Tikka T3X Superlite 300wsm

[BigUglyMan]

It would be a great carried-often-shot-rarely rifle. Because it's going to kick like a piebald pony!

 

[Jay]

It would be a great carried-often-shot-rarely rifle. Because it's going to kick like a piebald pony!

I picked up my first Tikka recently, a stainless & fluted 30-06 Special Edition T3x SuperLite in TrueTimber VSX and I used medium height Leupold Backcountry rings to mount the scope, a Bushnell Elite 4500 2.5-10x40 with a 30mm tube. It shoots 3 shot groups of Norma Whitetail ammunition under 1 inch at 100m.

I was so impressed with the 30-06 Tikka that I immediately picked up a plain blued version with black synthetic stock in 300wsm. The main difference being that this Tikka T3x in 300 WSM is the "Lite" and not fluted like the SuperLite in 30-06... I have the same rings & scope on both...

As BUM says, the recoil is stout with the 300 WSM in a light rifle & I agree, it's a 'sharp' (fast?) recoil pulse with the 300wsm Tikka T3x Lite. It might actually be the limit of my recoil tolerance at the bench without a heavier rifle or a muzzle break...

And IIRC the difference between the SuperLite and Lite Tikka T3X rifles is about 4 ounces? So recoil will be similar... But the recoil 'pulse' with the 300 WSM is noticeably 'sharper'...

IMHO the Tikka T3X Lite is an excellent rifle & 300 WSM is the s3xiest WSM cartridge.

 

[Dogleg]

I’ve only had 2 300 WSMs, one a tupperware T3 and the other a Kimber. Neither are what you’d call heavy rifles and neither seem to kick much at all.

Unless things have changed lately Tikkas have a pure joke fo a recoil pad and changing that makes all the difference in the world.
The single stck Tikka mag always seems to work flawlessly; so I wouldn’t worry about that.

 

[Denver Steve]

300wsm is an amazing cartridge. Absolutely love mine. T3X super light is a great gun. They do tend to have more felt recoil that alot of rifles. But that's what you get for having that light if a rifle. If it's gonna be used for alot of benchwork, out a super heavy scope on it, and that will mitigate alot of the recoil. If your wanting a light burning rig, you probably done want to spend all day shooting it off the bench. It will beat you up. Either get a better recoil pad for it, as the tikka one isn't the best. Or just shoot mostly from hunting positions, if that's what it's used for, other than initial load development, or sight in.

Good luck, and I do enjoy my WSM more than my win mag. Only one in the family I'm missing is the 325 WSM. Gonna build a 338 WSM whenever my barrel shows up.

 

[mikeyb]

Hey folks new to the forum!

Looking at a Tikka T3X superlite in 300WSM. I currently own a few other Tikkas and love them to death. But have never owned a superlite, or a rifle in 300WSM. I will be handloading for the rifle so ammo is not to big of a worry, but I would love to hear from others.

What are your thoughts on a T3X superlite?

What are your thoughts on the 300WSM as a cartridge?

Anyone heard of the the Tikka action having issues with the short and fats like the 300wsm as it is push and not control round feed?

If you have owned a T3X in 300WSM what were some factory ammo options you found worked well?

Thanks everybody and cheers from E-Town Alberta 07

Superlites are great, the 6 ounce weight savings is pretty material when combined with a lightweight scope and mounting system for an off-the-shelf "mountain rifle". I'd almost definitely swap the recoil pad for a Limbsaver pre-fit though, that'll be pretty lively in .300 WSM.

.300 WSM itself is awesome. Plenty of jam for big game. Find an accurate 180gr load and shoot that at everything.

No feeding problems on the T3X platform. Single stack magazine helps with that vs. staggered mags on the short/fat cartridges - the cartridge is centered and pointed at the chamber. CFR/push feed doesn't have an impact on that, the internal geometry either works well for the cartridge or it doesn't.

If you are going to reload I would buy good brass up front and start with published data for whatever bullet you want to try first. I started with a hodgepodge of factory ammo from Winchester and Hornady on my last .300 WSM and the brass wasn't great. Might have better luck with a different brand of factory ammo though if you are looking to shoot something first and roll your own from there.

EDIT: just noticed this is an ancient thread and I've already replied to it

 

[1899]

Love the T3 and T3X Superlite. Wife has one in .270 and I have one in .30-06. I've owned a regular T3 Lite in .338 and my friend had one in .300 WM. The recoil can be very sharp. Even the .30-06 with full power loads and heavy bullets is quite sharp recoil at the bench. I typically use 150gr TSX at just over 2900fps as it does everything I need.