My Son in Law is a practical kid. 30 years old and his new rifle is a Tikka Roughtech in 7mm Remington. Proud of him. mtmuley
280 AI vs. 7 PRC
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noharleyyet
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Wind Gypsy
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Except for the tikka part, right?
Wind Gypsy
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I'd probably lean more towards 280AI personally but they both are fine. I went 7 SAUM in that realm which is kind of between the two. Definitely a handloader only cartridge. Agree that 7RM would be an attractive consideration as well.
Edit for clarification: I leaned 280 primarily because its less recoil and if its your only rifle the more pleasant to shoot the better. Also, I thought hornady was primary factory ammo option still for 7PRC and hornady ammo seems to have gone to shit. A quick look on ammoseek shows quite a few options from federal, norma, and even nosler and remington for the PRC as well though. I haven't shot my 7 SAUM in probably 2 years because I dont need that much cartridge but I also haven't elk hunted the last 2 years. 22, 6, and 6.5s are much more pleasant to shoot.
Edit for clarification: I leaned 280 primarily because its less recoil and if its your only rifle the more pleasant to shoot the better. Also, I thought hornady was primary factory ammo option still for 7PRC and hornady ammo seems to have gone to shit. A quick look on ammoseek shows quite a few options from federal, norma, and even nosler and remington for the PRC as well though. I haven't shot my 7 SAUM in probably 2 years because I dont need that much cartridge but I also haven't elk hunted the last 2 years. 22, 6, and 6.5s are much more pleasant to shoot.
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Hammsolo
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I love my Tikka’s, but holding and running the Seekins is next level. Tikka’s also need “tune ups” to get them to that next level, bottom metal and such. Not going to lie, I like nice shit. Given the choice I’d rather have fewer rifles of higher quality than more rifles of less quality.
The 7 rem mag is a great cartridge, but the prc is essentially the new and improved version. 270’s are amazing, but I want more pop, and heavier steel smacking potential.
The 7 rem mag is a great cartridge, but the prc is essentially the new and improved version. 270’s are amazing, but I want more pop, and heavier steel smacking potential.
Mustangs Rule
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Not that many years ago I bought a new Kimber hunter, stainless and synthetic stock in 280AI for just under $500. It weighed 5 1/4 pounds. This was during a period when Kimber was trying to erase their old Kimber Roulette reputation. Some shot great, others not so. Anyway, this Kimber was a tack driver that shot bullets way heavier than my .270 and weighed less. Also, the accuracy it was getting for the first three shots with it's 24 " match grade barrel, was simply amazing with the velocity just maybe 40'/sec less than a 7mm Mag with a whopping amount less powder and less recoil.
It was the dream mountain rifle of my life, even came with a real decent trigger pull and excellent stock design.
After shooting a few elk with it, having them drop in their tracks, i sold it.
It felt sterile. Was a bit too light offhand, the stock was real hard feeling and was kinda slick. It did not stay put in my homemade triple oak 48" x 5/8" dowel shooting sticks.
When reloading the case was susceptible to collapsing at the shoulder, lacking a graceful and strong taper.
I think I was 74 years old when I sold it. Now close to 78. At an age when every extra bit of weight is supposed to make a huge difference. Better to get the weight off of the belly and not worry about a rifle with a bit more weight.
For real sloppy wet weather, I have a Sako Finnlight carbine in 308, stainless and synthetic, but otherwise I felt so happy going back to hunting with either one of my dear old rifles, one a .270 1954 made model 70, or my Safari Grade Browning 30-06 I bought it as a college graduation present to myself in 1970.
I bought the 270 in a pawn shop when I lived in Wyoming almost 40 years ago. A widow brought it in; it was her cowboy husband's only forever, everything rifle. He bought it when he got out of the Army after the Korean war, bout the time they got married. I have two scopes for it. The Weaver fixed 4X for general use, that was on it when I bought it and for longer range a fixed Weaver 6x.
That turns it into America's First Modern Plains Rifle. Fixed power scopes have one less lens, so they are horse-tough and surprisingly bright. Even with the 6x scope, low rings work fine, and it still fits into my custom-made harness grade leather saddle scabbard. Yippee Kay Aye. I love looking at the excellent but not machine perfect hand checkering, really worn from handling and going in and out of a saddle scabbard. Probably could do a stock scraping and a DNA test for me and deeper for that old cowboy,,,maybe.
I felt like I was back home again using that .270 model 70 rifle after selling the 280AI. Looking at the history of the .270. it was pioneer back in 1925 when it was the first rifle designed for 65,000 pounds CUP. Add in modern Barnes 130 grain TTSXBT bullets, a max load of H4350 offering 3,200 '/seconds and my old .270 has "Bruce Lee" coming out of the barrel with every shot.
There is a Zen term "Oryoki". It means all needs are fully met, without unneeded excess. Like eating a meal, just getting that first full feeling and not going for seconds or thirds. I never needed a second or third shot with my .270. All my hunting needs were met.
Bye bye 280AI, "Back home again" with my .270 in a model 70, a tack driver too! Has an adjustment screw that goes into a under barrel lug to set for barrel harmonics.
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Mustangs Rule
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Sako's are amazing, had four over my lifetime, down to one now, They have features that most shooters/hunters are completely unaware of. For one, the bolt lift is lower allowing the use of ultralow vintage optilock rings. So fast. so close to the natural feeling of iron sight. Then if you are patient you will find on the used market the Sako peep sights..
I never will buy another firearm, just done at 77,,,,,but,,,,if I were going to do that I would but a vintage SaKo and re-bore it to some really cool caliber, or put a new stainless barrel on it, for which the 280A1 would be ever so cool
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His decision. I don't care for Tikka rifles. I think the 7 Remington is a solid choice. mtmuley
Which Sako rifle model to rebarrel?
