Help me decide

[StrutNut]

I am wanting to pick up one rifle for hunting out west as well as a little around MN. I have a good deer rifle, but not a good mountain rifle. I am on a budget and was looking a lot at the Tika vs the T/C or Savage. I have read a lot of really good reviews on the Tika T3 and really like the action over the T/C. I also am not 100% on the caliber but looking at the 300 win mag, 300 WSM and .338 mag. I will likely port whatever rifle I end up with. Thoughts?

 

[husky390]

Any of those calibers is fine for elk if that's what you're hunting. Savage has been good to me so I can't complain about them at all. If you decide to go lightweight, the Tika lite is tough to beat. It's what I would have bought had I not gotten a Kimber Montana. As for porting, I wouldn't do it. I have a .300wm Savage that was factory ported. It shoots like a dream but I will not shoot it without hearing protection so it stay's home when I'm hunting. I plan to re-barrel it for long range shooting, possibly with a Hart barrel. I don't want to damage my hearing anymore than I already have. Just my .02 cents.

 

[Snipershirt]

I agree here with husky on the porting...did it one time and regretted it. Mind you my two biggest rifles are a 325WSM and a 375 H&H, neither of which are ported. Anyhow, the 300 I ported a few years ago got more safe time than field time.

 

[pyroducksx3]

300 win mag is an all around good caliber, if you don't run 180+ gr bullets the 300 wsm is fine. Tikka and savage are both good rifles so it's kinda a coin toss. If you don't shoot past 500 yards a magnum isn't necessary.

 

[mtnwrunner]

300 winny. 30 cal, lots of bullets, accurate, easy to find factory ammo, powerful----great western and mountain rifle.

Randy

 

[fire arrow]

A question that might help with the advise. What distance do you truly see your self shooting, what style of hunting do you do, and what animals are you going to hunt year after year.

 

[StrutNut]

five arrow, thats a great questions. The answer is, I dont know. I will mostly be hunting white tail deer in MN and I have a rifle for that. I am getting to the point of starting to want to cross of things on my bucket list. I want one good rifle to handle anything. Moose and elk are definitely on the list. Elk is something I would like to start hunting every other year or so. I have gone once and took a cow with my bow. I also want to hunt mule deer. I have a friend with connections up in Alaska as well. I just wanted one smooth shooting fairly light weight rifle as kind of my "go to" when taking off on a trip. As far as distance, I used to reload a lot and plan on doing it again. I plan on shooting this rifle a lot and it is going to depend on how good I am with the rifle as to what kind of shots I would try in the field. On the range, 1000 for sure. But as far as hunting, it all depends. My max could be 400, 600, who knows. It is going to take a lot of range time to answer that one.

 

[Broz]

The 300 win will and has done everything I need done hunting from 50 yards to 1200 even on elk with the right bullet and load.

Jeff

 

[fire arrow]

Broz said it. 300 WM is hard to beat. Plenty of bullet options, if you loose your handloads most shops have ammo you can use, and it's just a great round. I would suggest a muzzle break just to keep thing pleasant to shoot.

 

[Jdog]

300 win!

Don't put a brake on it if you like your ability to hear--I hate brakes!

I had a Tikka T3 Lite in 300 WM and it was a tack driver!

Put a quality recoil pad on it and shoot it a lot--your perception of recoil should reduce after getting comfortable with the gun at the range

 

[PA 5-0]

.300 win mag will kill just about anything that walks the earth. My personal, all around favorite caliber. Ammo o'plenty anywhere u go. And if its any indicator, the sniper community, military and 5-0, are embracing it more and more.

 

[Ryan Avery]

People miss the point of a brake for LRHing. The reason for a brake is to spot your own hits if your solo. Plus if you are shooting long range you should be putting lots of rounds down range before the season, a break makes this much easier. So if it's truly for long range get a braked 300 WIN.

 

[Rucker61]

People miss the point of a brakes for LRHing. The reason for a brake is to spot your own hits if your solo. Plus if you are shooting long range you should be putting lots of rounds down range before the season, a break makes this much easier. So if it's truly for long range get a braked 300 WIN.

Sounds like good advice; now I just need to find a NoCo gunsmith to put mine on my new .300 WSM Tikka.

 

[Rucker61]

.300 win mag will kill just about anything that walks the earth. My personal, all around favorite caliber. Ammo o'plenty anywhere u go. And if its any indicator, the sniper community, military and 5-0, are embracing it more and more.

Aren't police sniper engagements around 100 yards?

 

[PA 5-0]

Aren't police sniper engagements around 100 yards?

Correct. I believe the national average on actual shots taken is around 75yds. But in the last few years, Tact Teams are taking more aggressive courses of action when dealing with armed barricaded subjects. The days of sitting outside and negotiating for 36hrs are going bye bye. With that said, shots are being green lighted more often and they like the punching power of the win mag. ie. going thru glass, disabling vehicles, etc, etc. And with the terror threat always an issue, teams are always prepared to do long range engagements. Don't get me wrong, every department is not running out and buying new rifles. Like my dept, most are still shooting their trusting Rem 700 .308's. But alot of the depts that are making a new purchase are stepping up to the win mag. Christ, lots of big city departments are rolling Barrett 50's.

And a couple of my boys who are still active military shooters tell me that the win mag is becoming more popular for the same reasons. I have noticed it more and more on the sniper school TV shows. For many reasons, the .338 Lapua apparently wasn't the God send it was made out to be.

 

[husky390]

Sounds like good advice; now I just need to find a NoCo gunsmith to put mine on my new .300 WSM Tikka.

Bert at BP Tactical is GTG. He's in Northglenn.