First Rifle

[Don Qui Puncher]

Hey guys I’m looking to get my first rifle I get decent deals on Weatherby and Tikka, TX3 stainless and the vanguard first lite are pretty much the same price how do they compare in 6.5 .308 30-06 and 300WM, I haven’t decided on caliber but those are the ones I’m looking at.

 

[archp625]

What animals will you be after? That will help us guide you to a caliber. I think you will find most guys will tell you the tikka is the way to go. For the price I don’t think you can buy a better gun.

 

[menhaden_man]

There are several resources online that’ll let
compare calibers. Energy, velocity, bullet drop, and ballistic coefficient are all important considerations. Same with ammo availability and recoil. Of the ones you listed, I’d pick 6.5 followed by 30-06. Other guys will have reasons for the other calibers.

The Winchester Ballistic Calculator

The Winchester Ballistic Calculator allows you to select your Winchester product and view the real trajectory from that product. Compare up to 4 Winchester products and see how they compare.

ballisticscalculator.winchester.com

ShootersCalculator.com | Recoil Calculator

An online calculator that calculates the recoil energy, impulse, and velocity of a firearm according to the firearm's weight, powder charge, bullet weight, and bullet muzzle velocity.

www.shooterscalculator.com

 

[clockworkgator]

Hey guys I’m looking to get my first rifle I get decent deals on Weatherby and Tikka, TX3 stainless and the vanguard first lite are pretty much the same price how do they compare in 6.5 .308 30-06 and 300WM, I haven’t decided on caliber but those are the ones I’m looking at.

How often/what have you shot before? Years ago, my first rifle was a 300wm, and that was probably a mistake in terms of developing great form and set up habits. It's not that the recoil is undoable, it's probably just unnecessary.

 

[Don Qui Puncher]

Never shot a rifle other than .223 I’m totally new. I’ve been leaning towards not getting the WM but it’s still on my radar for the future

 

[Don Qui Puncher]

What animals will you be after? That will help us guide you to a caliber. I think you will find most guys will tell you the tikka is the way to go. For the price I don’t think you can buy a better gun.

Deer and possibly a couple elk trips

 

[clockworkgator]

The 6.5 with A 129 is an excellent deer choice. The 140 or 143 is fine for elk, especially if it's just occasional. If it were me, I'd shoot a ton with a 6.5 then, if I got serious about much bigger game, I'd look into a dedicated 30-06 or 308. Or even a 280 if you just need 160/165 grain. (The 300wm still doesn't strike me as necessary with modern bullets, but lots of folks will disagree.)

 

[6mm Remington]

Tikka builds rifles that shoot very well from all that folks have reported on them. They are made by Sako and we all know that Sako builds first class rifles and it appears to be the same on their Tikka models.

I'd go 30-06 or 280 AI.

 

[JollyRoger]

I’m a tikka fan.... but not because of any reason except they have been accurate and dead reliable. Actions are smooth, I like the shorter bolt throw, and there’s plenty of support for aftermarket.

I’ve got 5. They all shoot great. The only rifle I carried hunting big game the last two years is a T3X SuperLite in 6.5.


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[come2elmo]

Being old school I must stand up for the Rem 700 in 270 win. Can I get an Amen?

 

[clockworkgator]

If you want a more budget friendly gun to learn a caliber, don't overlook the Winchester XPR. Pretty Damn durable and great barrels.

If you want to spend more, Model 70 Featherweights are outstanding.

 

[Mr Drysdale]

Tikka T3X SL in 7RM or Browning HCS in 300WM with a brake. I own both and wouldn’t flip a coin between the two. If Elk is on the menu i like the confidence of the magnums. I also shoot the 260 Rem (virtually a 6.5CM) and it is very adequate on Whitetails.

 

[Jkrugster]

Tikka T3 30-06 all day everyday

 

[Trr15]

I have both Weatherby Vanguards and Tikka T3s. I like both, but I like the Tikka's a lot more. Action is smooth as glass and the factory trigger is much better than that of the Vanguard. Without knowing the species you plan to pursue, the 30-06 and 300 WM would allow you to hunt anything in North America. Not having much prior experience shooting a rifle, the 308 and 6.5 would be easier on you recoil-wise and would still allow you to hunt most species.

 

[Tuscaoka]

Amen

 

[clockworkgator]

Please don't read this as directed at you in any sort of negative way. Everyone uses the "hunt anything in North America" justification for bigger cartridges... but who really hunts the continent with one rifle?

I feel like that logic is a good way to end up with a rifle that *could* kill a Kodiak but will be major overkill for 99% of what it actually shoots at, re: whitetail and maybe a few elk or something, and isn't fun to shoot at the range. Don't get me wrong: the logic isn't incorrect at all, I think it just gets overused.

I have both Weatherby Vanguards and Tikka T3s. I like both, but I like the Tikka's a lot more. Action is smooth as glass and the factory trigger is much better than that of the Vanguard. Without knowing the species you plan to pursue, the 30-06 and 300 WM would allow you to hunt anything in North America. Not having much prior experience shooting a rifle, the 308 and 6.5 would be easier on you recoil-wise and would still allow you to hunt most species.

 

[Trr15]

Please don't read this as directed at you in any sort of negative way. Everyone uses the "hunt anything in North America" justification for bigger cartridges... but who really hunts the continent with one rifle?

I feel like that logic is a good way to end up with a rifle that *could* kill a Kodiak but will be major overkill for 99% of what it actually shoots at, re: whitetail and maybe a few elk or something, and isn't fun to shoot at the range. Don't get me wrong: the logic isn't incorrect at all, I think it just gets overused.

OP asked an open-ended question which generally tends to elicit broad answers. I have plenty of rifles and hunt almost everything with a .338 win mag Tikka T3. Antelope, deer and elk primarily. I know several guys who have a single rifle and hunt lots of different species. While the "anything in North America" part may have rubbed you wrong, I think the "overkill" concern is absurd and equally if not more overused. What exactly does that mean?

 

[Bubblehide]

Get yourself a stainless rifle as it will endure most any weather conditions very well. I generally hunt with a Tikka T3 purchased decades ago before they became so damn popular. I continue to hunt with it for all the reasons you have likely read about here at RS. For the price, you just can not beat what you get from Tikka.

Recoil can be an issue for some, but not for all. It should be a consideration. But a good muzzle break should solve that easily. So go with what you think is best. If you want an all around rifle to handle anything in North America, I would go with a 300 WM that also will take the big Berger bullets. If so, I would consider other manufactures. If I were looking between the 6.5 and 308, I would go 6.5 as it is a much flatter shooting round.

 

[Newtosavage]

Stainless Tikka in .308 is all the rifle you'll ever need for 99% of your hunting. I have it's cousin, the 7mm-08, and it's a lifetime rifle.

I would caution you against any caliber bigger than .308 for your first serious hunting rifle. Tikkas are light, and larger calibers can have punishing felt recoil that may cause you to develop a flinch.

 

[Don Qui Puncher]

Thanks for all the replies, what’s the effective range on elk/deer with the 6.5 .308 and 30-06? All 3 good out to 4-500yards?