1st rifle 243 tikka?

[Castledeer94]

As the title goes I'm looking at getting my 1st rifle soon and I'm leaning towards a tikka t3x superlite in 243 calibre.

Now I'm unsure as I've see there's varmint etc and I'm not sure what t3x to buy for what I want to do with it.

Basicly we are sheep farming on my partners land we have fox issues and deer passing through every other minute so I want a happy medium to manage both. Also I live on the side of a valley with an easy 1000yd range right out my front door I'd like to set up a few plates down there for when the urge arises

Apoligies if this is a bit drawn out I'm around rifles and shotguns all my life I'm just lost as to what to actually buy.

Cheers

 

[HonestJohn]

Get a Mauser m18 in 6.5 instead

 

[tarponhead]

Lots of good advice on here, so enjoy the buying journey, but get the best scope for your ground and that you can afford first and then find a rifle that fits you and your budget. Plenty of good second-hand rifles out there, but a new Tikka will do it all, so little risk of going wrong there. I know sheep farming can be hard but I’d swop my office for yours, any day! British Shooting Show at the end of Feb if you want max choice under one roof - lots of choice and handling especially scopes. It’s worth getting to know your local gun shop - supports a local business - but usually good for sound advice and possibly a good deal. Let us know what you get.

 

[Acm]

It’s not that a .243 won’t do that job, it’s just that a 6.5 will do all 3 better. Foxes can’t be too dead, in my opinion better deer bullets in a 6.5 and much much better for shooting long range gongs.

 

[Mungo]

As the title goes I'm looking at getting my 1st rifle soon and I'm leaning towards a tikka t3x superlite in 243 calibre.

Now I'm unsure as I've see there's varmint etc and I'm not sure what t3x to buy for what I want to do with it.

Basicly we are sheep farming on my partners land we have fox issues and deer passing through every other minute so I want a happy medium to manage both. Also I live on the side of a valley with an easy 1000yd range right out my front door I'd like to set up a few plates down there for when the urge arises

Apoligies if this is a bit drawn out I'm around rifles and shotguns all my life I'm just lost as to what to actually buy.

Cheers

The bog standard Tikka T3x is very hard to beat. The varmints are heavier and more suited to targets.

I started with a T3 in .243, and after years of trying all sorts of other things, came back to one in 6.5. They’re boring, dependable tools.

 

[BenBhoy]

Echoing @Mungo the t3x varmint is very heavy. If you'll be covering some distance on foot it soon feels even heavier.

 

[Bo Diddley]

tikka t3x superlite in 243 calibre.

Pretty good choice I'd say

 

[HonestJohn]

Ditch the super lite idea, esp if you w at to have a go at gongs with multiple succession shots; think barrels heat up too fast and become inconsistent unless full lefty bedded. Don’t go varmint either. Bog standard profile is perfect.

I personally hate t3’s, more personality in a piece of grey concrete paving

 

[cjs66]

6.5 or 308, then find the rifle you like the feel of. You’ll not go far wrong with a Sako, the 75 or 85. I’ve a Tikka in 204, no frills and does what it’s meant to, just a bit

cjs

 

[takbok]

T3 Lite is perfect, as is the 243.

Superlite will be a lot more money for negligible weight saving, but it looks nice.

 

[HonestJohn]

T3 Lite is perfect, as is the 243.

Superlite will be a lot more money for negligible weight saving, but it looks nice.

Lite for trying gongs to 1000? .243 in potential sika country?

It’s a great rifle, yes, IMHO, not the right choice for the application though

 

[Jack3]

6.5CM would be a more suitable calibre for foxes, deer and range work.
I was in a similar position 12 months ago and looked at the T3X but ended up going with a Sauer 100.

 

[HonestJohn]

Plus, the t3 is old news now, tikka is guaranteed to be launching a new model soon, maybe even this month at SHOT Show. That would send resale value of t3’s plummeting

 

[takbok]

Lite for trying gongs to 1000?

Why not if it's just for a bit of fun

.243 in potential sika country?

It's more than adequate for sika and any other UK/Irish deer.

It’s a great rifle, yes, IMHO, not the right choice for the application though

It's ideal for the application, but boils down to personal choice at the end of the day.

 

[HonestJohn]

Why not if it's just for a bit of fun


It's more than adequate for sika and any other UK/Irish deer.


It's ideal for the application, but boils down to personal choice at the end of the day.

Would you buy a 1.8l for towing plant or a 2.4+l engine?

 

[Mungo]

Plus, the t3 is old news now, tikka is guaranteed to be launching a new model soon, maybe even this month at SHOT Show. That would send resale value of t3’s plummeting

I sincerely hope not!

If they various iterations of Sako rifles since the 75 are anything to go by, it will only be worse.

 

[HonestJohn]

@takbok not trying to debate how good a .243 or a t3 is, just saying if starting from fresh, why not go for a better distance calibre and bigger round for tougher deer? Why start marginal?

 

[HonestJohn]

I sincerely hope not!

If they various iterations of Sako rifles since the 75 are anything to go by, it will only be worse.

No models last forever, t3 sales are already starting to plateau and even fall - the execs will be aware and planning accordingly.

IMHO, expect changes, and not for the better. It will likely be exactly like Sako 75-85

 

[Mungo]

No models last forever, t3 sales are already starting to plateau and even fall - the execs will be aware and planning accordingly.

IMHO, expect changes, and not for the better. It will likely be exactly like Sako 75-85

Yup.

The replacement will create problems that didn’t exist previously, that will be billed as some kind of amazing innovation.

 

[HonestJohn]

Yup.

The replacement will create problems that didn’t exist previously, that will be billed as some kind of amazing innovation.

Expect a straight pull IMHO,