Tikka T3 Lite or Remington 700 sps varmint

[porscheboy]

I NEED HELP!!!! I'm looking to buy a rifle this summer, i've heard that both the Tikka T3 Lite and Remington 700 sps varmint are exceptional rifles. I would purchase the Tikka in 30/06 or the Remington in .308. I would use the rifle primarily for target shooting and perhaps some deer, antelope, and bear hunting. The Tikka is $520 and the Remington is $570. Also what kind of optic would you guys suggest ? I was thinking Nikon Prostaff with the BDC reticle or a Leupold Rifleman.
-Thanks

 

[P.B.Walsh]

The Remington is a decent rifle, but get ready to change the stock because it's terrible.

 

[Maverick223]

Neither? Remington's QC has taken a swan dive in the last few years (buy one a decade old for a nice rifle), and to me there isn't anything all that special about the Tikka. Can't say they are a bad rifle, just not the one for me. OTOH if I were forced to choose between the two, I would take the Tikka hands down as the QC is much better from what I have seen. Personally I like the new Savages. Just make sure and have a decent budget for a good scope. IMO it is better to have a cheaper rifle, and better glass, than the opposite condition.

Can't help but notice that you chose a odd combination of choices though...a varmint rifle and a lightweight sporter. I think it may be best to look at something with a "standard" contour barrel if you want to use it for target and hunting. A heavy varmint bbl will be a lot to lug around in the woods, whilst a lightweight contour will overheat quickly stringing your groups when target shooting.

 

[Ratdog68]

I'd go with the Remington... not JUST because I already have three 700s... but a buddy of mine just bought a 700 in .30-06 last fall... and his is just as nice as all three of mine, which are from 20-30yrs old.

My buddy put a Nikon Prostaff on his AR15... and he's as impressed with the glass on it as he is with the Leupold VXIII on his .30-06.

 

[dakotasin]

i'm a remington fan, and continue to buy them to this day. however, as maverick points out, you have 2 distinctly different platforms there, so you won't be comparing apples to apples.

since you are looking for primarily a target rifle, i would suggest you stick w/ a target platform - and broaden your search a little. remington sps varmint, ruger 77 vt, winchester coyote, etc.

if you want a hunting rifle, then get the sporter version from the various makers, and then downsize your chambering a bit for a little extra comfort in target applications. look for something like a 25-06, 260, 7-08, 257 roberts, etc. any one of those will kill deer and antelope cleanly.

for scopes on a budget, take a look at redfield revolutions, nikon buckmaster, and sightron s-2.

good luck!

 

[Maverick223]

Oops, left out the part about the scope...I would lean towards a Sightron S-II, Vortex Viper, Nikon Monarch, Bushnell Elite 4200, Zeiss Conquest, or even a Kahles Helia CL (the last two can be found for less than you might think if you are alright with moderate magnification). For target work you want good optical clarity, for hunting you want moderate magnification and light weight. Best buy for both tasks would be a Kahles 3-10x50mm with MultiZero (CDNN has a smokin' deal on em' right now). Not especially cheap, but everything you could ask for to excel at informal target and hunting.

 

[smokeyandthebandit05]

I bought a 700 sps varmint in .223. I love the rifle. I wanted to get it in .308 but I figured it would be easier and cheaper to shoot .223

 

[o0ben0o]

Not sure on the price difference over there but to compare apples to apples you could consider a Tikka Varmint or a Super Varmint.

 

[627PCFan]

QC is a good reason to go for the Tikka.

 

[twestbrook10]

tikka t3!

 

[BridgeTooFar]

I haven't owned a Remington rifle since an old 700 in .308 that my dad bought for me when I was young and used to hunt with him.

That said, I am a Tikka convert. I own nearly identical T3 All Weather Lite's in 30-06 and .243 and I LOVE them. More accurate than I am and extremely easy to carry all day. Actions on both of mine are unbelievably smooth, too.

They both wear Zeiss Conquest 3-9x40 scopes.

 

[Runningman]

I prefer my Tikka T3s to my Remington 700s these days. Tikka uses a better extractor design. The T3 safety will actually lock the bolt, a big plus if you hunt in brush. Tikka T3 is a much smoother cycling action. Quality control seems better on Tikka T3 than Remington 700 from my experience.

 

[Uncle Mike]

Maverick has good advice on the optics and Runningman is on target with the rifle! Get the Tikka, nowadays anyway.

 

[Fremmer]

Go with the Remmie varmint for a target gun. I'd prefer the .308 Winchester if it comes in that caliber, but Smokey's .223 looks good, too. Add a Leupold mil dot scope.

 

[DIM]

I got myself rem sps varmint after careful consideration. Tikka T3 is seem to be more appealing, however it lacks aftermarket parts and upgrades. If you decide on Remington, just an advice to you, be prepared to replace its stock, since it is not free-floated or bedded. But there are so many stock options for Remington you'll be surprised. Tikka on the other hand does come with its own bedding system, not sure how it works its recoil lug is the issue since no one will bed its action, but Accuracy International has replacement stock for it like for 1K. So at the end I decide to go easy way and I bought Rem 700 SPS, like for 400 bucks and I got rebate on it, and for another 200 I got B&C A2 stock which is aluminum bedded. There is also another option for you, its Savage model 10 or 12 with accustock and accutrigger hey you'll get barrel nut with it, and there is brotherhood of barrel nuts out there ;-)

 

[Uncle Mike]

Thing is...if he gets the Tikka, he more than likely wont 'have' to fool with the stock or bedding.

 

[DIM]

Well I bought my SPS with an idea to use its action to build something nice, but it turned out to be shooter even with its original stock I think it was good investment, but I still considering to get some custom work done on it, not now, its good the way it is, but as soon as I burn its barrel it will be good solid action to build upon...

 

[15guns]

Get a 308 700. It's the crap.

 

[DIM]

There is not bad review on snipercentral about Rem SPS

http://www.snipercentral.com/remspsv.htm

and Tikka T3, my friend has one and I think its great, but pricey

http://www.snipercentral.com/tikkat3.htm

 

[DIM]

Yes Nikon Prostuff, I had one and I loved it until I bought Monarch... The only drawback of Nikon Prostuff are its turrets to dial I had to use pocket change, it did had BDC but I never confirm POI with it, I would rather dial, I even used it on 500 yards, on 4" targets and 300 yards 2" targets...

 

[Buzzard]

Tikka by a mile. Bolt is smoother, trigger is much better, guaranteed to shoot 1" @ 100, and after you mount a scope the thing will weigh about as much as the Remington does without one.

http://www.tikka.fi/pdf/specs/Lite.pdf <-- Calibers & barrel lengths

Downside: It isn't made in the US, and the magazines are $73 to replace (ouch!).

 

[HGUNHNTR]

Anyone touting a Remington has obviously not shot a Tikka.

 

[DIM]

look I shot both... yes Tikka out the box is more nicer, maybe I handle the wrong one it was Tikka T3 Tactical. If you adjust trigger on Remington and get sucker floated its no better then Tikka

 

[Fremmer]

Lol, and anyone touting a Tikka has obviously not shot a Sako.

 

[dakotasin]

Anyone touting a Remington has obviously not shot a Tikka.

heehee... or, anyone touting a remington may indeed have shot or even own tikkas and has found a preference for big green, or a dislike of tikkas plastic everything, or the scope mount options or the expensive relatively hard to find mags, or whatever.

there's no winning these things - a rifle is, or should be, a personal decision. you can't know what someone else's preferences and biases - length of pull, preferred drop, etc etc.