First things first. Make sure it fits you. Firt time I shot a 338 my shoulder was sore for three weeks. The LOP was too great (i'm a short guy and old to boot). The butt pad was only there to keep the rifle from slipping off my shoulder. I had a smith shorten the LOP and added and nice squishy butt pad and the thing now is a delight to shoot. Fit is very important.
Reduce recoil on Tikka T3 338WM
- Thread starter jaybe14
- Start date
Thanks for the advice CGNers, I just installed a limb saver and I dont mind the added length its barely noticeable. I think I will also try to fill the stock with epoxy and add a little lead to it, maybe half a pound. I find the gun is front heavy and hopefully this will balance it better. I'll go this route first as it is the cheapest, and if that doesn't work I might try one of those Boyd stocks. Thanks for the info!
- Location
- Jameson, SK
If you want weight in the rear stock, get a mercury recoil tube. They can be epoxied or spray foamed in place. The hydraulic action may or may not help, but at minimum it's weight. Cost about 80$CDN. Available from Corlanes in northern BC, or straight from the manufacturer in the US (Kentucky I think).
freezer filler
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Windsor, Ontario
Put a sissy pad on it.
back40sniper
CGN Regular
- Location
- South east Sask.
Jaybe14, if the extra length so far doesn't bother you add a slip on limbsaver on top of the one stuck to the end of the stock. I did this once trying to get a stock to fit me and couldn't believe the difference it made recoil wise.
- Location
- Jameson, SK
I did the exact same thing. Doesn't look the slickest, but sure does a nice job.
- Location
- Jameson, SK
AB stands for Alberta
The .338 in a sub 7lb setup is not for everyone. If you feel the need to double on recoil pads or shoot 200 grain bullets this may be the case for you.
Thanks for the geography lesson......but what the hell does using a 30-06 over a .338 have to do with living in ON (that stands for Ontario).
"30 Helen's agree......a .308 makes sense".....!!!!!
I did this with a Mossberg 835 that was too short for my long arms. Completely changed shooting slugs, now it's comfortable. A more permanent lengthening of the stock would be more expensive.
- Location
- Jameson, SK
I realize I'm opening myself up for abuse here, but our Lite .308's are abusive. I can't imagine a 300WM, 300WSM, or 338WM.....!!!
I don't think this is a matter for abuse; like the Helens said, it's just not for everyone.
The tikka is a very light rifle, lock stock and barrel, not getting around it unless you want to change all the parts. And from my experience working at a gun counter I would say that the 30-06 in an 8lb setup is too much for most people anyways.
And half the guys shooting 30 cal are using bullets weights that are easily achieved by .270 and 7mm.
If recoil from the 375 CT is anything like the recoil from 250 hornadies, 275 noslers and 300 grain woodleighs in the t3 .338 WM I don't think the range of weights covered by the 375 is going to do much.
Unless you start to use the light for caliber bullets (an abomination in the eyes of both god and man imo) and then the Helens are just going to tell you to get a 30-06 and they will be right as they always are.
- Location
- Jameson, SK
Love the tikka for carrying and hunting. Hate it at the range!! It kicks way harder than my .338LM
powder burner
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Alberta, Canada
I hate recoil. I love limb-savers. They really tone down the recoil. I can shoot 180gr in t3 lite 30-06 much better than when it had stock recoil pad.
Our T3 Lite is amazing, my wife and I love it. Ours is a 7mm-08. Wife is smaller stature, we put a Limbsaver butt pad on and (aside from a marginally longer length of pull) my wife can handle it quite nicely. That pad really made a difference for her.
The Tikka Lite is a good accurate out of the box rifle in any calibre, when you are walking / hunting there is a difference in felt recoil compared to when you are trying to settle down on some sand bags at the bench. Muzzle brakes are great at the bench or in the tree stand when you have adequate time to put on some hearing protection and are very effective at reducing felt recoil foot pounds. There are many products out there to protect your shoulder and deter flinching (shoulder pads, lead sleds and the like) when you are doing load development or sighting in that scope. Pick a scope with good eye relief, install a decelerator recoil pad and go out there and enjoy your .338 Win Mag. When you are out shooting at actual game the last thing you will think about or feel is recoil. I have shot moose with my .378 Wby. and my current deer rifle is a .30-378 Wby. At the bench they are both like 'Mike Tyson" but when in the field everything changes (It's Weird") just try it.
