Which caliber of tikka t3 lite for me?

[CSNeoM4A1]

How is the recoil of the 7mm compared to a 30'06? 30'06 is the biggest non braked caliber I have shot.

[forepaw]

There are a couple of things to keep in mind. While your choice of a T-3 is a good one, you might want to stick with the standard lite version. It is already very light, to the point where it is difficult to shoot accurately from field positions. You will be able to do it, but you can't just flop down willy-nilly like you can with a 12# rifle. Also, recoil is a problem with the Tikka. If you can find a Hunter with the wood stock, it is more forgiving, but at a cost, that being added weight. The T-3 lite is much improved by discarding the factory pad and installing a limbsaver or decelerator. On mine, I pulled off the OEM pad, filled the buttstock with gunsmithing foam (to deaden noise) and then added a slip-on limbsaver - perfect fit, and resulted in a length of pull reduction of about 1/2", also perfect if you will be wearing a pack, or heavy clothing. I expect the fluting on the ultra-lite may help stiffen the thin barrel, but how much this can be depended upon to improve accuracy I have no idea.

 

With respect to caliber, and my sense is that you are looking for an all around caliber that will also take game up to elk reliably, I would stay far away from any magnum caliber in the T-3 unless you handload. My rifle is a .270 Win. and is very satisfactory, accurate, smooth, and lightweight. I believe a 7-08 would also fill the bill nicely, though I have no personal experience with that round. I would not advise either for 600 yd. shots on bull elk. If you are willing to put in the time and effort to practice at long range, the .270 with the right loads and optics is up to 600 yd. hunting accuracy, no question. I expect the same for the 7-08, in fact, possibly better due to quality of bullets available in that caliber. I believe the 7-08 also has a wide selection of good factory ammo available, as does the .270 Win.

 

The rifle you seem to be leaning toward will need to be a series of compromises. Too much of any one characteristic will be paid for somewhere else. The one I am using now has been, and is, highly satisfactory for a rough country rifle. In addition to the limbsaver pad, it also wears a Leupold VX III 3.5-10 CDS, with parallax calibrated to 400 yds. I have dials etched for 110 gr. Barnes TTSX at 3400 fps, and 130 Barnes TSX at 3060 fps. This is with handloads, but these dials also match factory ammo which has the same ballistics. Using the TTSX, I run out of elevation at 800 yds. using the factory grooved receiver, and Warne 1" rings. If you install a 20' pic. rail, you can extend your range to well beyond reasonable hunting distance for a light rifle. If you want to bang gongs the size of a car door at 1200 yds. this would be one way to do it.

 

I occasionally shoot F-class (600 yd. prone or midrange) matches, and if I can get the wind right, I can stay in the 10 ring pretty consistently from a field rest, sometimes better than the 10 ring. Shooting benchrest silhouette, I am dialed to the 715 yd. targets, and can pretty much count on making hits at that range if I can hold correctly for wind. With this setup, I have a reliable 500 yd. deer rifle (my original intent) with no custom gunsmithing and a cost of less than $2k. Nice thing about the Tikka is you can adjust the trigger for weight of pull down to I believe 2 or 2 1/4 lbs. This would be much improved if there was also a way to adjust overtravel, but for a factory trigger, it is very good.

 

Depending on how diligent you are, using a similar rifle/scope combo. you can probably take cow elk reliably at 500 yds. and maybe further. Bull elk at long range (which to me is 600 yds. and beyond) is altogether different, and in spite of the you-tube videos (which are great fun to watch), is not something that should attempted without a lot of practice, IMHO. It can be done, but the rifle you would need to use is probably not one you would want to carry very far from your vehicle.

 

forepaw

[PRDATR]

+1 on changing the recoil pad. I have a T3 Lite in 308 and the first thing I did was put on a Limbsaver pad.

[CSNeoM4A1]

+1 on changing the recoil pad. I have a T3 Lite in 308 and the first thing I did was put on a Limbsaver pad.

Thanks. I will be putting a limb saver on it for sure, whatever caliber I end up getting.

 

And yes, I think I am looking for 1 rifle to handle all my big game hunting.

[madx250]

I Have one in 300wsm.Its a kicker for sure. But it a great mointain rifle.Smooth, light and accurate. If recoil is an issue, stay away from the magnums or consider a break.

[madx250]

O, I put a kick ease pad on mine. I still can't shoot it much off the bench before it gets uncomfortable.

[PRDATR]

You can also adjust the trigger with removing the stock.

[CSNeoM4A1]

So I called sportsmans and they confirmed that the calibers they stock are the same as cabelas in the super lites. Also $200 cheaper.

[CSNeoM4A1]

So I found a vortex viper hs 4-16x44 for $335 shipped today and went ahead and got it. Still haven't decided on a caliber although I am leaning towards another 308 just to keep my ammo needs all the same. Either that or the 7mm looks tempting.

[firstcoueswas80]

Go with the 7mm. Ballistically trumps the 308

[rossislider]

Go with the 7mm. Ballistically trumps the 308

I agree, unless you want to jump up to a big boy like a 300 RUM (which I shoot, but not available in Tikka), you will get better ballistics out of the 7mm mag than the 308. One of my buddies shoot a Tikka T3 & 7mm mag with H4831sc and Barnes bullets. You could cover up his 3 shot groups with dime.

[Havasuhunter]

Good topic and answers. I'd go 7 mag in a t3 if elk will be a common target. If just deer, go with a 270 or 6.5x55. I know those are all chambered in the T3. Probably not a bad choice, but since the t3 is a long action, you might as well get a long action cartridge. 270 WSM and the other short mags are awesome, but I'd buy a short action gun if choosing one of those to get the additional benefits.

[Stray Horse]

There are a couple of things to keep in mind. While your choice of a T-3 is a good one, you might want to stick with the standard lite version. It is already very light, to the point where it is difficult to shoot accurately from field positions. You will be able to do it, but you can't just flop down willy-nilly like you can with a 12# rifle. Also, recoil is a problem with the Tikka. If you can find a Hunter with the wood stock, it is more forgiving, but at a cost, that being added weight. The T-3 lite is much improved by discarding the factory pad and installing a limbsaver or decelerator. On mine, I pulled off the OEM pad, filled the buttstock with gunsmithing foam (to deaden noise) and then added a slip-on limbsaver - perfect fit, and resulted in a length of pull reduction of about 1/2", also perfect if you will be wearing a pack, or heavy clothing. I expect the fluting on the ultra-lite may help stiffen the thin barrel, but how much this can be depended upon to improve accuracy I have no idea.

 

With respect to caliber, and my sense is that you are looking for an all around caliber that will also take game up to elk reliably, I would stay far away from any magnum caliber in the T-3 unless you handload. My rifle is a .270 Win. and is very satisfactory, accurate, smooth, and lightweight. I believe a 7-08 would also fill the bill nicely, though I have no personal experience with that round. I would not advise either for 600 yd. shots on bull elk. If you are willing to put in the time and effort to practice at long range, the .270 with the right loads and optics is up to 600 yd. hunting accuracy, no question. I expect the same for the 7-08, in fact, possibly better due to quality of bullets available in that caliber. I believe the 7-08 also has a wide selection of good factory ammo available, as does the .270 Win.

 

The rifle you seem to be leaning toward will need to be a series of compromises. Too much of any one characteristic will be paid for somewhere else. The one I am using now has been, and is, highly satisfactory for a rough country rifle. In addition to the limbsaver pad, it also wears a Leupold VX III 3.5-10 CDS, with parallax calibrated to 400 yds. I have dials etched for 110 gr. Barnes TTSX at 3400 fps, and 130 Barnes TSX at 3060 fps. This is with handloads, but these dials also match factory ammo which has the same ballistics. Using the TTSX, I run out of elevation at 800 yds. using the factory grooved receiver, and Warne 1" rings. If you install a 20' pic. rail, you can extend your range to well beyond reasonable hunting distance for a light rifle. If you want to bang gongs the size of a car door at 1200 yds. this would be one way to do it.

 

I occasionally shoot F-class (600 yd. prone or midrange) matches, and if I can get the wind right, I can stay in the 10 ring pretty consistently from a field rest, sometimes better than the 10 ring. Shooting benchrest silhouette, I am dialed to the 715 yd. targets, and can pretty much count on making hits at that range if I can hold correctly for wind. With this setup, I have a reliable 500 yd. deer rifle (my original intent) with no custom gunsmithing and a cost of less than $2k. Nice thing about the Tikka is you can adjust the trigger for weight of pull down to I believe 2 or 2 1/4 lbs. This would be much improved if there was also a way to adjust overtravel, but for a factory trigger, it is very good.

 

Depending on how diligent you are, using a similar rifle/scope combo. you can probably take cow elk reliably at 500 yds. and maybe further. Bull elk at long range (which to me is 600 yds. and beyond) is altogether different, and in spite of the you-tube videos (which are great fun to watch), is not something that should attempted without a lot of practice, IMHO. It can be done, but the rifle you would need to use is probably not one you would want to carry very far from your vehicle.

 

forepaw

+1

[1320]

I have a rem 700 in 7mm mag that I have always been happy with. It had been the most accurate rifle I have. After a lot of research and comparing ballistics I bought my son the T3 lite in 7mm. It is stainless with a synthetic stock and we added the limbsaver. It is extremely accurate and is now my favorite rifle. The 7-08 has now become my favorite caliber for AZ.

I reload so I have many options with the 7mm. For the 3 rifles we now have in 7-08 the Hornady SSt 139 gr bullet is the most accurate. Powders vary with the rifles, but Varget is the most consistent.

[Swivelhead]

Lots of good info here. I've got a T3 lite in 300 WSM, it's got some thump but not unreasonable. If I had it to do over again, I'd get a 7 mag. Toms of factory ammo available at a decent price. 7mm bullets carry well too.