Tikka T3x Recoil - Suitable for Youth?

[rharfo]

Bought my daughter a TC compass in 308. Using H4895 reduced loads. Made the mistake of having a custom built rifle for my son and after a few years he quit hunting. Didn't keep it because he wanted a dirt bike. I only have $260 in the TC and it's a shooter.

 

[257WTBY]

Both my girls were little string beans skinny all arms and legs both started at 8 with my 16 in barreled 44 mag lever gun with WAY reduced loads (both killed whitetails inside 50 yards) I bought them both tikka t3 lites one in 7mm 08 and one in 243 win. They started hunting with them at 10 and I dont want to be the game they are hunting cause they can both shoot. I put the exact same scopes on them as well 4-12 leupolds. They are both in mid twenties now and still use both rifles every fall to hunt. Nothing wrong with other brand rifles we just like tikkas. You will be good ether way and you will be making memories for a lifetime.... Good luck

 

[Backcountry sports]

Looking to get my daughter her first rifle for deer hunting. She is 10 years old and 110 pounds. I want to keep this as simple as I can. I'm going with a .243win. She's tall with long arms so I don't necessarily need a compact model with a shorter LOP. I'd like to get her a rifle that she can use now throughout her teen years if she sticks with it. I'm partial to either Tikka or Remington. I'm looking at the T3x lite vs. a Model 7, SPS, or possibly 700. I'm not adding anything to it, I just want an out of the box rifle for short distance whitetail hunting. I'm very familiar with the Remington recoil, my question is will the .243win recoil in the T3x be too much for a 110 pound 10 year old? I've never actually shot a T3x. She's only ever shot .22's and 20ga clay loads. I want to start her off right. Thank you.

No it's great my 12 year old shoots a 243 great dosen't might the light recoil

 

[Buckys]

Full curl, both of my boys were about her size when they started shooting 243 youth models of weatherby vanguard and tc venture. The latter is very light weight and no problem for them.

My boys both started shooting competitive clay targets in 6th grade (age 12). When they started they were shooting 20 gauge semi-auto and eventually moved to shoot my 12 gauge Beretta A400 with kickoff recoil system when they were large and strong enough to comfortably handle it (this was the end of that first season for them).

I bring that up for this reason - a 20 gauge shotgun is a lot harder on a small kid than a small 243. In fact, the 12 gauge with recoil system was easier than the 20 gauge when they started.

Their competitive clay shooting team is part of a local school team (it is a high school team but the teams can have grades 5-8 in the "entry" divisions prior to JV and Varsity) and I have helped to coach a lot of other kids over that time.

Far and away, the hardest thing to teach a new shooter is how to properly mount a gun with a firm shoulder and cheek weld, as well as good posture and foregrip hold. Until they master those things, a small kid gets hammered by recoil and it can be tortuous for them.

Given that your daughter has been shooting .22 and 20ga, I would recommend that you assess that she has a good practice around those concerns. If so, she will be fine so long as she keeps doing so and maintains good eye relief (no black eyes).

I would not use a brake with my kids for one reason - much of the "recoil effect" that I have observed with kids often has more to do with the perceived noise and violence of the gun firing than it does the force of the recoil - they are scared of the "bang", don't mount the gun well because they are scared and then get a heck of a recoil bruise because of it.

We hunt in Texas and the 243 is a fine round with a well-placed shot. I personally would have started my boys on a 6.5 CM if they were around and popular when they started deer hunting. And, if I was hunting somewhere with much larger deer and/or mulies or elk, I would start with the 7mm-08.

 

[HFleftyTikka]

Looking to get my daughter her first rifle for deer hunting. She is 10 years old and 110 pounds. I want to keep this as simple as I can. I'm going with a .243win. She's tall with long arms so I don't necessarily need a compact model with a shorter LOP. I'd like to get her a rifle that she can use now throughout her teen years if she sticks with it. I'm partial to either Tikka or Remington. I'm looking at the T3x lite vs. a Model 7, SPS, or possibly 700. I'm not adding anything to it, I just want an out of the box rifle for short distance whitetail hunting. I'm very familiar with the Remington recoil, my question is will the .243win recoil in the T3x be too much for a 110 pound 10 year old? I've never actually shot a T3x. She's only ever shot .22's and 20ga clay loads. I want to start her off right. Thank you.

I've been shooting a Tikka t3x 6.5cm for a couple of years now, the recoil is maybe double what a .22 is, she should have no problems at all.

 

[Txrockman]

Looking to get my daughter her first rifle for deer hunting. She is 10 years old and 110 pounds. I want to keep this as simple as I can. I'm going with a .243win. She's tall with long arms so I don't necessarily need a compact model with a shorter LOP. I'd like to get her a rifle that she can use now throughout her teen years if she sticks with it. I'm partial to either Tikka or Remington. I'm looking at the T3x lite vs. a Model 7, SPS, or possibly 700. I'm not adding anything to it, I just want an out of the box rifle for short distance whitetail hunting. I'm very familiar with the Remington recoil, my question is will the .243win recoil in the T3x be too much for a 110 pound 10 year old? I've never actually shot a T3x. She's only ever shot .22's and 20ga clay loads. I want to start her off right. Thank you.

I Have three boys and started the oldest with a 243 Ruger compact at 6 years old. The middle one with a Remington sps in .308 at 6 and the youngest now 18 with a Thompson 25-06 at 6 also with a heavy barrel and thumb hole stock. They all currently still have those rifles and have added to them. To be honest I think the .308 with a lite load(120-150gr.) would be my choice for a young lady. See if you can find one that has a threaded barrel that way if it is too much a brake can be added tame it down for her. If she can handle a 20ga. you shouldn't have any problems. Happy Hunting!!

 

[Bearguide444]

I would say go with the tikka t3x 243. they have an improved recoil pad over the t3 so they say. Good luck and thank you for being recoil sensitive to a new shooter.

 

[blvette75]

Have a 12 year old daughter started her shooting about 2 years ago, started her off with a 22 LR Rifle and I bought her a 20 gauge, she also shoots my Bergara 6.5 creedmoor, she is not recoil sensitive. The Tikka .243 with a good recoil pad are good choice. But you are lucky as I already have bought another stock for the shotgun as now the youth stock is too small for her after her growth spurt which is still going. Good luck, I am sure she will enjoy spending time with you. Be interested in your choice and how she likes it.

 

[SEGARE]

If she handles a 20-gauge shotgun, a 243 will be a breeze. It is also a very effective round for deer out to 200 + yards. A .260 or 6.5CM would give you a little more energy but a will placed 95 grain .243 Accubond will drop it deer with prejudice.

 

[RAGGED EDGE]

What Buckys said. If she handles the 20 ga. with no problem, the .243 won't be in either platform. Good luck and good hunting.

 

[Tiny Tim]

Consider an 80 gr TTSX or Hammer. Lighter recoil and have had excellent results with the Barnes.

 

[ericbc7]

I've seen quite a few new Tikkas in 6.5 creed on sale this year. Other calibers have been a bit more expensive.
the synthetic stock's grip and forend are customizable to some extent and are usually the ones on sale.
best of luck!

 

[Huntz]

I start out kids with a single shot.7TCU,7-30 Waters,30/30 all are light kicking and will take a deer no problem.I use a G2 Contender with factory stock cut back 2" for the 8 year olds and up.They have no problem with it.What is nice is I have a starter barrel in 22 LR the same size has the centerfire barrels.

 

[hthunter]

My brother has a compact 6.5 CM T3x. He said recoil pad was not that great. It was sharper recoil than he expected (gun is for wife and 7yo son). He replaced factory recoil pad with a limb saver recoil pad and said it made recoil much better.