T3 Lite Synthetic

[jlehman]

i'm looking at picking one up once i'm out of school and have a bit of cash this summer. just wondering anyones experience with them, whether it be a good or bad one. I'm specifically looking at a 7mm. also i'm looking at bushnell scopes and is it worth spending the extra dough for the 4200 elite or is the 3200 sufficient. I'd be using it for mostly deer and moose hunting, probably shooting 200-250 yds maximum.

[Scott N]

I have a 270 WSM T-3 in stainless and I really like the rifle. The best features in my opinion are that T-3s are almost always accurate, they have a good, easily adjusted trigger, and the action is very smooth.

The biggest complaint I ever hear about them is how much "plastic" is used on them, but this usually from guys that don't own them. True, the magazine is made of a synthetic material (plastic!) and overly priced, but it is very durable. I would bet that if you placed a T-3 magazine and a steel magazine on the floor and stepped on them, the T-3 mag would still function but the steel one would be damaged. Some guys say these rifles feel like toys to them, but I disagree. They're light weight, affordable, and functional.

As for your scope choice, the 3200 is a good scope, the 4200 is a little better. Leupold VXII / VXIII are worth looking at too in my opinion.

As for your scope choice, the 3200 is a good scope, the 4200 is a little better. Leupold VXII / VXIII are worth looking at too in my opinion.

If you aren't happy with the elite 3200,I would step up to the Zeiss conquest 3x9x40,as it offers superior optics for the price of a vxIII.

[tikkat69]

The Tikka is a #1 with me..I have one in .223 and .300 win mag..You will love the gun and the 3200 in a 3x9 or 4x12 will be great...The 7mm is a great.choice for a all around cal.
Dont waste your cash on a zeiss that is made in the states its not a true Zeiss. The 3200 is the best bang for the buck at $250 or look at a burris fullfield with the BDC for the same money..
I see you are on a buget and a lot of the guys on here dont get it!!! You can get a Tikka and scope set up for under $900 at the BIG gun shop in Alberta.. Add $250 if you are going to a small gun shop like the meat heads in tofield or mil-arm...

[gramps73]

Bought the Tikka 270swm in the winter to go along with little sister 243 and love them. Just like the way the feel and shoot.
g

[shooterbuck]

Bought the T3 LS in 270wsm ...amazing gun for the money.
You won't be dissapointed. Excellent choice on caliber as well..a great all arounder.

This rifle will be a shooter for sure so don't mess around with crappy optics.
Look on Ebay. I picked up a leupold VX-II shipped for 230 bucks. Same scope here is around 4-5 hun.

Buy it, shoot it and love it.

[frenchwhitey]

I'm very happy with the tikka I picked up in 300WSM, it's a real shooter. I'd say stick with the 3200. They are rock solid and very well priced.IMO. Good luck.

[surhuntsalot]

I own a .243, and 25-06 in a T3 lite, and a .300 Win Mag in a T3 Tactical, and they all are awsome shooters. Super smooth actions, match grade accuracy, and the T3 lite is one of the lightest rifles out there. The factory recoil pads are a bit on the stiff side, so if your going with a magnum in a 6.25 lb. rifle, you might want to add a Limbsaver pad to the list. It might be the best $40 you can spend . As for the 3200, it's a fine choice for the T3.

[Okotokian]

Don't own one, but can honestly say I've never heard anything bad about them on this board. I hummed and hawed between the Tikka and the Browning A Bolt which is around the same size and weight. Finally picked the latter, just liked a few of the features a little better. But I can't imagine you would go wrong with the Tikka

[7 REM MAG]

i have a tikka varmint in 22-250 and its hands down a way better gun than my a-bolt in 7 mag

[Okotokian]

Originally Posted by 7 REM MAG

i have a tikka varmint in 22-250 and its hands down a way better gun than my a-bolt in 7 mag

Curious. In what way? Would seem to me they are very different guns in terms of caliber, barrel weight, purpose. What difference and plusses or minuses do you find?

[Salvelinus]

The combo you're looking at: T3 light with 3200 optics is probably the best deal in a rifle/scope combo you can get right now in terms of performance/cost ratio.
BUT... go to the store and shoulder the rifle first. Better yet, go to a range and ask to shoot someone's (pretty common rifles). These rifles are pure sporters, they are light. Some guys like a heavier rifle or one with a different balance. All that matters is getting the rifle that feels right to you.

As for the caliber, are you thinking 7 mag or 7mm-08? The 7-08 will drop the animals you want at the ranges you want to hunt at with a lot less recoil. And remember the tikka is light and the factory recoil pad sucks. They can give you a good kick, especially bench shooting. If you're getting into shooting, the 7-08 might be a more friendly choice for you.

[Ice Fishing Maniac]

I personally prefer the LS models over the SS Lite, but thats me. I have 2 and love them- great shooters.

[jlehman]

for caliber i'm thinking a 7 mag.. my old man has one and its what i've been hunting with for the last four years. would the kick in the tikka be noticeably more then in his gun which is a little heavier? if i buy a scope off of ebay do i still get the warranty with it? what is the warranty on the bushnell's like anyways?

[shooterbuck]

Originally Posted by jlehman

for caliber i'm thinking a 7 mag.. my old man has one and its what i've been hunting with for the last four years. would the kick in the tikka be noticeably more then in his gun which is a little heavier? if i buy a scope off of ebay do i still get the warranty with it? what is the warranty on the bushnell's like anyways?

Not sure about bushnell warranty but I do know that the leupolds warranty is valid.

Dont waste your cash on a zeiss that is made in the states its not a true Zeiss.

While the Zeiss conquest does not have the same coatings as the German made Zeiss scopes,I have found the conquest scope to be brighter in low light situations than the leupold VXIII.Unlike the VXIII,the conquest also has a constant eye relief through the entire magnification range.Since the price is very similar for both,I would choose the Conquest over the VXIII.

[Glockster]

The only thing I dislike about the Tikka is the small ejection port and the inability to top off the mag from the top. I guess old habits just die hard. Other than that they are indeed top notch for the money, a bolt that glides like its on ball bearings, a reasonably good factory trigger and great out of the box accuracy. Busnell Elite 3200's are great and I've had good luck with even the Rifleman Series from Leupold. Remember with scopes..."you get what you pay for."

[7 REM MAG]

the action, trigger, magazine and accuracy are far superior in the tikka, the trigger in my abolt is creepy stiff and unadjustible, the bolt very stiff with the 3 recoil bar that seems to hold grit and dirt that just wont come out, the mag that is contained by the drop plate is imho absolutely retarded, use one system and use it well not both on the market the fact that you have to open the plate and unclip the mag just to load, unload, reload seems to frustrate me and turns into a real pain with cold fingers. Plus my tikka feels betterm shoulders better and seems to be a better built gun

As for the recoil question, the factory pad on tikkas is stiffer than most factory pads and with a lighter gun the gun will move more and the recoil will be less dissipated because of the stiffness of the pad, if your going to go with this gun i would suggest putting a limbsaver pad on it as it will decrease felt recoil significantly

[Mulestalker]

Definitely don't leave the store without a Limbsaver! I have a 25-06 in the T3 Lite and I'm sure it kicks harder than my 300WM.
As far as the gun goes ,like everyone says,smooth action,great accuracy,very light, good choice in my books. I mounted a VXlll on mine but do have a Bushnell 3200 on my varmint gun and it has been outstanding.

[abhunter8]

I really like the T3 and will be buying another one but in a lighter caliber. I just sold a Tikka LS 7mm rem mag as it kicked twice as hard as my Rem Model 700 7mm mag.

[WCTHEMI]

I bought one in 270 WSM, like it so much I picked up a super varminter in 204 ruger. Great shooting rifles.

[jlehman]

thanks for all the input and advice with the limbsaver and scope.... i'll post later in may after i make the big purchase. for now I just have to wait on my PAL 2 months and counting