Tikka T3 lite Alaska Moose rifle recommendations

[Hunter26]

So here I am...

I have a Tikka T3 lite ss chambered in 270 WSM that I am looking to do a cheaper build on. Here is what I am looking for and want recommendations for guys that have either done it or have idea's on the best way to do it.

1. I have a thunderbeast dominus .30 that I would like to put on this build but if there is a great option in say a 338 I am open to not using it.
2. I want as short of a barrel as possible (16 to 18 inches).
3. Where I have hunted moose and hope to return the chance of a long shot aren't very likely, but I don't want to limit myself with range if I don't need. I would like the rifle to have a range out to 600 yards but not sure I will get everything with this build and this desire might be one of the first to go.
4. My goal is to keep this thing lite, short as possible, bullet proof and cheap as possible.
5. Things the rifle will mainly be used for is shooting moose at shorter range and something that would be nice to have in hand for any potential bear encounters.

My thoughts right now are a 300 WSM as I think it is one of if not the biggest cartridge I can put in the rifle. Then what would I go with for bullet and weight. Then my mind wonders if there are any other cartridges that would be better suited.

Thanks for any input.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Probably cheaper and easier to sell your gun and buy a new tikka.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

You're not gaining anything going form 270WSM to 300WSM. The performance difference is negligible and ammo and brass is just as hard to find.

Personally I'd either leave it alone and spend the rebarreling costs on something that will actually make a difference or do a 6.5PRC or 7PRC for the brass and ammo availability.

 

[nobody]

Ditto to what redneck said above, a 7 PRC loaded with 180 ELDM’s would be neat. Or a 6.5 PRC stuffed with 147 ELDM’s

 

[Marbles]

If you want to have a 600 yard effective range on moose I think the 300 WSM is a good choice. Staying with a magnum bolt face also avoids the need for a new bolt. (Edit, if you are set on a 30 cal).

Personally I'm using a 308 this year.

A 280 AI would get you longer range.

If you really want to keep it cheap, chop the 270 WSM barrel to 18 inches and thread it. While not ideal a 30 cal suppressor will work. Total cost should be about $200 or less.

 

[Hunter26]

So you guys are talking about 6.5 prc or 7 prc but what about say a 220 to 200 grain bullet in a .30 cartridge? You think it has any advantages with frontal diameter and weight? Thanks for all input.

 

[The Guide]

The action of the T3 can be adjusted via a bolt stop and magazine change to fire any short or standard length (3.4" COAL) cartridge that matches the bolt face you have. You could run any short action magnum or a standard action magnum like a 7mm Remington, 7mm PRC, 300WM, or 338WM. To run a standard length magnum you would need a long or extra long bolt stop and an after market magazine for a long action cartridge plus your new barrel. These Tikka parts can be purchased from places like Mountain Tactical and barrels can be found via companies that do prefit barrels or a local gunsmith.

For your specific application, a 300WM would work if you want to run the suppressor or a 338WM if you want more bullet weight since the magazine length will be your limiting factor on bullet choice. Either one will make a great AK hunt tool.

Jay

 

[nobody]

So you guys are talking about 6.5 prc or 7 prc but what about say a 220 to 200 grain bullet in a .30 cartridge? You think it has any advantages with frontal diameter and weight? Thanks for all input.

Simple answer is not enough to matter from a lethality perspective. Heavy for caliber, violently upsetting match bullets from a 6.5 or 7 PRC will unquestionably cause more damage and kill faster than a bonded, controlled expansion, or monolithic bullet from a 30 cal. Wide wound channels through the front half of an animal kill quickly and efficiently, and I would $100 bet if you used either of those cartridges with an ELDM/ELDX/Berger VLD, you won’t wish for more gun after the kill. Chances are, you’ll wish for less.

Read the linked thread here for a real eye opener on the effectiveness of “smaller calibers”

.223 for bear, mountain goat, deer, elk, and moose.

Simple minded fella, or something along those lines. Fantastic channel. That’s the guy. https://youtube.com/@simplemindedfella Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

rokslide.com

 

[Yellowknife]

Probably obvious, but check the ammo and brass situation before committing to a particular magnum. Although a classic moose caliber, .338 WM has been impossible to find in factory ammo for a while now, and brass has been pretty hit and miss for years. I image some of the other calibers discussed are in a similar situation.

Although I got this years moose with a .338, I wouldn’t particularly call it a 600 yd gun in a Tikka. Too expensive to feed and tough to manage the recoil on for that platform.

The other moose we got this year was collected with a suppressed .300 WM in a Tikka. Seems a good package. Probably easier to just buy another one though.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

So you guys are talking about 6.5 prc or 7 prc but what about say a 220 to 200 grain bullet in a .30 cartridge? You think it has any advantages with frontal diameter and weight? Thanks for all input.

Look at the 223 and 6.5mm for deer, elk, bear, and moose threads. I'm not saying to ditch your magnum action for one of those, but they make it obvious that you don't need big magnums or .308-.338 diameter bullets to kill big stuff. Shot placement always wins. 6.5 and 7 PRC are both effective rounds for anything including grizzlies. 7PRC is basically a modern 7mm rem mag which has been killing big game and dangerous game for decades and due to it's length will work well in a Tikka action.

 

[Ucsdryder]

In thick stuff with close shots and grizzly. Isn’t the east button a 338 win mag with a 16” barrel shooting 250-300gr A frame type bullets? I think @Formidilosus said the wound cavity with 338 cal bullets see a big jump over everything else (243-308 cal).

 

[thinhorn_AK]

My friend shot a good moose this year with my 30-06, I have another 30-06, an 18” tikka that’s been cut back to 18” to shoot with my silencers. Its an awesome gun, I’d shoot a moose with it.

 

[BCsteve]

I'm in the bigger caliber camp for moose in Alaska and Northern BC where I hunt. I like your plan to go .300 WSM, definitely the easiest option but as already mentioned, you're only a bolt stop and mag away from the longer magnum cartridges as well such as the .300 WM or .338 WM.

 

[AkMtnRunner]

It'll be hard to beat your idea of 300 wsm. I like the 338's. I've used a 20" 338 wm on a couple moose at 400-450 yards and I have a 33 Nosler on a Tikka up and running, but looking at the numbers out towards 600, I think the better speed and bc combo of the bullets out of the 300 wsm will have the edge.

I would do a 300 wsm on tikka set up in long action format.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

In 2020 I shot a nice bull moose with my 375HH at around 320yds. The Barnes 250g TTSX walloped it good . I’ve actually shot several moose with that same gun. I think 375HH is awesome but apparently ammo manufacturers don’t think so, supplies for it seem pretty scarce. I have enough supplies to feed my 375s for life but most of those supplies came from the secondary market and were all collected randomly over a few years.