Looking for lightweight elk rifle

Reggie

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Aug 19, 2014
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What does rokslide think of these 2 options:

Tikka T3 lite in 300 win mag
Browning BLR in 358 win

I was looking for something <$800ish and around 6.5# range. I already have a Tikka in 7mm08 for my deer rifle and love it so I figured the 300 would be a good fit. However I like the idea of a short action and love lever guns so the BLR fits right in there. I am a re-loader so availability of ammo isn't a big concern. I am not a expert marksman, so I have no intention of shooting game beyond 300-350yds.
 

dotman

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Since you reload you should easily be able to tune the 7mm-08 with an elk round of your liking for that distance. Unless you just want a new gun.
 

WRO

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I'd recommend the 300, a lot more knock down power and the ability to stretch out out if need be.
 

GKPrice

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Tikka T3 Superlight in 300 Win Mag for $699 at SW - fine tune it with performance accessories from Mountain Tactical, scope it and go to "work" .... (you'll most likely WANT to install a Limbsaver recoil pad for $35 or so)
 

colonel00

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Tikka T3 Superlight in 300 Win Mag for $699 at SW - fine tune it with performance accessories from Mountain Tactical, scope it and go to "work" .... (you'll most likely WANT to install a Limbsaver recoil pad for $35 or so)

Yup, bought this exact gun a few weeks ago. With no modifications and just removing the stock rings it came in 5lbs 15oz more or less. It has sense seen some modifications and personal customizing while I wait to grab a scope.

20141217_224434.jpg
 

GKPrice

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Mountain Tactical has an anodized aluminum picatinny rail built just for the T3 with the recoil pin and, even though some dislike them, I like the Leupold Rifleman HORIZONTAL "quick release" rings, they are inexpensive, lightweight and secure - I think I like the Manners aftermarket stocks for T3's but my budget with need to wait a while for a try out -
 
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Reggie

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Tikka T3 Superlight in 300 Win Mag for $699 at SW - fine tune it with performance accessories from Mountain Tactical, scope it and go to "work" .... (you'll most likely WANT to install a Limbsaver recoil pad for $35 or so)

If I could get my hands on one of these it would be a done deal, but the closes SW to me is about a 8 hour drive.
 
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Reggie

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Ive also toyed with the idea of loading up the 7-08 for elk but was having a hard time finding the heavier weight 7mm bullets.
 

ST52v

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A guy on hunt talk just killed his 60th elk. A cow at 620 some yards with his 7mm 08. He uses 140 accu bonds. Most of his elk are shot under 400 yds.
 

GKPrice

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7mm 140's of all brands have not been too difficult to find - I have Accubonds, TSX, tipped TSX, Etips, GMX 139's, ballistic tips, Sierra HPBT GK and 140 pro-hunters all purchased since August - there are basically 2 types of "elk" bullets, the ones that kill elk and the ones that kill elk RIGHT NOW - I like both but the DRN bullets end a hunt much better I think - One of the most dramatic elk kills I've witnessed was at approx. 450 yds with a 175 7mm Partition and it WAS dramatic albeit fast - ALL that said, what a nice combo a 5.5 - 6 lb 7-08 launching 140's would make for the "HUNTING" part ... now I'm Re thinking ....
 
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Reggie

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7mm 140's of all brands have not been too difficult to find - I have Accubonds, TSX, tipped TSX, Etips, GMX 139's, ballistic tips, Sierra HPBT GK and 140 pro-hunters all purchased since August - there are basically 2 types of "elk" bullets, the ones that kill elk and the ones that kill elk RIGHT NOW - I like both but the DRN bullets end a hunt much better I think - One of the most dramatic elk kills I've witnessed was at approx. 450 yds with a 175 7mm Partition and it WAS dramatic albeit fast - ALL that said, what a nice combo a 5.5 - 6 lb 7-08 launching 140's would make for the "HUNTING" part ... now I'm Re thinking ....

I haven't had problems finding 140 grain, I actually have some partitions, accubonds and ssts on hand right now. But for elk I thought a 160 grain would be best....or is that overkill. What are your thoughts on the 160s?
 

Rucker61

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With the T3 you can mod the bolt stop and buy the .30-96 magazines to allow extra long COAL for your 7mm-08. Run some Barnes LRX 175s for a nice high BC, maybe Ackley Improve your chamber for a bit more powder.
 

GKPrice

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Reggie - I always used to shoot 175's and slid back to 140 all of last year, I did way too much load development with nothing else - I killed 3 elk this past fall, all with 140 Accubond or TTSX and I can say for myself that I'll not shoot elk with anything lighter than 160 from here out and if I can get that 175 Partition load to shoot again that is what I'll shoot - I shot a 6 pt bull at right at 200 yd and watched the entire caper go down - the bull died sure enough but he didn't know he was dead for way too long - a 160 7mm planted in the proper spot has so much more authority and a 175 even more, I hadn't put that much thought into it but when I hit an elk I want it to KNOW it's been hit - I'm actually seriously contemplating going back to a 338 Win Mag - a 225 "ANYTHING" is a heck of a lot more dramatic and a 200/210 does a heck of a job too - A lot of it boils down to personal opinion or preference because, as has been said before, "put any bullet into the right place ...." but also as said before "I want the animal to KNOW it's been hit" and those bullets START at 7mm / 160 and climb steeply from there (IMHO)
 

GKPrice

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Because I have quite a bit of time (UGH) a good loading room set up and I'm "willing" I wind up doing virtually all the loading for 2 groups of hunters, young AND older - I have worked up loads for at least 12 Tikka T3's and 2 remain in my memory bank for my being unable to get anything to shoot even "acceptably", a T3 SS 300 WSM and a T3 SS 338 Win Mag - the 338 was particularly vexing because it would shoot really good groups occasionally when IT wanted to then shoot absolutely abysmally 30 minutes later - THAT said, I've had out of the box T3's in 270 WSM, 300 Win Mag and 308 shoot incredibly well time after time - I worked with one of those Cabela's camo stocked superlights that would do one hole 100 yd groups with 165 TSX's time after time (the owner is happy as a clam with it too) (the 300 WSM became a 270 WSM PacNor barrel that my son loves to death) Tikka T3's are awesome factory rifles and even "Custom" rifles get sent back to the builder on occasion - PacNor has a pretty big "cull" barrel and John Noveske HAD a sizable one in his shop that we used to joke about sometimes
 

GKPrice

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I am seriously considering sending my T3 superlight 7mm RM to JES for a rebore to 338 Win Mag - think about this: it would come back a CUT RIFLED BORE with all the same attributes that we love about Tikkas - what's not to love about a 6 lb 338 Win Mag that "should" shoot lights out ? If it doesn't I'll have my local gunsmith rebarrel it so it does - "ACCURATE" rifles ...... so much fun
 
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