Help Deciding On Next Tikka

[Idaho_bow_hunter]

Trying to take advantage of the current Tikka rebate. I just picked up a 6.5 CM for my 9 year old to hunt deer and cow elk with. The new threaded Tikkas are great. After I bought it I wish I had considered 7mm-08 instead, but oh well.

Now I'm looking to replace my 7mm rem mag that I just sold. I'll shoot it suppressed and I'm set on getting a new 22" stainless threaded Tikka. I've considered getting another 7mm rem mag, but it seems like the 7 PRC is replacing it rapidly. I don't reload and don't plan to. I hunt Muleys and Elk and would like to be able to take some shots out to 600-700 yards. I've also considered 280 ai but I don't reload, so that's out. I do worry a bit about the recoil on the 7 PRC when my kids shoot it, but it will be suppressed so that should tame it some. Should I go 7 PRC or something else?

 

[AkMtnRunner]

I’ve been shooting a Tikka in 7 PRC for a few months. It’s been, meh. Mine is a prefit barrel so not factory so take what I say with a grain of salt. It’s a 3B contour so heavier. With a suppressor and about 10 lbs total weight, recoil is very manageable but still not “spotting my shots” light. I was going to go 6.5 PRC but I wanted to shoot the 7mm bullet options.

I’ve found that my 7PRC needs to be cleaned about every 30-40 rounds or I get pressure signs. I think the suppressor sends more carbon back into the chamber clogging the free bore. It’s decently accurate but not stellar. 10 shot groups around 2 MOA. Overall, requiring more maintenance. Ballistically, by hand loading, I can get all that is promised but part of me regrets not doing the 6.5 PRC. I’ve also been seeing better anecdotal evidence for the 6.5 PRC being noticeably more accurate than the 7 PRC in Tikkas. Small data set but maybe there’s something to the larger case capacity and tighter tolerances are making them more finicky.

 

[bigunit]

7prc would be pretty lively in a t3. Not unmanageable but would be difficult to spot impacts. I had a 7mm rm in a t3 and it was a bit of a handful. I would go 6.5 prc.