need rifle purchase advice please
 

I am by no means a newbie when it comes to rifles . I've been hunting for about ten years , and I am prepared to make my first serious rifle purchase. I've been borrowing rifles and using diff. guns for ten years , but am ready to make my first real rifle purchase. I have been doing research for about six months on what to buy and am seriously eying the Tikka T3 prob in .308 . I own one other rifle, and its the (terrible ) Remington 770 .270. Basically before I make a 600$ rifle purchase , id like to hear from experienced users if the Tikka is worth my while, or if there is something Im over looking. I really like the accuracy pitch, the free floating barrel, and the great trigger along with an amazing smooth bolt. I've held one in my hands I just want to know if im getting my money's worth. My budget (including a new scope is 1000$) . sorry for the long thread.. just need advice.

I don't know from personal experience but I've done a little research on the Tikka T3 rifle and it seems to be a pretty solid gun for the price.

The first rifle I purchased was a Ruger M77 Mk II in .270 caliber topped with a Leupold Vari-X II 3-9x40 scope. I paid $399 bucks for the rifle (on sales at Dicks) and recieved the scope as a Christmas present (it retailed for $220 at the time). It was an excellent rifle and I killed a couple dozen deer with it. The only complaint I had was it's trigger which I fixed with an aftermarket job. The new Ruger M77 hawkeye apparently has a much better trigger than the Mk II version.

Whatever you get, purchase a good pair of scope rings and a decent scope and I'm sure you'll be happy with whatever you buy :wink:.

Good Luck!

check out ER Shaw rifles...basically a savage rifle with an ershaw barrel...is my understanding.

Savage...
HS...
Hill Country...
ER Shaw...

^ im not a huge fan of the accutrigger on the Savage Rifle, and im unfimilair with "er shaw rifles"

what dont you like about the accutrigger? the look? or something functional? I've heard good things...

tikka rifles, yep they shoot very good at least the 2 I had did. I didn't care for the way they felt and the way the straight stock nailed you when you pulled the trigger. If you notice I said that I had them, don't any more. Replaced the 338 fed with a sako 85, and the 6.5 x 55 I haven't had any desire to replace. The last rifle I just purchased was a ruger 77 in 358 win (yes I reload). The trigger could be better, the stock could have a touch of palm swell and a little cant but it's a solid rifle and shoots well.

i dont like that you have to squeeze the "accu" part of the trigger before you begin to squeeze the "trigger" trigger. I dont like a two step process to firing a firearm . IDK, im traditional i suppose

"rhans", are you trying to say that the Tikka is overpriced / over hyped?

The Tikka in 308 is not a true short action rifle.I don't know if that matters to you.When I was looking @ rifles last year I also was interested in the Tikka but bought a rem 700 instead.

It really depends what you want to do with your rifle. What are you hunting and where? Personally I like a relatively cheap rifle that I am not afraid to scratch as long as I get the accuracy I need. I hunt very thick woods and the equipment takes a beating. I like my Savage but I looked into the Tikka. I think the Tikka was a nicer rifle. Stock was better than the Savage plasticware but I ended up with the Savage.
If you have a $1000 budget, you are likely to spend at least $300-$400 on the scope and possibly another $100 on the mount and rings if you get high quality steel rings and mount.