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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
A7 mag is 3.34" in my 7RM but there is a bit of plastic you could cut outQuote:
Originally Posted by Shearer
I use to bag the A7 because i split the fore end and couldnt find a drop in stock. but that was until i shot a tikka ,which after being use to A7 felt like holding a piece of 4x2. But as said above it looks as though they have addressed that issue. I think its worth the extra $300.
Couldn't you just be more careful when hunting with your bavarian?
Or maybe just get another stock for your bavarian? For the cost of a tikka or an A& you would pick up a good quality synthetic stock for a Sako 85. Then at least you still get to run round with the quality of a Sako in a stock you don't mind beating up a bit.
What he saidQuote:
Originally Posted by veitnamcam
T3 with a laminate stock maybe another option
ive got an improved A7 and the stock is very stiff. the sling swivel wont be going anywhere in a hurry even with the bipod loaded, certainly a huge improvement over the initial stock.Quote:
Originally Posted by username
T3 vs A7 vs 85, note this was done with the old stock.
http://www.biggamehunt.net/reviews/sako-a7-review
Taking it all in guys and leaning towards a decision but just to throw a spanner into the works, wondering what peoples opinions of the Tikka T3 Lamintated are as well? I've never seen one even but it's something I'd consider. I like a bit of weight to help steady me on offhand shots.
boyds is bringing out a T3 stock if you want to save some coin.
+1 or if you can hold off for a while and would consider a as new second hand rifle , l would look at a 75 or 85 off Abused guns there have been some bargains coming up there, if you take your time and look and make a offer on one that has been sitting for a while :thumbsup: l picked up a 75ss in 300wby with optilock mounts,loopy vx3 and a limbsaver fitted and 2 1/2 boxes of ammo for less than a Mctikka a while ago and was very happy,a lot of blokes cant handle or have no use for the bigger bangers here .The reason l went this way is that as well as being a much better built and handling , l will just keep the 75 now and it will always have the memories of me getting my first of what ever species or the bang stick l took to the Fiordlands/Africa for the first time etc but thats just meQuote:
Originally Posted by PerazziSC3
At the moment the missus and I are saving for a house so I promised that this is the last money I will spend on firearms for a long time. I've got one good rifle and I'm not going to be in a position to save and spend big on anything hunting for a long time so I just want something that I can use as is and not looking at getting second hand higher end guns or altering stocks or anything like that.
Appreciate everyones help but i just want a gun that's good as is for the least money spent possible.
Went through this recently myself. Ordered an X-Bolt. Yes, I know it isn't on your list but to me the other two went out the window as soon as I tried it. Have a play.
Note: haven't shot any of them, just played with them in shops.
Cheers man, not at all meaning to offend but I can't stand the X Bolt and A Bolts, to me they feel like plastic toys. I know a few blokes that are good hunters who swear by theirs and I'm sure they are great to those that own them but I personally wouldn't have one.Quote:
Originally Posted by MattyP
At this stage I'm tossing up between the A7 and laminate stainless.
If anyone knows whether my Limbsaver for a tikka t3 would work on the A7 it might be the clincher.
Cheers
I just recently purchased a brand new t3 laminate in 308 would never use a syn stock with a t3 But I'm very happy with mine I don't have a limbs aver on it. But may put one on in the future the reason I went with the laminate . It's strength in the fore end I've found the syn ones can be twisted in your handsQuote:
Originally Posted by Bavarian_Hunter
What is the weight difference between the laminate Tikka and the A7 ?
Is this rifle going to be " carried a lot , shot little " or " shot a lot , carried little "
Ken
Aren't you shooting 300wm out of that rifle you bought just less than a year ago?
Thanks GJ good advice, you're the first person who's owned one that I've spoken to.
GC - they are similar but the Laminate is heavier by a few hundred grams. Carried a lot shot a little I'd say. Will do my annual NZ trip and a lot of high country stuff. I like a bit of extra weight to help steady for offhand shots. and the bav being the bav is a bloody heavy rifle so these two are both lightweights compared!
Why yes I do sir, but phil the Bav is my good rifle and may as well count as not existing when talking about travelling and high country hunting. I'm not going to put another scratch on her so it's just my red and fallow gun from now on and any other easy going hunting. I love the 300WM cal. so a second rifle to me makes sense especially considering I already have the dies for it!
HAH I bet you had a hard time convincing the missus that you had to buy a separate gun in the same calibre because the last gun you bought you can't use on certain hunting trips. Between this and the puppy drama I'm a little worried for you and the missus :XD: hahaQuote:
Originally Posted by Bavarian_Hunter
yeah mate i have a tikka t3 with laminate stock, its in 300wsm.
Awesome feeling gun, nice and solid, got a bit of weight to it but still not to bad.
Also have a limbsaver on it which is still honestly up there with one of the best purchases i have made, they are an awesome product.
BH - I have to second mattyp. I recently have also been in the same boat and tried everything from the T3, the A7, the 85, a bolt, x bolt and even a steyr manlicher!Quote:
Originally Posted by Bavarian_Hunter
For me the xbolt was the best, the duratouch stock, to me, was the best of the synthetics and the wooden Brownings were even nicer. I would recommend the xbolt as the best bang for your buck but second to that was the 85, then the a7 then the steyr then the t3. The t3 had a really cheap feeling stock. A bolts admittedly were not so good although many hunters swear on their accuracy and I'd trust browning to deliver that.
If you really can't bare to touch a browning xbolt then the 85 and a7 were really really nice and shot exceptionally well. And slightly more accurate than the t3 which for long range stuff will matter.
Hope this confuses and helps you - good luck man, always exciting buying new rifle.
Sent from my Browning
What he saidQuote:
Originally Posted by veitnamcam
What did u decide in the end BH.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
While waiting for the .270 to sell I went out and bought myself a completely different gun so now I have no money left haha I've decided though if I want a long range rig I may as well go the whole way and get the proper stuff so I'm going to save up and get a 338 Lap or something end of next year and just keep the .270 for the medium range stuff in places I don't want to take the 300WM.
Damn right!Quote:
Originally Posted by veitnamcam