New Tikka T3x Lite for whitetail hunting

[Braunschweiger]

Stuck between a rock and a hard place, I’m having trouble deciding on a caliber. Ive been using a Savage Model 16 Weather warrior in 270 WSM for some time. I’d like to convert to something with less recoil.

I’m interested in the Tikka T3x lite variant... in either 243, 7mm-08 rem, or 25-06 rem.

For whitetail sized game, in open AND wooded locations... which would you prefer and why?

I do reload!

Thanks!


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[goodgrouper]

Huge fan of 7mm-08 here. Great ballistics and a wide range of bullets that can be loaded lighter for deer and light recoil and then ramped up for elk duty as well. I started my boys out with browning blr lever guns in 7mm-08 with 150gr nosler partitions, they dropped a lot of whitetails in their tracks with that round.

 

[Boreal]

Not a rock, or a hard place! That's a pretty sweet place to be with a. Ew rifle coming and the only decision is which of a great set of calibers. I'll second the 7-08. Load down for low recoil, and up for bigger game. I have a friend here in AK who has two one-shot quick kills on moose with her 7-08.


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[backcountry_hunter]

While I love all the calibers you mentioned and tikka makes a fantastic rifle, especially for the money.... I can't get on board with a tikka in any short action. Any of the advantages and reasons to go to a SA length rifle are moot with Tikka because they use a one size action so you don't save any weight/length... that would eliminate the 7-08 and 243 in my book. For what you're doing I would have said the 7-08 would be ideal but when you said tikka I automatically steered to the 25-06.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I am waiting on a t3x lite in 6.5 creedmoor for the role you describe. 6lb gun that should be a soft shooter for anything up mule deer. Maybe elk. My 308 tikka is the compact tactical. Shoots like a laser but a bit more heavy than I would like for what I hope will be a backpacking gun that can pull double duty as a softshootimg tree stand gun.

 

[aclawrence]

I have shot a Tikka 25-06 with the wood stock in the past and the recoil was still pretty peppy. Not compare to say a 7mm mag but for a kid to shoot maybe a little much. I know the 7mm-08 gets a lot of love from whitetail guys.


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[awaldro7]

I think the 7-08 would fit the bill nicely. I have a 7rem mag in a t3x and my dad has a 300 WSM t3x. We both installed limbsaver recoil pads and they help quite a bit.

 

[slvrslngr]

Any of those would fit the bill. I'd throw the 6.5 creed in the mix as well. Or download your 270WSM.

 

[Redside]

I bought the t3x in 25-06 last year, love it so far shoots great. Shot a couple antelope and a deer at 280 yards, my longest shot with a rifle, it did the trick. I don't reload but tried several different commercial loads, the remington core-lock shot the best for me, about 1" at 100yards. I'm sure it could shoot better and is only limited by my abilities.

 

[NoWiser]

6.5 Swede!!

 

[WV Mountaineer]

Personally, it'd be the 7mm-08 or the 243. Like said above, I'd go with a different rifle. But, that is just me. Whatever you decide, a 243 is a heck of a round. As well as the 7mm-08. While I would not hesitate to shoot elk or even bigger with a good loaded 243, the 7mm-08 offers more versatility if the desire to do so ever arises. God Bless

 

[Steve Timm]

Dang, so many great choices.

Personally, I'd opt for the Tikka ss/synthetic in 7-08 and shoot nothing but 120-grain Ballistic Tips.

By the way, I've killed lots of deer, antelope and elk with the 120 ... and a couple of moose. The 120 has a super-heavy jacket and both expands beautifully and penetrates at 7-08 speeds. The two bull elk below were each killed by a single 120Ballistic in my 7-08 Ackley Improved.

Blessings,

Steve

 

[Braunschweiger]

Thanks everyone for all the replies! I haven't been active here for quite some time. I generally find myself on longrangehunting.com, snipers hide, and arfcom... of the latter, one has become quite toxic over the last few years. A lot more genuine folks here!

In the end, I had purchased all sorts of rifles but after the year of the COVID I sold a majority of what I had as I didn't want to spend a premium to shoot and moved onto other hobbies in the mean time. Now I am back to it. Likely to buy a 308 win or 6.5 creed since I have an abundance of reloading components.