I am looking for an inexpensive light weight rifle to be used primarily for deer hunting. I recently bought a Vanguard S2 in 257Wby that has shot several groups in the .40" range or less, definitely in the submoa guarantee. I have a Tikka T3 Lite ordered in 25-06 that will be here in a couple of days. I understand that the Tikka's also are supposed to be submoa capable out of the box.
Any other make/models that I should consider or thoughts on these? I will shoot handlods exclusively. I recently sold several T/C Encores and Contenders.

My Tikka T3 Lite in 308 is sub MOA out to 300 yards, the furthest I have tried it. Now this is with Nosler match bullets as well as Partitions. The 308 is an inherently accurate cartridge, so the 25.06 may be different.
Peter.

The Tikka's are hard to beat for a factory rifle. My son shoots a left hand .308 and it shoots sub 1/2" groups at 100. I would think that your .25-06 will be hard to beat. Give us some range reports once you have it worked up.

I have shot 7 groups with test loads in the Vanguard so far including today in misty rain. Six of the seven groups were under 1" and 3 have been .3"-.359" using 100gr TTSX and RL22 & RL25. All shot at 100yds so far. I am looking forward to trying the Tikka this next weekend.

If you can hold a rifle the Tikka will shoot under 1" at 100 yards. I have 2 of them. They both will outshoot me. I also have a 257Weathery Vanguard that shoots very well. My Tikka's are 7mm-08 and 6.5X55.
The Tikka is handy for hunting and walking more than the Vanguard. The Vanguard is not bad to carry. The Tikka is just better for this old and disabled hunter.
Buy the Limbsaver direct replacement recoil pad for the Tikka. They do help especially when shooting from a bench.
The Ruger American is another good shooter and less costly rifle. I like them in 260Rem/7mm-08 and 308Win best. I have shot a number of them.

+1 on the Tikka.
A few years ago I was going thru the same process. I was able to shoot a Tikka in 25.06 and really liked it.
It has become my go to gun for anything Mule deer size and down. It is a dream to load for as well. I have yet to load anything that it doesn't like.

Tikka's are bullet whores. If you cant get it to shoot under 1/2 MOA, you can't shoot...

I like them both, I don't know that one is better than the other. Both have wonderful triggers, both are very accurate, they both function perfectly and both have Sako style extractors. It would be hard to say one is better than the other, I'd really call it a draw with the edge going to the Wby. The only reason I'd give the edge to the Wby is because the finish on the new S2 is amazing and there's less plastic than on the Tikka.

I'd take either one over any of the bigger name brands.

Here's a pretty good review: http://www.fieldandstream.com/...by-vanguard-series-2

I took the Tikka T3 Lite to the range today for the first outing. The weather was terrible at mid 30's and rain/drizzle off and on. I just wanted to see if I could get an idea of what powder/bullet combination it would shoot. I shot six groups with 100gr TTSX and six with 100gr TSX all started at .050" off the lands. The first three groups were with RL22 and TTSX (all under 1") the next three groups were with IMR4831 w/TTSX and 2 of the three groups were under an inch with one group at .50". The third set were with RL22 and 100gr TSX and 2 of those groups were 1" and one about 1.5". The fourth and final set were IMR4831 with 100gr TSX and two groups were under 1" with one about .45" and the other group about 1.2". The common thing I saw with all sets was that the hottest load of each set was the smallest group and I have room to go up about another grain of powder. For the initial tests I stayed about 1-1.5grains under the load data I had.

For a light weight rifle that costs under $600 including sales tax, it shot very well right out of the box (especially for the conditions). I just need to up the loads slightly and lighten the adjustable trigger a little.

Tikka .270 WIN. First of many I will own. Shot VERY WELL before I fed it any handloads, then shot even better. Unbelievable that a $600 rifle out-of -the-box could perform so well.
Now the Vanguard- Technically I have a Howa Varmint in .22-250 REM. 24" barrel, laminate thumbhole, blah, blah, blah. Best shooting small-bore factory rifle that I have ever owned. Unfortunately this is a bad example for this discussion as it is one heavy SOB. The Vanguard/Howa lines are guaranteed MOA rifles, and have proven it.

Regarding the TTSX and TSX. My results with them are similar, push them fast and the accuracy improves.

I don't want bother counting but I have about 8 Vanguards give or take. A couple are S2s and the rest are the first version. I've also had 3 T3s and still have one in 7/08 that my daughter uses.

They all shoot, and function perfectly. The early Vanguards usually need a trigger job, but nothing that 1/2 hour on a stone and screw-driver won't fix. Given that bit of TLC I'll take the old ones over the S2s two stage trigger.Either way, I'll take either of them over the T3. The Tikka feels like a toy, and I just can't warm up to them.

As an aside, take a real close look at the high dollar Nosler rifles, and see if there isn't a Howa pedigree hiding under there somewhere.

Tikka for several reasons but most importantly they are accurate. Have a 270 wsm and it is amazing no excuses if the game don't fall down it's on me period. I also like the detatchable clip and 60 degree lift. Have recomended it to several friends not one has ever said anything but thank you.

I have 2 Stainless Vanguard S2,s one is
a 270 Winchester and the other is 7MM Remington
Mag. Both have excellant triggers, fit
and finish is good and Accuracy is excellant.
I use 140gr Accubonds in the 270 Winchester
with Rl22, Norma MRP,or Superformance.
In the 7mm I use Rl22 and Retumbo. It also
shoots H1000,Magpro, and MRP well. The
actions get even smoother after about 100 Rds.

For a light weight rifle that costs under $600 including sales tax, it shot very well right out of the box (especially for the conditions). .[/QUOTE]

T3's have a very good reputation in the UK, so do the Weatherby / Howa's. You are paying less than $600 for a T3 Lite. Same rifle in the UK is £900 give or take, and the laminated varmint style are over £1,000!!!! Somebody is making some money along the way.

T3 Lite Stainless, 6.5x55. Great rifle, 1 MOA or less with 2 different hand loads.
WOULD DIFFINITELY buy again!
(No experience with Weatherby)

I've had quite a few T3s and all have been excellent shooters.

I have found the two Tikkas I have shot to be somewhat bullet sensitive. My T3 .243 was not terribly happy with the Barnes TSX. A friend's identical rifle was the same way. My daughter's T3 7mm-08 definitely prefers 139-grain Hornadys over 120-grain generics from Midway.

Thing with the T3 is its a 06 length action.
No short action.

Its great with longer cartridges but the short action 308 family maybe not so much.

Thats where there can be a bit of an issue.
The mag/clips are tailored for the cartridge this leaves a fair jump bullet to the rifling for the short cartridge 308 type non wsm's.

If your accuracy is ok you may see a velocity drop due to fair jump to the leade kind of freebore-ish.

This could explain Bills 243 issues.

I don't think the mag length has anything to do with the throating of the chamber. My .243 Tikka T-3 Lite will shoot a half-inch or under with handloads it likes and if I do my part. I have 2 Tikkas, the .243 and a .300 Win Mag. The .300 does not shoot as well, but that could very well be me. I have a .270 Howa and a .257 Mag Vanguard. Both shoot well, but they do not shoot as well as the Tikkas. Nor did the other 3 Howas I have had. (Though my first "sub-moa" rifle was a S&W 1500 (made by Howa) in .30-06.)

Any ideas where i can find a T3 Lite Stainless, 6.5x55 in the US?

Jim

The only thing I don't like about my T3 in .308 is that I can't get any handloads to shoot better than the Federal blue-box 150 grain soft points. Those Federal bullets will just stack up on eachother if I take my time and don't let the barrel heat up. My best handloads will hold right at the 1" mark at 100, but I just can't get anything to equal the factory loads. Just doesn't seem right...

quote:

Originally posted by 35whelenman:
The only thing I don't like about my T3 in .308 is that I can't get any handloads to shoot better than the Federal blue-box 150 grain soft points. Those Federal bullets will just stack up on eachother if I take my time and don't let the barrel heat up. My best handloads will hold right at the 1" mark at 100, but I just can't get anything to equal the factory loads. Just doesn't seem right...

What bullets are you trying? My Tikka 308 shoots Hornady factory 150 gr SSTs extremely well; best I can get 165 gr Aframe handloads is 1"; Sciroccos were not any better.

I've tried 125 grain Ballistic tips with a reduced load of H4895, and 150 grain Interlocks and Partitions with a multitude of powders.

quote:

Originally posted by Singleshot03:
Any ideas where i can find a T3 Lite Stainless, 6.5x55 in the US?

Jim

Jim you might have to take a trip out here to get one, don't know how the price compares with what you guys pay for them, our dollar is pretty close to the US at the moment.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/sport...uction-838728446.htm

quote:

Originally posted by 35whelenman:
The only thing I don't like about my T3 in .308 is that I can't get any handloads to shoot better than the Federal blue-box 150 grain soft points. Those Federal bullets will just stack up on eachother if I take my time and don't let the barrel heat up. My best handloads will hold right at the 1" mark at 100, but I just can't get anything to equal the factory loads. Just doesn't seem right...

Try Sierra 150gr BTSP with 45grs of H4895. That will be the end of the factory ammo