Tikka/Howa/270/308 - What to buy?

[gilmc]

I’m about to buy a new rifle but not sure what to get. From 1982 until now I’ve always had a .223 and now I think it’s time to try something else. I mainly hunt pigs, goat, foxes and now the occasional deer. I also manage natives on a few properties when the owners get tags. Due to health reasons I no longer do much walking so most of my hunting is spotlighting or sitting and waiting so rifle weight is no longer an issue. I also plan to spend more time at the range doing long range silhouette shooting.
My brand preference is Tikka or Howa (my .223 is a Tikka) and not really interested in Weatherby, Remington, Ruger or Winchester (from advice of a gunsmith). Now for the size, I thought either a 270 or 308 might be the ones, I also do my own reloading.
Thoughts?

[Oldbloke]

308 or 30-06. Why, greater variety of bullets available in 308 cal.

[in2anity]

Hey there gilmc. When you say long range silhouette shooting, what do you mean exactly? Are you formally referring to high-power metallic silhouette?

[gilmc]

Hey there gilmc. When you say long range silhouette shooting, what do you mean exactly? Are you formally referring to high-power metallic silhouette?

No sure exactly, just read about silhouette shooting some where and thought it would be interesting to try out. I’ve had little experience at the range as my shooting has been in the bush but with getting older the range may become more of an option.

[No1Mk3]

G'day gilmc,
The 308 is a very versatile caliber with projectiles to suit all conditions and game. The 270 is also a great choice for a hunting rifle but not quite as versatile. As to your gunsmiths advice, I think he is having a lend of you, Remington are one of the biggest and most supported brands out there, the Weatherby Vanguard IS a Howa! Barrel and action made in Japan by Howa so I don't know what the F he is on about, and the Ruger 77 VT,of which I own 4 in different calibers is a bloody great rifle and would suit your needs admirably as a heavy hide rifle, Cheers.
PS: find a new gunsmith.

[marksman]

I totally agree with No1Mk3
and I recon a ruger vt is probably the go but in 308
mine has a rifle basics trigger cause I don't like the set one and I have modified the stock to suit
but it shoots one hole consistently, total cost with trigger, bedding, scope and rifle $2000
https://imgur.com/377dpG5

[in2anity]

No sure exactly, just read about silhouette shooting some where and thought it would be interesting to try out. I’ve had little experience at the range as my shooting has been in the bush but with getting older the range may become more of an option.

Silhouette shooting is a really engrossing sport; so I say keep chasing this idea mate The 270 and the 308 is enough knock-down for high power, but they both boot, especially the 270. If you're serious about metallic silhouette, I would probably recommend possibly a 7mm-08 or the new-fangled 6.5 CM - both recoil less than the 308w yet still have adequate knock-down at the 500m rams. Recoil is your enemy when shooting 40 or even 80 shots in a comp. If you're not into handloading, the 308w is gonna be cheaper than those two (for obvious reasons). Agreed the 308w really has a lot going for it; but specifically for silhouette, there are (slightly) better cartridges.

[Stix]

You ask for thoughts...
You load your own...
You're thinking 270 & 308...

Only one thought necessary...

Seven millimetre--Oh' eight ( )
...7mm-08...!!!!!

Once you get it you'll wonder why you didnt get one sooner...!!!

All done...go buy it...

[Rod_outbak]

Gilmc,

My 2 cents...

Having started down a path (of wanting better distance capability) roughly 6 years ago, I firstly went .308(Rem 700 VSF), then 7mm-08(Tikka T3), and then picked up another .308 (Ruger PR).

Given you are looking at small/medium game, as well as wanting to do some long-range target shooting, I'd suggest a .260Rem or 6.5 Creedmoor.
You can form the cases for either from .243 or .308, so brass is readily available (especially if you reload yourself).

I have a bunch of long-distance shooting mates who come out and shoot ferals on our sheep station; a couple of times a year.
When they started their little band of brothers in 2011, they were mostly shooting .308 at the range.
Over time, they all started to gravitate towards the 6.5mm calibre for their range competitions.
Of the 5 of them, there are now 4 with 6.5mm calibre rifles, and the distances they are head-shooting ferals, is amazing to me.
One mate has a Tikka T3 in a MacMillan stock, which is way too heavy for walking, but reaches out a LONG way and touches furry animals with extreme force. When he is pokking ferals, he mostly uses 95Gn V-max projectiles, which are pretty nasty.

Both the .308 and the 7mm-08 are fantastic calibres, and I'd never consider getting rid of either. The 7mm-08 is a bit more limited in projectile availability for the lighter end of the range, but then I found the 120gn V-Max does pretty much everything I could ever want, so that's not really been a big issue.
My 7mm-08 (Tikka T3 Hunter Stainless Fluted) is very light, and I found the 7mm-08 recoil was getting to me, so I had a TrenTech 3-port brake fitted, and recoil is now like shooting a .223. Not people-friendly for the range, but has made that rifle a fantastic choice for walking/hunting.
One other sugggestion:- When I bought my Tikka T3, I went with the Hunter Stainless fluted. The wood stock turned out to be absolute crap; it seems to get dings in it just by someone looking at it. My mate gave me his Synthetic Varmint stock from his Tikka, and it's been fantastic. At the time, we were having all sorts of problems getting the groups down below 1.5 MOA on the T3. We swapped out the stock, and upgraded the scope, and it now seems to shoot about 0.75 MOA.
While I'm sure some additional tweaking could shrink that grouping even more, it's good enough for me...
Given my Ruger has the option of swapping a barrel, I am seriously considering re-barrelling it in one of the 6.5 calibres.

I like the Tikka; probably the most over the 3 rifles. However, it has required the most tweaking to get it to shoot as consistently as the Rem 700.

Additional thought is the .243win; Big enough to nail small(ish) deer, and responsible for an awful lot of smaller game around here over the years.
About the only area where the 6.5mm might serve you better, is they have better long-range report card (and a .243 does takes some beating in that regard!).
A Tikka T3X in .243 or .260 is probably going to put a smile on your face on a regular basis...

My 2 cents...

Cheers,

Rod.

[in2anity]

Gilmc,

Additional thought is the .243win; Big enough to nail small(ish) deer, and responsible for an awful lot of smaller game around here over the years.
About the only area where the 6.5mm might serve you better, is they have better long-range report card (and a .243 does takes some beating in that regard!).
A Tikka T3X in .243 or .260 is probably going to put a smile on your face on a regular basis...

My 2 cents...

Cheers,

Rod.

Only thing is, the .243 isn't quite enough power to knock down the 500m rams (for his possible silhouette avenue)...

[southwest shooter]

25/06 .

[gilmc]

Great advice and given me plenty to think about. The 6.5 is now a strong possibility so thanks Rod. The recoil is one thing I never considered!

A mate came over yesterday and after a few beers he convinced me to to buy another .223, he bought my old tikka. Reason being my main focus for the near foreseeable future will still be hunting and chances are that I won’t get time to go to the range and I have all the gear for reloading .223. The properties I go to the .223 does the job. I’m going to buy a new one tomorrow and later in the year look at getting something bigger.

Thanks everyone, really appreciate the advice.

[Stix]

[Rod_outbak]

Gilmc,

Glad to help.

If you get a .223 with a faster twist, you'd be able to load it up with heavier projectiles.
If you go for a 1/8" or 1/10" twist, then you'd have the option of up to around 75Gn projectiles, if needed.

Cheers,

Rod.

[Gwion]

Skip the new 223 and get a 6.5 or 7mm. You can get 100gn 7mm bullets and in a 7mm08 it will shoot extremely flat and do all your hunting.
A 6.5cm would be a good option too. Light bullets for hunting your light/medium game as mentioned and 140gn for stretching it's legs.
The ballistic coefficients on 6.5 and 7mm rounds are extremely good so for the same weight in bullet you are getting a 'flatter' shot with far less windage than some other cals.

[Gwion]

Don't listen to your mate. He's just trying to get a cheap 223rem off you!

[Stix]

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

[gilmc]

Gilmc,

Glad to help.

If you get a .223 with a faster twist, you'd be able to load it up with heavier projectiles.
If you go for a 1/8" or 1/10" twist, then you'd have the option of up to around 75Gn projectiles, if needed.

Cheers,

Rod.

My current tikka is 1:8 and I load 60, 64 and 69 but the barrel has issues so that’s why I’m replacing it. I’m actual going to buy another .223 with 1:8. After a lot of research and looking at the areas I shoot the .223 is perfect for it as well as they are cheap to run.

So thanks everyone for your advice, much appreciated, I plan to buy something bigger later in the year.

[bigrich]

6.5x55 does everything gilmc . still kicking myself for not buying a omark set up in that calibre off SSAA gun sales

[gilmc]

Looking at all the options I ended up buying a tikka t3x lite s/s .223 with a 1:12 twist with a few extras (cost of new barrel not much different to buying new). Now have to wait the 28 days before I can pick it up. Also got a good price for a trade in on the old tikka so I’m very happy how it all turned out. The Shooters Warehouse in Mitchell were brilliant and the the sales guy Oliver was extremely helpful and couldn’t do enough, had issues with this place in the past and heard many bad reports but this time they were brilliant. Looking forward to trying it out in 4 weeks!

[bigrich]

hey gilmc, a mate of mine has tikka t3 lite s/s in 223 and 300 win mag. both are very accurate and virtually indistructable . good choice . enjoy mate

[Gwion]

Vertually indestructable?
Challenge accepted! When are you heading to Tas?

*joke: i don't like exploding rifles....

[bigrich]

Vertually indestructable?
Challenge accepted! When are you heading to Tas?

*joke: i don't like exploding rifles....

My mate is hard on his rifles, they've been dropped, left in the rain, stocks been driven over and he doesn't believe in cleaning them ! And they still shoot very well. Anyone remember Toyota hilux add with the " breaker brothers " ? He's like that

[Gwion]

I have a certain reputation in some circles for testing equupment to failure...

[gilmc]

For those that may be interested in the response I got from Barretta when I asked about a replacement barrel.

“Sako will not allow us to fit barrels. Your rifle would need to go back to Finland.

Approx turn around time is 12months and $1500”

[Stix]

For those that may be interested in the response I got from Barretta when I asked about a replacement barrel.

“Sako will not allow us to fit barrels. Your rifle would need to go back to Finland.

Approx turn around time is 12months and $1500”

Thats great...thanks for posting...
But how long have you had the rifle mate...?

[bigrich]

is that over the top qaulity control or what ? gotta love scandanavian /german anal retentiveness for attention to detail !

[Stix]

is that over the top qaulity control or what ? gotta love scandanavian /german anal retentiveness for attention to detail !

Beretta just replace the entire rifle if its proven for something to be wrong with it...they dont repair in Aust to the best of my knowledge...