My new hunting rifle!

[sabrecross03]

Well, I am set for the rest of deer season. I purchased a new Tikka T3 Lite in .308 Winchester. I've heard great things about the Tikka line of rifles and I found a great deal at Bass Pro. It comes with a three-round magazine. I took my old Harris Bi-pod with sling off my other rifle and mounted it on the Tikka. I also mounted a Nikon Buckmaster 4.5x14x40 SF (BDC). The great thing about the Nikon scopes is not only their lifetime warranty but also their software program. I can enter the specific ammo I am using and the program will calculate my bullet drop which is pretty cool.

I bore-sighted it the old fashioned way and I plan on zeroing it tomorrow.

Last, I hand loaded 50 rounds of .308 Win for the zero. I'm using Hornady SST 165 gr bullets, 42 grains of Varget, Winchester large rifle primers, and Winchester virgin brass. My OAL is 2.751 Once I zero, I'll do some testing with higher powder loads amount and make adjustments.

Deer hunting next weekend in Crowell, Texas!!!

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/Roger_Benimoff/Tikka%20T3%20Lite%20308%20Win/IMAG0547.jpg

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/Roger_Benimoff/Tikka%20T3%20Lite%20308%20Win/IMAG0548.jpg

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/Roger_Benimoff/Tikka%20T3%20Lite%20308%20Win/IMAG0549.jpg

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/Roger_Benimoff/Tikka%20T3%20Lite%20308%20Win/IMAG0550.jpg

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/Roger_Benimoff/Tikka%20T3%20Lite%20308%20Win/IMAG0551.jpg

[BruceB]

My sweet Lord.

Is this the "New Technology" or "High Tech" deer hunting?

4.5-14.5X magnification on a .308 DEER RIFLE???

If this is a case of this scope just being the only one available, I could possibly see it....but your magnification level STARTS where most of my hunting scopes STOP. For most big-game purposes, my experience dictates a power range from 1.5-4.5X, and in a couple of cases I mounted 2-7X variables. I'll hasten to add that, when actually hunting, my scopes are set on their LOWEST magnification. The highest settings are usually used only on paper, when zeroing or during load development.

Nice outfit, but I really think that it's "over-scoped".

[richhodg66]

Nice rifle, ought to do well for you.

The 3rd ACR was my first duty assignment ion the Army back when it was at Bliss. I went to Desert Shield and Storm with them, good outfit. I heard they were turning in their tanks and were basically just gonna be another Stryker brigade now, that's a shame.

[sabrecross03]

I talked with my friend the other day who is still on active duty and he confirmed that the 3d ACR was transformed into a stryker regiment. So much for the last Heavy Armored Cavalry Regiment in the Army.


Nice rifle, ought to do well for you.

The 3rd ACR was my first duty assignment ion the Army back when it was at Bliss. I went to Desert Shield and Storm with them, good outfit. I heard they were turning in their tanks and were basically just gonna be another Stryker brigade now, that's a shame.

Just in case I run into a bear while dear hunting...at 500 yards :grin:


My sweet Lord.

Is this the "New Technology" or "High Tech" deer hunting?

4.5-14.5X magnification on a .308 DEER RIFLE???

If this is a case of this scope just being the only one available, I could possibly see it....but your magnification level STARTS where most of my hunting scopes STOP. For most big-game purposes, my experience dictates a power range from 1.5-4.5X, and in a couple of cases I mounted 2-7X variables. I'll hasten to add that, when actually hunting, my scopes are set on their LOWEST magnification. The highest settings are usually used only on paper, when zeroing or during load development.

Nice outfit, but I really think that it's "over-scoped".

[richhodg66]

"I talked with my friend the other day who is still on active duty and he confirmed that the 3d ACR was transformed into a stryker regiment. So much for the last Heavy Armored Cavalry Regiment in the Army."

My little brother just got back from a deployment with the 3rd ACR a few months ago.

It's kinda funny, when I first came in, there were three Cav Regiments, the 2nd and 11th in Germany and the 3rd at Bliss. Then the drawdown came and everybody thought that cav Regiments (which were for all intens and purposes permanently task organized Brigades) were too expensive and were an inefficient way or organizing units. So we cut two and basically all Briagdesa were organized pure Armor or Mech and were task organized when they went to fight, giving the commander and staff the challenge of figuring out stuff he had to work with that he didn't have on a day to day basis.

Then when we started cutting Divisions HQs, we came up with the BCT concept which gave a maneuver Brigade its logistical and fire supposr assets all teh time, and I thought "Hmmm, this organizations is starting to look like a Cav Regiment". Now with the modular Brigades with Combined Arms Battalions, organic DS Artillery and logistical support, it looks Very, very much like the old Cav Regiment, so we've come full circle in just the past 20 years or so.

We're on the brink of another drawdown like we had in the '90s and I'm retiring in 2012, so I'm glad I won't have to go through all the BS again. It'd be pretty cool if they could get the organization and size of the Army right and quit messing with it.

OK, rant over. Cool rifle, those Tikkas are pretty well thought of by everyone I've talked to about them.

[Blammer]

actually, I'd like to get a scope that that magnification on it, but in 50mm, so I can shoot at those time when the light is just not right and you want to see what you're aiming at.

[longhorn]

Usually, I'd sorta tend toward BruceB's comments here, but I happen to know the area around Crowell a little; my godparents farmed outside Thalia. The bipod and big scope are appropriate for that country; I'd keep it set on the lowest power, but a close range shot seems pretty unlikely. Horses for courses.

[williamwaco]

Oh, My!

That very rifle was on the bench to my immediate right at Garland Public Shooting Range today.

Was that you?




.

[RKJ]

Nice rifle. I agree the scope is too much for me but I live in Missouri where 200 yard shots are rare, usually you've got a 25 - 50 yard shot or less. I'm sorry to hear the Cav has been dine away with O9or has it?) I spent my entire time in the Army at Knox (BC/AIT and back & forth between H Co,2/6 Cav and E Trp 2/6. I was a remf and we were a TDA unit but I was Cav dammit. :) Too many years ago though (74 - 77). I ended up in the Navy and retired in 99. Again though good looking rifle. How's she shoot?

[winelover]

A 4.5 X 14 wouldn't be my first choice in a deer rifle but it is workable. I have used my 270 W with a 4.5 X 14 Leo, for shots as close as 15 yards to well over 150. Just keep it set for 4.5 magnification. If a long shot is presented, you usually have time to dial it up. Stand placement determines which gun I choose to hunt with. With your bi-pod, a high magnification seems appropriate. IMO. Like others said, 2 X 7 might be a much better choice.

Winelover

[HollowPoint]

You're going to like your new Tikka.

I bought a T3 varminter in 308 caliber a few years back and it turned out to be a tack-diver. It didn't take a whole lot of load work up to have it shooting bug holes.

I got a deer with it the first time I took it hunting; also, I've taken a few long range coyotes with it as well. I especially like the super smooth actions on these rifles.

At one point I thought about buying one of the Tikka Long Action cartridge magazines just to see if I could load and shoot the longer VLD bullets with the same accuracy as the lighter weight bullets.

I have yet to try it though. Very Nice rifle.

I have a similar Nikon 14 power Scope on mine. I figure, it's my rifle; my money bought it; I'll mount any scope I want to on it. I guess I'm not very Scope-Savy but, it seems to work very well for me.

HollowPoint

[white eagle]

I would put that scope on my rifle
nice set up
I have a 3.5-10x Ziess scope on my 280 ai

[Reload3006]

very nice Congrats.

[Larry Gibson]

Nice rifle. Suggest you work up to 45 gr Varget with the 165 gr bullet. I get better accuracy and more consistent velocities with 45 gr under 168/175 gr MKs in my match .308W. BTW they pressure test under SAAMI MAP for the .308W.

Larry Gibson

[sabrecross03]

No, I wish it was. It's been raining here non-stop...


Oh, My!

That very rifle was on the bench to my immediate right at Garland Public Shooting Range today.

Was that you?




.

[sabrecross03]

Thanks I received a similar suggestion from another friend. I imagine it will not be long before I increase the load.


Nice rifle. Suggest you work up to 45 gr Varget with the 165 gr bullet. I get better accuracy and more consistent velocities with 45 gr under 168/175 gr MKs in my match .308W. BTW they pressure test under SAAMI MAP for the .308W.

Larry Gibson

[Ben]

I hope you like your Tikka as much as I like mine ! !

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/Photo0175.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/Photo0182.jpg

[swheeler]

Sabrecross03; nice rifle!

Ben; dang man wish you could shoot a group with all the bullet holes in frame, jeesh 4 of them are missin' :)

[2Tite]

I've hunted deer for 50 years now. Killed a few along the way. Quite a few years ago I decided that the .308 was ideal for me as my shots are from 10 to 300 yds. Most are around 200 to 250. After all those years and many rifles and scopes later I just this year settled on what I think best and will next year hunt with what I've found to be ideal. Yep, it's 4.5 - 14 power and 50 mm. It'll stay set somewhere between 8-10. You can talk that low power stuff all you guys want to but from 100 yds out there's more to be said for "seein' than there is to be said against it.

[LAH]

I hunt the hardwoods of WV & have lately used a 6.5-20X 50MM. The optics are so clear & gather lots of light. Always before I used a Weaver Micro Trac 4X which came from Weaver (TX) to replace one rolled on by a horse.

[Brithunter]

Ok let's talk scopes on deer hunting rifles for a moment ;) Now I know that things are done a bit differently here in the UK to those in the US but about the normal scope for deer stalking here in the UK for a long time has been the 6x42 and a lot are using 8x56 scopes. In the last 15 years or so more are switching to the variables with lots of stalkers using scopes like this one:-

Schmidt & Bender 3-12x50 LM A7 Ret 30mm tube,

I use a variety of scopes as I cannot afford new so have to get what I can afford used. My last hunting trip I used a 59 Vintage BSA Majestic Featherweight in 270 Win fitted with a Lisenfeld 3-9x42 wiht the scope set on 6x and using that combo took this 6 pt Roe Buck:-

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v166/Brithunter/Stalking/P4150042.jpg

Have recently acquired another one of these Lisenfeld 3-9x42's and a Lisenfeld 6x42 then last week I picked up a Meopta 7x50 scope.

Another of my rifes has a Schmidt & Bender 6x42 on it:-

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v166/Brithunter/P-H%201200C/P2120140.jpg

My P-H 1100 Deluxe in 30-06 has a Tasco Titan 3-9x42:-

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v166/Brithunter/Parker-Hale/CleanedRHSActionscope.jpg

I just set them at 6x and use them like that. Here in the UK we have deer stalking (hunting) 364 days a year. The only thing that changes is sex and species. Some like the Muntjac deer have no close season at all. Using the 6x42 I have shot deer from 10 paces to a couple of hundred yards.