Buying a hunting rifle

Ankar

Ankar

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Hi guys, I'm considering getting either a Tikka T3 lite (stainless) in .270 or a Savage weather warrior in .308. I've narrowed it down to these two as I didn't find any other offerings that met my requirements: left-hand bolt, light weight, stainless. I haven't found a remington or winchester that fits the bill, but if I've overlooked something, by all means, let me know.

I'd prefer the .308 cartridge, but as the T3 only comes in a long bolt I figured I may as well take advantage of that seeing as there would be no weight saving by going to a shorter round. Ultimately I'm not too concern about the caliber, both .270 and .308 are relatively cheap and readily available, and the difference in ballistics seems irrelevant for my intended uses.

Which gun do you prefer and why?
 
For the optics I've been advised to go with a Zeiss conquest 3-9x or a Leopold VX-3. The Zeiss is cheaper, so I'm leaning towards that. Both are pretty expensive though, and I'm already breaking my measly students budget, so I'm open to other options.
 
Sounds like you got her figured. Good to see you realize that Tikka's only come in one action length, I can't remeber how many guys would buy a Tikka in 300 WSM when a 300 WM was right beside it.

I'd go with the Tikka, .270 has a bit more reach than the .308. Both are a great choice for every scenario a normal hunter would come across in our part of the world though.

Go with the Conquest, they are more clear, better priced and just as rugged as a Leupold (I own a few of both), only downside of the Zeiss is about 4 extra ounces. It may hurt to fork out for a nice scope, but trust me it's worth it. With the Conquest or the VX-3 you will have a gun/scope combo you will never need to upgrade. Buy a cheap scope and you'll soon be looking at a replacment. Don't cheap out on rings and bases. Get Talleys or LEupolds or another reputable option.
 
I would take the T3 in 308. I'm not a Savage fan at all. My oldest son has a T3 in 308. He loves it. And he is a short action fan. He says he doesn't notice the long action at all. I love Leupold scopes, so I vote for the VX-3 all the way. Happy Shoot'en.
 
Hi,

Certainly always buy the best you can in glass, but starting out, I wouldn't say you'd be handicapped in any way with say a 2-7 power VX-1, saving a good bit of $$. You seem to be talking sensible general purpose first hunting rifle cartridges, and sensible choices in the particular gun as well. Personally don't see stainless as a particular benefit - you could soften the impact on your student budget (and/or save the money for practice ammo and end up with a prettier gun) if you widen your search a little without really sacrificing any functionality.

RG

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I have many hunting rifles (including savage), the one I grab the most is my T3. It just works.

The T3 and the Savage are not in the same league in my opinion, the Tika being a big step above in every aspect.
 
two-dogs, why go for .308 in the T3? The way I see it is if you're going to have the draw backs of a long-action, you may as well get the benefits too. If they made a short action T3, I would definitely get it in .308 though.

I'm prioritizing stainless and light weight because I'd rather hunt on a backpacking or canoe trip than from the truck. Stainless seems as though it would be more forgiving of minor lapses in maintenance and would be one less thing I have to worry about. I hadn't considered the weight of the scope too much, but thats something I'd also like to keep to a minimum, without sacrificing function of course. Any comment on the Leupold vx2 ultralight scope?

I was just going to go to the local cabellas in Winnipeg for the rifle to avoid the (perceived?) hassle of having a gun mailed. Is it fine to order scopes online, or is that an item you'd want to examine personally (i.e. is there much variation in quality from unit to unit of the same make/model?)
 
I had definitely been leaning towards the Tikka. The trigger safety on the Savage doesn't appeal to me very much, but I have heard excellent things about the quality and accuracy of their rifles. I'm not overly fond of the fact that the Tikka has a plastic bolt cap and trigger guard. The plastic magazine doesn't concern me too much, but it would be nice if it held more than 3 rounds.
 
Ankar said:
two-dogs, why go for .308 in the T3? The way I see it is if you're going to have the draw backs of a long-action, you may as well get the benefits too. If they made a short action T3, I would definitely get it in .308 though.

I'm prioritizing stainless and light weight because I'd rather hunt on a backpacking or canoe trip than from the truck. Stainless seems as though it would be more forgiving of minor lapses in maintenance and would be one less thing I have to worry about. I hadn't considered the weight of the scope too much, but thats something I'd also like to keep to a minimum, without sacrificing function of course. Any comment on the Leupold vx2 ultralight scope?

I was just going to go to the local cabellas in Winnipeg for the rifle to avoid the (perceived?) hassle of having a gun mailed. Is it fine to order scopes online, or is that an item you'd want to examine personally (i.e. is there much variation in quality from unit to unit of the same make/model?)
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I'd only recommend the ultralight scopes on a sheep rifle. They are good scopes, but sacrifice a bit of optical clarity and low light performance for weight. You want the scope to perform in low light and a few extra ounces are worth that performance. (On a sheep rifle weight is paramount and sheep arn't often shot at twilight. For most big game, most shots are taken in low light)

Stainless is nice, but I've done week long mountain hunts it crappy/rainy conditions with no issuse on a blued rifle, just takes some oil every night.

I've ordered scopes online, so long as the lens and eyepiece are clean and free of scratches your pretty safe.
 
Good point about the actual lighting conditions faced with hunting big game Cam.

For non-stainless, what about the internal components? My concern would be moisture infiltrating the mechanical components. I suppose the oil would be less likely to be wiped off in those areas than exposed parts, but admittedly I'd be disinclined to take apart the gun regularly to be sure, as there are a lot of other things I'd rather do when I make camp! I do prefer good ol' carbon steel for my knifes, but as meticulous as I am in maintaining them, they still get the odd spot of rust. Not a big deal for a knife or axe, but I'd hate to spoil an investment like a high quality rifle.
 
Ankar said:
two-dogs, why go for .308 in the T3? The way I see it is if you're going to have the draw backs of a long-action, you may as well get the benefits too. If they made a short action T3, I would definitely get it in .308 though.

I'm prioritizing stainless and light weight because I'd rather hunt on a backpacking or canoe trip than from the truck. Stainless seems as though it would be more forgiving of minor lapses in maintenance and would be one less thing I have to worry about. I hadn't considered the weight of the scope too much, but thats something I'd also like to keep to a minimum, without sacrificing function of course. Any comment on the Leupold vx2 ultralight scope?

I was just going to go to the local cabellas in Winnipeg for the rifle to avoid the (perceived?) hassle of having a gun mailed. Is it fine to order scopes online, or is that an item you'd want to examine personally (i.e. is there much variation in quality from unit to unit of the same make/model?)
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I don't think you will notice the diff of long/short action in the T3. My oldest son is a solid short action fan all the way, and he didn't complain one bit about it with his T3 308. In fact he did a side by side test of his T3 and my Sako A7 in 7mm-08. No noticeable diff! I like the 308 much better than the 270. But, that's just me. You can get a metal bolt cap for the T3 from a fella here on CGN, he makes them, just gotta do a search for him. Not to worry about the plastic trigger guard. Get the T3 and be a happy camper! It will be a huge step above any Savage out there. I have bought many many many Leupold scopes on e-bay in the passed over the yrs, only got 2 bad ones, but they were both covered by the life time warranty, but sadly that is all a thing of the passed nowadays! If you are into awesome "Purdy", as well as Quality, then you will see the light and go with slim trim Leupold's, too! Some clowns will comment negatively on the Purdy part, but no big deal to me, they can carry the big ugly's if they want! I'll enjoy my Leupy's every time out. :p
 
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The T3s all do have the same action length but the bolt pull distance is shortened for short action cartridges. Only real disadvantage I guess is a couple more ounces but as light as the T3 is, that's not a huge consideration either. It's really kind of a non-issue.

Personally, for a sheep rifle I'd put up with a few more ounces for a higher magnification scope and some sort of ballistic reticle or external turret system. All my sheep rifles run 4.5-14x44 or 3-15x42 scopes with a ballistic reticle.
 
Take a long, hard look at a Browning X or A bolt. Tikka and Browning run very close to the same money but put them side by side on the counter and you will see why Browning is known for making quality guns.
 
Whats the difference between A-bolt and X-bolt?

Theres a discontinued Browning rifle on sale that I'm really tempted to get, even though its right-hand bolt and chambered in .300 WSM.
 
I have never shot a T3, so i can't compare the two, but i have the savage weather warrior in .308 and i have had no issues since i've had it, it shoots better then i do and i like the accutrigger. For the price the savage does everything i want it to.
 
A very good friend of mine just got the Browning X bolt chambered in 270WSM. Very high quality rifle, very well ballanced and the 1st 5 shots were under 1" at 100yrds.. Side bye side his tikka the Browning is a better cleaner looking rifle.. He topped it with a Ziess Conquest 3-9x40 and it will prove to be a very accurate reliable rifle..

I myself am a fan of wood stocks and really dislike the plastic which is why i would not take a tikka.. That being said there is alot of thing u can do to a tikka to make them look very very sharp. Another friend of mine took his tikka stainless and put a hunter stock on it and replaced all the plastic with steel and now it looks better than any Sako 85 and only cost him 900.. As for your savage.. i have heard alot of good things about them but still am not a fan.. Great gun for the value but from what i have seen fit and finish just are what i like... Maybe take a look at CZ550.. I can tell u from 1st had experiance YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR!!!

Take a look at Lake Huron Rod and Gun.. I belive they have what your looking for in a left hand and talk to Brad if you can. He will set you up right and the gun will be in the Mail asap. His prices are usually better than average.
 
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I'm not a Tikka owner (I prefer Sako's). But I am a fan of the .270
Having said that, I am not a fan of a Tikka Lite in .270 ..
.. because a friend has one and it kicks too much, because of the rifle's light weight.

IF I was to buy a Tikka Lite, THEN I would choose either a 7mm-08 or a 6.5x55mm Swede.
Both of these cartridges are excellent for all but the biggest/most dangerous game.
And both exhibit light recoil and thus match the light weight of the rifle.

In fact, if the Tikka did not have a plastic trigger guard, I would buy one in 6.5x55mm tomorrow. =)
 
-Savage- said:
I'm not a Tikka owner (I prefer Sako's). But I am a fan of the .270
Having said that, I am not a fan of a Tikka Lite in .270 ..
.. because a friend has one and it kicks too much, because of the rifle's light weight.
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Tikkas can definitely benefit from an upgraded recoil pad. Something like a Limbsaver really tames the recoil down on even some of the bigger magnums making them very pleasant to shoot.
 
I have a Tikka T3 lite SS in 270 win and love it. I also own a 116 Savage in 338 WM. The Tikka has a better trigger and smoother bolt. I also like the lower gloss on the stainless barrel. The Savage is fine but prefer the Tikka Hands down.

George
 
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