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And if you want to go full-blown Tikka, nitrous injection, milled rings and the grocery bag trick, you'll go Tikka 7mm-08.
/thread
Well, until Pharmy chimes in.....and this thread could go 5 stars if that happens.

:)

You sure got that right. Come to think of it, I'd opt for the 7-08 as well. However, the OP seemed set on the 308. Where is pharmy at anyway?? Probably over there on 24hr campfire...:D
 
I was able to pick up a new Tikka T3 Lite in .308 (last one on the shelf) at the Kelso Sportsmans Warehouse a couple of weeks ago for $450. The new T3x's are almost twice that price. I put a Redfield 3-9 x 40 scope on it and immediately grouped sub-moa at 100 yards. The rifle is light enough to carry backpacking, therefore has quite a bit of kick, yet shoots lights out. Not saying I would take it to the 600 yd line with that scope and attempt to hit anything, but the rifle seems well poised to do what you are looking for. There are larger rounds available for hunting but .308 carries plenty of punch at distances less than 400 yards. Anyone who tells you they are taking (hunting) shots at longer distances than this is disrespecting the animal and not someone I ever want to hunt with. Too long a shot, and you may never find the animal, due to the distance you have to travel just to get to where you last saw it, before it wandered off and died somewhere else. Too long a shot, and the decrease in energy makes it a non-lethal shot, with the same result. I don't see this as a negative to .308. Rather, understanding your weapon and understanding the limitations of your equipment makes you a better hunter and shooter.
 
You did not specify what your dad said would be a good caliber for hunting.

Personally I do like the 308 for killing deer or elk. If you don't reload your own ammo and I am guessing that since you said you have not hunted for 20 years that you don't do much shooting at all, you probably don't load your own ammo either. You can buy some pretty good factory ammo for the 308.

If it was me however, I would choose something with a smaller bullet. Either a 6.5 or 7 millimeter bullet will kill deer, elk and moose. At least they do in places like Finland and Norway, and they do it with less recoil than the 308. Instead of the 308 you could use the 708 which is just a 308 case with a 7 millimeter bullet in it. There are several good 6.5 millimeter rounds available these days as well. Your options are many across several calibers.

Either that Bergara or any of the other semi-custom rifles on the market now would work fine for hunting. Many of them would work well for target shooting as well, but keep in mind that after 40 most people start to have issues with eyesight, so the other factor you should keep in mind is what kind of sights you will want on your rifle. A good scope may well cost as much as the rifle. Possibly more. My target scope cost me twice as much as my target rifle, and the rifle was not cheap. It is currently on its' third barrel because I tend to shoot them enough to actually wear them out.
:rolleyes:
 
My only bolt gun is a Winchester Model 70 in 7MM Rem Magnum, It would have been a Savage 110 of the same caliber if I had the $100 it cost in the early 60'S, I have not hunted for game since then.
 
.308 is just fine for any north American big game.
I use a .30-06 because it gives a load choice of 150-220 grain ammo. Drops anything in North America. Took a moose last fall in Canada with it. Though I would upsize if you're wanting to go for Kodiak or Grizzly.
If you do a majority of antelope, .243 is a good choice. Antelope is long range, you want a fast round. It's also a good varmint gun.
my hunting buddy uses a 340 mag; it's a darn cannon, but game just drops. So does his shoulder after a few rounds, and he's 6'4 270#.
Really, it's just what you're comfortable shooting and how much weight you want to lug how far...
The basic is that it's really placement over caliber.

I'm turning 40 soon and seriously thinking about buying my first bolt gun and would like some advice from the folks that are really experienced. It might just be the only bolt gun I get and the idea of getting an all around hunting/match type of gun sounds great.

- So do you think there are bolt guns that can be both or are they simply two different tools?

I have been looking at the Savage Storm 110 in something like a .308 but my dad who is extremely knowledgable says that is the wrong round for hunting but I don't want to get my bubblegum handed to me at the range either. Not having hunted for a long time (20 years) I don't know if a "hunting rifle" only is right.

- Is this gun worth using as a match/target gun? Or simply a hunting gun?
- Is the .308 a worthy hunting round?

I really like this too: http://bergarausa.com/bergara_b-14_series_hmr_hunting_and_match_rifle.php
The gun looks great and looks more like a match gun but the company calls it 14 HMR Hunting Match Rifle.

- Do you think the Bergara can be a good hunting gun? Or simply a match gun?

Hope that wasn't too long winded, there is simply way too many calibers and guns to choose from. Thanks ahead of time for any info! :)
 
Tikka make's a beautiful rifle. A guy in my hunting party last year had one and after seeing in in action, it's on my list.

A .270 Winchester is a much misunderstood cartridge, and yet one of the best all around for ALL north American game! An I have Zero problems using it for elk of even dangerous game that might try to kill you back! A classic Mauser action chambered in .270 would be an awesome combo!
There is a current push for long range hunting and rifles built to those needs, while they are cool, they can be expensive and heavy, two things you really don't want in the high mountains miles away from camp! Hard to go wrong with a Tikka, they offer an awful lot for the price, and they preform very well! If the European calibers were more readily available here in the States, I would say choose a 6.5X55 Swede or a 7X57 and call it good! My main hunting rifle is a Tikka Super Varmint in .30/06, while it's slightly heavier then a standard T-3, it's lighter then the same config rifle from other makers! .30/06 is popular for a number of reasons and is long proven, but it's only down side is it's actually too powerful for deer sized game! One of the reasons for the .270 and even the .25/06!!!
 
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

There are two kinds of hunters in this world - those who hunt with a Tikka in 7mm-08, and those who will. Or should. Or want to. Whatever.

All of the following is my opinion only, but based on 40 years of experience (I'm 54, started at 14). The key is, buy whatever you want, of course, because you won't go wrong. There's some great rifles out there. I'm sold on the Tikka. More on that later.

I started with a model 70 Winchester in .30-06, which blessed me with a flinch that I carry to this day. I still have the rifle but it took me years to learn how to shoot it well. I sure as heck didn't select a .30-06 as my son's first centerfire big game rifle!

I've killed deer with .30-06, .348 Win, .30-30, .300 Weatherby Mag, and 7mm-08. Lots and lots of them. I've also killed elk with .30-06, .300 Weatherby Mag, 7mm Rem Mag, and 7mm-08 (14 total), and antelope with .30-06 and 7mm-08 (only two, it's a tough tag to draw).

Newsflash: every animal I've ever killed, I could have killed just as dead with my 7mm-08. Deer, antelope, even elk. The 7mm-08 is, in my opinion, the ideal cartridge for many, if not most, applications. Most game is taken well inside of 300 yards. Nothing that you're going to shoot will know the difference between a .308 caliber (which is the measurement of the size of the hole in the barrel, .30-06, .308 Win, .30-30, even .300 Win Mag are the same caliber) bullet and a 7mm caliber (.284) bullet. And I don't care about differences in muzzle velocity. Above a certain threshold additional fps are meaningless.

What matters most? Placement! Placement placement placement. The Mighty -08 combines mild recoil with a killing power that goes beyond its size. A 140 Partition or Accubond (Nosler factory ammo) at 2800 feet per second muzzle velocity is a killing machine. How about a 150 ELDX at 2700 fps (Hornady factory ammo), it's a killer too. Plenty of juice but mild recoil.

So what about recoil you may ask? Here's my thesis: people shoot lighter recoiling cartridges better. They don't anticipate recoil (aka kick), they're not afraid of the punishment, and they enjoy shooting more. More shooting equals more practice, more practice equals better skills, better skills equals better placement, better placement equals dead critters. And it's more fun.

PLUS you don't need a big cartridge to kill stuff. Lots of folks will tell you you need a .308 caliber at minimum for elk. Horse hockey, and I'll prove it in my next post.



P
 
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How about some money shots? All rifles are Tikka T3 Lite stainless except for one Superlite, all in 7mm-08, three rifles total. If you want me to post deer pictures the number of Tikka 7mm-08s goes to four as I added a Superlite as a backup.

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Spike bull, 346 lasered yards, one shot, DRT (dead right there, didn't take a step). 140 Partition through both lungs, exited.


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That's my dad with a big 5x5 he took a couple of years ago. 140 Accubond, 225 yards, one shot through both lungs, exited. The bull staggered 90 feet and fell over. Note the entrance hole.

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A bull I killed in 2013, same load as the spike, 68 yards, DRT. I actually caught the bullet under the hide on the off side. Wrecked both lungs, broke the near side scapula.

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My nephew's bull from 2017, his first. 407 lasered yards, 150 ELDX. The first shot killed him but he was still standing, so Ryan hit him again.

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He didn't need to, but if they're still standing we're still shooting. That's the entrance.

Placement, and the skill to do it. If you want dead buck pictures let me know. I focused on elk because they're a lot bigger. If the Mighty -08 can DRT a bull it will darn sure do a number on a buck.



P
 
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Now let's talk about the platform. I've hunted with Weatherby, Ruger, Winchester, Remington, and Tikka. By far I prefer the Tikka.

Light but not too light, with the best factory trigger I've ever squeezed. Make no mistake, a good trigger is essential. The crowning achievement, however, is the accuracy. I've never shot a factory rifle with this kind of out-of-the-box (meaning no gunsmithing required) accuracy. Ever.

A few examples, all 7mm-08, three or four different rifles. All targets were shot at 100 yards unless noted at 200.

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140 Accubond, 200 yards.

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140 Partition

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140 Partition

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My best friend's son shot this group. He used this rifle and load to kill his first buck in 2017.

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Same load as above, different rifle. Pretty rare.

IMG_0018.JPG

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Now, can you get this kind of accuracy elsewhere? Sure! Will you have to pay a lot more for it? Probably. The above targets are from four different rifles, and most of them shoot the same load. In my experience this is rare.

Some people like to criticize the Tikka for its plastic trigger guard and magazines. "Plastikka" is the criticism I hear most often. For me the proof is in the targets. Or pudding. Whatever.

Go handle a bunch of rifles. Talk to people you trust, not people who are trying to sell you something (and that's funny, I'm a sales guy), and make up your own mind. If you can, shoot someone's rifle a few times, compare recoil. And if someone rags on you about needing a bigger rifle, re-read my post. And let us know what you decide.

If you buy a Tikka, find a T3, not a T3x, then let me know. I'll show you some cool stuff you can do to it.





P
 
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Pharm, if it's all about accuracy and target pics, I say he should get my winchester model 70 338wm:

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NOT!!!! :p I'm a model 70 guy though and through, but 9 times out of 10, I'll suggest a Tikka for a new shooter. They are light, they are accurate, and they are affordable. They are also a damn good hunting rifle.. I find no faults with them and appreciate them for what they are...
 
Okay, a few buck pictures, why not. All 7mm-08, all Tikka.

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My nephew, 2017. Notice the entrance tight behind the front leg. 325 yards. I'm posting because I like the grin.

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My friend's son's first buck, 2017. 102 yards, offhand. That's the exit. Again, posting for the smile.

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Not a bad speed goat, 2014. 306 yards, DRT.

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My brother's buck from a few years ago. Pretty 3x3.

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A little 4x4 from 2017. 175 yards maybe. Note the entrance.


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We practice from field shooting positions. A lot. In varying conditions, but I still won't shoot in a wind. Out to 600 yards (my personal limit). These two bucks were taken the same evening, about a third of a mile apart. Mine's the one on the right. One shot, 541 lasered yards, 140 Partition, exited. Broke both shoulders and wrecked the lungs, DRT. The other buck was 440 yards, also one shot, 140 Accubond. Blew through both lungs, exited. Both bucks are indeed tagged, you just can't tell from the angle.

There are more pictures but you get the idea.




P
 
Was looking at this too. And I wasn't set on the .308 as much as a place to start. The .270, .30-06 and .300 WinMag were the other choices.

Browning® X-Bolt Hell's Canyon Speed Bolt-Action Rifles : Cabela's

270 is a little faster and flatter shooting than the 30-06, and you can actually reload it down to a lighter varmint load good on P-dogs and yodel puppies. I've taken Elk and P-dogs with it in AZ.
Gentler on the shoulder too.
The 308 is just a shortened 30-06 loaded a little lighter. Both of them have served sniper duty in the past, and all 3 will bring home the bacon on anything in the USA in skilled hands.
The Eskimos used the 270
routinely to take everything from Polar Bear on down!

If you are going mostly for smaller stuff such as deer and smaller
start looking at the .25 caliber on down to .223.
Almost unheard of anymore the 257Roberts was very accurate, and the 243 Winchester will out shoot the 223Remington and stomped but on the old .226Rem. that had the wrong rate of twist and had accuracy problems, so they re thought it out and went to the 223 and a much faster rate of twist, and came up with a good varmint load, that found its way to Nam.
My $0.02 worth, I'm sure the guys will all sell you their pet loads and guns.
Try as many guns as you can and at least go and handle as many as you can. You want a rifle that fits you and feels good and comes up to your eye naturally, you want it to come to you not the other way around.
My nephew joined a fancy gun club/shooting range/store in Scottsdale, AZ, and thru them was able to try anything they had hanging on the wall, he ended up buying elsewhere, but the months dues was money well spent. It was also a lot closer for hand gun work than driving all the way over to Ben Avery shooting range, and air conditioned as well. So I think he decided to go annual.
I hope this helps, I've lived up to my handle! :rolleyes:o_O
Gabby
PS
You might find something you like here, CZ has a great reputation, the closest I've come is handling a used 22LR rifle in a gun shop and wishing that puppy could follow me home. :(
Standard Centerfire - CZ-USA


My nephew ended up taking home the Compass in .223/5.56, and it shot sub MOA right out of the box. Really affordable, you could easily buy one for big game and a varmint gun for the price of one of the more expensive brands. He really likes his.
Take a look here.
https://www.tcarms.com/firearm-selector

His ammo

5.56mm, manufactured by Magtech/CBC
1,000 rounds; twenty 50 round boxes in a MA2A1 ammo can.
They are 55 gr FMJ-BT with cannelure.
Casings are Boxer primed, brass with visible annealing per mil-spec and sealed case mouth.
Muzzle velocity is 3,165 FPS out of a 20 inch barrel.

Compass accuracy
2 groups at sight in were 0.2455" & 0.394". at 100yds.
His cost with $75.00 mail in rebate was $199!
I think that is very impressive. BTW he was a Marine and served in the desert over there where they ride camels. He knows one end of a rifle from the other!!!!!
Proud Uncle Gabby
 
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..308 but my dad who is extremely knowledgable says that is the wrong round for hunting..
Due to modern powders for quite a while now the .308 is what the 30-06 used to be for generations.. it has the same ballistics now as the classic 30-06 of old.. so someone saying that the .308 is "wrong" for hunting is misinformed to put it mildly.
With that said, you'll probably run into an elk at 1200 yards so you might as well just pony up for a 7 pound .338 Lapua Magnum just to be safe.
 

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