New Mountain Rifle

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I actually found a gun shop that had one of each and I do believe I like the feel of the tikka better. The only caliber they have is 6.5 creedmoore and I'm not a hudge fan. I looked at gun broker and of the calibers they have the 7mm-08 or 270 win wouldn't be too bad. On tikkas website they show a 6.5x55, I'd really like that if I could find one but so far none available. I am planning an elk hunt in Colorado in 2 years I plan in bringing it and my .300 win mag that way I have options depending on exact terrain. The main reason for the "mountain rifle" is a year after that when my son graduates I plan in moving to Alaska for a few years and want something light and handy for sheep and caribou.
 
One thing to consider is the Tikka's are all built on a long action. So a 7-08mm won't weight any less than a 270win.

If you've got to go long, might as well choose a cartridge that utilizes the available space. I'd take the 270win or a 7mag.

Or... get the 7-08mm and ream it to 280AI. Just change the bolt stop and grab a 30-06 sized mag and your good to go. If they made a 280AI or 7mag with a 24"+ barrel I'd be all over it.
 
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If Alaska is in the future I would touch base with the members there.
I like magnum cartridges so a 7mm Rem Mag or 300 wsm may be a good choices with less recoil than the 300 win mag.

My close friend bought a 300wsm Tikka before his Alaska sheep hunt. He has a Browning A bolt in 300 wm but wanted the lighter weight rifle with good energy out to 400 yards.
 
IMG_2817.JPG Even my Stopwatch says "Tikka, Tikka, Tikka!" ;)

My first centerfire was a Savage 110 which, with the original low-comb stock, kicked like a mule on steroids!!! When I was 15, I got this semi-inletted Bishop stock blank and made it into one that looked like a Weatherby pattern, using only a coarse file and sandpaper. The wood was really nice for a cheap blank. A little walnut stain and about 10 coats of thinned varnish it was finished. Back then, it cost me about $30. It handled recoil like a champ and I glass-bedded it with boat epoxy, free-floating the barrel. My first attempt at gunsmithing, I was a success and I was crazy to sell it.
 
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Listen to legionnaire. My last rifle purchase I narrowed down to two chamberings. I found it in one of those but it took a LONG time. I could’ve got it in another sooner, but then I’d have paid a fortune for something that I may or may not like. Not a risk I’m willing to take.
I knew I liked the two chamberings I narrowed it down to before the purchase. Thus, no risk. That also meant if I didn’t like the rifle, I knew it had to be the rifle. If I had taken a chance on an unknown cartridge that would be one more item to consider if I’d have had to assess what went wrong.
 
I have a savage 110 lightweight storm and it weighs only 5.5lbs from the factory and is an moa gun, this is not tye ultralight with the carbon barrel, this a steel pencil like barrel model. I believe they still make it. What I don't like about the tikka is that the bolt can't open with the safety on. Someone I know closed the action and shot the rifle on accident, into the floor of their house (no one was hurt btw). I don't think this will convince you against the tikka after reading what is up so far on the first page, but it's just my opinion. Show some pics when you get your rifle please!
 
One reason I have a Tikka in 7-08 is I had a 30--06 Mountain Rifle. I also had a standard 700 in 7 MM RM. Unless You really really need a Magnum or 30-06 case size I wouldn't get one. The 7-08 is milder to shoot and also is exceptionally accurate and more than enough for everything short of maybe a Brown bear. I can't see much advantage in any other cartridge unless you plan to shoot really big or really dangerous animals at excessive range, in my opinion over 440 yards.
 
I have a savage 110 lightweight storm and it weighs only 5.5lbs from the factory and is an moa gun, this is not tye ultralight with the carbon barrel, this a steel pencil like barrel model. I believe they still make it. What I don't like about the tikka is that the bolt can't open with the safety on. Someone I know closed the action and shot the rifle on accident, into the floor of their house (no one was hurt btw). I don't think this will convince you against the tikka after reading what is up so far on the first page, but it's just my opinion. Show some pics when you get your rifle please!
I don't care much for it but to some guys that is a bolt lock and they consider it essential.
 
I have a savage 110 lightweight storm and it weighs only 5.5lbs from the factory and is an moa gun, this is not tye ultralight with the carbon barrel, this a steel pencil like barrel model. I believe they still make it. What I don't like about the tikka is that the bolt can't open with the safety on. Someone I know closed the action and shot the rifle on accident, into the floor of their house (no one was hurt btw). I don't think this will convince you against the tikka after reading what is up so far on the first page, but it's just my opinion. Show some pics when you get your rifle please!
I had a lightweight storm in 7mm-08 and this rifle I'm looking into now is actually replacing it. Don't get me wrong, it was a great gun. Very very accurate and worked flawlessly, it just didn't feel right to me and I couldn't get comfortable with it. I think it had something to do with the balance. I sold it to a buddy last fall and his wife got a deer with it
 
I like live and hunt in elk county and the going is beautiful but rough. I used to have an ultralight Remington 7 in .308 that was not only punishing to shoot but ridiculously hard to steady in field positions (even more so in any sort of wind).

I now use a Sako A7 30-06 that is 7.7# scoped and is much easier to steady in the field while not being too heavy, even when packing out meat. 180g Accubonds at 2,875fps have worked very well so far for several animals.

Don’t go too light or too short brother. DD9051E1-1E79-455F-ADFE-21C44BC55E46.jpeg
 
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That's a hard choice. Id take Tikka over a Savage normally but that isnt a normal Savage rifle. For those saying that the Tikka will shoot better, no it wont. That Savage is using a Proof Research barrel. So unless you get a lemon, that barrel is going to stack rounds.

To the OP, I dont know why you dont like the 6.5 CM, but if it's because you think it wont perform that's incorrect. I have several friends who hunt here in Az with the 6.5 CM and have taken several elk and mule deer at range with it using the Hornady 143 ELD-X bullet. All have had either complete pass through or a mushroomed bullet on the off side of the animal. Now if you dont want the CM for other reasons, that's legit and wont fault you on wanting a different rifle.
 
I own several Savages including a Wal-mart Axis 6.5cm ,and a 110 Tactical. All of them are sub MOA, but none of them have an action as smooth as a Tikka. If accuracy and price are equall, I'd probably go with the Tikka just because of the smoother bolt.
 
I put it on layaway yesterday. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. I really wanted it in 6.5x55 so ballisticly the cm is very close and ammo is easier to come by.
If you decide you can't get in the groove with the Creedmoor, you could always ream that sucker out to 6.5x55AI And have a real beast of a mountain rifle.....
 
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