Tikka 7mm or 300win mag

[lg-captain]

I'm looking to purchase a new tikka T3 for a light weight long range rifle. I'll be mounting a NF NXS 5.5-22 x56 on it. I will most likely be shooting factory ammo. What caliber between 7mm and 300win mag would you guys recommend.

 

[Broz]

Have owned many of both and hunted extensively with both. Done lots of bullet and terminal performance testing of both. I prefer the 300 win bay far with a bullet like the 215 Berger Hybrid. The reason is terminal performance and the ability to kill large game quicker. Recoil will be slightly less with the 7 but brake them both you will be hard pressed to tell the difference. I would look at HSM to see if they offer factory ammo with the 215 if you don't want to load them yourself.

Jeff

 

[Justin Crossley]

The 215 doesn't fit in the Tikka magazine unfortunately. You would need to shove them into the neck of the brass so far that the ogive is inside.

 

[ST52v]

"Broz" do you think the 215 will shoot in the 1-11 tikka barrel? My brother hand loads and shoots 200 gr bergers at 2800. He has followed all your stuff on the 300 and after moving west to Casper wanted a 300 long range hammer. Being left handed he went with a Tikka. He is a little let down by the magazine limitations and 1-11 twist. He wants to build a big 6.5 to push those 140's at 3200-3300 fps. Something like 6.5-06 or 6.5wsm. If you are looking for true 300 win mag performance like Broz has written about you may be a little disappointed. You may be better of with the Remington 700 long range. Not a lite gun but probably a better long range gun.

 

[Brendan]

Depends what you're shooting with it and at what ranges. Hard to go wrong with a 300WM though.

My first reaction - for a "light weight" rifle shooting factory ammo - you're way overkill on the scope. I might be looking at something lighter, maybe the 3.5-15 if you want to stay Nightforce, or something like the Vortex PST, Swaro Z5. But, depends what weight you're targeting and ranges you'd be shooting.

 

[StrutNut]

I like my 300 win mag a lot. I would put a good brake on that though. I have the Savage Bear Hunter in 300 wm and my 14 yr old can shoot it all day long. The two of us went through almost 80 rounds in one afternoon just having fun with it. We were pushing 180gr power points that I bought basically for break in and for the brass. I plan on trying both the 215 bergers and the new Hornady's in it. I have no problem single feeding it for long range shooting. Broz gave some great advice on optics for this rifle. I plan on replacing the brake with a supresser within the next year or so.

 

[lg-captain01]

Great input on the tikka not feeding 215 in 300wm. The scope I have always wanted and its a 2oz difference between the 3.5 - 15 and the 5.5-22. I thought about just mounting it on my stock 700 adl 7mm and getting it smithed one piece at a time but for the prices of Tikkas and the accuracy I see everyone is getting out of the stock rifle the price point is hard to pass up. I looked into getting the remmy smithed and with a new stock I'm looking at around $2000. Thoughts?

 

[ST52v]

Check out the carbon 300 win in the classifieds!!! Better be quick!!!

 

[Broz]

Sorry guys, was not aware of the short magazine and the 1 in 11 twist. I do pretty much single feed all my rifles, but understand others like a loaded mag box. That would be a deal breaker for me and 700 Rem LR in 300 win would be my choice in the lower priced factory offerings. I hate limitations. I just doubt the 1 in 11 twist would work well with the 215's and if it did stabilize them they would suffer BC loss at longer distances most likely.

 

[WRO]

http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/model/11LONGRANGEHUNTER

I'd look at this rifle for budget long range rifle. It'll serve you much better for what you want than the tikka. Street price is around 800 last I looked.

 

[greyghostnw]

Depends what you're shooting with it and at what ranges. Hard to go wrong with a 300WM though.

My first reaction - for a "light weight" rifle shooting factory ammo - you're way overkill on the scope. I might be looking at something lighter, maybe the 3.5-15 if you want to stay Nightforce, or something like the Vortex PST, Swaro Z5. But, depends what weight you're targeting and ranges you'd be shooting.

the difference between the scope the op mentioned and the 3.5 is 2oz. only 1oz diff with a 50 rather than 56. these nx's are worth the weight imop.