I picked up a Tikka T-3 Lite stainless in .30-06. I scoped it with a 3-9X40 Nikon Monarch and headed to the range. What a boring rifle. It puts the bullets into the same hole at 100 yards when shooting from the bench. My problem is that it's too light. The recoil is not the problem. Trying to shoot it offhand is. I didn't even consider that would be an issue. I always try to have a good solid rest while hunting, but there are always those times when a quick shot may be necessary. I know I can add weight to the to the stock, but that would mess up the great balance. Is there any way to evenly add weight to help make the rifle more stable for an offhand shot? Thanks.
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First thing I'd do is equip the rifle with good quality, quiet sling swivels..... and then shop for a comfortable sling. You don't need a real longsling ......... just long enough to be the longest you need for offhand.
It's amazing what a short sling can do to stabilize an offhand shot. With a little practice most good shooters can make tremendous use of a sling for offhand shooting. A sling and a tree are almost as rock solid as one can get...and taking a knee or sittingwith a sling is hard to beat in a pinch.Practice isthe key to any shot.
I'd only consider adding bulk or weight to the rifle AFTER the installation of a sling. I think you'll enjoy the improvement of the sling EVEN IF you add other products to the rifle later.
However, if you still want to add weight you can put a mercury recoil reducer in the barrel channel and one in the butt stock. These will also reduce the recoil a good bit as an added benefit.
Or if you just wanted weight and a much cheaper option would be to get a steel round bar about 3/8ths to 1/2 inch in diameter (depending on how much room you got under the barrel) and bed this into the barrel channel and do the same length in the butt.
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Like 8mm said, get a sling and learn to use it. Do you know anyone who is/was a Marine or maybe Army (I don't know for sure if the Army teaches sling use during their pathetic excuse for marksmanship "training"), or an NRA rifle instructor? If you do, ask them to show you the "hasty sling." I'd try to explain it, but it's much easier to show someone than try to tell them over the internet. Basically the idea is that by using the sling, adjusted short for the purpose of shooting the rifle rather than carrying it, to create tension and support for the rifle makes it MUCH steadier for all types of shooting positions, but especially offhand.
This is one of the problems inherent with very lightweight rifles. One needs a bit of mass to stabilize the weapon, for offhanded shots. This is why I've never liked rifles lighter than about 8 lbs, whatever the intended use. A really light rifle is nice to carry all day....but it doesn't help shooting accuracy, especially if any off-handed shots need to be taken.
As to solutions....there are several. You could change to a heavier stock of some sort. You could adopt the solution offered by others here....a suitable sling. Or, you could add weight to the existing stock. If the stock you have is of synthetic material, it will have empty spaces inside the butt and probably in the bottom of the barrel channel. So, any suitable ballast material could be added, such as the steel rods (as mentioned by someone else)...or metal washers, perhaps. The weights can be easily embedded in polyurethane foam, used to fill the empty spaces in the stock. I have done this several times...with good results. Just be sure, (if you choose this solution). to balance the weight you add...so that you don't upset the balance of the rifle. With washers, this is easy - you just add the same number of pieces to the forearm area as the butt area.
Interesting issue. I just got my new gun, a T3 Lite in .300 WSM. First thing I'm going to do is replace the recoil pad with a Triple Mag. I've used these on numerous other huge kicking guns and it really tames things nicely. Much better than a Decelerator. Second, I'm putting a Burris Black Diamond 4-16 50mm on it, for two reasons: Great great scope of course and it weighs about 5-6 ounces more than a roughly equivalent Leupold. My thinking was to add a tiny bit more weight to tame the recoil, but still preserve 95% of the gun's great balance. I will report back here when it all gets together and I get some range time.
For the sling, most of my friends are going with the Butler Creek Alaska Mag sling--one of the neoprene/foam jobs. I've always had a padded leather sling, but they swear by this one, so I thought for $17, I'd give it a spin.
As for using a sling to help offhand shots--that's a great idea. Remember to try to brace your left elbow (or right if you're a leftie) on something if you can--even if it's your knee.I know that's not technically an offhand shot anymore, but...
Better than using the sling as a stabilizer is to (and this is assuming you shoot right-handed) shift your weight over your right leg, "pooch" out your left hip (towards the target) and then resting your upper left arm on your body with your left elbow touching (or close to touching) your left abdomen area.
This is a great way to stabilize for a shot without any form of rest or taking a knee.
The farther your left elbow is from your body (as most shooters do it) the more unstable your shot will become.
The tighter you can get that left elbow into your contorted left abdomen, the most stable the shot will be.
Okay, it's too light. Now what?
), or an NRA rifle instructor? If you do, ask them to show you the "hasty sling." I'd try to explain it, but it's much easier to show someone than try to tell them over the internet. Basically the idea is that by using the sling, adjusted short for the purpose of shooting the rifle rather than carrying it, to create tension and support for the rifle makes it MUCH steadier for all types of shooting positions, but especially offhand.
