Pydpiper

I am a bow hunter, it will be my first rifle, I have my eye on a Tikka T3 with Stainless barrel in a .243
Anybody have an opinion on this company or this calibur for yotes/deer? I think I have fallen in love, but some pros and cons would still help.

mustad

I have a T3 Lite S/B chambered in 30-06. For the past few years, has been my absolute go to gun. I hunted with a buddy's T3 Lite .270 wsm. Surprisingly less recoil than mine. I say you'd be getting into a great gun, especially for the price.

minnesotahunter

I've got a T3 Lite Stainless in .30-06. I love it. It's lite, shoots really well, and looks pretty slick with a stainless finish Leupold on it.

bugsNbows

I've got a T-3 Lite Stainless Synthetic in 25/06. Fit and finish is good and it feels "right" to me when shouldered. It's a real shooter and a great choice on deer and similar game. As far as the gun goes, the barrel is Sako made (good) and the trigger is easily adjustable and crisp (also good). Several parts are polymer (i.e. detachable magazine box, trigger guard, etc.) which turns some people off, but I've never had an issue or heard of anybody who has. They apparently did that plus other "shortcuts" (like hollowing out the bolt handle knob) to save weight and make the guns cheaper to make / sell. Bottom line, it's pretty darn good but it's certainly no Sako. Valuewise I'd rate it pretty good although the $ has gone up on them in the last couple of years. The .243 is a good caliber but I wouldn't use anything smaller on deer.

Pydpiper

Thanks guys, looks like a positive sounding choice!
I am second guessing my choice of caliber though.. Due to somewhat smaller local hunting area I am going to have to take sound into consideration..

TerryM

I have a Tikka T3 lite stainless Synthetic in .25-06 topped off with a Leupold VarixIII 3.5x10 scope. Beautiful gun. My buddy has the same in .243 and its a shooter also. If you're leaning more to varmints I would go .243 but if deer is the primary game hunted then move up to the .25-06 and then nothing is safe from you !!!!!!!!!!!

Rammer

I have a T3 lite stainless in 243. It is my go-to varmint/walking deer gun. The gun shoots like a dream, you will be hard pressed to find a better all around gun.

Pydpiper

I am definitely feeling like I made the right choice in rifles, seems someone from every caliber has spoken up.

herman

Don't know how you're going to get around the sound issue,but you could use you bow or a 22 short.Seriously there is not anything wrong with the 243 cal.I have shot all the calibers in the tikka that was mentioned plus a few more,and all of them shot very well.I even have one in 308 and 25/06.Another caliber to consider is the 308 or 7/08.
Have a buddie that has 2 sako's,2 tikka's and a rem sps in 300wsm,all shoot very good,and believe it or not the tikkas shoot smaller groups than the sako's.He also has a tikka in 30/06 and 243,and 308that shoot.He and I both have shot one hole groups with all of his at 100 yds,that is as far as we can shoot at his home.Have another buddie that has a tikka in 7/08 and I have seen him shoot one hole groups at 300 yds with it,and these are out of the box rifles with out haveing anything done to them except adjusting the triggers on some.
Was playing with some 130 gr bullets in my 308 and below is a group I got at 300 yds.This would be a good varmit or deer load.next one is my 25/05.

Handles

I would go with the 25/06. Great caliber and it will give you more confidence/bullet options for deer while still not being overkill for yotes. Enjoy.