Advice and guidance: 1 rifle and caliber

[ianpadron]

Really gonna have a hard time getting under or right at 6# for Most of the offerings in Browning and such are gonna be around 6.5# at the least. Even the Tikka.

Tikka Superlites are 5.9 pounds

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[Corey Paulsen (teamkabob)]

Where you located? My do it all gun was a 7mm Browning Abolt with Leupold vx3 4.5-14-50. Bought the dad a tikka t3x 6.5 cm and he loves it to replace his 270 for deer. It eats Hornady 143 eldx like candy at 1/2in at 100 with not much effort. It will easily take medium size game at your 500yd range. In the process of ordering at Tikka t3x for my self when I get back from the family vacation. The 7mm will be moved to backup gun status. Just my two cents.


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[soggybtmboys]

Where you located? My do it all gun was a 7mm Browning Abolt with Leupold vx3 4.5-14-50. Bought the dad a tikka t3x 6.5 cm and he loves it to replace his 270 for deer. It eats Hornady 143 eldx like candy at 1/2in at 100 with not much effort. It will easily take medium size game at your 500yd range. In the process of ordering at Tikka t3x for my self when I get back from the family vacation. The 7mm will be moved to backup gun status. Just my two cents.


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I'm located in southeast Michigan, but hunt all over the state. Love my 7mm Mag, but it's heavy and overkill for deer. My primary motivation is an all around travel rifle that shoots and kills well.

I've killed piles with the 7mm Mag.

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[Allen-samsal19]

Buds has the tikka t3x superlite in many cal for around $700 I just added the 7mm to my safe


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[Lou400a]

7mm-08 in or 270 win or 30-06 T3x. All proven with ammo available almost anywhere

 

[tdot]

I picked up a Kimber Mountain Ascent in .308. Put a Nightforce NX8 on it. Nice, accurate little mountain rig.

Which NX8?

 

[dla]

Easy and simple. Tikka t3x lite in 30-06.
You can close the thread now.

Randy

Hmmm I agree with the rifle but recommend the 308 instead.

 

[tdot]

Given your budget and weight constraints, I would seek out a good used rifle that has been proven to be accurate.

From my experience, I wouldnt settle on one cartridge before you go shoppinh, instead I would suggest looking for anything from a 260 Rem, 6.5CM, 7-08 or 3-08. Each has pluses and minuses on paper. But at the end of the day, all reasonably similar on game. The most important part is to have multiple calibers that you are happy with. It'll make the quest for the right rifle easier and more likely to end with positive results. Finding the right rifle is more important then the perfect caliber.

 

[Kotaman]

Which NX8?

2.5x20x50

 

[kad11]

I'm liking what I'm looking at in the Kimber Hunter and the Tikka T3x. Likely it will be 1 of these two offerings.

Calibers, keeping in mind I am not planning on hunting beyond 500 yards, there are suggestions on 6.5 CM, .308 W, .30-.06, .270 W.

Realistically, where is the biggest bang for the buck in this slot, hunting under 500 yards, good knockdown power, inherent field accuracy, and wide range of available factory loads. I'm looking hard at the. 308 and 6.5 CM, but all the data makes ones head spin.

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Do you plan to shoot traditional or monolithic bullets? Do you reload?

Answering those questions might help you narrow your caliber search...

 

[MHWASH]

Once you get a Tikka or some such, you’ll never want to pack that Ruger again. I suggest a cartridge close to or including the 7mag. Retire that Ruger and use the new rifle for everything. That’s what I did.

 

[Salmonchaser]

Throwing Kodiak into the mix, makes me think 06; but I see lots of great choices.

 

[Dirt Wagon]

I like the 338 Federal in my Sako 85, used to have a TIkka in it as well but sold it off and kept the Sako.

If i were to get something with lighter recoil i'd go with the 7mm-08.

 

[Wmmichael20]

I'm located in southeast Michigan, but hunt all over the state. Love my 7mm Mag, but it's heavy and overkill for deer. My primary motivation is an all around travel rifle that shoots and kills well.

I've killed piles with the 7mm Mag.

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Well with where your located...as a Michigan guy myself I'd take the list of guns and caliber your interested in and point my rear end up 75 and go to Williams gunsite and start test fireing guns...if I remember correctly they now have a 200 yard range that you can test range guns on. And for 20 bucks or so each rifle it's a small price to pay to get a rifle you really like and fits you well. Just a thought.

 

[hodgeman]

You have a ton of rifle and calibers choices available. I've used 7-08, 6.5CM, .308WIN, 270WIN, 30-06...and if there's a nickels difference in how they perform under your scenario, I can't find it. Throw elk, moose and bears in the equation and a .300WSM or .300WM looks awfully compelling.

Don't overthink this. Get a rifle you like that feels good and points well. Buy a bunch of ammo and get to the woods. Virtually any of the common "deer cartridges" are going to work just fine. Ditto for a lot of the rifles on the market- there just aren't a lot of bad choices out there these days.

 

[WesternHntr]

I could use some thoughts from some folks outside my usual circles. I'm looking to pick up a high utility rifle to do the lion's share of most of my hunting. I'll layout the parameters of what I currently am looking as benchmarks, all things considered, and welcome anything I may be overlooking.

Quick about me, competent shooter and hunter. I'm not a long range nut, but I am competent within my set range and kill cleanly within my boundaries. I'm a Midwest deer hunter, whom is starting to travel hunt and have a few hunts under my belt and looking to do alot more out west and in mountains. Recently completed an archery pronghorn hunt (successful), did an Alaskan caribou hunt last year (successful), and heading to Kodiak in search of Blacktail next October and will do a destination hunt at least annually.

●My effective range, no more than 500 yards.
●I want a bolt action, preferably a short action non magnum.
●Under/or at 6 lb rifle.
●synthetic stock/ stainless preferred
●I am not recoil sensitive
●I wish to cleanly take game with new rifle from antelope to potentially elk (I do own a 7mm Mag for bigger game)
●I'd like to have a variety of bullet choices as well as commercially produced ammo options
●my budget is about $1K, I plan on spending as much on quality glass for the new rig.

Appreciate any help/Advice

My 2016 Pope and Young whitetail, for attention.



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A buddy of mine has a Tikka 6.5 Creed and I'm damn impressed!
Last year his dad shot a cow with it, and I watched him drop a beautiful 6x6 bull at 280 yards with the 143 eldx.
I run a Tikka based 6.5 saum for my light weight LR set up and have killed 3 bulls with it.
I'll tell you though that Tikka 6.5 Creed will steal your heart when you ring steel at 1k.
If you get a Tikka I'd strongly suggest putting a Mesa Altitude stock on it, you'd have one hell of a rifle for around $1200 total.

 

[JustJustin]

I respect hunters who are focused on getting a bullet in the vitals far more than guys how want a huge gun so "if I do a bad shot it will still roll over 3 times and die on the spot" attitude. There is a balance of course. Don't hunt elk with a 22. I know a guy who reloads for a 6mm and consistently knocks down whitetails anywhere within 600 yards.
I would suggest a 6.5 Creedmore.
If you want more punch, I think a 26 nossler would do the trick.


Yes, I am a little-bullet-going-faster-hitting-the-right-place type of guy.

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[soggybtmboys]

Well with where your located...as a Michigan guy myself I'd take the list of guns and caliber your interested in and point my rear end up 75 and go to Williams gunsite and start test fireing guns...if I remember correctly they now have a 200 yard range that you can test range guns on. And for 20 bucks or so each rifle it's a small price to pay to get a rifle you really like and fits you well. Just a thought.

Sweet, didn't know they let you test fire rifles. It's a ways from me and only been there once. I'm gonna have to check it out. Thanks man

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[Allen-samsal19]

A buddy of mine has a Tikka 6.5 Creed and I'm damn impressed!
Last year his dad shot a cow with it, and I watched him drop a beautiful 6x6 bull at 280 yards with the 143 eldx.
I run a Tikka based 6.5 saum for my light weight LR set up and have killed 3 bulls with it.
I'll tell you though that Tikka 6.5 Creed will steal your heart when you ring steel at 1k.
If you get a Tikka I'd strongly suggest putting a Mesa Altitude stock on it, you'd have one hell of a rifle for around $1200 total.

Wow those stocks are badass! Your comment mighta just costed me $600 lol


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[JoeDirt]

Ive shot everything with a 300 Win Mag since I was 10, im a diehard 300 guy. However I recently bought a cheap Ruger American in 6.5 Creedmoor. That gun has not left my side!

Not sold on the Ruger but its damn nice to shoot a round that doesn't hurt your ears!