I know our hunting here in the UK is a little different to yours Stateside, but this rifleis an excellent weapon/tool. Lovely to use, reliable, pin-sharp accuracy and extreme light-weight in the field, even with a scope fitted. This is a fact I've come to appreaciate many times whilst trudging hand over foot up Ben Lomond in Scotland after Red's.
It would be the rifle I'd keep above all as it'snot onlya suitable fox/vermin calibre here in Englandbut alsomeets all the differingEnglish and Scottish laws regarding Deer calibre sizes and energies.
Being renowned as a high velocity, flat shooting round it would probably also suit most styles of hunting and most medium-sized speciesin the States, withthe longer range shots that you tend to take. The round will easily deliver large energies to the target out to 400 yds and with minimal bullet drop and windage effects.
It's a "Synthetic and Blue"and when combined with factory 117g Federal Premiums and a fixed 8x Scmidt scope it's allowed me to concentrate on and enjoymy hunting and "forget" about my hardware, regardless of species and the prevailing weather.

Looked at the Sako and Tikka in this caliber,But IMO the 22" barrlel was just not long enough for this caliber(25-06)

Fair point dvdegeorge , That thought also went through my mind a while back. 22 7/8" barrel on a .25-06? But in reality, although ballistics charts will show a small drop in velocity for the shorter barrel, what you loose in muzzle velocity I think you probably gain back in reduced weight overall. Of course if you happen to be fairly static on a huntand taking targets at 300yds as opposed to climbing mountains to get close to the quarrythenthe weightadvantage would certainly be lost.

That's good to know. I'm thinking of getting one of these in a 7mm Rem Mag.

I've one in 270 , with 8x56 schmit and a reflex moderator, excellent value and choice for Scottish red deer.

stew

I own a 25-06 in a Tikka T-3. Mine is a wood and blued barrel model. I absolutely love it. I don't think there is a better bolt action rifle in this price range. Excellent trigger and tac driving accuracy. As for the slightly shorter barrel, not a single deer I've shot with it has noticed the difference.

Hope this post of one of my targets works. This is a 3 shot groupfrom 100 yards with 117 grain Hornady bullets. The red dot is about the size of a US dime. That's the back of the target.


Oh and to prove what I said about the red dot. Here is a dime covering the whole 3 shot group. When you can get accuracy like this straight out of the box with no after market work done to the gun, I find that impressive. This is the front of the target.

Once again Tikka has proven to be a great rifle. I just don't understand why some people hate them. I love mine and with a 1" MOA guarentee and wonderful trigger, I just can't find a better rifle with that guarentee for the price.

I would guess that those who hate them have never owned one. I went with a Sako last purchase but will likely pick up a Tikka next. Also thinking of a T3 stainles/synth in 25-06.

My hunting partnerbought at-3 in 25-06 this spring.We were easily able to obtain groups of under 1" with several loads.He hunted with it for the first time last week and was very pleased with it.

Went to Sportsman's Warehouse tonight (for 2nd night in a row) and someone was buying a T3. Warmed my heart as I think it was a dad buying for his son. What an awesome dad!