Another "Which one for my first bolt action?" thread...

[BLC]

So if you were to pick a Tikka rifle in .308 that would spend 95% of its life on the range and the occasional romp through the woods which one would it be?

I realize from the reading I have done that there is not really a do all long range / hunting rifle, but there has to be a compromise. I have read quite a bit and could read until I was old and gray and still not know half of what there is out there. Plus I do not yet understand some of the stuff I read!

I have no intention of learning to compete at 1000+ yards (at this time anyway, bet I get sucked in though later down the road) but I have to believe there is middle ground.

Is there one that would reach out 600-800 yards for fun at the range that I could kill the occasional deer with back in Michigan? Maybe learn to hunt pigs with?

I picked .308 because I have shot it before in a SOCOM 16 I used to have and liked it, had fun shooting it.

I picked the Tikka because of the good out of the box reviews and they just look so dang pretty.

Never had a bolt gun or hunted. I have much to learn and am kind of looking for a beginning point. I have not yet even begun to learn about scopes but am aware that I will spend about as much or more as I will pay for the rifle.

I figured lets get a rifle in the safe and proceed from there.

Thought it was a better idea to start my own thread asking old questions that to jack some others and revive old ones. Sorry if y'all are tired of answering these questions. Nothing is set in stone and am open to any suggestions.

[Zwhetz]

If you are set on a Tikka, then I would recommend a t3 varmint. The t3 is a great rifle, and the varmint gives you a few nice features I look for in a precision/ target rifle. Fist off you get a heavy barrel with a 1:11 twist which is great for shooting heavier .308 match loads, and you also get a 5-round removable magazine. The price is also pretty decent, I've seen them going for around $800 locally, which is a fair price considering what you are getting. You want a heavy barrel for shooting groups or long range target, because they take longer to heat up, which keeps the rifles shot to shot bullet placement more consistent. If you wanted to spend a bit less, consider the Remington 700 SPS Tactical, they can be had around $640 or so and would also make a good target rifle right out of the box. The twist rate is a little slower at 1:12, but if that was a concern to you they also have the AAC edition which comes with a 1:10 twist. The 700 has far more aftermarket support (stocks, bases, DBMs, and chassis systems) if you were planning on upgrading the rifle in the future, so keep that in mind. As far as round selection, .308 is a great entry level precision round due to the availability and cost/selection of factory loads available. It isn't the best available round out there in terms of ballistics, but plenty of people have pushed it out way further than 800 yards so you don't need to worry about that. As for scopes, that is a whole 'nother discussion which I would be happy to help you with when the time comes. If you have any other questions, feel free to shoot me a pm!

P.S. Also, the only reason either of the rifles would't be ideal for hunting would be the weight if you plan on carrying it a lot, otherwise they are great for both.

[ratled]

[BLC]

Thank you for the input Zwhetz!

If I hunt at all it would be once a year at most so I am not too concerned with weight just yet. We are only talking 3lbs give or take anyway right?

At this point for me, its more about being in the woods than a kill. And I wont shoot something I wont eat. That could very well change after the first time!

[safety-1st]

Can't go wrong with either howa 1500 or tikka

[rambutan316]

OP do you have a preference for wood or synthetic? Not sure if you've considered CZs, they make gorgeous wood stock rifles for only a little more than a T3.

[BLC]

I could go either way for the right rifle, both wood and synthetic Tikka's appear to look very nice. I will look at the CZ's, I have never seen one even in a pic.

I held a Rem 700 5R today, it felt really heavy at the bore, I guess a scope would even that out a bit?

I think I am beating such a dead horse there is little interest .

[NapalmCheese]

So, here's my take:
You can hunt with a target rifle, but it's going to be heavy and you're not going to like carrying it. Likewise, certain features of target rifles can be annoying in the field (bipods, target stocks, giant bolt knobs, unprotected turrets on your scope).

You can shoot targets with a hunting rifle but the lack of a heavy barrel will mean you won't e able to shoot as fast while other features may make it more difficult to shoot tiny groups.

Buy a target rifle and borrow a hunting rifle if you ever actually go hunting. If you decide you like hunting, buy a hunting rifle later.

[Zwhetz]

I could go either way for the right rifle, both wood and synthetic Tikka's appear to look very nice. I will look at the CZ's, I have never seen one even in a pic.

I held a Rem 700 5R today, it felt really heavy at the bore, I guess a scope would even that out a bit?

I think I am beating such a dead horse there is little interest .

I think most stocks now a says are made to be replaced, so I would go with the cheaper option. The CZs are very nice rifles, but the lack of aftermarket parts make it difficult to turn them into real precision rifles. The 5R is a great rifle out of the box, and with a little bit of work is capable of being a half moa gun. Honestly you just have to decide what you really want. Although some guns out there may be a little more accurate or have better aftermarket support, most factory target rifles will outshoot the person behind them anyway.

[ar15barrels]

Buy a target rifle and borrow a hunting rifle if you ever actually go hunting.
If you decide you like hunting, buy a hunting rifle later.

This is absolutely the way to do it.