- Joined
- Dec 20, 2019
- Messages
- 1,133
Welcome to the forum. In terms of quality discussion with a minimum of noise, it's probably the best on the net. You can't go wrong with the Tikka in 243. I wish they'd make it in a 6 Creed. I could be compelled to buy a Christensen Arms Mesa FFT in 6 Creed. Both of my Mesas are pleasantly accurate.Hey everyone! Just finished all 130 pages. This is my first post in any forum of any kind; I’ve been a lurker (if I got that right) for over 15yrs.
Anyway I felt I had to respond for a couple of reasons. First, this forum has by FAR been the most helpful to me while I’ve been learning backcountry hunting over the last two years. Second, because this discussion finally squared the logical inconsistencies I’ve not been able to previously untangle. The concepts and empirical evidence discussed are invaluable. I’ve delved somewhat into terminal ballistics, read some of Martin Fackler’s work, read everything I could from Jack O’Connor & Chuck Hawks as well as others over the years…and still missed the basic concept. When it came time to buy a rifle I’d try to get the lowest-recoiling chambering that would be well within the realm of ‘acceptable’ for the task. I knew wounding was a function of the bullet, I knew about temporary and permanent stretch cavities, and I knew that a bullet which expands and damages the most tissue vital to life will produce a kill…but still somehow picked cartridges based upon anecdotal evidence and conventional wisdom.
I’ve been hunting for a little over 15yrs now and have moved from a 7WSM to the 30-06 then on to a 308, then a 7mm-08. At that level of recoil I could spot my shots often. I’ve primarily hunted deer and hogs here in Texas. So, the last three years I’ve even moved down to a 139 SST at 2500fps bc it works so well. I’m the guy who’s told that I need to shoot man guns by his friends, even though I have more one-shot kills than any of them! Which is fine, to each his own.
Now that I’m hunting in the mountains, earlier this year I set up another 7mmRM for an eventual elk hunt, just to have it. But had I ever shot an elk? Nope. And still I got the Rem Mag to shoot heavier bullets faster bc elk are “so tough”. LOL. And yes, I practice with that rifle just about as much as many of you can guess. I’ve had it all year and it has less than 100 rounds on the barrel.
So you guys have me curious about a couple of things:
1) Since CO & WY are a couple of mainstays for me (I hope), I’m leaning towards a Tikka T3X in 243 Win with the 95gr TMK as my one-and-done for most situations. It’ll kick less than my reduced recoil 7mm-08 load and be good for as far as I’ll ever shoot (I can keep all shots with my 7-08 tight at 450yds from field positions and with that rifle I do practice alot). If anyone is curious, I’ll add to the body of evidence with the 243. Or in a separate thread, however that needs to go.
2) In the interim, and this is the big one due to component availability, you guys have me thinking that my 7mm-08 with either the 139gr Hornady SST or BTSP could take an elk easily due to better expansion of those bullets. True/False?
Again, a big heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who has pitched in and provided so much info on this thread! Rokslide is awesome.