 200 (another gun I have heard nothing but good things about). I just didn't like how the Savage felt in my hands.
> 
> The Same exact thing happened with me. I really like the Vanguard series, they seem to shoot great


----------



## Fallguy (Jan 23, 2004)

They are good guns.

I may just buy another someday.


----------

