Tikka T3x Lite?

Joined
Oct 7, 2020
Messages
15
Location
Colorado Springs
I’ve been hunting archery elk OTC in Colorado for past 7 years and haven’t yet filled my tag. While I’ve definitely become a far greater hunter over that time, I still haven’t filled the freezer. So I’m going to add in Rifle and am looking at the Tikka T33X Lite. Anyone have any advice I should follow?
 

brn2hnt

WKR
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
Messages
394
Location
Treasure Valley, ID
Highly capable rifles.

They like most factory ammos.

Their barrel twists are a little slow for reloading heavy for caliber long range bullets.

Hard to justify the extra $100 for the superlite vs the regular lite.

Get one in 7mm RM, 308, 30-06 (300 win would likely be a bit heavy on recoil at their weight) and go kill whatever you want.


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Joined
Aug 8, 2017
Messages
50
Location
SC
I just got one in 300 win mag for the same reasons. A friend of mine did a custom stock, barrel etc and took it on his mule deer hunt where he got one 500 plus yards.

I’m doing a McMillan stock, carbon fiber barrel with mine, upgraded bottom metal and a VH-5 by Leupold. So many options to choose from if you go custom.

You trying to go the custom tikka build or keep it stock ?


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OP
B
Joined
Oct 7, 2020
Messages
15
Location
Colorado Springs
I’m probably going to keep it stick for this go round as I’ve told myself I won’t spend a fortune on note gear until I actually start bringing home meat. Now that philosophy hasn’t really helped me avoid a ton of upgrades BUT, I think in this case a stick should probably be good enough to start out. Thoughts?
 

WYCFM1

WKR
Joined
Mar 10, 2018
Messages
786
Location
WY
I own a tikka t3x 300 WM. I do reload. I’ve owned it for a year and have about 1300 rounds down the barrel. With factory barrel my reloads average 3/4” groups. Excellent for hunting The only upgrades I did was a bell and Carlson stock and atlas bottom metal area 419 hellfire brake. I went bell and Carlson cuz it’s no BS lightest affordable quality stock out there. My rifle has hit 24” rocks at 1652 yrds set up as it is...no reason you will need to pull the factory barrel off and buy and $400 aftermarket right away...1300 rounds of 180gn Berger elite hunters and some Hornady and some Sierra mixed in and she still shoots 8” groups at 1000.....I shoot this distance for fun and tuning my rifle. It did the job on a mule deer yesterday at 21 yds on a stalk from 800 yds. You will be fine with a factory t3x
f538116772ae8550417db41feba475eb.plist



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WYCFM1

WKR
Joined
Mar 10, 2018
Messages
786
Location
WY
Forgot I did install a yodave trigger spring...trigger is 2lbs


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brn2hnt

WKR
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
Messages
394
Location
Treasure Valley, ID
If stock means no brake I’d avoid the 300wm.

Especially if you’re traditionally an archery hunter and this is your first foray into rifles.

I think you’d be hard pressed to beat a 308 or 30-06 with a 3-9 leupold or SWFA.

Won’t win beauty pageants, but you’ll never be able to blame the equipment for not being successful.


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Joined
Sep 22, 2020
Messages
601
The Tikkas are probably the best, smoothest, most precise rifles near their price point. They’re light, very smooth action, and I expect them to shoot well under MOA with factory ammo. The stock might be what you want for a hunting stock, or it might really bore you. The “lite” barrels are a little thick in comparison to other hunting rifles. The trigger is amazing with just a YoDave trigger spring.
Area419, Atlasworx and Mountain Tactical make parts for them.

I have a CTR and it shoots 1/2 MOA all day with factory match.

One downside to the Tikka action is that if you want to load long magnum rounds you won’t have enough room to load. Factory magnums or similar are no problem, but you won’t be loading really long. Another downside is that the barrels are a little slow, so knock some FPS off your expectations for a given barrel length. An additional downside is that Tikka makes their barrels with a slow twist. Excellent for varmint or standard hunting loads, but you might not have the stability to accurately shoot heavy-for-caliber bullets.

Support is growing for them and they’re fantastic guns. The worst case with a Tikka, if you hate the barrel and the stock,you’ll end up with an outstanding action that cost less than any aftermarket action, that you can buy prefer barrels for.
 

rlmmarine

WKR
Joined
Aug 13, 2016
Messages
539
Location
Ormond beach
I own a tikka t3x 300 WM. I do reload. I’ve owned it for a year and have about 1300 rounds down the barrel. With factory barrel my reloads average 3/4” groups. Excellent for hunting The only upgrades I did was a bell and Carlson stock and atlas bottom metal area 419 hellfire brake. I went bell and Carlson cuz it’s no BS lightest affordable quality stock out there. My rifle has hit 24” rocks at 1652 yrds set up as it is...no reason you will need to pull the factory barrel off and buy and $400 aftermarket right away...1300 rounds of 180gn Berger elite hunters and some Hornady and some Sierra mixed in and she still shoots 8” groups at 1000.....I shoot this distance for fun and tuning my rifle. It did the job on a mule deer yesterday at 21 yds on a stalk from 800 yds. You will be fine with a factory t3x
f538116772ae8550417db41feba475eb.plist



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How did you add the muzzle break. Send it off to be threaded? Id like to put one on my 300 super lite
Thanks
 
Joined
Oct 7, 2020
Messages
12
I own the older T3 lite with stainless barrel in 300 WM. Everything is factory and I love it. I do have a suppressor on it and barely notice the recoil. I am not a big guy and don't think I want to shoot it without. I bought it four years ago for around $500. Seems they raised the price of the T3X's a couple hundred dollars.
 
OP
B
Joined
Oct 7, 2020
Messages
15
Location
Colorado Springs
I own a tikka t3x 300 WM. I do reload. I’ve owned it for a year and have about 1300 rounds down the barrel. With factory barrel my reloads average 3/4” groups. Excellent for hunting The only upgrades I did was a bell and Carlson stock and atlas bottom metal area 419 hellfire brake. I went bell and Carlson cuz it’s no BS lightest affordable quality stock out there. My rifle has hit 24” rocks at 1652 yrds set up as it is...no reason you will need to pull the factory barrel off and buy and $400 aftermarket right away...1300 rounds of 180gn Berger elite hunters and some Hornady and some Sierra mixed in and she still shoots 8” groups at 1000.....I shoot this distance for fun and tuning my rifle. It did the job on a mule deer yesterday at 21 yds on a stalk from 800 yds. You will be fine with a factory t3x
f538116772ae8550417db41feba475eb.plist



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Congrats on the Muley and thanks for the great info. I’m taking it to the bank.
 
OP
B
Joined
Oct 7, 2020
Messages
15
Location
Colorado Springs
I’m only looking to shoot big game with my rifle out here in Colorado. I was intrigued by the 6-5 C versus the 300win. Should I just stay with the tired and true?
 

kickemall

WKR
Joined
Feb 10, 2013
Messages
1,028
Location
SD
I'm a true believer in 30 cals for elk, take your pick which one. However, it sounds like your a new shooter (maybe I misunderstood that) and if thats the case I'd go with a 6.5 creedmoor because of the lighter recoil, especially in a T3. You'll shoot it more and likely better than a 30, be much more comfortable with it and its perfectly capable of killing elk. If you've shot a lot and are comfortable with recoil then get a 30 and go kill one.
 

Sled

WKR
Joined
Jun 11, 2018
Messages
2,265
Location
Utah
buckey,

i'll be the odd man out and say don't get a tikka. if you do you'll miss out on all the fun things you get to do to make a new rifle shoot well. there's stock replacement, bedding, truing/blueprinting the action, swapping scopes to rule that out, taking it to the gun smith, sending it back to the MFG and finally selling a "nearly new never carried in field rifle that shoots great"... it was my wife's gun.

then after all that you can buy the tikka.
 

Rob5589

WKR
Joined
Sep 6, 2014
Messages
6,299
Location
N CA
Rifle, Yo Dave trigger spring, vertical grip, make sure barrel is fully floated, torque action screws to 45 in/lbs.
 

G8ters

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
May 12, 2020
Messages
237
Get a tikka. Just got a 06 superlight as a backup to my 300 bee for elk next week. But the bee is hefty. May just carry the tikka around. Second tikka I own. Light crisp trigger and smooth action. The superlight is only 7 lbs scoped up. But it also kicks like a rented mule with 180 gmx superformance.
 

Lytro

WKR
Joined
Jun 19, 2019
Messages
530
Get a tikka. Just got a 06 superlight as a backup to my 300 bee for elk next week. But the bee is hefty. May just carry the tikka around. Second tikka I own. Light crisp trigger and smooth action. The superlight is only 7 lbs scoped up. But it also kicks like a rented mule with 180 gmx superformance.
I can relate to this post. I've had a superlite in 7mm Rem Mag for 4 years now- stock with a Leupold vx-5. I've been shooting a lot recently due to a surplus of rifle tags this year, and I've finally decided I'll be installing a brake after this season. It's a great rifle to carry through the mountains, but it kicks!
 
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