New hunting rifle

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Coldroses

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Hey everyone. I'm a first time poster, looking for experienced advice. I have been hunting for 20 years. Outside of squirrel I have hunted whitetail exclusively. I started out with a 30-30 for whitetail and then moved to a Savage 110 in 243. Over the last 15 years the 243 has never failed me, and dozens of whitetail have fallen to it.

However, I now live in Texas and hog are in the equation. I'm sure if I do my part my 243 will too. Truthfully, I just want a new rifle.

The 6.5 creedmoor is interesting, but not different enough from my 243 to justify the expense. 7-08 also falls into this category. Unless, I'm missing something with these cartridges.

I'm looking hard at a tikka t3x, and leaning to 270 or 30-06. Most hunting will be done in Sam Houston Forrest with trips back to the Ozarks thrown in.

What would be a good cartridge for the grissle shield of hogs without destroying too much meat on deer?

Humbly, awaiting advice.
 
First of all welcome to the High Road. In my humble opinion all of the calibers you have mentioned will work fine for hogs with proper shot placement. I have killed most of my hogs with 30-30, but that being said I have also taken them with head shots from 22wmr and 17 HMR. That's only because they interrupted my squirrel hunt.;)

My point is pick the rifle you think you will enjoy the most. Since you're really just looking for an excuse to buy a new rifle;)

And again welcome to the High Road, Tentwing
 
Your 30-30 will be hell on hogs! But... I get the new rifle itch. Hogs in TX aren't really a long range deal most of the time. But deer can be. Is that likely to be in the menu?

If so, a 30-06 might be a good choice. Hard to go wrong with a Savage. Speaking of which, Savage's Hog Hunter in 308 Winchester would do for both as well. The Ruger American Ranch in 450 Bushmaster also looks like a very fun hog buster.

If it's mainly hogs, think about The Hammer, a Marlin in 45-70. Super fun rifle and a great slayer of hogs, perfect for line hunting in the brush.
 
T3's are fantastic rifles. Real tack drivers. But it's gotta fit you. As for cartridge, you seem to be leaning towards a long action. Nothing wrong with that. One advantage to the '06 is bullet selection and weights available. From 110gr to 220gr. The barrel will need to be at least a 1/10 twist. Do you handload? If not, stick with a common, popular cartridge like the 270, or '06. I've killed some pretty big pigs. The gristle shield is hard when you feel it with your hand. But it's nothing for a bullet to pass through. Even a 5.56/.223 can get it done.

If you haven't read Flyntknappers thread at the top of the Hunting sub-forum you should. It's got a wealth of knowledge. Here's the link.

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/not-again-feral-hog-control-in-east-texas.449721/

As for meat destruction, just don't shoot deer high in the back or shoulder, don't shoot them with ballistic tip bullets, and you won't have any.
 
I'll go ahead and second Ks5shooters recommendation for the T/C Venture. I have one in .223 with a Vortex 4x12 and dang it's accurate. They guarantee MOA accuracy. Mine's very sub MOA. Tikka's are every bit as accurate.

And RPRNY is also correct. But at $40/box for 45-70, it can get expensive. That's where reloading pays dividends. I can load my 45-70 for about $12 a box. And it's high performance, and premium quality. The 45-70 is great pig and deer medicine.
 
I bet you would like any of the calibers you listed. The 243/260/7mm/308 case is a good choice. If you want a long action, the 25/06-270-30/06 is a great choice too. Either will work in all scenarios mentioned. get a good scope if you are going to be stretching the range some. Welcome to THR. The Creedmore, WSM etc. are all good too, just pick one that you like and shoot it a lot.
 
243 is my favorite deer round too. As far as hogs go, in my experience they aren't that hard to kill. As in, any deer rifle will work. I like using my AR15 for them. In fact, the last 3 DEER I killed were killed with 223 (new rifle). Get that '06 or 270 if you want, but I think they are more gun than you need for your stated purpose. Why not 308?
 
Thank you for the replies. I'm leaning long action because the apparent best value seems to be tikka. And for some reason a short action cartridge in " a long action" seems like a waste of space to me (already have that in my head-case with my 110 243)

I know I need to feel a rifle to know if it fits. I absolutely will.

My comfortable shooting range is 300 yards. I've not had that opportunity on game, but know I can on paper. With the rifle I know.
 
I also am set up to reload. I have the press and everything required. I don't yet reload, but very soon will. Still, I'd rather commercial be readily available. I just ain't there yet
 
Savage hog hunter in 338 federal would be neat. Just throwing that out there.

If you like the tikka a 270 or 30-06 would be my picks. The 270 is like your 243 but on steroids meaning it's fast and flat but with considerably heavier bullets.

If/when you handload the 30-06 can do just about anything you would ever need in the lower 48 from 110gr varmint bullets at 3400fps to 220 gr bullets that will penetrate through any hog lengthwise and then some.
 
Welcome to the forum!!
I like my Savages, I have the Predator Max in .243, and the Hog Hunter in .308. Literally all of the advise here so far is good advice.

IMAG0007.JPG IMG_2036.JPG
 
I also am set up to reload. I have the press and everything required. I don't yet reload, but very soon will. Still, I'd rather commercial be readily available. I just ain't there yet
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Welcome to The High Road, Coldroses!

I have Tikkas in .270, .30-06 and 6.5x55. All are very accurate and all are exceptionally accurate with tailored handloads. I use both the .270 and 6.5x55 for high power metallic silhouette. The .270 will shoot 2-3\/4" groups at 500 meters with Berger 140 grainers and IMR4831.

Take your pick of the Tikkas available, add a quality scope like a Leupold VX-II (or better) or a Vortex Diamondback or Viper, or something in those quality ranges and you will not be disappointed. I like my Tikka T3 Hunter (wood stock) with its 3-9x40 Leupold VX-II for big game hunting. Like previously stated, it's good for anything that walks in North America with proper loadings and a capable shooter.

Wish I could join you in the pursuit of a new rifle! It 'tis a fun trek!
 
Of those 2 I would go with 270. Slightly less recoil, still flat shooting, and factory ammo is cheap.
When you start reloading you will just want to buy more calibers because it can become an addiction.
Bullet choice is one of the biggest factors in meat damage.
 
Coldroses said:
I also am set up to reload. I have the press and everything required. I don't yet reload, but very soon will. Still, I'd rather commercial be readily available. I just ain't there yet
Click to expand...
Ok. So you're set up to do it. Think long term here. You want something that is easy to load, has many powder options available, large bullet selection. There isn't a cartridge named so far that won't do what you're wanting. However, IF it were me (I know it isn't) I'd stay away from the recent/new cartridges with bullet manufacturers names following the number i.e. Ruger, Federal, Nosler. The rounds are perfectly capable. But most won't be around that long.

I'm just throwing this out there. Buds has the T3 Hunters in 338WinMag and 8x57 about $200 less than the other T3Hunters. 338WM is WAY overkill. But that 8x57 is a great round. Readily available on most shelves, and can really be woken up by a handloader.
 
There isn't a nickles worth of difference between 260, 6.5 Creedmoor, 7-08 or even 308. And as you said your 243 is more than adequate for your uses, they kill hogs with 223's. You could pick any one of the above randomly and be just fine. The 243, 308 and 6.5 Creedmoor will be easier to find ammo for and at the best prices.

I spent over 40 years hunting with 30-06. The 270 is a ballistic twin in modern loadings. In 1925 there were some differences, but you're splitting hairs to try to argue one does anything better than the other today. And there have been huge advancements in bullets, powder, rifles, and optics making all cartridges in all calibers much better. As good as the 30-06/270 was, they are overkill for most uses today, I have only hunted with mine once in the last 10 years. Any of the short action cartridges above will kill any animal in the USA and at ranges farther than most can shoot. Any of those 4 would be my picks today. Compared to 30-06 a 308 or 7-08 has 25% less recoil in rifles of the same weight. The 260, 6.5 Creedmoor, and 243 are closer to 1/2 the recoil.

Where the 6.5 and 260 really shine is their ability to basically duplicate 7-08 or 270 performance with recoil closer to 243. You'll never notice any difference in recoil going from 243 to 260 or 6.5. (about 11 ft lbs in a 243 vs 12 ft lbs recoil) Going from 243 to 270 or 30-06 will mean 75-100% more recoil depending on the exact rifle and load. (about 11 ft lbs in a 243 vs 18-20 ft lbs recoil)

Tikka makes an excellent rifle and I think it is a good choice. But it is one of the lightest made. It would be wise to avoid heavy recoiling rifles in a rifle that light.
 
Where you stated you'll be hunting in SE Texas I'd get a 30-30 to go with your .243. Unless things have changed in the Big Thicket, short range shots are the norm. .243 is plenty for hog though. It's nice to have two rifles.
 
The tikka is one of the best rifles you can buy and there is just something special to me about a long action hunting rifle. 270 or 30/06 would be my choices.
 
FWIW I also think the Tikka is one of the best values in hunting rifles today. The Savage next to it on the value scale. To me, the jury is still out on the Ruger American which might upset Savage if the Ruger's reliability holds up over time. .270/.308/.30-06 all have great cheap commercial ammo. If you are planning on reloading, the .30-06 is the most versatile on bullets and a lot of information on reduced powder loads. Long heavy bullets are the cat's meow for handling large unruly creatures which is not the strength of the .308 but that round handles most things with aplomb. I don't really think of the .270 as a hog round but I'm sure that people here have been there and done that and will offer advice on that caliber especially on the size of the hogs involved. I am surprised that no one mentioned the 7mm Rem Mag. which along with the .30-06 and .308 have reduced recoil ammo commercially available.
 
Okay, it seems I should find the right rifle first and not worry about cartridge as much. The consensus seems to be that they all work.

I guess I was just looking for that "magic bullet." One that could save my bacon if an angry pig charged, and possibly make up for a less than perfect, nervous shot. All without destroying too much deer meat.

Charging hogs probably aren't as common as I imagine.
 
Snaffle that Tikka in 8x57 up! I have used a Persian Mauser sporter to great effect on piggies. The fireball from the first round stuns the sounder and I can usually get several shots off before they come back to their sense and boogie.
 
If you are considering rifles other than the tikka head over to cdnn and check out their ruger 77 Hawkeyes. Prices are $400-$500 and calibers they had left last time I checked were 30-06, 308, 280, and 270. They also had some African variations.

Great rifle that is often overlooked bacause they got a bad rap years ago for mediocre accuracy. This issue has since been fixed and the rifle is basically a modern day Mauser. Crf is always a plus.

Howa 1500 rifles are also great. I see them around $400 quite often. One piece bolt, forged, sako extractor, and accurate.

Both of these rifles have a hinged floor plate so there is no expensive polymer mag to lose or break.

For an inexpensive rifle that your not afraid to scratch it's hard to beat the ruger American. It's a lot like the tikka but less money.

I have all of the rifles mentioned above. 3 Hawkeyes, 2 howas, and an American. They are all great.
 
I have not yet shot a 3-shot group over 1 MOA at 100 yards with my Tikka T3 Lite Stainless in 7mm-08 with a 2.5-8x scope on it. And I've basically shot a scoped rifle less than 200 times. I highly recommend it.
 
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