Help Deciding On Next Tikka

Joined
Aug 1, 2019
Messages
66
Location
Idaho
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?
 
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.
 
I would get a new T3X in 7mm Rem Magnum because of the great selection of ammo. But, I would rather have a good 270 Win if only shooting factory ammo, because there is also a great selection of factory ammo and it’s somewhat less expensive. A properly set up T3 in 270 shooting 150gr Federal Power Shock covers a lot of bases.
 
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?

Built a 7prc and would say go with a 6.5prc instead. The 6.5prc still allows for spotting my impacts and the recoil is similar to a 308 and the down range performance on animals is impressive.
 
 
I built a 7PRC tikka with a 22" Proof barrel before Tikka launched their new rifles in the chambering. It is, ballistically, an excellent round. The Hornady factory loads are all way slower than box velocity, and accuracy tends to be just ok unless you really have your fundamentals dialed. I found that I could get about 20 rounds out of a 10lb rifle off a bipod before I was getting a headache from recoil, with a suppressor. It's a fine hunting round and I killed a big elk with one shooting 180gr ELD-M.

I believe the only perk to the 7prc is minimal elevation/wind adjustment at long range, but since I'm only capping out at a comfort level of 700 to maybe 800yds hunting, there are probably other cartridges that perform better in that space due to velocity vs max BC, such as the 6.5prc. We also killed an even bigger elk with a 147gr ELD-M out of a 6.5 creedmoor and that sealed the bullet's efficacy for me, it really does well in lung shots. I think a 6.5prc would do great and minimize recoil. 6.5 creedmoor is also a great performer with great ammo options. Really I don't think barrel life and ammo cost matter that much, even if you put 1,000rds/yr through a rifle the difference is minimal.

I just sold the 7prc. I might sell my 6.5 creedmoor just to consolidate into buying a single lighter hunting rifle. I'm considering either the .223 or a 6.5 creedmoor again. I want to hunt in Oregon in the future and they have a .24cal requirement for elk hunting, so that will weigh into the decision.
 
i had a tikka super varmint in 7 rem mag. it shot flawless but i only had it out to around 1000 yards before i sold it. the super varmint with the heavy barrel sucked to hike with is why i sold it i liked hiking with my sig cross 6.5cm more and replaced the tikka with the sig cross 300prc. one day i will buy another tikka in a 7prc but the latest reviews on the tikka 7prc are mixed. the 7rm and pro are both awesome and can easily hunt any game out farther then most people can. i was just with a buddy took a moose at 860 with his tikka flawless accuracy.
 
i had a tikka super varmint in 7 rem mag. it shot flawless but i only had it out to around 1000 yards before i sold it. the super varmint with the heavy barrel sucked to hike with is why i sold it i liked hiking with my sig cross 6.5cm more and replaced the tikka with the sig cross 300prc. one day i will buy another tikka in a 7prc but the latest reviews on the tikka 7prc are mixed. the 7rm and pro are both awesome and can easily hunt any game out farther then most people can. i was just with a buddy took a moose at 860 with his tikka flawless accuracy.
Love my Super Varmint in 6.5 CM but it’s strictly a range rifle. Wouldn’t be my first choice for a long trekking hunting expedition, however. A blind or stand rifle that would require relatively short hikes? Another story entirely IMO.
 
Have you thought about the 8 twist 243? Mine shots 108s faster than a buddies 6CM.

My current go to is a 2 rifle setup: a rebarreled Sako 85 in 22CM (my favourite) and a Sako 90 finnlight in 7PRC. I think the 7s being not as accurate is because they are harder to shoot.

Everything needs to be the same on each shot to print tiny groups because in a light gun the recoil is violent and any micro movement or change in pressure will show up on paper.
 
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