Finished gathering accessories.
Tikka T3 Lite SS 7mm-08 *625.00
Sightron Big Sky 3-9x42 Duplex *298.00
Harris Pivoting Ultralight 25" Bipod *140.00
Limbsaver Stockpad *27.00(Really nice after 80 rounds)
Claw no-slip. *19.00 (Usually go with leather/suede, but after trying these out, I am glad to report I like the grip factor on these slings.)

Sighted her in out in West Texas last weekend.
3 shot groups with 140gr...
Rem Core-lokt SP= 1.25" @ 200 yards.
Federal Fusion SP = 0.90" @ 200 yards
Hornady American White Tail Interlocks (139gr) = cloverleafed with 2 just almost in the same hole @ 100 yards.

Crosswind gusting from 3-12 mph L to R
Temp 88F
Elevation 3735'

Didn't have time to shoot the other loads I had with me. I was really impressed with how much this rifle liked the Hornady. Especially since it was only 20 bucks a box. I can honestly say this gun shoots better than I do.





I wanted to post the group pics too, but I didn't have the camera with me. I will add some in November when we get back out that way to shoot some more.

Thanks for looking!

Scope info here: http://www.texashuntingforum.com/forum/u...Big#Post4517426

Gotta love Tikkas. I put one together for a friend of mine and it is a great hunting rifle.

Tikka 708
Ziess Conquest 4-14x44
DNZ scope mount
Great light weight hunting rifle and it is a hammer with hand loads.

I am considering a DNZ or Talley 1pc and a B&C Medalist as future upgrades. After shooting it, I'm having a hard time convincing myself to change anything this year.

nice! love those tikkas,have a couple myself. they are great rifles

I love the 243 that I have. I will say tho the first thing I did was throw those rings away.

Nice.

I've heard that the recoil pin can shear on the magnums. I pushed 80+ rounds on some well torqued factory rings without any issues so far. I don't think a 7-08 will mangle the factory rings if they are torqued down well. Now,having said that,I do want to replace them with as low of a profile set up that I can, in Stainless Steel. I wouldn't mind getting a SS scope,and had looked at Zeiss,but they discontinued the model I was looking at. Haven't ruled out the Sako Opti-locks either.

I just got a Tikka T3 Hunter (blued) in .308 Win. and love the heck out of it. Changed out the original wood stock for a Bell & Carlson and have a Nikon Buckmaster 6-18 SF BDC on it for now (looking at Sightron though, I have one on another rifle and they are BRIGHT). For the kind of shooting I do (below 500 yards, deer, hogs and varmints), it's about perfect being a good length and lightweight. Outstanding accuracy with either handloads or factory ammo. The factory rings work just fine for my uses.

You now have me contemplating a bipod.

Good looking rifle you got there.

TTH_40, Go Harris, and go with the pivoting model. I'm 6'3" and I thought I'd need the 27", but the 25" was just right for sitting.

Nice looking rig.

nice

I dropped the trigger pull to 2 lbs. That ought to bring my groups in a bit on the next session. I thought it was sweet at 3,but WOW 2 is fantastic. Very impressed with this factory trigger. Zero uptake and zero creep. It's breaking like a glass hair.

Really disappointed about the Core-lokt groups. However, the first 40 rounds were Core-lokt and the barrel started to sweeten up around 50 rounds. They weren't so bad I wouldn't shoot a deer at 200 yards, but not any further. The tips were deformed and flattened, so that may account for some deviation.

I bought the 20 dollar box of Hornady American Whitetail just for giggles. I was dang impressed with the groups they produced. Still haven't run any Federal Premium NP or BT down the barrel. I have high expectations though.

The Sightron adjustments were dead on and the glass was clear as a bell.

I'm running med talleys on my .300 win mag and zeiss 4.5-14x44. I read to many reports about scope movement with the factory rings. Didnt want to chance it. I also know what you mean about those nice triggers, as mine adjusted down quite nice. I would try a box of fusions if you can get them, they seems to shoot good in almost every rifle i have!

Good deal

how do you like 7mm? im thinking about getting one

it that kinda similar to 270? not too familiar with the 7mm

Try this out Vickury:

http://www.federalpremium.com/downloads/ballistic_app/Federal_Premium_Ballistic_App_Setup.EXE

You can compare ballistics with different Federal Loads in different calibers.

For me, with a rifle this light especially, 7-08 was just the way to go. It's pretty close to a 270 with less recoil. When I ran the numbers, the T3 had more recoil than my brother's 270 due to the weight difference with a lower recoil velocity. Once I added the accessories it brought it down some. I fired a little over 80 rounds while sighting it in and trying in at different conditions as the morning wore on. I don't know if I'd want to shoot that much in one sitting with the 270. I don't really mind recoil like 12g buckshot, and I don't notice it at all in my 44mag rifle to give you a reference. Heavy Turkey loads, on the other hand, will get my attention!

Sweet ride. If your chasing accuracy. Hand load!

I think the Hornady will single hole at 100 with the trigger set at 2lbs. It's all on me now.

I still need to shoot Fed Prem Nosler Partitions and BT's. I have high hope for those as well.

Fusions were so-so,still 0.45" at 100.

Core-lokts were terrible in comparison, but still huntable.

Don't discount the core-loks. My 7-08 tikka did not hit its best groups right out of the box. I'm glad I'm a shooter and put a lot of rounds down range that day. I wound up with .6" or less 5 shot groups with federal fusion. Consistently.

Mine (wife's) wears talley light weights and its great.





Not as good as my tikka .308 but way lighter and top of the line for a hunting rig.

Yessir,the groups were tightening up after 50 rounds.

My first 40 were Corelokts. Fusions were pretty good, but holy smokes the Hornady were spot on. The wind was dead to 12mph gusts,so it made it very difficult to dial in. We were beside a wind break and the bullet had to travel past an open gap, another small break and then open terrain to target.

I figure on putting at least 100-150 more rounds down range the next time we get out there.

I hate to admit it, but I'm already thinking about a 25-06, or maybe a 22-250 for variety. I am very please with the 7-08, and it will probably be my go to rifle.

Looks nice