Hunting Rifle

[Laguna Freak]

I'm looking to buy another hunting rifle and I'm curious which way some of you would go. This will be my primary rifle for deer/bear/elk and I will probably go with 7mm rem mag or 300 win mag. I have narrowed it down to the Tikka t3x roughtech ember (24 inch barrel, just under 7 pounds) and some model made by Fierce (24 inch barrel, not sure yet steel vs carbon). Are Fierce really worth the $2500-3500 when most Tikkas can shoot just as well for $1200? I loved my Seekins PH2 but can't go with Seekins just because they only offer 20 moa scope bases and no matter what rings I use, my barrel takes up the entire bottom half of my Nightforce scopes (both 2.5-20 and 4-32) . So... Tikka ember or a Fierce, which would you choose?

MY GUIDELINES.....
Weight- somewhere between. 6.0 and 7.5 pounds
Barrel length- 24 inches (longest I want to go for when I run a suppresor)
Chambered in 7mm rem mag or 300
Price - under 3500

Very hard to beat this deal:

For Sale - 2 Steyr Pro Hunter 3 SX

I have 2 Steyr Prohunter 3 SX in 300 Win Mag. Threaded barrels. Comes with factory hard case factory pic rail . Both are brand new with cases and boxes. $1000 shipped each.

www.longrangehunting.com

 

[tknuts103]

I ended up just purchasing a Browning x-bolt pro long range McMillan SPR in 7mm PRC. Seems to be almost exactly what I was looking for. 7PRC, 7 pounds, 20 inch barrel (wanted 24 but seems that most people have been going with 20-22) 1-8 twist. Got too good of a deal not to take it. Thanks for the help everyone.

 

[Spoonman]

I ended up just purchasing a Browning x-bolt pro long range McMillan SPR in 7mm PRC. Seems to be almost exactly what I was looking for. 7PRC, 7 pounds, 20 inch barrel (wanted 24 but seems that most people have been going with 20-22) 1-8 twist. Got too good of a deal not to take it. Thanks for the help everyone.

Let us know how it shoots!

 

[cabelasken]

I'm looking to buy another hunting rifle and I'm curious which way some of you would go. This will be my primary rifle for deer/bear/elk and I will probably go with 7mm rem mag or 300 win mag. I have narrowed it down to the Tikka t3x roughtech ember (24 inch barrel, just under 7 pounds) and some model made by Fierce (24 inch barrel, not sure yet steel vs carbon). Are Fierce really worth the $2500-3500 when most Tikkas can shoot just as well for $1200? I loved my Seekins PH2 but can't go with Seekins just because they only offer 20 moa scope bases and no matter what rings I use, my barrel takes up the entire bottom half of my Nightforce scopes (both 2.5-20 and 4-32) . So... Tikka ember or a Fierce, which would you choose?

MY GUIDELINES.....
Weight- somewhere between. 6.0 and 7.5 pounds
Barrel length- 24 inches (longest I want to go for when I run a suppresor)
Chambered in 7mm rem mag or 300
Price - under 3500

I've had the opportunity to shoot 5 tikka's at the range and all were well under 1 moa. Some were under 1/2.

 

[tknuts103]

No doubt, if you're having trouble with getting answers right off the bat, no matter how bad you may want the rifle, it's probably best just to walk away. I do find it interesting with your Seekins experience, isn't the rail on the ph2 bolted on?

I have Nx8s in 2.5-20 and 4-32. No aftermarket bases work on seekins, only their bases. While this problem might not bother most people it drives me absolutely insane while hunting. No matter which NF scope I'm using the entire bottom half of my scope has a giant blob (the barrel) in it. I have tried low, medium, and high rings and multiple NX8 scopes. It even drove me crazy enough to go out and purchase the Seekins element which has a 22 inch barrel instead of the ph2's 26.... can still see the giant blob in my scope. Moved my scopes over to other rifles with 0 moa bases and can't see a single barrel in any of them even the 26+ inch barrels. Would a Swaro or Leupold work with their bases? Possibly but I will only shoot with NF so that means I either deal with the giant distraction while hunting at low powers or get rid of Seekins. Clearly I'm not the only one this bothers because I have seen multiple people talking about it. Most people just say screw it and try to block it out. The PH2 rail is removable and the Element base is built into the action.

 

[Mark37082]

I ended up just purchasing a Browning x-bolt pro long range McMillan SPR in 7mm PRC. Seems to be almost exactly what I was looking for. 7PRC, 7 pounds, 20 inch barrel (wanted 24 but seems that most people have been going with 20-22) 1-8 twist. Got too good of a deal not to take it. Thanks for the help everyone.

Sounds like a great choice. Browning has really focused on providing choices for the hunter/shooter that are up to date with modern times.

 

[crashlanding]

I have Nx8s in 2.5-20 and 4-32. No aftermarket bases work on seekins, only their bases. While this problem might not bother most people it drives me absolutely insane while hunting. No matter which NF scope I'm using the entire bottom half of my scope has a giant blob (the barrel) in it. I have tried low, medium, and high rings and multiple NX8 scopes. It even drove me crazy enough to go out and purchase the Seekins element which has a 22 inch barrel instead of the ph2's 26.... can still see the giant blob in my scope. Moved my scopes over to other rifles with 0 moa bases and can't see a single barrel in any of them even the 26+ inch barrels. Would a Swaro or Leupold work with their bases? Possibly but I will only shoot with NF so that means I either deal with the giant distraction while hunting at low powers or get rid of Seekins. Clearly I'm not the only one this bothers because I have seen multiple people talking about it. Most people just say screw it and try to block it out. The PH2 rail is removable and the Element base is built into the action.

Well you definitely covered all the Seekins rifles built on the havak action, I did go to their web site and saw they only had a 20 moa base, I have an element with a vortex razor on it, I've not noticed what your describing but then again I don't think I've ever dropped the power setting below 8, I'm going to find out tonight though. I really like brownings safety system, the thing that bugs me on a hunting rifle is a safety that doesn't lock the bolt down, the 3 position like theirs and Winchester

 

[tknuts103]

Sounds like a great choice. Browning has really focused on providing choices for the hunter/shooter that are up to date with modern times.

I will let you guys know how it shoots. Looks like it should be the perfect setup

 

[Overkill338]

.300 Win Mag since it is one of the greatest ever designed. That stupid belt though, mine would only shoot 1/2" groups. If it were a .300 Creedmoor, it would shoot 0.000" 5 shot groups.

 

[Overkill338]

I ended up just purchasing a Browning x-bolt pro long range McMillan SPR in 7mm PRC. Seems to be almost exactly what I was looking for. 7PRC, 7 pounds, 20 inch barrel (wanted 24 but seems that most people have been going with 20-22) 1-8 twist. Got too good of a deal not to take it. Thanks for the help everyone.

Oh wow, I hear thats the Crapmore of two eighty four

 

[tknuts103]

Oh wow, I hear thats the Crapmore of two eighty four

Well the 6.5 crapmore is the 3rd selling cartridge after 22lr and 223 so maybe the 7 crapmore will be #4 selling? Not everyone needs a 338 to make a kill. Some of us just hit vitals

 

[Overkill338]

Well the 6.5 crapmore is the 3rd selling cartridge after 22lr and 223 so maybe the 7 crapmore will be #4 selling? Not everyone needs a 338 to make a kill. Some of us just hit vitals

"Need" and "Want" are two entirely different things. I don't NEED a Hemi in my car to run the speed limit. But it sure is fun getting to the speed limit faster than most. It's like having money in the bank. You don't always need it, but it's nice to know it's there. Besides, as Elmer said, overkill sure beats the alternative.

 

[LDHunter]

"Need" and "Want" are two entirely different things. I don't NEED a Hemi in my car to run the speed limit. But it sure is fun getting to the speed limit faster than most. It's like having money in the bank. You don't always need it, but it's nice to know it's there. Besides, as Elmer said, overkill sure beats the alternative.

I have a 2022 Mustang GT California Special Edition and I can definitely relate to the "having money in the bank" reference you speak of. Speed kills in the wrong hands but speed thrills me every day I fire up the beast and tool my way to the office knowing there are few cars on the road with the power and speed I have. Passing someone that's poking along is a pure adrenaline rush and that Mustang exhaust note is pure sweet music to me.

Having said that I used to be a one of those guys that believed in "bringing enough gun" but as I age I find that I delight in my lightweight Model Sevens and my favorite is a Model Seven AWR II in 308. It's a thing of beauty and it shoots every factory and hand load I've ever put in it under an inch with some of them in the 5/8" groups.

We run deer with hounds here in NW Florida sometimes and having a very light carbine with a 20" barrel is a pure pleasure to handle. Most of my shots are under 125yds so it's plenty for me.

If I'm still hunting I usually reach for one of my 7mm SAUMS and if I get another trip out west for an elk or bear my 300SAUM will get the nod backed up by my 375H&H.

Gone are the days when I used a Weatherby Mark 10 in 30-378 or my Model Seven in 350 Rem Mag... The punishment on my end of the shot diminished the fun to the point where I had to work to prevent flinching and that work was no fun any more.

 

[Overkill338]

I have a 2022 Mustang GT California Special Edition and I can definitely relate to the "having money in the bank" reference you speak of. Speed kills in the wrong hands but speed thrills me every day I fire up the beast and tool my way to the office knowing there are few cars on the road with the power and speed I have. Passing someone that's poking along is a pure adrenaline rush and that Mustang exhaust note is pure sweet music to me.
View attachment 523786

Having said that I used to be a one of those guys that believed in "bringing enough gun" but as I age I find that I delight in my lightweight Model Sevens and my favorite is a Model Seven AWR II in 308. It's a thing of beauty and it shoots every factory and hand load I've ever put in it under an inch with some of them in the 5/8" groups.

We run deer with hounds here in NW Florida sometimes and having a very light carbine with a 20" barrel is a pure pleasure to handle. Most of my shots are under 125yds so it's plenty for me.

If I'm still hunting I usually reach for one of my 7mm SAUMS and if I get another trip out west for an elk or bear my 300SAUM will get the nod backed up by my 375H&H.

Gone are the days when I used a Weatherby Mark 10 in 30-378 or my Model Seven in 350 Rem Mag... The punishment on my end of the shot diminished the fun to the point where I had to work to prevent flinching and that work was no fun any more.

I haven't shot a rifle in over 2 years, well since before my wife passed. So the .375 may take some getting used to again.