Tikka T3 Super Varmint too Heavy for Stalking ?

[Estudiente]

Interested to hear what you guys think , is a Tikka T3 Super Varmint too heavy to be a stalking rifle ? 7.7lbs / 3.5 kg before a mod or scope are fitted.

Thanks

 

[Oh6]

I would say that it is if you're the one carrying it!

There have been a few threads on what peoples setups weigh, so try reading them and see how your planned setup compares:

How much do your rifles weigh ?​

 

[Jason308250]

I have 2 one in 223 and 1 in 25-06 I love them I don't find them to heavy just very accurate, it depends on the individual. I also use a sig ssg 3000 in 308 that is heavy with ase utra mod

 

[scotspine]

I have two rifles..the heavy one is over 12.5 lbs and it is ok, using a nigglogh ruck sling . Not sure what its naked weight is but I guess similar to the T3 Varmint. I have to say that I've become used to carrying the rifle regulaly for hours at a time so I'm conditioned to it. If you don't go out often then you might never get used to it and may end up getting hacked off with it. When I swap back to the light gear I feel like I'm floating, so beware, it's a big lump to cart about.

 

[adriandavidb]

Not if you have a gun bearer!

 

[Tim.243]

I would say that it will weigh far less than any deer you happen to shoot then drag/carry back to your wagon.

Seen questions like this about pigeon shooting where people want to make the kit ultra light, then never factor the 200 + cartridges to shoot a 100 pigeons...which will tot up around 100lb.

Nice looking rifle.

Tim.243

 

[Milligan]

Not if you have a gun bearer!

You been talking to biscuit barrel then?
Not so funny if you are the gun bearer...

 

[Milligan]

all funnies aside.
I had a T3 Varmint, not far off weight wise. I found it ok for woodland, not so amusing on the hill and even less so once you'd shot something and had to drag it, the deer and yourself off the hill.
Suppose it depends on how fit and strong you are...

 

[xavierdoc]

It's personal but I don't mind a rifle of that weight.

However, a good sling set-up is vital: the heavy barrel (plus mod) makes the rifle want to twist into a barrel-down position.

 

[artschool]

rifle too heavy?go to the gym

 

[Benji53]

Buy one you'll not regret it on all counts a bloody good rifle and lots of aftermarket parts if you desire them all the best

 

[Estudiente]

all funnies aside.
I had a T3 Varmint, not far off weight wise. I found it ok for woodland, not so amusing on the hill and even less so once you'd shot something and had to drag it, the deer and yourself off the hill.
Suppose it depends on how fit and strong you are...

I`m fit enough , was just wondering if it would be frowned upon if I turn up on some estates as its not exactly a traditional stalking rifle.

 

[Fursty Ferret]

Ive got 2 of them. Yes they are on the heavy side but I dont mind that

 

[ejg]

Is a Mauser M03 sporter to heavy for stalking?
...also weighs 3.5kg
edi

 

[eldon]

rifle too heavy?go to the gym

Just buy it and save on gym membership

I have a Remy VS with T8 in 308 (so similar weight I would guess) and once used to it I find it fine.

I also have a T3 super varmint in .204 and it is a very accurate rifle...... just buy it if its what you want.

 

[JH83]

I have one in order in 7mm RM, with a single set trigger. To be honest it'll mainly be for staking out big clear fells and high seats etc but I will probably stalk on foot with it, that being said I'm not exactly diminutive lol! Glad to hear the good reviews.

 

[ChesterP]

I use a .308 Varmint with optional longer barrel (ie heavier!) and it's not an issue to carry and I do a fair bit of trudging up and down hills. You can shave some weight off by being discerning with your scope and moderator choice (fixed mag, low profile with 44 objective or low powered zoom). I use an Ultra SL5 but there are lighter mods around. Leave the bipod at home and use some lightweight quadsticks for more practical handling. Avoid building up a "Tactikewel" rifle for the hills...it's pointless. The varmint/supervarmint is a very accurate and rugged rifle which suffers a bit less from recoil in the larger cals than its sportier profiled siblings but if you don't mind the recoil, I'd have thought that the sporter profiles would make more sensible stalking rifles. I use mine for some long distance gong shooting and target as well, hence picked the "long" barrelled varmint and am happy with that choice. As already said, the extra few pounds are nothing compared with the all up weight of dragging a deer out.

 

[8x57]

I have a Sako varmint of similar weight to the Tikka and have carried it on the hill for a week in Scotland it is very accurate and my "go to rifle" if I think that I will be shooting over longer distances. However I also have several other lighter rifles that are not quite so accurate but accurate enough for the relatively short ranges that I would be likely to shoot in woodland. I can tell you which I rather prefer to carry.
I don't think that I would buy a heavy barrelled rifle again other than for range use.

 

[huntsman]

I too have had a few heavy barrels, the naked weight is not the issue and a bit irrelevant. Its the final weight and all the extra stuff that we like to stick on them that important. So do you intend to put a mod, bipod, and what scope and ring set up? Get approx weight of all this stuff and add it on or better still subtract it off the the total weight you would like to end up at.
Most people end up putting a higher mag scope on these varmint style rigs e.g a night force is nearly a kg.
I have a sako 75 heavy stainless , it weighs a ton , I have tried it with a Mcmillan stock, chopped 4 inches off the barrel OAL. It's still to heavy and I will ultimately re barrel it.
The T3 varmint will be a bit lighter than my sako but not by much. If your stalking requires a bit of a hike , I would pick a suitable sporter profile . The T3 lite stainless synthetic, takes some beating or maybe look at the Tikka CTR but might be a bit caliber specific. Lastly if you are going for a sporter T3 check that your chosen caliber likes a 20 inch barrel which is how they seem to come now -Daft!!

 

[8x57]

I'm not usually a great fan of Remington but I think that they were probably on to a good idea with their Sendero range of rifles. A lengthy slim/medium weight barrel for range mounted in a fairly trim stock.
I had a BSA rifle many moons ago that had a shortish medium weight barrel and also a Tikka 65 with a medium barrel both were in .308win. Thinking back I think those companies also got it just about right weight wise, and if I were looking to replace one of my rifles in the near future I would probably look for something similar to those once again.