Tikka T3 HB Varmint Stainless 7mmRM for Long Range?

[Andrev]

Hi everybody,
I'm from Manitoba Canada and looking forward to get my first long-range setup.
After lots of reading I decided to go with the Remington Sendero in 7mm.
When I finally went to our stores in Winnipeg, they recommended me the tikka t3 hb varmint stainless.
The action was way more smoother than the sendero and the barrel on the sendero looked rusty.
The setup is intended for long range hunting on deer, moose, black bear. Pretty much all we have here. But I like target shooting aswell. Ive ordered a Bushnell tactical 4.5-30x50 with weaver rings and base. The tikka has a 23 3/4 barrel I think. What u guys think.

 

[roninflag]

Andrev- we do not have those here. all you are doing is teasing us. my sendero is fine. but i have no tikka heavy barrel to compare to.

 

[Andrev]

Sorry, I didn't know that. Maybe someone from the Canada side can help me.
I also found the Browning A-bolt 2 long-range hunter interesting.
I'm a little worried about the shorter length of the tikka.

 

[roninflag]

i would keep it between the sendero and tikka. i do like my browning shotgun though.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

I'd actually go between the browning and the tikka, possibly toss a savage in for something built on the continent.... the rem's we've had lately in the family have all been less than stellar.
My tikka t3 lh ss 270 bought a bit over a year ago is a solid 1/2 moa rifle if you do your part at all. My browning a-bolt lh stainless stalker in 300 win is also a accurate tube and is horribly lethal in the field where it counts.
My lh m700 7stw took everything but the kitchen sink thrown at it to get a shooter of it; I had a 7rum with a chamber so big it was splitting reloading dies like cord wood. That's just two fine rem engineering examples of many. We've had a few rem's that were good off the bat lately too(my 375 comes to mind), but if you get one of the new ones expect at least some time and trouble with getting her shooting.

 

[angus-5024]

I would go for the Remington simply because with the 24" tube you may as well buy yourself a .280rem for the loss in velocity. you also get a much better stock with the Remington. also a stronger action and an action that can be easily worked most smiths (not so with the tikka).

The flip side is that the tikka will be machined much better. and probably with shoot better OUT OF THE BOX. I have never had a modern firearm that wouldn't shoot better than MOA at 100 yards.

Another one to look at is the Winchester Coyote light in 270 WSM or 7 WSM. A shorter package but still heavy enough for LR and in calibers with snort to boot.

I would shy away from the browning. Nice machining but not so great barrels.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

If you get a rem use the barrel as a crowbar and take it to a smith to get it replaced with a decent one.
Rem barrels are worse than crow bars lately, and they won't warrant the dang thing unless accuracy is worse than 4" at 100 yards. They wouldn't warrant my 7rum's barrel as it would shoot just under 2" at 100 even though the chamber was so sloppy it literally split two sizing dies open down the side and they had to be replaced. One was a redding and one was a rcbs.

My brother had a 280 rem that was so bad a year or two ago that they actually replaced the barrel! By then he was done with it and looking to move to another rifle though. I think he's pretty well done with rem. I know I am even though I still own a few.

As far as browning, a don't know why people rag on their pipes, as they at least shoot moa or better, usually much better.

 

[Andrev]

Sounds like a good thing to do to get (if possible?) a longer barrel on the tikka. If so how long?

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

Sounds like a good thing to do to get (if possible?) a longer barrel on the tikka. If so how long?

23.75" is a bit short but I doubt you'll see more than 50 fps or so loss from the 26" barrel. I've had two ruger 7 rem's with 24" barrels and both were capable of 3200 fps with 140's and 2900 fps+ with 160's. Heck, my 7stw only has a 24" barrel on it at present. I'm thinking of a 26/27" barrel, but I'm shooting it out first. If you can get it with a longer barrel, go with 26-27".

 

[Andrev]

I think I'll just take it and c what it does. But I'm still open for recommendations. Which bipod would be good for that? Can I buy something wrong or r they all pretty much the same?

 

[MudRunner2005]

Bipods....I'd go Atlast or Harris. Can't go wrong with either of those 2.

 

[northernexposure]

Andrev! Great, another fellow Manitoban here! I too bought the Tikka T3 stainless varmint... only in 300 WSM. You're gonna LOVE it! We (as Canadians) are quite fortunate to get these rifles here in Canada as they are real "tack drivers"! gun) As for a longer barrel, well, this is where the HB part starts to show it's self. This past general season, I went hunting with mine and found out just how heavy these things are. After carrying the thing for eight hours through snow and good ole' Manitoba bog... it got heavy. You don't want a longer barrel on it unless you like a good workout. I weighed mine out at work and it came in at a hefty 10 1/2 lbs. One thing you will want is a "limbsaver" recoil pad (part number 10011).
Honestly though, I do feel sorry for our American neighbors as they cant get these rifles.


Oh... ever wanna stretch that thing out, let me know. There's a range near by where I live.

 

[Andrev]

Thanks a lot guys... I'm pretty convinced now after reading so many positiv reviews, talking and of course ur help... I gonna get it this weekend hopefully + the scope I ordered. Haven't found much reviews about it in 7mm rm but it doesn't matter. It's nice to find a manitoban here. Which is ur area?

 

[northernexposure]

I'm in the interlake. Yourself?