I will start by saying I am just fishing for ideas. I currently have two different rifles and would like to optimize them both a bit. I do not have an unlimited budget but am curious what you guys think are worthwhile ways to spend some money. I do not want to step into talking about the optic specifics because there is plenty of info/opinions about that already on this forum. I also realize there is info about both these rifles, but I am hoping to get some opinions about what to prioritize between the two.
Rifle 1: Rem 700 .308 - This rifle started as a for fun bench gun but has been morphed to my main local hunting rig. Barrel/chamber/trigger have all been worked, bottom metal is stock. I just have a laminated Boyd's Hunter stock on it currently, the barrel is floated, and action is bedded. I am happy with the accuracy on this rifle. Currently my main complaint is it gets a bit heavy after 3-5 hours. I have thought about boring out butt of the stock or just replacing it with something lighter. I will admit I could upgrade the optics on this rig, but that component has not let me down yet so it’s not high on my priority list. This rifle is predominantly used for 100-200 yards in rocky/wooded areas hunting Whitetail.
Rifle 2: Tikka T3X Lite 7mm Rem Mag - This is a new rifle for me, but I have a lot of rounds through a heavy barrel T3 in .223 so I am familiar with what to expect out of it. This rifle is currently fully stock. My reason for purchasing it was for Hunting Elk and Mule deer on the rocky mountain front here in Montana. I wont intentionally be seeking out game at 500-600 yards but wanted a rifle that I can trust to put an animal down at that distance if I do my part. I do run into some small herds locally while hunting whitetail, but I will be close enough in those spots the .308 will work. Last season I myself 30-40 yards out on a local herd but nothing was legal to take. I am not super worried about shaving weight on this gun as the weight is already low even with a little heavier scope. Maybe I will change my tune on this later though.
I swapped the stock on my Tikka .223 for something more suited for the bench but am not dead set on swapping out the stock for the 7mm. Should I just run the Tikka stock this season and put money into the .308? Is there something I should do right away to the Tikka? I thought about throwing all the money at the Tikka and using that rifle for everything but the .308 is way more comfortable to shoot so it seems worthwhile to keep using that when it makes sense.
Rifle 1: Rem 700 .308 - This rifle started as a for fun bench gun but has been morphed to my main local hunting rig. Barrel/chamber/trigger have all been worked, bottom metal is stock. I just have a laminated Boyd's Hunter stock on it currently, the barrel is floated, and action is bedded. I am happy with the accuracy on this rifle. Currently my main complaint is it gets a bit heavy after 3-5 hours. I have thought about boring out butt of the stock or just replacing it with something lighter. I will admit I could upgrade the optics on this rig, but that component has not let me down yet so it’s not high on my priority list. This rifle is predominantly used for 100-200 yards in rocky/wooded areas hunting Whitetail.
Rifle 2: Tikka T3X Lite 7mm Rem Mag - This is a new rifle for me, but I have a lot of rounds through a heavy barrel T3 in .223 so I am familiar with what to expect out of it. This rifle is currently fully stock. My reason for purchasing it was for Hunting Elk and Mule deer on the rocky mountain front here in Montana. I wont intentionally be seeking out game at 500-600 yards but wanted a rifle that I can trust to put an animal down at that distance if I do my part. I do run into some small herds locally while hunting whitetail, but I will be close enough in those spots the .308 will work. Last season I myself 30-40 yards out on a local herd but nothing was legal to take. I am not super worried about shaving weight on this gun as the weight is already low even with a little heavier scope. Maybe I will change my tune on this later though.
I swapped the stock on my Tikka .223 for something more suited for the bench but am not dead set on swapping out the stock for the 7mm. Should I just run the Tikka stock this season and put money into the .308? Is there something I should do right away to the Tikka? I thought about throwing all the money at the Tikka and using that rifle for everything but the .308 is way more comfortable to shoot so it seems worthwhile to keep using that when it makes sense.
Last edited: