New Rifle - Tikka T3X Super Varmint in .223 or .308

[Robin]

Hey there,

I'm looking at getting 2 new rifles soon and looking at TIKKA T3X SUPER VARMINT STAINLESS in both .223 and .308, Im looking at having something to do both hunting and target shooting , and I also want to cover from shooting rabbits to pigs, is the Tikka good for what I want , or is there better for the price I will be paying .

[Shootermick]

Hey there,

I'm looking at getting 2 new rifles soon and looking at TIKKA T3X SUPER VARMINT STAINLESS in both .223 and .308, Im looking at having something to do both hunting and target shooting , and I also want to cover from shooting rabbits to pigs, is the Tikka good for what I want , or is there better for the price I will be paying .

Nothing wrong with the Tikkas, plenty of them around and rarely do you hear a bad word. But look at the Lithgows too, they come in those calibers and are similarly priced.

[Bugman]

I like the Tikkas as well, however I like to support local business and so have purchased Lithgows instead. Also they appear to really stand behind their product and servicing is here in oz by the manufacturer ( I believe) whereas Tikkas and other makes have to go back to the agents and from past experience, there can be a long repair waiting time.Now that said, both are great rifles. Choice is yours.

[Farmerpete]

How competitive are you wanting to get?? target shooting requires a heavy barrel a massive scope a bipod etc.
if you want to go hunting with a target rifle it's doable but I wouldn't personally want to carry the extra weight of a target setup on a stalk. If you're planning to just wait by a dam then the extra weight won't be a problem

the distance is another question target shooters use 20x scopes as a minimum. I doubt I could find the pig at 50 through a scope that big and if your zero is for longer range you'll have to get good at compensating for it. You could use qd mounts and different scopes to bypass the problem
Your caliber choices are fine there's nothing in oz that can't be taken with a 308 and 223 can be loaded down if your actually planning on eating the rabbits

As for the gun I think it's a personal preference on brand, there are definitely some I'd stay away from but tikka isn't one of them. If you pick it up and it's comfortable buy it.
I don't know how experienced you are at shooting but most off the shelf guns have the ability to cloverleaf at 100 with the right ammo if the shooter does their part.

[TassieTiger]

Any specific reason you are also looking at .308 ? If your getting a 223 anyway - you’ll be shooting most medium game, no worries with that. If your thinking deer longer term, you could also consider a 270 or a 30-06 or 300wm. Also - consider if reloading is a future want as this might also sway decision in Calibre.

[Bill]

Why not something like a Sauer Cherokee or Atacama in 6.5 CM. No need to have a 223 or 308, plenty of quality 6.5 CM ammo too.

Will shoot as good if not better that a Tikka and a better looking rig for hunting.

[Robin]

Any specific reason you are also looking at .308 ? If your getting a 223 anyway - you’ll be shooting most medium game, no worries with that. If your thinking deer longer term, you could also consider a 270 or a 30-06 or 300wm. Also - consider if reloading is a future want as this might also sway decision in Calibre.

I was looking at the .308 for pigs , at the moment because I'm starting back up, I'm not looking at deer in the short term.

[Mark]

The T3 is a great rifle. & a 223 with a 1 in 8 twist will do it all.
Plenty of pigs have been taken with a .223 cartridge !

[in2anity]

I bet if you pickup a 308 alongside a 223, you'll hardly shoot the 308. For moderate target work, the 223 is very capable. It also seems silly to buy two heavy guns - buy one heavy gun, use it at the range. Buy a second light gun, carry it around.

My advice - get yourself a nice target rifle for target shooting - heavy tikkas are pretty boggling. Then get a hunting rifle for hunting (perhaps a bit later). If you're set on the 308 for hunting - how about the Ruger Compact 16.5"? I love carbines for the bush. Or what about a Ruger Ranch in 762x39? - they are dirt cheap and shoot surprisingly well.

[JimTom]

Nothing wrong with Tikkas mate, great choice of rifle. You won’t be disappointed. As for .223 & .308, you won’t go wrong there either. Yes there are plenty of other you could consider for sure but again, you can’t go wrong with .223 & .308.

[Raband]

I've got tikka lite in 308 and varmint in 223.
Seems the best mix for me - 308 for stalking, 223 for sitting

[TassieTiger]

I bet if you pickup a 308 alongside a 223, you'll hardly shoot the 308. For moderate target work, the 223 is very capable. It also seems silly to buy two heavy guns - buy one heavy gun, use it at the range. Buy a second light gun, carry it around.

My advice - get yourself a nice target rifle for target shooting - heavy tikkas are pretty boggling. Then get a hunting rifle for hunting (perhaps a bit later). If you're set on the 308 for hunting - how about the Ruger Compact 16.5"? I love carbines for the bush. Or what about a Ruger Ranch in 762x39? - they are dirt cheap and shoot surprisingly well.

^ this. I learned the hardway (still am) a hunting rifle is not a target rifle and vice versa, sure - you can eat soup with a fork but It’s time consuming

[Sergeant Hartman]

Got a coupe of friends they swear by their tikkas. The varmint barrel on the tikka is the same as sako, except it doesn't have the flutes.

Super accurate, but it is definitely heavy. For short hunts or target work or shooting inn one spot and varmint hunting its the best.

I also like the feel of the lithgow

[MinuteofGoat]

I have a T3 varmint in .308 and I'm a huge fan. I use mine for Hunting class comp shooting with just a bipod and rear bad, and I can sack the target at 1000 yards with the F class boys. They are far better than me, but it's nice knowing what is possible. I have a s**ty 6-24x50 scope that needs to be euthanised, but it's better than nothing. I've used it for vehicle based hunting before and it worked well enough.

If I was buying new again today, I would strongl consider a Howa 1500 for 1/3 less money.

As far as calibre goes, .223 is half the cost of .308 to shoot so I would factor that in. 223 will reach out to 1000 yards if that's your goal, assuming the twist is correct.

[Bill]

Sauers should seriously be consider here, far superior flush mag set, better bedding and the same 5 shot MOA barrel guaratee. Tikka CTR's way over price for what they. Go handle a Sauer . Tikka's might be popular but so is fried rice

[SCJ429]

I think a Tikka T3 Varmint in 223 with a 1:8 twist barrel is an excellent way to start out in competition shooting out to 500 metres and beyond. I have one myself and use it to practice or use it in competition to keep up with the conditions. It has shot under an inch at 300 and under three inches at 500 in competition. I use 80 grain Bergers which are probably the best quality reasonably price bullet out there.

It has also shot goats, pigs and lots of foxes using a hunting load.

[in2anity]

I think a Tikka T3 Varmint in 223 with a 1:8 twist barrel is an excellent way to start out in competition shooting out to 500 metres and beyond. I have one myself and use it to practice or use it in competition to keep up with the conditions. It has shot under an inch at 300 and under three inches at 500 in competition. I use 80 grain Bergers which are probably the best quality reasonably price bullet out there.

With the 80 Bergers, when seated near the lands, do they feed ok from the magazine?

[duddley75]

Glad your question came up as I was have similar thoughts.

For hunting I was thinking 308 Tikka CTR (looking at Deer and Pigs)
For Target shooting (and I should mention I want to do this for fun , not winning comps) looking at the 308 Howa 1500 in the MDT Ess chassis (24in barrel). After reading this thread I am thinking of changing to the 223 for the target shoots (same rifle). The club I shoot at has targets from 300m to 800m.

[SCJ429]

I think a Tikka T3 Varmint in 223 with a 1:8 twist barrel is an excellent way to start out in competition shooting out to 500 metres and beyond. I have one myself and use it to practice or use it in competition to keep up with the conditions. It has shot under an inch at 300 and under three inches at 500 in competition. I use 80 grain Bergers which are probably the best quality reasonably price bullet out there.

With the 80 Bergers, when seated near the lands, do they feed ok from the magazine?

I have to shoot single shot and not from a magazine, I feel that seating them that far into the case would rob too much room for powder from the case. You may do better with 70 or 69 grain VLD.

[in2anity]

I have to shoot single shot and not from a magazine, I feel that seating them that far into the case would rob too much room for powder from the case. You may do better with 70 or 69 grain VLD.

Thought so. I stick to the 69gr SMKs for that reason. Well that and the SMKs are priced well at the NSWRA store (for a match pill). And they shoot very competatively out to 400m, probably 500m (never tried tbh).

I'm not aware of a (common) factory, bolt-action 223 that will allow the long 80gr projectiles to be fed out of the factory magazine (with close-to-lands OAL). Does anyone know of any?

In my eyes a 1:8" twist barrel with a magazine that can't support the long bullets is counter-intuitive. Just doesn't make sense. For this reason 1:9" seems more appropriate for standard-length 223 mags, in my eyes.

[in2anity]

Glad your question came up as I was have similar thoughts.

For hunting I was thinking 308 Tikka CTR (looking at Deer and Pigs)
For Target shooting (and I should mention I want to do this for fun , not winning comps) looking at the 308 Howa 1500 in the MDT Ess chassis (24in barrel). After reading this thread I am thinking of changing to the 223 for the target shoots (same rifle). The club I shoot at has targets from 300m to 800m.

There are two reasons the CTR is not a good hunting rifle. 1) the 10-shot box magazine uncomfortably jutts into your back 2) they are a fair bit heavier than a light-weight hunting rifle. My CTR weighs around 4kg scoped, and thats a lot heavier than you need for probably 99% of your field shots. My CTR is one of the last guns I'd take on a walk.

My advice, get one with a flush magazine, and aim for the 3kg region.

If you want something a bit more premium, indeed those lighweight Sauers (with the low profile mags) are very nice guns - IMO much a much better hunting rifle than CTR. Then of course there’s the lightweight tikkas. Otherwise, cheaper but just as practical look at Howas or Rugers.

[TassieTiger]

My sauer 30-06 weighs 2.9kg and shoots amazingly well, fantastic trigger, beautiful action - It probably shoots better than it should (I’ve managed a couple half inch groups), BUT - the barrel has tooling marks That you’d never see in a tikka (confirmed with bore scope) and although these tooling marks are slowly coming out, it has been a copper fouling nightmare. Once mine is sorted (And it’s getting very close now) - I’ll never sell it but those first couple hundred shots on mine at least, has seen some serious cleaning challenges.

[in2anity]

Tassie - sounds like a keeper. I’ve been eyeing those Sauers off every time I go in for supplies. Although my safe is bulging at the seams!

Copper fouling is a pain - just curious, are you using an ammonia based solvent for cleaning? Such as Sweets?

[Peter988]

Love my Sauer 223

[TassieTiger]

Tassie - sounds like a keeper. I’ve been eyeing those Sauers off every time I go in for supplies. Although my safe is bulging at the seams!

Copper fouling is a pain - just curious, are you using an ammonia based solvent for cleaning? Such as Sweets?

Strangely - I’ve had to use a number of different products, bell and chasey, sweets, bore tech, kg12 - not one solvent has really been able to remove it all. BUT - before I went shooting last time, I Put a scope in barrel and lightly hit with autosol. This time out - it coppered much more lightly and also came out cleaner inside 15-20 mins.
If I had more experience- I could have taken it further with the polish but I was a little concerned that I’d inadvertently do something untoward and lose some of the rifles accuracy.

That being said re copper - even at its heaviest fouling - it was still shooting insanely well and I’d put it up against my tikka.

[in2anity]

That being said re copper - even at its heaviest fouling - it was still shooting insanely well and I’d put it up against my tikka.

Every barrel is different; in the wise words of John Kreiger some require more cleaning than others. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3d0-FOEpAuw&t=198s

Mate at the end of the day, if you're getting the accuracy you need, then that's all that matters

[TassieTiger]

I’ve learned a crap load by having to go through the processes with the sauer - and as such, Ive developed a relationship with this piece of steel and plastic lol. So now, I owe it my learnings and experiences and it rewards me with great accuracy and bruised shoulders. A tikka? Pft...bit boring lol (before I get flamed, yes - I own one).

[marksman]

"If I had more experience- I could have taken it further with the polish but I was a little concerned that I’d inadvertently do something untoward and lose some of the rifles accuracy."

if you take it too far what happens Tassie is the bullet wont seal as well and will cause bad inconsistencies that you do not want
its been explained to me as like a cars tyer's slipping on ice and cannot be bought back to what it was
l dont know if that makes any sence but you dont want a really polished bore
lapping is different