Lighter rifle

[MTM]

Hate picking up my Montana, the rest seem kinda silly after.

 

[blakeyboy]

Alpine rifle craft if you have gunwerks like budget, kimber, fieldcrafts (used only), Sako 90 peak, howa has some very light stuff on the low end of all that. Also a blaser k95 in 24” .270 I had with irons was like 5.5 lbs without scope on and a dream to carry that way, reminded me of a savage 99 with the one hand under belly but lighter, with light scope still stupid lightweight. Can slap scope on whenever you get where going. Blaser not budget though. I think savage makes a lightweight storm that I though would be a slick Tikka alternative. They may have a few other lightweight models I liked the 20” 308 storm though as no lipstick on a pig as savages are pigs like some of the fluffy lightweight models they have.

 

[98ssuck]

The tikka T3s particularly the super lites are nice from a weight a weight prospective and comparable to a Kimber 84, have experience with both side by side. But the specs don’t shed light on the form factor difference between a Kimber and a t3. The Kimber is simply smaller in almost every dimension. Much nicer to carry a Kimber 84.

Unfortunately kimbers importation has been a struggle. So availablity is an issue. The weatherby mkv 6 lug is the alternative I’m looking at. But have yet to compare all three side by side.

 

[duncansuds]

I’ve been running a Howa carbon stalker in a 6.5 Grendel. Super well balanced, nice to shoulder and cycles well, shoots decent , around 1.25moa currently. Recoil is quite low, think a heavier .223

The way I look at it is it’s .308 performance (and beyond) in something that feels like carrying a .22 while keeping recoil to an absolute minimum.

 

[Drummerboy273]

I have a Kimber Montana in .280 AI … it’s the only rifle I use anymore. The others never seem to leave the house.

 

[punkkinen]

I just had some nice iron sighs installed on my kimber classic 84m in 7mm08, super light at 5# 7oz to carry all day, the best part is not and ounce of plastic on it, just steel and wood

 

[1899]

Just can't beat the price, weight and accuracy combo of the Tikka Superlite. I have two in the safe and have not been able to find a bad load for either. In the .270 the first load I tried was a bit over 1/2" for 3 shots at 100. The .30-06 did that with the 3rd load. These are ALL the loads I have done with them:

.270
110gr TTSX and H4350 - 0.523"
150gr Partition and RL26 - 0.673"

Don't have them in front of me be 130gr and 150gr Partitions and 130gr Ballistic Tip, all with H4350 and all under 0.75"

.30-06

180gr Partition and MRP - 1.256"
200gr Partition and MRP - 1.108"
150gr TSX and H4895 - 0.457"
168gr TTSX and H4350 - 0.556"

No messing around with seating depth, tweaking charges or anything else. My friend has one in .30-06 and same thing - used my 168gr TTSX load and was done. He also has a Kimber Montana in 7-08 ad prefers the Tikka. That's been my experience and that's why I'd go the Tikka route. But of course everyone has different tastes and needs, but to me it is the best combo for hunting.

 

[1899]

.... my Wife's T3 7 08 sat in a Boyd's thumbhole stock, my Wife is very sensitive to recoil and the thumbhole stock helps, She has found that even the 7 08 bothers Her. So I swapped the Boyd's for the original synthetic' mounted a 2-7 scope and went off to shoot a few rounds. 270 Winchester and 7-08 have been my favourite deer rounds [not looking for a discussion]. I am hoping the lighter Tikka will cause me less discomfort, if not I will start saving for a lighter carbon stock. So at the end of this I will now be looking for a T3 in 243 to go back in the Boyd's', and I will stay with 7 08, 270 and 243 that I am already set up for....

I should add that I had great luck with reduced loads and the 7-08 for my son. He shot his first mule deer with it using 120gr Nosler Ballistic Tip and H4895 powder. This was a very mild load - 38.5gr of H4895, which I guess would be around 2700 fps muzzle velocity. The bullet performed very well for the 150 yard shot. If your wife can handle a .243, then this load should be no problem at all.

I am just working up some mild loads for my friend's daughters, who are 13 and 15, but this time using 120gr TSX as they have elk draws. IMO the 7-08 offers a fantastic combination of game getting performance with mild recoil.