Non-Tikka Hunting Rifle Recommendations

[JohnJohnson]

I'm hoping I can keep the stock and just replace the recoil pad. I prefer wood and traditional style stocks. But just out of curiosity, which stock are you referring to?

Rokstok, Echelon Versa, Peak44 Bastion, KRG Bravo, KRG Echo...

-J

And the McMillan Mountain Tracker LR now.

 

[NSI]

And the McMillan Mountain Tracker LR now.

A notable miss. Thank you.

-J

 

[Seeknelk]

As far as velocity and recoil. A 16" Tikka with a suppressor has been the favorite rifle for me and my young kids. The rest is factory original. Velocity was more than enough for my daughter to make a clean kill at 475 on a mature mulie and my boy got his first buck at 350. Both one shot. Boys was quartering to and easily passed thru the knuckle, heart and thru the other side. Daughters was square broadside and of course it devastated it. But that's using 140 eldm and not copper. For copper I'd use the LRX for factory ammo if I was forced to. And velocity would be ok to 400 at least if I remember correctly from running data.
My hand loads with 140s stays above 1800 fps to 700 yards.
Recoil is very easy to manage even as is but I will get a Rokstok at some point when they are available again.
A 6 creed is what I wish it was tho. A 243 would bump your velocity for monos a bit and lower recoil more than 6.5 obviously.

 

[Turkeytider]

For what it is worth, the Tikka is super accurate and has a great action and trigger. I just do not like recoil. I have to work really hard to keep away a flinch I developed years ago shooting 3.5 inch magnums out of a 870. You may tolerate better than I did.

A 3.5 inch mag would develop a flinch in a gorilla!

 

[nockhunter]

Check out the Mauser M18, and for a bit more the M12. EuroOptic has them.

Mike

 

[Dbevans]

Browning xbolt mountain pro on sale in your price range. Stainless and cerakoted it will last forever.


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[JGRaider]

I'm hoping I can keep the stock and just replace the recoil pad. I prefer wood and traditional style stocks. But just out of curiosity, which stock are you referring to?

You can definitely keep the stock on that rifle, replace the pad if you want, and you'll have a kickasss hunting rifle that will drive tacks. I've had Tikkas since 1998, about 7 of them, and never replaced a stock, trigger, or added a rail to any of them. They are superb rifles that you will really enjoy.

 

[AlabamaMountainMan]

I'm being forced to go to a lighter recoiling cartridge due to medical issues with my neck and shoulder. Giving the .243 a try.

I've never liked shooting 3.5 inch magnums out of a 12 gauge, even when I was younger and healthier.

I still remember telling my dad I was too old for a 20 gauge and needed a 12. I realized very quickly that I in fact was not ready for a 12. I’m seeing a lot of love for the .243 and 6mm creed on this thread. Probably something I will have to consider a bit more.

 

[AlabamaMountainMan]

As far as velocity and recoil. A 16" Tikka with a suppressor has been the favorite rifle for me and my young kids. The rest is factory original. Velocity was more than enough for my daughter to make a clean kill at 475 on a mature mulie and my boy got his first buck at 350. Both one shot. Boys was quartering to and easily passed thru the knuckle, heart and thru the other side. Daughters was square broadside and of course it devastated it. But that's using 140 eldm and not copper. For copper I'd use the LRX for factory ammo if I was forced to. And velocity would be ok to 400 at least if I remember correctly from running data.
My hand loads with 140s stays above 1800 fps to 700 yards.
Recoil is very easy to manage even as is but I will get a Rokstok at some point when they are available again.
A 6 creed is what I wish it was tho. A 243 would bump your velocity for monos a bit and lower recoil more than 6.5 obviously.

I don’t know much about using match bullets for hunting. How is the ELD-M working for you? Are there limitations you work around?

 

[hereinaz]

I don’t know much about using match bullets for hunting. How is the ELD-M working for you? Are there limitations you work around?

Check out the latest Alaska hunt videos by the EXO pack guys. Steve and Jake kill caribou moose and goats with his 6 creed running 108s.

 

[IrkedCitizen]

Here are some of my animals with ELD-M bullets

7mm PRC short barrel?

I haven't threaded my 7 PRC yet but on my 16.5 inch 7mm-08 didn't bother me at all like 22 magnum. It's chronographed 2756 so be close to that. I know my 300 PRC with 26 inch barrel made me laugh it was so quiet no protection then either. I'll wear protection at range just because but hunting...

rokslide.com

 

[AlabamaMountainMan]

Of that list my personal pick would be a Savage with many options in their line up. You could upgrade the stock on most of them and still fall in budget.

I'd be very curious about the 307 Bee although I don't know much about it. I do believe it's built on a 700 clone action so bonus for unlimited aftermarket goodies.

The 307 seems fairly feature rich for a good price. Main thing wrong is I just don’t see anyone online using it. There’s very little information out other than promos from MeatEater and Weatherby who are both biased in favor of it. The Savage is an option that seems to be available at every price range from $500+. I just find myself wondering what I get different when I increase price other than the coating and eventually getting a carbon barrel.

 

[AlabamaMountainMan]

Check out the latest Alaska hunt videos by the EXO pack guys. Steve and Jake kill caribou moose and goats with his 6 creed running 108s.

Have yet to watch it, but they are a big influence on me moving away from the .30 calibers I’ve always had and felt like I needed.

 

[AlabamaMountainMan]

With the added information Rebarrel the Tikka 3006 to 6cm

I got rid of it a little while back due to the mag and feeding issues. It got to a point where I was tired of putting money into something that would not run 100%.

 

[AlabamaMountainMan]

A 3.5 inch mag would develop a flinch in a gorilla!

You’re not kidding. Unfortunately the next time I shot was the following weekend at a Turkey. Would have been my first, but I was terrified the squeeze the trigger plus the adrenaline. Wound up pulling the shot way low and wounding the bird sadly.

 

[AlabamaMountainMan]

Check out the Mauser M18, and for a bit more the M12. EuroOptic has them.

Mike

The M12’s look very nice. I think I’ll have a hard time convincing the wife to extend my budget over $2k for just the rifle though. Especially since I’ll still need a scope.

 

[AlabamaMountainMan]

As far as velocity and recoil. A 16" Tikka with a suppressor has been the favorite rifle for me and my young kids. The rest is factory original. Velocity was more than enough for my daughter to make a clean kill at 475 on a mature mulie and my boy got his first buck at 350. Both one shot. Boys was quartering to and easily passed thru the knuckle, heart and thru the other side. Daughters was square broadside and of course it devastated it. But that's using 140 eldm and not copper. For copper I'd use the LRX for factory ammo if I was forced to. And velocity would be ok to 400 at least if I remember correctly from running data.
My hand loads with 140s stays above 1800 fps to 700 yards.
Recoil is very easy to manage even as is but I will get a Rokstok at some point when they are available again.
A 6 creed is what I wish it was tho. A 243 would bump your velocity for monos a bit and lower recoil more than 6.5 obviously.

With several folks on here recommending chopping barrels down or running rifles like the Sig Cross, I may go back to the drawing board and re-evaluate what I was looking for. A .243 chopped down to 16”-18” in a nice stock would be pretty interesting. Although I am wondering if I am better off buying an action to build off of at this point and getting something like a 6mm creed.

 

[Bowfinn]

I still remember telling my dad I was too old for a 20 gauge and needed a 12. I realized very quickly that I in fact was not ready for a 12. I’m seeing a lot of love for the .243 and 6mm creed on this thread. Probably something I will have to consider a bit more.

You’re on the right track here. The best way to reduce recoil…is to simply have less recoil initially. A 6cm or similar in a good rifle(tikka is on that list for me) ideally suppressed, and you will he surprised at how fun shooting can be.

I just realized the other day that I no longer flinch and or blink when I accidentally try shoot an extra round from my suppressed 223. Buying a 300 magnum almost stopped me from getting back into rifle hunting. I’m far more accurate and actually enjoy hunting/shooting suppressed small caliber rifles.

 

[Matt5266]

Another vote for a little extra cash and get a Seekins. You can probably find a good used PH2 in your range soon with the release of the PH3

 

[Turkeytider]

You’re not kidding. Unfortunately the next time I shot was the following weekend at a Turkey. Would have been my first, but I was terrified the squeeze the trigger plus the adrenaline. Wound up pulling the shot way low and wounding the bird sadly.

If it were mandated that you could only hunt turkeys with a 3.5 inch load, that would most likely end my turkey hunting career! There’s not a turkey walking the planet that can’t be taken with a 3”, or even 2 3/4 “, properly patterned load at ethical ranges.