I have gone over to the Dark Side
06-01-2008, 05:14 PM
#1
Giant Nontypical
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 6,471
I have gone over to the Dark Side
May I be forgiven for this trespass. I was lured into a Sport Shop and the clerk handed me a T3 synthetic in 308 and believe it or not it went home with me.
I have spent a good amount of time bashing these rifles based on firing other peoples guns and grabbing them in a gun shop. Everything about them does not add up to what my "OLD" definition of a rifle or shotgun isfor that matter. You know milled steel, forgings,bluing,fine walnutand handwork together. In short the stuff that is not done today unless you spend muchmore then a thousand +on a gun. This rifle will not have to do any heavy lifting , the only lifting it will see is when I yank it 20 feet up in the air via a parachute cord and use it on some unsuspecting bambi or it's daddy. Initial observation for what it is worth is I haven't used a brush since I have been buying Sakos and this Tikka did not require one as well for the preliminary cleaning. The bore was as smooth as melted butter. In fact no copper fouling turned up, first time ever. Maybe they never fired it . The dealer let it go for a good price since in his whitetail woods 300 rums,30-378,338-378's are much more popular . I even spotted some 338 Lapua on his shelves. I just hope this humble cartridge can pierce a deers thick skin and bring it down humanely. I'll just try to shoot straight and do my best and keep the shots under 30 yards.
I have spent a good amount of time bashing these rifles based on firing other peoples guns and grabbing them in a gun shop. Everything about them does not add up to what my "OLD" definition of a rifle or shotgun isfor that matter. You know milled steel, forgings,bluing,fine walnutand handwork together. In short the stuff that is not done today unless you spend muchmore then a thousand +on a gun. This rifle will not have to do any heavy lifting , the only lifting it will see is when I yank it 20 feet up in the air via a parachute cord and use it on some unsuspecting bambi or it's daddy. Initial observation for what it is worth is I haven't used a brush since I have been buying Sakos and this Tikka did not require one as well for the preliminary cleaning. The bore was as smooth as melted butter. In fact no copper fouling turned up, first time ever. Maybe they never fired it . The dealer let it go for a good price since in his whitetail woods 300 rums,30-378,338-378's are much more popular . I even spotted some 338 Lapua on his shelves. I just hope this humble cartridge can pierce a deers thick skin and bring it down humanely. I'll just try to shoot straight and do my best and keep the shots under 30 yards.
06-01-2008, 05:24 PM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: VA, USA
Posts: 3,116
RE: I have gone over to the Dark Side
HaHa....you finally came out of the closet!
There are obviously some shortcuts taken when making these rifles, but they usuallyshoot extremely well. Good luck with the rifle!
There are obviously some shortcuts taken when making these rifles, but they usuallyshoot extremely well. Good luck with the rifle!
06-01-2008, 05:29 PM
#3
Giant Nontypical
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 6,471
RE: I have gone over to the Dark Side
HaHa....you finally came out of the closet! There are obviously some shortcuts taken when making these rifles, but they usuallyshoot extremely well. Good luck with the rifle! [align=right]
[/align]
There are obviously some shortcuts taken when making these rifles, but they usuallyshoot extremely well. Good luck with the rifle! [align=right][/align]
06-01-2008, 05:30 PM
#4
Spike
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 53
RE: I have gone over to the Dark Side
For what it's worth, there has been a fair number of those crittters fall to my family's 308s. They do a good job, I've got 2 sako's and a pair of tikka's and I've aquired and passed on another in 270. All of them shoot better than me, of course so does my humble HOWA and all of them are as smooth as silk . The only question I have is this, my 308's have always done the job for me, why then is my current primary rifle a 338 federal, I guess no mater how good it's is we humble creatures that we are seem to always want better, go figure
06-01-2008, 05:33 PM
#5
Giant Nontypical
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Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 6,471
RE: I have gone over to the Dark Side
The only question I have is this, my 308's have always done the job for me, why then is my current primary rifle a 338 federal, I guess no mater how good it's is we humble creatures that we are seem to always want better, go figure
06-01-2008, 06:18 PM
#6
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: VA, USA
Posts: 3,116
RE: I have gone over to the Dark Side
I actually think the T3 synthetic stock is one of the better "low end" factory stocks offered. It is definately a pretty solid unit. The T3 is a little odd in the looks department, especially when compared to the more classic style bolt rifles but I found the looks grew on me. If you look at it as a tool, thenit's not so bad!
06-01-2008, 06:46 PM
#8
Giant Nontypical
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 6,471
RE: I have gone over to the Dark Side
I actually think the T3 synthetic stock is one of the better "low end" factory stocks offered. It is definately a pretty solid unit. The T3 is a little odd in the looks department, especially when compared to the more classic style bolt rifles but I found the looks grew on me. If you look at it as a tool, thenit's not so bad!
06-01-2008, 09:02 PM
#9
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 2,862
RE: I have gone over to the Dark Side
I knew you would eventually get one to play with for yourself! If its anything like my first Tikka T3 stainless, it'll be a great shooter till 3500rds go down its tube, then it opens up a wee bit...
06-02-2008, 08:16 AM
#10
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Baileysville, WV
Posts: 2,925
RE: I have gone over to the Dark Side
Why hath thou forsaken us!!???!?!?! A pitiful lot we are...lol. Put a gun around us and its just like that ugly woman sitting down the bar from us....eventually after enough beer and a late enough hour...weakness finally takes over
A pitiful lot we are...lol. Put a gun around us and its just like that ugly woman sitting down the bar from us....eventually after enough beer and a late enough hour...weakness finally takes over