Lightweight Rifle for Western Hunting

[BLJ]

Excellent. Have you ever run 168 TMKs through it?

Not the TMK.

It shoots the 168 SMK pretty good, though.

 

[onlybrowning]

That pesky EuroOptic add that keeps popping up in the bottom corner showing that 84M in .308 might be exactly what you're looking for. That is a great deal at $750.

 

[Pulleye16]

Looking to purchase a rifle for western hunting. I am going for a lightweight rifle that is relatively easy to carry. Right now, I am thinking I want a 300 wsm in a Tikka T3x superlite. I will be adding a suppresser to this rifle as well.

Wanted your thoughts if you have this rifle or one similar or if you have any other suggestions of rifles/calibers. I will eventually reload, but for now I want something that has good factory ammo available.

I just bought this almost exact setup not long ago. I bought the tikka T3x 300 winMag, put on limbsaver pads and an Omega 300DT suppressor and this has already become my favorite gun to shoot!

It's incredible light, shoots absolute lasers, has very little recoil, decently quiet, and did I mention it shoots fantastic.?

If you want this gun, absolutely buy it! I'm not sure what the ultralite is over the regular T3x but I can't imagine there being a better gun out there.

300 winmag is what you want poking elk out west. You'll hear all about 7 and 6.5 prc....sure, they are great too. But don't get trapped into forum brainwashing. All you have to do is research elk calibers and you quickly see why the 300winmag is at the top of just about everything you read.

and sorry, I just reread your post an you mention "west" hunting. Still, if you are going after elk, that gun is probably one of the best setups you can buy.

 

[Ganderzone]

I had a 6.5 prc with scope and suppressor at #7, great to carry, ok to shoot. Same gun changed stock for better ergos and put a niteforce on it is now #8.2oz and at 400yards and on its actually more accurate simply because it doesn't magnify shooting errors as much. I have a 7prc that completely rigged is 9# and I wouldn't go any lighter. I've found that #8-9 ready to hunt is the best balance of weight/recoil for me. Ymmv

 

[North of 60]

I had a 6.5 prc with scope and suppressor at #7, great to carry, ok to shoot. Same gun changed stock for better ergos and put a niteforce on it is now #8.2oz and at 400yards and on its actually more accurate simply because it doesn't magnify shooting errors as much. I have a 7prc that completely rigged is 9# and I wouldn't go any lighter. I've found that #8-9 ready to hunt is the best balance of weight/recoil for me. Ymmv

Which stock did you change from and to for the 6.5 PRC to get better ergos? Reason for the question is a 6.5 PRC is in my future.

 

[Ganderzone]

Which stock did you change from and to for the 6.5 PRC to get better ergos? Reason for the question is a 6.5 PRC is in my future.

Christensen fft stock, 20 oz, typical thin grip low comb stock and had a decent amount of jump from the comb. I've shot the same barreled action in a stockys vg hunter and a mdt hnt26, both are much better from a recoil and shootability aspect. The stockys vg hunters on sale are hard to beat if on a budget.

 

[ElPollo]

Looking to purchase a rifle for western hunting. I am going for a lightweight rifle that is relatively easy to carry. Right now, I am thinking I want a 300 wsm in a Tikka T3x superlite. I will be adding a suppresser to this rifle as well.

Wanted your thoughts if you have this rifle or one similar or if you have any other suggestions of rifles/calibers. I will eventually reload, but for now I want something that has good factory ammo available.

Had one of those. Sold it. Kept the suppressor.

 

[Hnthrdr]

IMO choosing a magnum for this purpose is a huge mistake. Purchase the rifle listed above and dont think twice. If anyone gives you shit about a 6.5 CM not being enough for elk or that its "anemic" just know that those people are wrong and have no idea what they are talking about.

One of the most important things for me hunting in big open country out west is watching my impacts through the scope to see if and where I hit the animal. You m will never do this with a suppressed 300wsm, but you can with a suppressed 6.5 CM.

I would also forget that VX 5 and go with a Trijicon Credo HX.

Something like this but it’s a 16” so I only get to around 550 yards which is more than enough

 

[Walker6]

Looking to purchase a rifle for western hunting. I am going for a lightweight rifle that is relatively easy to carry. Right now, I am thinking I want a 300 wsm in a Tikka T3x superlite. I will be adding a suppresser to this rifle as well.

Wanted your thoughts if you have this rifle or one similar or if you have any other suggestions of rifles/calibers. I will eventually reload, but for now I want something that has good factory ammo available.

Kimber Montana or Hunter/etc in .308, 7-08, or 6.5 Creed. Or Barrett Fieldcraft (if budget allows) in same or in .243 or 6 Creed.

With SWFA 6x42, you should be around 6.5-7lbs

Lots of good factory ammo. I’d be on the lookout for the rifle you want at the right price and just take whatever of those chamberings it comes in. If you buy it right, you can sell it without a loss if you find don’t like it.

Or just buy a Tikka in one of those chamberings.

 

[brazz04]

Rifle plus can plus brake on the can (this is key). Pick a cartridge you want to shoot. I know the foundation of this site is that everyone must use a 223, but magnums are just fine. My 6.5 PRC running 156gr is a breeze to shoot. The Tikka Superlite will work well for you OP.

Here's a visual, look at how much the combo will tame even a 300 win mag.
Suppressor Brake Test