Thread: Committed to new rifle, now which one?

Hey fellas,
Went to the gun dealers today and he's going to sell my .270 Remington and with that money plus a bit more I'm going to buy a 300wm for long range stuff and hills hunting. Tossing up between sako a7 or tikka t3 hunter. Only negative with the hunter is I'm worried about warping in constant wet or humid places. Is it really a legit concern or not? Peoples opinions between the two?

where are you planning to hunt?

Tikka over the A7 - coming from a Rem700 owner. Timber stocks have been around a bit long and seem to have done OK.

Bill - I try to do an NZ trip once a year but it'll mostly be for Victorian High Country sambar hunting. You can get rain, hail or shine there with all of that.

US - I have only ever had wooden stocks but it's always been on the back of my mind about warping. This year in NZ my Bav spent the whole week without being dry and I was just petrified it'd warp. It didn't but it's the only thing making me hesitate with the T3 Hunter

If you go with the A7, make sure you get a current model with the Soft Touch (ST) stock as opposed to the original A7 stock that had a smooth finish. The ST stock has ribs in the fore end and weighs about 250g more than the original - which reportedly had some issues with cracking.

could go the T3 and then change the stock?

buy a standard t3 and put a stug stock on it mate

Everyone will tell u to buy a tikka and that a A7 is an expensive tikka. but i think the A7 has a great feel, top loading mag and a nicer feel bolt. The A7s flaws are tinny fore end (that can be stiffened) and lack of after market bits.

Forget them both and buy a secondhand 75 or if your wallet can handle it a new 85.

Never had a stock warp or even change point of impact due to weather. Keep it oiled up and your good.

T3s magazine length will restrict you if you are loading for the 300wm. Not sure about the a7.
Wood stocks are fine if properly cared for.

A7 over a T3 anyday.

I am , and always will be a wooden stock guy , but the world moves on and progress happens .
I personally probably wont ever own another " hard use " wooden stocked rifle . I will continue to own and use a few wooden stocked favourites that I have some history with , but they will not be the ones I grab when I know that I'm going to be doing some hard yards in hard conditions .
That job is now the domain of my " Plastic Fantastic " .


Ken

Appreciating all the help guys. I spose the main thing is that my Bavarian is my good rifle and I have no desire to spend thousands on this one. I just need a rifle that can do my international trips and high country work and that I don't have to worry about if it gets knocked and scratched.

completely agree Username, I really do like the A7, the negative of the A7 is that it's $300 dearer, negatives of the Tikka is the wood. Don't really like the T3 Lite, especially in the 300WM calibre I want to get it in. I've got a Limbsaver for a Tikka T3 which is another positive for the Tikka over the A7.

It's all so hard

Originally Posted by Shearer

T3s magazine length will restrict you if you are loading for the 300wm. Not sure about the a7.
Wood stocks are fine if properly cared for.

A7 mag is 3.34" in my 7RM but there is a bit of plastic you could cut out