Sanity check first rifle config (elk, lightweight)

[tkhuntsman]

28 Noslar is an awesome round but recoil is substantially heavier I have an affinity for 28 caliber guns especially for long range stuff. It shoots and recoils the same as my 7mm STW but less than my 7mm RUM which is the top of that heap. I even played with a Lazeroni warbird back in the day and a 7mm weatherby both were recoil hammers and horribly inefficient cartridges but they were accurate and fast.

You gotta watch those bigger hot calibers because that takes you fro a short action to a long or extra long which adds weight. It will also take longer barrels to stabilize those loads so you gain some weight there also.

 

[Taudisio]

The 270 is also a standard action. It’s the other end of the barrel that needs to watch out! I was saying that I want it not for the OP anyway. It does not fit in the stats he requested.

 

[sdirks3]

Someday I'll pick up a 28 Nosler just to have the speed demon in the safe, but not as a first rifle

One thing I've learned crunching numbers, recoil is such a multi factor problem. Add a pound to one rifle and shave few ounces on another and the whole landscape shifts, not to mention the compounding effects of brakes! And then add on buttpads or the way a stock fits the individual shooter, end of the day I'm just guessing until lead starts flying

 

[Taudisio]

Someday I'll pick up a 28 Nosler just to have the speed demon in the safe, but not as a first rifle

One thing I've learned crunching numbers, recoil is such a multi factor problem. Add a pound to one rifle and shave few ounces on another and the whole landscape shifts, not to mention the compounding effects of brakes! And then add on buttpads or the way a stock fits the individual shooter, end of the day I'm just guessing until lead starts flying

There is a calculation you can do for ft lbs of recoil and free recoil on backfire.tv. It’s probably not perfect, but you can compare specific rifle/caliber combos to each other and see where they land. Then there are tests that will show the approx percentage of recoil a specific muzzle brake will take off. Suppressors are a different and wonderful world. I’m a fan of muzzle brakes. Some guys aren’t. If you end up with anything people have suggested on here, you will do fine. You can read the giant thread of .223 kills to boost your confidence when picking anything bigger for hunting if you want. Then you can watch Tim wells kill big game with a blow gun on YouTube and realize any centerfire will kill anything! Good luck man!

 

[sdirks3]

Yeah, I've been using that calculator! It's when you start saying "well if I'm willing to carry a pound more I can step up to the PRC and only have a bit more recoil than the ultralight creed, but then if I step up to 10 lbs I could shoot a 280 AI at the same level..."

As you can tell I run myself in circles haha. One of these days I'll just place an order and whatever I end up with will be great thanks to everyone's advice!

That guy dropping stuff with a blow gun is straight up wild! Anyone who hasn't watched him yet, go do it

 

[Taudisio]

Yeah, I've been using that calculator! It's when you start saying "well if I'm willing to carry a pound more I can step up to the PRC and only have a bit more recoil than the ultralight creed, but then if I step up to 10 lbs I could shoot a 280 AI at the same level..."

As you can tell I run myself in circles haha. One of these days I'll just place an order and whatever I end up with will be great thanks to everyone's advice!

That guy dropping stuff with a blow gun is straight up wild! Anyone who hasn't watched him yet, go do it

If you’re just learning about him, watch his spear hunting vids. He is absolutely crazy with a bow. Almost died in Africa. Nice guy in person. A lot of his new stuff is about his kids.

For your rifle, if you are 100 percent suppressing or muzzle braking it in the meantime, anything under the heavy magnums will be more than comfortable to shoot in a lightweight gun. 280ai and down is cake. I hunted with a 270 when I was 12. Shot squirrels on the ranch with it when I was even younger.

 

[Samson7x]

That's wild that it wouldn't shoot after going back to the factory. I've probably owned or set up for others a hundred Savage model 110, 10, 11, 12 and 16 over the last 25 years.
Never touched one that wouldn't shoot 1.5 moa. Most shot better. High majority of my folks never shoot past 400 yards (most not past 250) so we aren't really needing half moa rifles.
Did they tell you what ammo they tested the new barrel with, or did they not test it?
I do hate the 90 degree bolt rotation.

They didn't specify, so perhaps they didn't even test it? Either way, with so many better options out now, there's just no reason for me to ever choose savage again.

 

[NSI]

Tikka 6 creed, short enticer.
Scope is good. Mount with TO84.
To shave weight drop into Stocky’s VG2 carbon stock.
To improve trigger, replace spring with YoDave.

-J

 

[Seeknelk]

What he said! ^^^^Absolutely what I would recommend but Tikka doesn't chamber a 6cm yet do they?
Other than that, a Tikka is the BEST accuracy guarantee there is. I'd suggest keep it simple ,get a Tikka in 6.5 cm and top with a 6x swfa(I use mine on a 1 moa gong at 1000 yards quite easily. Or the 3x9 SWFA, 20 moa Hawkins one piece mounts and a pallet of 140 eld ammo or bullets and alpha brass and go try shooting the barrel out.
Read all you can about shooting in wind and then go shoot in wind. These are things that actually matter. Cut and thread barrel at 20" or so. Lighten factory trigger, aggressively free float barrel if needed. Shoot without can till you get it. This will help teach recoil management.

 

[sdirks3]

The tikka is dang tempting, but by the time I cut and thread it I'm $200 less than a CA Mesa FFT that was ready from the factory, weighs 8-10 oz less, and still has warranty coverage

Or if I go savage ultralite it's actually cheaper, lighter, and ready out of the box

 

[NSI]

How much do you care about your rifle not slam firing when you close the bolt? If you hunt below zero, the tikka is one of the only safe trigger designs in your price range. See the thread in this forum on the topic.

-J

 

[Taudisio]

How much do you care about your rifle not slam firing when you close the bolt? If you hunt below zero, the tikka is one of the only safe trigger designs in your price range. See the thread in this forum on the topic.

-J

Just out of curiosity, below zero as in Fahrenheit or Celsius? I have never had a rifle slam fire, but I think the lowest I have ever hunted in was -13F.

 

[SwiftShot]

I cannot believe we are worried about recoil on a 6.5 PRC. The rifle is not 5 LBS, you will be fine.

 

[sdirks3]

I cannot believe we are worried about recoil on a 6.5 PRC. The rifle is not 5 LBS, you will be fine.

I'm definitely starting to wonder if I'm being too concerned about recoil, but lots of people on here are and until the suppressor comes in the rifle is 6.5 lbs (going with a lighter scope than the Tenmile, I don't need 18x)

 

[NSI]

Just out of curiosity, below zero as in Fahrenheit or Celsius? I have never had a rifle slam fire, but I think the lowest I have ever hunted in was -13F.

I have little experience with r700s, but I suggest reading Form’s test thread on the topic. I believe visible frost on or in the action was an essential component. Slam firing under any conditions is completely unacceptable to me personally. One of many reasons I hunt with a tikka.

-J

 

[sdirks3]

I have little experience with r700s, but I suggest reading Form’s test thread on the topic. I believe visible frost on or in the action was an essential component. Slam firing under any conditions is completely unacceptable to me personally. One of many reasons I hunt with a tikka.

-J

Got any link or title? The search function is failing me

 

[Taudisio]

Got any link or title? The search function is failing me

I tried as well. I have no idea where his r700 comment came from and he didn’t respond to my question. If ALL other rifles failed the test, I’d love to see the factual data to back up what he is saying. As far as real life experience, I’ve never seen it. In 2020 I was chasing deer where the daytime high temperature was a maximum of 30 for an entire week. We had 4 different brand rifles in camp. Not one a tikka. And not one slam fired or malfunctioned. We filled all of our tags.

 

[sdirks3]

Yeah, I mean if you show me the data I'd be very keen to see it, but my gut says if only one action prevented something as dangerous as a slam fire it would be all over the forums. Especially here where people love their tikkas

 

[SouthPaw]

I'm definitely starting to wonder if I'm being too concerned about recoil, but lots of people on here are and until the suppressor comes in the rifle is 6.5 lbs (going with a lighter scope than the Tenmile, I don't need 18x)

Do you have the opportunity to get out and shoot some rifles before buying, perhaps friends or family, etc? You'll get a better idea of recoil from various chamberings and rifle weights. Be sure to shoot away from the bench to replicate hunting situations.

This is the thread that covers the cold performance.

Ice/snow comparison between rifles

I have been asked by multiple people to do an ice and snow reliability eval between rifles/actions/triggers. Tthis is not a “test”, it is just a view at what generally happens. Doing a legitimate test requires more rifles and consistent conditions than I have. So… The rifles: 1). Tikka T3...

rokslide.com

 

[sdirks3]

Do you have the opportunity to get out and shoot some rifles before buying, perhaps friends or family, etc? You'll get a better idea of recoil from various chamberings and rifle weights. Be sure to shoot away from the bench to replicate hunting situations.

That's the trick - moved to CO for work and all the friends and family that hunt are back home in MN. Got a college friend a bit of a drive away with a 7 rem mag Tikka, gonna reach out and see if we can go shoot sometime before I place the order