Thinking about getting a Tikka T3 Lite in 7mm mag. Has anyone shot this gun and being such a light weight how was the recoil?

I have T3 Lites chambered in .243 Win and .308 Win and they're fine. However, my father has one chambered in .270 Win and the rifle starts becoming a bit of a handful and you can contract a touch of magnum eyebrow if you're not careful. I shoot a 7 Rem Mag regularly in a Rem 700 however, I'm not sure I'd want a T3 chambered in it. It does of course depend on how often you will be shooting the rifle and for what purpose you intend the rifle to be used.

Best wishes

Tim

I've got some friends with them in 300 wsm. They're not guys that do alot of shooting and they're not at all intimidated by them. They both are very accurate guns and for the $$$$$ both guys are really happy with what they bought.

You know your needs better than I do, but I'd think this over a little if I were you. It's much harder to hold a gun as light as the one your considering steady (think seeing your pulse in the scope) and I think the recoil in a 5.5 lb. 7mm Mag will surprise you. I got a lesson in this sort of thing a couple of years ago when, after a lot of shopping and chewing on the decision I bought myself a titanium 7mm 08 as a mountain gun for whitetail. To make a long story short, it serves the purpose for which I bought it well...after a lightened trigger and a muzzle break. It averages 1 to 1.25 inch groups at 100 yrd.s OTB. I figure it's fine to 200-225 yrd.s, but it's just to hard for me to shoot well beyond that. My other deer rifles shoot much better. But they're all heavier. With scope, sling and ammo my 30'06 weighs @7 lb.s, my .270 weighs @9 lb.s and my 7mm Mag (set up for eastern beanfields) weighs @12 lb.s. Now they really shoot...or should I say I can really shoot with them!

I have a T3 S/S in 300 wsm. When I got it I was a little reluctant to fire the thing initially but was pleasantly surprised when I did - its quite maneagable and certainly does not hurt. The 7mm mag should be similar.

I have just bought one in 9.3x62 but have not fired it yet so will be interested to see how it goes. Interestingly enough it seems to be only slightly lighter than my Mannlicher Schoenhauer half stock in the same caliber and thats quite reasonable for recoil.

By the way the rifle weighs about 6.5 lbs from memory, not 5.5.

I have several friends with T3's. They are slightly heavier, but really no problem to shoot. Two are in 300mags. If you are worried, consider getting a scope with plenty of eye relief so that you don't get hit. Leu's are usually good this way.

I have 2 Tikka T3 LS 270WSM. Love them, awesome value for the $$$$. 1 for the wife since she took it over, so I bought another for me. Great shooters out of the box. I have the Leupold VX3 scopes with the B&C reticles. THe ballastics of the 270WSM work awesome with the reticles. Same would work for the 7mm.

I have an lite in 300wm and with 180-200gr bullets and full loads it does kick abit and has sent two of my friends home with a few stiches in their new magnum eyebrow
So ditto on Mikea advise about eyerelief:
Other then that the rifle has been wonderful in all aspect!

Regards

I have a T3 Lite/stainless in 270W and it's not at all hateful to shoot. BUT, I would think that a 300WM might get a bit nasty with heavy loads. The T3 is a good design and handles recoil well, but no matter how you slice it, a light rifle and a heavy magnum caliber can get hateful. Usually, the use of 7mm Mag and 300WM mean the need for more distance, that said a heavier gun would be a big help in long range accuracy as well as recoil.

I have a T3 Lite in 308 win.
It recoils like my Win M70 synthetic in 30-06. The M70 weighs a little over one pound more.

The stock design on the T3 handles recoil well for me.

T3's are very accurate, but the light weight can take away from its practical accuracy.
It takes some practice to shoot a 7 lbs scoped rifle as well as you shoot a 8.5lbs scoped rifle.

I can't say for sure on the T3, but I have a 695 synthetic in 7mag. Maybe it's just the way the stock fits me, but even hot loads don't seem to pound my shoulder the way Remington and Winchesters do.

I have a T3 in 308 and a 695 in 338 win mag. The 338 is very easy to shoot.
Yesterday I bought a T3 Lite in 300WSM as a mountain rifle. I'm off to the range and I'll try to keep my eyebrow out of the way.

Well, I shot my Tikka and broke in the bore. I'm impressed. It shoots .75" at 100 yda and one hole at 50. I can't hold any better than that.
The trigger is great and the recoil is no more than 180 gr Federal HE in my ZKK 600 30.06. In fact it may be more managable.
The only ammo I had was 180 gr Win PP. I think it's going to do the job with effeciency and elan.
Has anybody noticed a stiff bolt lift after firing?
This one takes an effort.

From some of the posts, it seems to be said that the recoil from the .270W in greater than a .308W?
I msy have a hole in my knowlegde, but I find it difficult? to see how this would be the case.

.270 is probably more than I need, .223 or .243 can handle what I will shoot most of the time. However, there would be nothing in reserve.

Any views of .270 recoil in Tikka T3 standard , not Lite. I have no desire to have a level of recoil that would even have me thinking of lacerated eyebrows.


If recoil is at that level, I will simply purchase the Tikka T3 ( standard) and a Marlin 336SS 30/30 to take care of the occasional heavy stuff.

I have never shot a 270 Win of any kind that didn't recoil more than a 308. I had a Model 70 that was more uncomfortable than a 30.06. I never had one rise to eyebrow laceration status though.
If the 270 bothers you I would say you are not very recoil tolerant( I mean that as no condemnation). I can remember when I thought a 270 was uncomfortable. I just shot more and got used to it. A badly fitting stock can make a 270 a real slapper.
When I get to 375 H&H my comfort level is getting tested and I find the 458's uncomfortable. I shot them as needed but not for fun. Twenty rounds of 458 anything will give me blurred vision.

If this is the case, wouldn't it make more sense to just get a .308. Both would be used on the same type of bigger game and I could then use my .223 for most of my shooting?

You pays your money and you makes your choices! That's why there are blonds, brunettes and redheads!

to me the 7 mag is about the max for a featherweight rifle. How much do you shoot ?
If you will be at a bench a lot, you might just get a T=3. If you are going to be climbing lots of hills then mabye the light is a better choice, I can shoot my old beat up 700 BDL in 7 mag with little concern about recoil even with a 175 grain bullet.
My Featherweight model 70 30,06 with 180s will get you attention more than my 7 Mag but it has no recoil pad. a 7 mag in a tikka light should be a great versital hunting rifle if it does not blow up on you !!!...tj3006

I have a T3 in 7mm and it is fine to shoot. I don't notice any difference from the Remington 700 I used to own. It is an extremely accurate rifle and a pleasure to carry.

My T3 Light is in the best calibre its offered in, the good old 6.5x55. It's pleasant to shoot.
As for a 7mm mag, well, I don't think I would like a T3 in it, it is a little light. But it would be boring if we all had the same tastes. The 7mm mag is a mighty fine cartridge and the T3 is a mighty fine rifle. I just that I think the 7mm mag would be better paired with, oh I don't know, a Sako? Any good slightly heavier rifle.
Just my 2c worth.