My Bolt Gun

[diego-ted]

Long time lurker first time poster. I have been after a bolt gun since getting back into shooting six months ago. I was going to go with a Remmy 700 but after a lot of debate I decided to go with the Tikka 308 Varmint. It took me about 2 months to find a Varmint in 308 as I guess Berretta quit importing the Varmint in 308 about a year ago. Anyho I found this one and I tell everyone it is the Last in the Box new Tikka in 308 sold in America!! That's my story and I am sticking to it. I have mounted an LRS 1 on it with a Harris bipod. I am waiting for the big bolt and shroud from the Hinterland in Oz world, they should be here this week. I am headed down to New Mexico to have Charley from SCORE HIGH GUNSMITHING install a brake. So far the gun has been shooting MOA or a little better but I am not the best marksman in the world.

Diego

 

[oneshot onekill]

Re: My Bolt Gun

Very nice! That's one helluva big scope!

 

[Furtaker_.223]

Re: My Bolt Gun

I have a buddy of mine who shoots this same rifle. He likes it alot. He got it to shoot 1/2 MOA at 100 yards.

 

[sagebrush]

Re: My Bolt Gun

I have the same rifle and she shoots one ragged hole at 100 yards with the first load I tried. (Winchester S308M) I can't complain!

 

[Mackay Sagebrush]

Re: My Bolt Gun

I have literally thousands of rounds through my T3 varmint 308. Mine shoots 165 Sierra Gamekings with Varget extremely well. I have killed numerous deer at extended ranges.

Here is a pic of a target shot from of the deck of my cabin last fall. I needed to adjust my zero to compensate for the change in elevation from where I live and where my cabin is. The Tikka can shoot some good groups for an off the rack rifle.

 

[Mackay Sagebrush]

Re: My Bolt Gun

I use a T3 lite 308 chopped to 20"s, topped with a Nightforce 2.5-10x24, that shoots the same load as my "practical rifle", "mountain gun", or whatever you want to call it.

 

[Send__It]

Re: My Bolt Gun

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Mackay Sagebrush</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have literally thousands of rounds through my T3 varmint 308. Mine shoots 165 Sierra Gamekings with Varget extremely well. I have killed numerous deer at extended ranges.

Here is a pic of a target shot from of the deck of my cabin last fall. I needed to adjust my zero to compensate for the change in elevation from where I live and where my cabin is. The Tikka can shoot some good groups for an off the rack rifle.

great grouping!

</div></div>

 

[diego-ted]

Re: My Bolt Gun

Thx guys I am really excited about this rifle and it's and my potential. I am so happy BigBamBoo talked to me about Tikka's. I am going to start hand loading this month and am looking forward to the results. It's funny how the Tikka is kind of the WMIM of the stock rifle world!! I am already an advocate for the platform.
Diego

 

[Mackay Sagebrush]

Re: My Bolt Gun

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Send__IT</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Mackay Sagebrush</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have literally thousands of rounds through my T3 varmint 308. Mine shoots 165 Sierra Gamekings with Varget extremely well. I have killed numerous deer at extended ranges.

Here is a pic of a target shot from of the deck of my cabin last fall. I needed to adjust my zero to compensate for the change in elevation from where I live and where my cabin is. The Tikka can shoot some good groups for an off the rack rifle.

great grouping!

</div></div> </div></div>



Thanks for the compliments in regards to the groups.

It does not normally shoot into the .1s prone, off of my pack, with the bipod legs on a semi hard surface.

Not by a long shot.

The moon and stars were just aligned that day is all. That being said, when the shooter is tuned up, the gun can turn in some impressive stuff.

It is a love hate issue then.

I come home and think of all the dough I spent putting gunsmith's children through college and buying gunsmith's wives and mistresses new racks in an attempt to get Rem 700s to shoot as well as an off the rack "Sportsmans Warehouse" special.

Of course many of those Rems were built long before T3s were around, but had a known about Sakos early on, I could have saved 10s of thousands of dollars.

Now I know better.

Tikka Porn:

 

[Mackay Sagebrush]

Re: My Bolt Gun

2 @ 598 w/ 308 varmint Tikka:

 

[Mackay Sagebrush]

Re: My Bolt Gun

A spring long range bear hunt turned into a ground squirrel shoot for some undisciplined jokers....

Those mounts got pitched BTW.

You are going to LOVE your T3 varmint if it shoots like every other one I have shot.

******One thing I just recalled though. I have broken in 3 or 4 for friends. All required about 100 rounds before groups really tightened up. Bear that in mind for load development.

You may want to revisit loads that initially did not do so hot straight out of the chute.*********

 

[Mackay Sagebrush]

Re: My Bolt Gun

For future note.

The Tikka T3 lite .223 is the single most accurate skinny barrel .223 bolt gun I have ever shot. I have shot a couple....

Mine is an 8 twist. The accuracy of the thing rivals some of my precision ARs. The weak link is me. It is just light enough, it is hard to shoot tiny groups with. It will show every flaw in a shooter's fundamentals.

For a shooter wanting to focus on the fundamentals of marksmanship, using a centerfire, in an unforgiving platform, I believe it is ideal.

Less expensive to shoot.

You will not fatigue as quickly due to less recoil.

Doubles as walking varmint gun.

Accuracy is typical for Sako/Tikka.

* On that note, I am always hesitant to talk about skinny tubed accuracy to people who do not know me. I understand there are so many people who are full of poo on the internet, that it is hard to believe anyone these days.

The .223 T3 lite has real merit for all the reasons above.