oldillini
Active member
Being from the midwest I am a lot more comfortable talking about muzzleloaders or bows than a good elk gun. So I am looking for those who definitely have more experience to provide some advice.
Getting started later in life, I have only been elk hunting a couple of times but do plan to go a few more times before the ticker gives out. Before my first trip I bought a Tikka 7mm Mag Hunter series. The Tikka has proven to be an exceptional shooter out of the box. For the money I think Tikkas are hard to beat. But for my next trip (2019) I would like to lighten my load up a little. The Hunter series is definitely not your lightest rifle and my hunts (I hope to continue them) are back pack style at 9,000-11,000 feet, meaning I think shaving 3-4 pounds would be beneficial. Also, my shoots would be limited to 400 yards or less (just my comfort zone).
I am considering a new Tikka T3x Lite in 6.5 Creedmoor or .308 Win. Do you see any particular advantage of one caliber versus the other? I know there is a lot of guys/gals use the .308 Win for elk. What about the 6.5? Do you think it is adequate?
I have also thought about a Tikka in .260 Remington, but finding ammo for that caliber in this part of the country is difficult. But have not ruled it out by any means. Can always order ammo on-line.
Of course I could stay with 7mm Mag in the T3x, but was thinking I would like a little less recoil.
Any recommendations and why?
I appreciate your input and will continue to search the forums for insight.
Getting started later in life, I have only been elk hunting a couple of times but do plan to go a few more times before the ticker gives out. Before my first trip I bought a Tikka 7mm Mag Hunter series. The Tikka has proven to be an exceptional shooter out of the box. For the money I think Tikkas are hard to beat. But for my next trip (2019) I would like to lighten my load up a little. The Hunter series is definitely not your lightest rifle and my hunts (I hope to continue them) are back pack style at 9,000-11,000 feet, meaning I think shaving 3-4 pounds would be beneficial. Also, my shoots would be limited to 400 yards or less (just my comfort zone).
I am considering a new Tikka T3x Lite in 6.5 Creedmoor or .308 Win. Do you see any particular advantage of one caliber versus the other? I know there is a lot of guys/gals use the .308 Win for elk. What about the 6.5? Do you think it is adequate?
I have also thought about a Tikka in .260 Remington, but finding ammo for that caliber in this part of the country is difficult. But have not ruled it out by any means. Can always order ammo on-line.
Of course I could stay with 7mm Mag in the T3x, but was thinking I would like a little less recoil.
Any recommendations and why?
I appreciate your input and will continue to search the forums for insight.