Suggestion for a Tikka T3 Lite

NorthernMopar said:
I looked at their catalog, as I already put the down payment on my T3 lite 30.06 left hand, and I dont see much for it in the catalog. Ive never owned a syn stock mind you; but I agree, a wood stock would look excellent i think. I wonder how hard it'd be to put a wood stock on the lite... Though I doubt Id change mine, anytime soon anyway. Gotta get the rifle, then a scope.
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i will live with the Lite for a while and since its pretty good out of the box, the only modification left would be a sweeter stock.. eventually in a few months.. that is something that can be done later after getting to know the synthetic factory one first.

Problem is.. the B&C stock look sweet but its another 300$ and at that price, my guts tell me to get the Hunter edition cheaper for the wood stock.
 
Sbarkowski said:
IIs there something wrong about the Tikka T3 Lite that i should know before buying.. for those who own or know them well... ?

Plastic bolt shroud, plastic trigger guard. Useless recoil pad, not for recoil sensitive shooters.
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Those "shroud" seem to crack once in a while according to my googleFu .. i am not familiar with the term "shroud" but what is the purpose.. what is the "shroud" job ?

The Tikka and Sako A7 use a plastic bolt shroud, while the Sako 85 is metal.
sako-a7-9.jpg


oh.. according to wiki

Answer:

A shroud is a thin piece of sheet metal that covers the bolt when closed, to prevent dirt and debris from entering the moving parts of the bolt.

Changing my question to.. is there a metal aftermarket replacement.. or to the whole bolt ?
 
Many many guns have plastic trigger guards...including pistols...it holds up better then a thin piece of aluminum does and please show me pictures of all the broke ones...I personally have NEVER seen one. Should it may not look at nice...but you can hardly tell except one is shinny (which I dislike) and one is not.
 
Sbarkowski said:
Is there a world of difference between the "lite" and the next more expensive Tikka T3 version.. should i push to a wooden stock ( Tikka T3 Hunter +140$ ) or something else.. less recoil.. etc.. ?

I've read reviews where the recoil lug in the wooden stocked rifles has worked is way loose from the recoil as it compresses the wood slightly. The synthetic stocks do not seem to have that problem but I've come across more than a few that were not completely free floated in the synthetic version. Mine was like this and caused issues when the barrel got hot or the action screws were not torqued properly. Nothing a dremel can't fix.


Is there something wrong about the Tikka T3 Lite that i should know before buying.. for those who own or know them well... ?

Plastic bolt shroud, plastic trigger guard. Useless recoil pad, not for recoil sensitive shooters.


The hunters i have seen at my range seem to not really go higher than a 3x9 40mm glass on that kind of calibers (30-06, .270, .308).. and i got one on my .22 so i taught an higher caliber should get higher than 9x .. what is your experience on that.. ?

I think that would have more to do with what your shooting at. Big game hunting a 3x9 should be more than enough. Long range small targets, you'll appreciate some extra magnification.


What is a cheap scope and an expensive scope exactly.. if i shell about 300$ for a glass.. am i in the average price for that caliber ? i dont wanna pay less than 100$ and more than 500$ but could really use your input on that.

You get what you pay for. Spend the most you can afford and you'll probablly never regret it. Caliber of the rifle should have nothing to do with the value of the scope you choose. Be it a .22 or a .300 mag, good glass will make or break the whole setup.

Are there any recommanded upgrade that i could concider getting ? In other words, is there a part or a mod that you would get/do in a heartbeat on a Tikka T3 Lite ?

BELL AND CARLSON REPLACEMENT STOCK!! the synthetic stock is the weak point, its got to go. Better than most synthetics but still not great. I can't get past the hollow sound it makes when I lock that bolt down. I'm willing to take on more overall weight for a better stock. I've seen them on EE for $299. If you keep the factory stock get a Limbsaver recoil pad.
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Everything you are saying about the gun and its "faults" are exactly what the gun is about its called a LITE because it is light weight HUNTING not bench resting rifle and it is also light on the pocket book. ON a gun made for hunting and carrying lots a heavy stock and great recoil pad is unneeded. Shooting a few shots in the field you shouldn't need a recoil pad even on a .30-06 and the sound of a hollow stock can be fixed easily and cheaply if that bugs you.

Everything you would want changed on this gun pretty much doubles its price and adds a ton of weight to it. It becomes a totally different gun.
 
Pathfinder said:
The T3 lite does what its intended to do..if want to pimp up a gun and go for aftermarket parts buy a remington 700.
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I would pimp a Remington if only it would bring money home everynight without me doing anything. But my soon to be T3 is what I want and have nothing to do with pimpin'. The only question is.. synthetic feel or wood feel.. and they come under the form "Lite" or "Hunter".. installing a Limbsaver is not pimp.. it add comfort.. but i do agree with some in this thread .. im not going in the wood to plink with a 30-06.. most likely shoot very few rounds in the presence of game. Changing the bolt is not a pimp option.. but if it crack or broke, its usefull to already know if it can be changed!!
 
DocBurN said:
I would pimp a Remington if only it would bring money home everynight without me doing anything. But my soon to be T3 is what I want and have nothing to do with pimpin'. The only question is.. synthetic feel or wood feel.. and they come under the form "Lite" or "Hunter".. installing a Limbsaver is not pimp.. it add comfort.. but i do agree with some in this thread .. im not going in the wood to plink with a 30-06.. most likely shoot very few rounds in the presence of game. Changing the bolt is not a pimp option.. but if it crack or broke, its usefull to already know if it can be changed!!
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Anything is possible..bring money.
 
I kind of breezed through the posts and I don't have much to add except if you want to hand load as I do you will find the mag a bit restrictive for lengh. When I load something long and slim like an SST I can't get it close to the lands because I run out of room in the mag. (270 win) I also find the safety hard to opperate with any kind of gloves on and the safety must be OFF to open the bolt. It's a plain, simple and smooth tack driving machine. Mine is a synthetic stainless with a 3x9x40 Elite 3200 scope and I love it.

G
 
DocBurN said:
Those "shroud" seem to crack once in a while according to my googleFu .. i am not familiar with the term "shroud" but what is the purpose.. what is the "shroud" job ?

The Tikka and Sako A7 use a plastic bolt shroud, while the Sako 85 is metal.
sako-a7-9.jpg


oh.. according to wiki

Answer:

A shroud is a thin piece of sheet metal that covers the bolt when closed, to prevent dirt and debris from entering the moving parts of the bolt.

Changing my question to.. is there a metal aftermarket replacement.. or to the whole bolt ?
Click to expand...

Yes there is replacement shrouds. Alum and steel.
 
1) I only have a Lite in .270 but part of why I chose this gun was the plastic stock. Light and durable- perfect for my style of hunting. Buy wood if you want something that looks nice, but don't cry when you scratch it.... and you will.

2) The plastic stock can make a weird noise when branches rub against it and you are trying to be silent and stalk and animal. Be careful. Some guys cover it- I have a streachy bullet holder that cost 8$

3) 3-9x40 is plenty glass for a .30-06 unless you plan on starting to shoot 500+ yards. With most hunting under 100 yards its more than enough.

4) I have a Vortex Viper 3-9x40 that costs $330 brand new. If I was given the chance to trade to a different scope under $500 I can't think of what I would trade to. Bushnell 3200/Elite is a nice option too.

5) Nothing comes to mind. Some guys are offended by the plastic bolt shroud and pay good cash for semi-custom metal ones. I often dream of a 5 shot magazine on high volume hunting days. The barrel is made by Sako and the trigger is very nice and crisp. Not much room for improvement there. Maybe a high end stock but that will bugger the 'light' part of your T3 Lite.

5b) I'm an idiot- there is something important to change on a T3 Lite. The recoil pad is a chunk cut off a hockey puck. Invest in a Limbsaver! The rest is fine. :)

Good enough? :)
 
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I have a T3 Hunter I lug around the bush it doesn't wear me out. Personally I'm a wood fan just something about it. I guess when every rifle you ever had or used as a kid was wood grain you become partial to it. Whatever you like wood, plastic, laminate buy it and enjoy it and take good care of your new best friend.
Cheers
Geoff
 
1) Yes, its light so it will recoil. But its a 30-06 so it shouldn`t be a big deal.
Personally, I need stainless and synthetic. Wood looks good but its wood...
2) I had a blued one and it rusted very easily compared to other blued rifles I`ve used, buy a stainless one.
3) 3-9x40 is the most popular scope, thats why you see it so much. Its all you really need; most guys will hunt with it on the lowest magnification so they have the widest field of view. Since most game taken is well within 300 yards you don`t need a big heavy high powered scope.
4) Right now there are two really good scopes on the market that meet your needs and budget. The Redfields are great for the money. If you have more money the Conquest is my choice but it is at the top of your budget.
5) If you start doing a bunch of mods (as suggested by some) you might as well buy a Sako. I would limit mods to a spare magazine, decent rings and a good sling. If your bent on changing something a limbsaver is nice on any rifle.
Did I mention Stainless...
 
Another thing i would like to know.. I am about to go to the store in 3 days to get my Tikka T3.. What would be the recoil like on a 300wsm with the lightest round/load/whatever compared to an average 30-06 round ? Problem: i have never shoot a 300wsm, so i need your expertise.

The less powerfull 300wsm round is equal to a 30-06, ___gr ?
The less powerfull 300wsm round is more powerfull than 30-06, 185gr ?
The less powerfull 300wsm round is less powerfull than 30-06, 185gr ?

Trying to see if i should get a higher caliber possibilities over the 30-06 "in case i would need it someday" but still shoot something less powerfull/less recoil that is equal to a 30-06 when i am not hunting werewolves or elephant..

Its 30$ more to upgrade a 30-06 to 300wsm so its nothing ca$h wise and worth to ask you. I still plan on getting only 1 "big" caliber rifle.

I think its about the last question i had before going to buy the rifle, straight to the range and shoot the hell out of it.
 
Well - Sounds like this is your first centerfire purchase. There is a tremendous amount of marketing hype aimed at people like your self.
1) The 30-06 is more than enough caliber for what you intend to do ( deer hunting gun, few rounds per year.)
2) The recoil of a 30-06 in a light rifle can be punishing for a lot of folk, including myself. (I'm 6 ft, 190 lbs.) I shoot quite a bit at the local range, and a T3 lite in 30-06 is not something I would shoot regularly.
3) You're located in La Belle Province. For the game you are intending to harvest, you'll will unlikely get a shot over 100 yards, as the bush is quite thick. Even at 3x, you've got too much scope. Go for a 1.5 - 4X - you'll appreciate the decision later.

Finally, we did an experiment at the hunt camp a few years ago. Several lads shoot 30-06 (Remington pumps, bolt guns are passe). Shooting the 30-06's, 3 of 5 guys were flinching quite badly - to the point where they would have missed a deer at 100 yards. Not so for the guys with 30-30's, 303's, and 6.5 x 55 mm (me)
 
cosmic said:
Well - Sounds like this is your first centerfire purchase. There is a tremendous amount of marketing hype aimed at people like your self.
1) The 30-06 is more than enough caliber for what you intend to do ( hunting gun, few rounds per year.)
2) The recoil of a 30-06 in a light rifle can be punishing for a lot of folk, including myself. (I'm 6 ft, 190 lbs.) I shoot quite a bit at the local range, and a T3 lite in 30-06 is not something I would shoot regularly.
3) Your located in Montreal. For the game you are intending to harvest, you'll will unlikely get a shot over 100 yards, as the bush is quite thick. Even at 3x, you've got too much scope. Go for a 1.5 - 4X - you'll appreciate the decision later.

Finally, we did an experiment at the hunt camp a few years ago. Several lads shoot 30-06 (Remington pumps, bolt guns are passe). Shooting the 30-06's, 3 of 5 guys were flinching quite badly - to the point where they would have missed a deer at 100 yards.
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when you say flinch.. are you referring to some kind of fear the shooter have in anticipation of a powerful shot ?

Here is a short resumé of my "high caliber" shooting experience..

Shot 1 round of 270 and it was nothing as far as recoil or "fear" / flinch..
Got a 74' Wingmaster in 12 gauge and I shoot MANY MANY box of 25 shells like its nothing either.. its not a rifle but that it for my "expertise" with something over a .22LR

For what its worth, im 6'2" 275 lbs.. even tho a giant could be flinching.. depends on the shooter i guess.

and yes it is my first centerfire purchase.. its not a shame, we all need to start somewhere.. i just ask too much question in hope to not regret my choice ;)
 
There is a scientific way to calculate recoil based on the projectile weight and velocity vs the weight of the rifle. My personal perception is that lighter projectiles have less perceived recoil. I mostly shoot 165gr projectiles from my 300wsm and don't find the recoil bad. Maybe its all in my head, but it feels like the 180 gr bullets produce more recoil. That said, I think the fit of the gun, the cushioning from clothes and recoil pad make way more difference than 300WSM vs 30-06.
 
I had that exact rifle and the recoil even with a limbsaver was punishing, especially when you start shooting bullets weighing 180 grains or more. I loaded some 130's for it that tamed it down a bit. Eventually I got rid of it for a heavier rifle in 30-06 that is a dream to shoot. If you want a lightweight rifle for stalking and carrying that you aren't taking to the range for extended shooting times it is hard to beat.
 
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