Good start?

[Dagostino480]

I have always been interested in getting into long distance shooting and stretching my shots outwards of 700-1000 yards. This first quarter of the new year (2015) I will be picking up my base to start my build. My base...

Tikka T3 Left Handed (Still trying to decide which model and caliper)

Will be sitting pretty in an Xlr chassis system

https://tikkaperformance.com/tikka-parts/tikka-t3?product_id=400

Need opinions on which model to get aswell as what kind of glass I will be putting on it.


Would like to use this rifle to hunt so I was thinking .308 would be the most convinent round to get.

Opinions?

[Rbutler]

important question, do you reload?
Reloading opens the doors to other calibers as well.

Things to consider, get good glass. Vortex Gen II, US Optics, NF, to name a few.

Do not go cheap on rings, get a good set, NF, Badger, Spuhr, same with rails, get quality gear.


Any caliber will take out a deer from the 6mm to the 30cal as long as you train with your rifle and put the bullet where it matters. Fancy non match bullets help make up for a bad shot.

forgot to mention, i believe it is a member here uses a stock 243 tikka t3 and bangs steel all day.

[BillyGoatCrawler]

important question, do you reload?
Reloading opens the doors to other calibers as well.

Things to consider, get good glass. Vortex Gen II, US Optics, NF, to name a few.

Do not go cheap on rings, get a good set, NF, Badger, Spuhr, same with rails, get quality gear.


Any caliber will take out a deer from the 6mm to the 30cal as long as you train with your rifle and put the bullet where it matters. Fancy non match bullets help make up for a bad shot.

forgot to mention, i believe it is a member here uses a stock 243 tikka t3 and bangs steel all day.

All good advice. Really, be willing to spend the money and get quality glass and mounting gear. The glass will stay in your collection and be on your next nicer rifle. So don't cheap out. Resale is also good. So invest.

If you reload, I'd make a .260 Remington. If not, .243 or .308 would be my next choices.

[kcstott]

As for glass leupold, NF, and others are good choices. Don't discount talley rings and bases either.

[JMP]

There are three choices in longer range tactical glass riflescopes--Kahles, Schmidt, or Hensoldt.

[Rbutler]

There are three choices in longer range tactical glass riflescopes--Kahles, Schmidt, or Hensoldt.

care to elaborate as to why only the 3? I know lots of people shooting NF US Optics and even the new Vortex to 2500+ meters accurately?

[heycorey]

S&B PMII ... glass so clear, you can almost see GOD.

[Dagostino480]

Seems like there is plenty of good information here. I dont have alot of guns, the the couple I do have I do not skimp on cost. I shoot photography so I know the importance of good glass and I will look into the brands mentioned above. I am a survivalist in a way and will mostly likely be going with a .308 or 30-06 due to the popularity of the ammuntion.

As far as reloading goes, I have the desire to start but it is second on the list of things to buy.

[Rbutler]

Seems like there is plenty of good information here. I dont have alot of guns, the the couple I do have I do not skimp on cost. I shoot photography so I know the importance of good glass and I will look into the brands mentioned above. I am a survivalist in a way and will mostly likely be going with a .308 or 30-06 due to the popularity of the ammuntion.

As far as reloading goes, I have the desire to start but it is second on the list of things to buy.

if you go with the 308 look for a tighter twist, gives you a little more room to work with the heavies as well as the lighter bullets. I run a 1:10 twist with my 185s. Not knocking the 155's at all they have a better trajectory BUT i like the wind bucking of the 185.

you can shoot either with a tight twist, with a 12 you need to push the pill a bit quicker to make up for the twist.

[JMP]

care to elaborate as to why only the 3? I know lots of people shooting NF US Optics and even the new Vortex to 2500+ meters accurately?

You'll find them a bit easier on the eye. NF, USO, Vortex make some very functional products, but most folks' eyes will favor the Euro-makers. To be honest, in clear bright conditions it really doesn't make that much difference. It's the poor conditions and at night where some of the stuff doesn't quite stack up. You'll notice the better contrast especially when you are using it with NV. But, at that point, the lower magnification is more critical.

[BillyGoatCrawler]

You'll find them a bit easier on the eye. NF, USO, Vortex make some very functional products, but most folks' eyes will favor the Euro-makers. To be honest, in clear bright conditions it really doesn't make that much difference. It's the poor conditions and at night where some of the stuff doesn't quite stack up. You'll notice the better contrast especially when you are using it with NV. But, at that point, the lower magnification is more critical.

Do you shoot your precision rifle with NV?

[JMP]

Do you shoot your precision rifle with NV?

Every time I get the opportunity.

[BillyGoatCrawler]

Every time I get the opportunity.

Do you own any?

[vliberatore]

There are three choices in longer range tactical glass riflescopes--Kahles, Schmidt, or Hensoldt.

On a stock Tikka action? Seems rather out of place.

[JMP]

Do you own any?

I do, of course in CA you cannot have it with an illuminator, but that's not really a big deal since since they are mostly for close up shooting inside. You really need a legit gen3 or gen4 to make it worth your while, you can about 500-1k yards behind good glass if the ambient conditions permit, but I'd not expect much more. If it's a new moon and cloudy skies, you want fair that well.