Tikka t3x super lite 7prc

[Flatland Newbie]

I have been gifted a gun and it is still sitting at Cabela’s, I haven’t picked it up yet. It’s a tikka t3x super lite in 7 prc. 22 inch barrel, Cabela’s special.
I have seen some negative use online as far as accuracy goes.
Have you guys been experiencing any issues with this gun/caliber?
Ultimately politely exchange this rifle to something else if this is one of those guns that just don’t shoot accurately. Alternatively, I was thinking of using MDT chassis and a muzzle brake. But with all the upgrades, we are looking at almost a $3000 gun. For not a lot of extra money I can get something like Viking armament or snowy mountain.

Is the juice worth a squeeze with this Tika?

 

[nm.otter]

25+ ft-lbs of recoil in a 6 pound rifle is just a fundamentally bad idea. I suspect most of the reported issues could be explained by that. The factory sporter stock doesn't help, either.

If you're set on 7mm PRC, put it in a heavy enough chassis and I bet it shoots. Or just buy an Ace Game and hang some weights on it.

 

[TradLife406]

Exchange it for a 6 Creed. I'd honestly shoot a 223 for a hunting season vs 7 PRC in a light rifle.

My buddy had a Tikka in a 300 win. He hated it. He ended up buying a 6.5 PRC take off barrel from Unknown Munitions and then paid like $100 to have a local smith install it. He's like dang that's a lot funner to shoot.

Might be an option for you as well. Find a 6.5 PRC barrel or something, a take off. Swap it and maybe thread it for a can.

That 6.5 PRC is one of the better factory offerings from Tikka. But now that the 6 creed is a thing I'd go that route. Less recoil and great ballistics.

 

[flyfisher117]

My 7 PRC is 8-8.5 lbs fully loaded. Personally I wouldn’t go any lighter. I wouldn’t put a super light in a chassis either but maybe a nice stock? The factory Tikka recoil pad will be rough.

Fun cartridge to shoot though. I kind of want to build a heavy target rifle in 7 PRC.

 

[43.6N]

Congrats on the gift man!
I have not heard the same reports. I would imagine they are just as mechanically accurate as any other tikka I’ve been around.
Always take accuracy reports with a grain of salt. Remember the rifle is a system. And the shooter is part of that system.

What kind of experience are you bringing to the equation? And what would be your caliber of choice if given the option?

 

[Castle Rock]

I had a Superlight in 7 mm08 and it was a handful with 162s.
I think a 7 PRC would be a disaster.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

I have been gifted a gun and it is still sitting at Cabela’s, I haven’t picked it up yet. It’s a tikka t3x super lite in 7 prc. 22 inch barrel, Cabela’s special.
I have seen some negative use online as far as accuracy goes.
Have you guys been experiencing any issues with this gun/caliber?
Ultimately politely exchange this rifle to something else if this is one of those guns that just don’t shoot accurately. Alternatively, I was thinking of using MDT chassis and a muzzle brake. But with all the upgrades, we are looking at almost a $3000 gun. For not a lot of extra money I can get something like Viking armament or snowy mountain.

Is the juice worth a squeeze with this Tika?

I don’t own one. So, no firsthand experience, but I attribute the reports I have seen here on RokSlide and elsewhere to a couple of things.

1. There seems to be relatively limited ammo selection. Not every factory load shoots well in every rifle and there aren’t as many options as there are for more popular or more common cartridges.

2. Unrealistic expectations for a magnum rifle in a relatively light package.

3. The first two factors combine with insufficient data in most online reports. A rifle that shoots three rounds into .25” is not a “1/4 MOA rifle all day.” That’s not statistically significant. Most hunting rifles, if properly designed, manufactured, assembled, and fired are 2 MOA rifles (assuming 30-shot groups - which don’t have to be fired all at once, just at the same target). But, if someone expects “1/2 MOA all day” from a hunting rifle, he’s going to dog any rifle that doesn’t meet that (even if the shooter is the largest source of error and most humans don’t shoot lightweight magnum rifles really well).

Get a KRG B or E or something similar, a SWFA 3-9x, and a 4+4 reflex or 6” muzzle forward suppressor. You will be under $2000 for that package.

Or, politely, get the rifle in 6.5 PRC or a smaller chambering. And then add the same package to it.

 

[KingOfTagSoup]

It probably can be accurate, like others have said, magnum rounds in light rifles can be a challenge. Find ways to add some weight and shoot with a can or brake and you'll probably be alright.

 

[swavescatter]

I've had a semi-custom Tikka 7PRC for years (Proof barrel). I'm only using it for my elk tag this year because I'm stubborn and that is what I built this rifle for (before I knew better). Out of all my Tikkas (223, 223AI, 22 Creed, 243, 6.5 Creed, 6.5 PRC), it's the one I have the LEAST confidence with in the field. Just sucks to shoot well being light and a magnum. Sub-MOA for 10 shots at 100 yds, but in field positions good luck spotting your shot.

Additionally, factory ammo has been incredibly inconsistent lot to lot the past few years, resulting in "accuracy issues" that are really just ammo issues.

Get a 6.5 Creed. It's the easy button for deadly on elk out way past where you should be shooting, barrel life is good and ammo is relatively affordable. If I didn't have my 7PRC, I would just be using my 22 Creed for my once in a lifetime elk tag.

 

[Nick4050]

Depending on how they went about gifting the rifle to you, it could be very easy to swap to a different caliber or model of rifle. Because the store doesn't know if you can pass a NICS check, they can't/won't officially assign a specific rifle serial number to you. Usually when a rifle is "bought" for someone as a gift, or somebody comes in looking to pick up a gun won at a raffle, their name is really just put on a gift card with the exact amount needed for the gun on it. That way if you fail the NICS check they don't have to deal with an actual firearm refund in their system, they can just hand you the gift card and avoid the headache.

If they do it this way (which they should), it means you can likely explain the situation to them and have them just put the value of the rifle you were gifted towards a different gun you'd be more happy with. You're way better off doing it now vs. taking the gun and selling it to buy something else later, because you get the full value towards another gun instead of taking a hit selling it on the used market.

The same thing goes for people picking up guns won in raffles at almost any gun shop. The gun is usually still in their inventory, if you'd rather have something else instead of what the raffle says you won, go ahead and ask if you can put the value of the gun towards a different one. Usually they don't have a problem with it.

That being said I have two superlites, in 7 rem mag and .300 WM. The .300 will put 5 shots into an inch, and I've only put 15 rounds through the 7, with the last 10 of them going into a .8" ragged hole. I've also personally "built" (check action screw torque, mount rail/rings/scope, and do ammo testing/zero) 6 additional SL's in those same calibers for buddies, and every single one easily maintained Tikka's sub-moa guarantee. As long as you're getting a 2nd gen with the threaded barrel so you can use a suppressor or brake to tame recoil, these Tikkas seem to do just fine with maintaining great accuracy in magnum cartridges.

If you're not wanting to deal with the recoil/ammo cost of a magnum cartridge like 7PRC, then obviously find something else. But if you like the cartridge and are just weary on the rifle's ability to perform with it, I would be 100% confident in that rifle competing with just about any other similarly weighted rifle out there.