Narrowed down new mountain rifle

[KenLee]

Leupold VX-3's have served many thousands of hunters well for decades. I know how snooty roksliders like to get about their optics, but I personally don't see any reason to pay more than $500 for a scope (on a hunting rifle) unless you're a dedicated LR hunter.

I believe in spending dollars on binos and spotting scopes that you may sit behind for hours and hours to spot and spy on your game, but a rifle scope serves a simpler function. All it has to do is 1) hold its zero, and 2) allow you to see the target. Marginal improvements in color shift or resolution don't make me a better shot at 400 yards, they just cost more money.

Obviously, since the OP started with a target budget of $1300, he wasn't looking at investing in a high end Steiner.

And if it doesn't do #1 ???

 

[jbwright]

This thread 'bout to take a turn.....IMHO let's not hijack the man's thread on his Mountain Rifle build

 

[MoeFaux]

And if it doesn't do #1 ???

Again, many, many thousands of us have used these scopes without this being a problem. If there's a rare lemon in the bunch that becomes problematic, then the company takes care of it for free. I would worry about this with an $80 Tasco but have never thought twice about trusting a VX-3.

 

[KenLee]

Again, many, many thousands of us have used these scopes without this being a problem. If there's a rare lemon in the bunch that becomes problematic, then the company takes care of it for free. I would worry about this with an $80 Tasco but have never thought twice about trusting a VX-3.

In the past, I used them also...quite a few of them. Don't think I'd claim to have trusted them under hard use, and don't believe the lemons are rare, but if you are happy with your equipment my opinion doesn't matter.

 

[Mojave]

I have been a whitetail hunter for 40 years. Have used mainly my Browning BLR in .308. Now that I live in Colorado, I am changing ALL of my equipment to lighter and longer shooting gear. It's crazy what a different kind of hunting gear is needed.

So....I have my mountain rifles narrowed down to the following in either .300wm or 7PRC

Browning X-Bolt 2 Speed
Bergara Wilderness Sierra
CVA Cascade LRH
Tikka T3X Lite (.300wm only option)

Thoughts?

Tikka is coming out in 7mm PRC in 2025.

 

[OV11]

Tikka

 

[Leaf Litter]

My vote goes to X-bolt 2 in 6.8 Western, 280AI, 7RM, 270 Win, 7mm-08, 30-06, or 300 WM.

I chose 6.8 Western for my X-bolt in 2021 and have never regretted it.

 

[RWT]

Following
I decided to try a few models to get to my desired weight for a new rig. Current set up is 9.5 lbs. I would like to be below 8lbs. Preferably 7.75 lbs All in WITH suppressor.
I’ve already figure the chambering in a 6.5CM as it will maintain velocity for as far as I should be shooting proficiently.
Going to test/compare a Tikka tx3 lite compact and an older Howa alpine mountain version.
First objective is to make weight. Then which one shoots the best in factory stock.
If I could get a weight on a Seekins PH3 element I would add that to the mix.

 

[S-3 ranch]

Stick with a 7mm or .308 caliber, 280 Remington or 30-06 is my choice
Shot a 300wm for 30 years and then ruptured a disk in my neck
The move to a non magnum didn’t effect my hunting ability
I don’t do break or cans as I don’t need them

 

[MoeFaux]

Stick with a 7mm or .308 caliber, 280 Remington or 30-06 is my choice
Shot a 300wm for 30 years and then ruptured a disk in my neck
The move to a non magnum didn’t effect my hunting ability
I don’t do break or cans as I don’t need them

While everyone has their own opinion on this, I agree with the above. With the small caveat that I'll allow a step down in bore to a .277.

For me, the ideal range is 6.5 PRC as the bare minimum of available energy (even though I'd prefer a little more frontal area than that .243 provides) and 7 RM as the max acceptable recoil. That sweet spot allows for a great selection of calibers. If you need to stick with ammo at your LGS, you've got 270 Win, 308, 30-06, and 7mm RM. (You could even cheat 7mm-08 in there by accepting a tiny tick down from the 6.5 PRC.) If you're willing to reload or just buy online, you've got 6.5 PRC, 7 SAUM, 280 AI (my personal favorite of the bunch), 270 WSM, 280 Rem . . . and even more if you're willing to delve deeper into the obscure, defunct, and esoteric.