Scope and rings for Tikka t3X LITE

MCBUCK

Senior Member
I've had a couple of Tikka's, they're great rifles but recoil can be sharp with certain calibers. My buddy had one in 30'06 and it kicked like a .300. The Limbsaver is an excellent idea.

I have a 30-06 T3 and you are spot on. I am not recoil sensitive at all; at least mostly not until the next day. My wooden stocked Tikka can punish you at the bench.

I have never needed one before. I always have had heavy wooden stocks on my guns. Either that or laminates.

The 06's at least have quite the sharp punch. I am not sure it matters if it is a synthetic or wooden stock. Mine is wood and will slap you. I have been shooting for 45 years and this is a hard recoil rifle for a 06.

I have Leupold rings and bases under an old Leup Varix III 3-9x50 and they have held up great over the last four years. I haven't had to re-zero the gun at all during that time and it's still holding a 3 shot 1MOA to 1.25MOA.
 
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lonewolf247

Senior Member
Why is this? I assumed the heavy recoil was a result of the rifle weighing 5.9 lbs. I have shot 300 wm rifles that did not come close to the POW this .270 has.

Obviously caliber choice always plays a big part in recoil felt, but most folks wouldn’t believe how much recoil felt, can vary from different rifles of the same caliber! The worst two rifles I’ve owned that would punish you, were a .270 and a .30-06. Especially that .30-06. It was a Winchester Featherweight, with a hard rubber recoil pad. I ended up selling it because of accuracy problems, long length of pull, aweful trigger, and the recoil thing.

On the contrary, I have a CVA .35 Whelen, 2 Browning Bar 30-06’s, and I’ve owned a Savage 111 in 30-06, and all no recoil issues. Rifle configuration means everything.

If I bought a Tikka it would be in a light recoiling caliber for sure. In larger calibers, there are choices that handle recoil so much better. The Weatherby Vanguard is one of those such rifles. The weight, recoil pad, and stock configuration, make it so much easier on the shooter.

In your case, the Limsaver, should help out a lot.
 

Professor

Senior Member
Rifle configuration means everything.
So the next question might be if anyone as experience with aftermarket stocks that might address the problem, because I really like the Tikka, and if I can figure the recoil issue out want to get one in 300 wm. Might start another thread on this issue but feel free to comment everyone.
 

Brushape

Member
I acquired a Tikka T3 Lite in 308 several years ago. I was amazed at the difference in felt recoil between it and my Win. model 70, also in 308, the first time I took it to the range and shot off the bench. I did go the Limb saver pad route. It's still not at the same level as the model 70, but it is manageable.

After over 50 years of shooting I have come to the same conclusions as lonewolf.
 

Darkhorse

Senior Member
I would try the limbsaver on the .270 first then make a decision on the .300 WM. I bought my 7mag around 1982 and was never bothered by the recoil. Then a few years ago I noticed that the recoil pad had gotten hard with age and was no longer working like it used to. I put a limbsaver on it and it was like night and day. It was no longer a chore to shoot a long bench session.
My Tikka .308 will start to sting after 10 or shots off the bench but it's not intolerable. The only reason I haven't put on a Limbsaver is because it will add to the length of pull and as it is the Tikka pad wants to hang on my coat in cold weather.
The Limbsaver Airtech is the newest one and they advertise it as dampening more recoil than the older ones (like I got).
 

35 Whelen

Senior Member
My stainless/synthetic Tikka T3 in 270 Winchester does not have excessive recoil.
 

lonewolf247

Senior Member
So the next question might be if anyone as experience with aftermarket stocks that might address the problem, because I really like the Tikka, and if I can figure the recoil issue out want to get one in 300 wm. Might start another thread on this issue but feel free to comment everyone.

I’ll be honest, I don’t have a lot of experience with aftermarket stocks. My experience is with a wide range of factory rifles and stocks, as I haven’t played around much with modifying them.

That being said, I think the Tikka is a nice rifle, and I think that the limbsaver will probably make your .270 recoil manageable. However, I personally wouldn’t buy the Tikka in a magnum caliber, like the .300 WM. I’d take a look at the Weatherby Vanguard for the .300 Win mag, I’d possibly even look at the .300 Weatherby mag. I have a .257 Weatherby Mag, which is similiar in Recoil energy to the .270, and I could probably shoot a whole box of ammo in one sitting with no punishment. That rifle just handles recoil so well. I’m just one opinion though, buy what makes you happy. ?
 
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Professor

Senior Member
I personally wouldn’t buy the Tikka in a magnum caliber
I hear ya. I likely wont unless I find a way to deal with the recoil. There are other good guns. Right now I am just enamored with the Tikka. I have wanted a Sako since I was 9 but could never afford one. Sako, Weatherby, or perhaps Browning or others might be the way I go.
 

nmurph

Senior Member
No need for magnum calibers for killing deer, the quarter calibers and smaller notwithstanding, and even then they aren't necessary.
 

Professor

Senior Member
No need for magnum calibers for killing deer
I agree. The .270 at issue here is ideal for whitetail. However we preparing for a mule deer / elk hunt in Idaho next year. The .270 is adequate for elk, or so I have read several hundred times over the last 40 years as I have never been elk hunting before. Since we will be deep in big bear country, I am inclined to carry a big bear gun. I have also been thinking about taking a BAR in 300 wm with a detachable scope. Still thinking though. The gas operation should tame some recoil and I would have access to rapid follow up shots with the BAR.
 

lonewolf247

Senior Member
I agree. The .270 at issue here is ideal for whitetail. However we preparing for a mule deer / elk hunt in Idaho next year. The .270 is adequate for elk, or so I have read several hundred times over the last 40 years as I have never been elk hunting before. Since we will be deep in big bear country, I am inclined to carry a big bear gun. I have also been thinking about taking a BAR in 300 wm with a detachable scope. Still thinking though. The gas operation should tame some recoil and I would have access to rapid follow up shots with the BAR.

The Bar is a great rifle, and will definitely help with the recoil. I've been hunting with my main deer rifle as a Bar for 35 years. However, both Bars I've owned were 30-06, with 22" barrels. Depending on which Bar your after, I know in the older Safari style Bar, I just didn't care for the Bar in the mag calibers. It was heavier and bulkier, than the standard calibers, making it more awkward and unbalanced it seemed. In the newer Mark III Bar, I'd be tempted to go with the .300wsm caliber, with the 23" barrel, instead of the .300 win mag with 24" barrel. Or....just go with the 30-06 in the Mark III or the original style Safari model. 30-06 with 180 grain premium ammo is never under gunned in North America.

Lastly, the Weatherby Vaguard in .300 win mag or .300 Weatherby Mag, would make short work of an elk hunt.

Again though, just giving my opinions, and my preferences, buy what you like. I do say go handle a few rifles side by side, and shoulder them before making your decision.
 

Professor

Senior Member
heavier and bulkier
It heard this before. I have never shot a BAR and only handled an .06. The new model looks funky to me - probably will get use to it though. I will go handle one of those. the short caliber is an interesting option as well. I need to find a an older model in a magnum caliber to shoot sometime this spring. So much work to do.
 

MCBUCK

Senior Member
Why is this? I assumed the heavy recoil was a result of the rifle weighing 5.9 lbs. I have shot 300 wm rifles that did not come close to the POW this .270 has.

I am sure there is a great deal of physics in play that I am not privy to know. I once had a Rem M700 BDL in 270 wood stock and a Savage 110 Synthetic stock. The 700 had some recoils but not to excess. The Savage was much lighter and would absolutely punish with recoil; as was noted by my magnum shooting friends.
I have an unproven thought that stock configuration may have a huge influence on recoil, but that may just be some backwoods logic.
 

pdsniper

Senior Member
Here is the ultra lite Tikka I have, I used bases and rings on this one and the heavy barrel one I have has a rail the lite weight one is having the barrel cut down to 18 in and a custom muzzle break put on it both are in 6.5 creedmoortikka ulta lite.jpg
 
Am I so old that I'm the only person still using Dove Tailed Mounts for all my rifle/scope combos? Doesn't matter if they're Leupold, Redfield or Browning. Just as long as it's Dove Tailed. When they're mounted correctly you never have to touch em again. As far as the scope, it's gonna be a Leopold for me.
 

lonewolf247

Senior Member
Am I so old that I'm the only person still using Dove Tailed Mounts for all my rifle/scope combos? Doesn't matter if they're Leupold, Redfield or Browning. Just as long as it's Dove Tailed. When they're mounted correctly you never have to touch em again. As far as the scope, it's gonna be a Leopold for me.

I actually have Leupold dovetail mount on a couple of rifles, with one of them being my main rifle. Mainly because I did both a long time ago, before scope mounts like the 1-piece DNZ mounts came along.

Nothing wrong with the dove tail mount, except what you mentioned, “when they’re mounted correctly”. That mount to be done correctly is far more complex than most realize, including myself, back at the time I mounted mine, to insure they’re done correctly. I wouldn’t mount a scope using them today without alignment bars, and a lapping tool, just because I have a better understanding of them now. Mine has been on my rifle for 20 years with no issues though.

Today I just think the DNZ mounts are so much easier to mount a scope correctly. No need for alignment or lapping really as that’s all done at the factory. Also there is no link between the base mount and the rings, so one less thing that could come loose.

The dovetail is still a good mount though. I think it was originally invented by Redfield and copied by Leupold and Weaver.
 

Professor

Senior Member
Am I so old that I'm the only person still using Dove Tailed Mounts
Me too. I have two rifles using them. That is why I started this thread. Technology has passed me by when it comes to optics and mounting options (as well as most everything else actually now that I think about it).
 
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