I am looking to buy a good 7mm thats light, affordable, and preferrably has a detachable magazine and the tikka T3 lite and the browning a bolt stainless stalker 7mm wsm were both most appealing. Just like to get some pros and cons for each rifle and how they compare to each other ( reliability, accuracy, warranty ?). Or maybe suggestions on any other kinds of rifles. If any one can share some knowledge it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

-- Brent Bureau (bbrent150@hotmail.com), December 03, 2003

Answers

hey guys i've been using the 270 win. for a number of years and i have taken a number of big game with this cartridge. from a 7x7 elk to a spike i've taken hunters out and let them use my rifle on moose and deer too varmints. hunting is my passion just like you bullet placement is what it is all about a bullet in the vitals and its over dead is dead . i hope this information is useful have fun and enjoy our heritige.

-- jack bliss (jack _ bliss _ 3 @hotmail .com), July 14, 2004.

Go for the tikka . It is a great gun with great accuracy and a magnificent price tag . the tikka HAS to shoot at least a one inch group at one hundred yards or it does not leave the factory. it has a very very very smooth action . i too am a fan of the detachable magazine . the tikka also has a pretty thick barrel which contributes to its accuracy but it still has minimal weight. it sounds like you are pretty set on the 7mm ? i am going to be purchasing a tikka t3 in .270 WSM . i am in no hurry so i will probably wait to purchase it in the summer or fall but if i stumble upon a good deal maybe i will purchase it then . what kind of stock are you looking at getting ? what kind of finish ? also the trigger is excellent on the tikka you can adgust it your self . hope this helped enjoy the rifle !

-- Justin Parks (MightySaint42@MSN.com), April 11, 2004.

I have purchased a Tikka Lite T3 in 7mm-08. This gun is on order, however, I have shot another in this caliber and the accuracy is nothing short of spectacular. With 120 (Pro-Hunter or Ballistic Tips) the accuracy for three shots is in the .25 - .30 inch range.. All day. As for the gun, the action is very smooth. I have never owned a Sako so I can not say if these are the same actions as on Tikka's. However the Tikka looks a lot like a Hall action. The trigger is the BEST factory trigger I have dealt with. I chose the 7mm-08 over the other calibers because I have seen many many animals shot with it from groundhogs to moose with truck loads of whitetail in between. It does the job. I know the short mags are the rage but you give nothing up with the 7-08 and you will shoot it much better. Handload it. Go up, Go down, and you cover 99.9% of all your hunting needs. Good Luck with your choice

-- steve grazaitis (boxscar@epix.net), March 09, 2004.

I'm going to agree with most of those that have already responded, and say "get the Tikka T3 lite". I've yet to shoot it, but I'm one of those guys that needs to be absolutley sure of any purchase over $100.00! I read up for over a month on the available rifles out there for the money, and have concluded that the T3 is the best overall value. I just purchased the T3 in a straight 270 Win. I see that combination as the best for my hunting (whitetails in New England) purposes. I purchased a Millet (don't laugh now) Buck Gold 3-9x44mm scope from dirtcheap.com for $132.00. (Lists @ $238.00) This is supposed to be one hell of a scope for the money. Relatively unheralded, but all I'll need. Suggest you read up on this scope. I paid $465.00 for my rifle at my local gun shop, and now will have a great combo for $600.00

-- Greg Kelley (gregk@gis.net), March 01, 2004.

I personally like the Browning over Tikka. I have not shot the Tikka but I have felt and smelled them for a long time. I was in the market for a 270 WSM and ended up buying a A-Bolt Classic Hunter in 270 WSM. I just felt like the Tikka felt sloppy and esthetically unappealing. I might be more of a traditionalist. I have read many good reviews of the Tikka. Great shooters. I also believe that the 270 WSM is a better ballistic round than the 7mm WSM, but either will do the job. More deer have been killed here in Wisconsin with a 22 than any other caliber.

I hope this helped and didn't upset anybody.

-- Mike Albitz (mrbitz_91@yahoo.com), February 25, 2004.

I just bought a Tikka T3 and I am completely impressed. The action is incredibly smooth and the first break-in session produced one 1/4 inch three shot group at 100 yrds. The safety does require that you operate it deliberately, and the bolt must be completely down for it to operate effectively. The plus side of that is I won't lock the bolt, take aim and then realize too late that the safety was still on. Ya, I know, but it happens. I have also owned a Browning Stalker and it was a great rifle. Very accurate and easy handling, but I find the Tikka feels more solid, and is smoother. As far as caliber is concerned, I would go with caliber with the least recoil because any of the considered calibers are adequate when used in rifles capable of the accuracy that these two are. Another reasonaly priced consideration would be the Ruger 77. It comes in stainless synthetic and I have had nothing but exellent reliability and accuracy with them. Any of the combinations are a no lose proposition so go with the best price. The Tikka has a really nice crisp adjustable trigger. The Ruger is not adjustable and I don't think any of the others mentioned are either. That, and price lead me to the Tikka, and I'm not sorry yet.

-- Mike Chapman (chapman_mike2000@yahoo.ca), January 25, 2004.

I own two Browning A-Bolts, one is a .30-06 Medallion and the other is .300 WSM Stainless Stalker. Both are extremely accurate rifles and in the right hands can shoot 1/2" to 1/4" groups at 100 yards. I am an occasional benchrest shooter and w/o practice (somtimes only once a year) shoot 1" groups. I bought both rifles for hunting and b/c they are light they're easy to tote for long periods of time while trampling through the woods. I too, have never been a big fan of the 7mm. The cartridge is simply a compromise to the .300 Magnum. I love the .300 Short Mag. and of the two guns, it's my favorite to shoot. My .30-06 will probably forever be a backup now that I have the .300. It's a fine gun to handle and kicks only slightly more than the .30-06. If you are concerned about felt recoil, I would recommend taking the time to shoot a .300 before making your decision. A lot of people write about the relatively high ft/lbs. of recoil (anywhere from 4 to 7 lbs. greater than the .30-06) but have never actually fired the gun. It's what you feel that counts ...

Browning now has a new A-Bolt Mountain, Ti that I wish had been available last year. It has a Bell & Carlson stock with the Dura- Touch coating that should provide an even better feel than the standard Browning composite stock. It's also a full 1 lb. lighter weighing in at 5 lbs. 8 ounces. However, it does come with a relatively high price tag. I am considering it in a .270 WSM ...

Something to consider since you are thinking about an A-Bolt is that both Browning and Winchester are owned by the same conglomerate, hence their rifles are very similar and in some cases have the same features (ie. the BOSS). You might want to take a look at the Model 70 in WSM. I know Winchester builds some really nice custom rifles, and if I were to go that route they would probably be my first consideration.

-- James Krebs (jkrebs@cableone.net), January 24, 2004.

Tikka's a really nice rifle, Sako quality w/o Sako's price. Good points are smooth operation, fabulous accuracy, and a true detachable magazine that drops free of the rifle. Haven't tried a T3, but on some of the other Tikkas, I've noticed the bolt doesn't lock down after "cocking" the firing pin (safety on), and it opens back up rather too easily. Yeah yeah, never carry a rifle with a loaded chamber, but sometimes you have to reposition quickly after you thought you had a shot, and in the rush of the moment, I don't think anybody's going to fully clear their weapon for a short distance move. So it's nice to have a safety that not only blocks the trigger, but the firing pin as well (Winchester), and lock the bolt handle down. The Tikka's not offered in 7mm WSM yet, and that's the difference. The current crop of WSM cartridges really come into their own in the .270 and 7mm calibers, offering superior flight ballistics over their standard counterparts. The .300 WSM ballistics are nearly identical to the .300 WinMag. The Browning A-Bolt magazine clips into the floorplate and must be "rolled" back to release from the floorplate. This is a nice feature when reloading from the prone if you have adequate clearance under the rifle. Nice notes are, the bolt locks down when the safety's engaged, and wonderful accuracy with or w/o the BOSS. Another rifle you might consider is the Remington 700 DM Mountain Rifle. These three are around the same price range and are comparable in quality and accuracy. It's a matter of personal preference on fit, finish, and safety features now. I'm sure you understand that "light" rifles turn into "thumpers", even in the 7mm Mag and Short Mag calibers. I had a Savage 116 stainless w/synthetic stock in 7mm Mag, and that was a beast when it fired! Don't buy into the hype about WSM rounds having less felt recoil either. I used a Browning A-Bolt Stainless Stalker (.300 WSM) this year for my Elk, and even with a muzzle brake (from Accuracy Systems, Aurora CO), it felt like a 30.06. I attributed this to the synthetic stock mostly, but if the recoil was truly less than the big brother WinMag, with a muzzle brake, it should have felt more like a .308. For comparison, my usual rifle is a stainless Howa 1500 Supreme (.300 WinMag), laminated thumbhole stock, with a KDF muzzle brake, and recoil feels much more like a .243!!! Denser stock material and more efficient brake at work here. Good luck finding the right rifle for you!

-- Stephen Diaz (stdi@caplogistics.com), December 11, 2003.

I have a Tikka T3 in 270 WSM and it is the perfect rifle!! I have shot/hunted/ect for 42 years and had high powers for 30 years. My first centerfire rifle was a 7 mag in a Klienguenther K14. The most remarkable rifle of it's day. I have many Winchester's, Remington's, Ruger's, Savage and have and have had many others(Cooper Kimber, Colt, Weatherby, Mauser, Sako, Bruno). The Tikka is the total value package of features, quality, accuracy, light weight, etc, etc. Get a 7 if you wnat but this 270 WSM is THE hottest new cartrige and will be around for a long time. I've never been a big 7 mm fan. I'd go woth a 300 Win or WSM but the 270 WSM is the real ticket. With 130 grain Barnes Triple Shock Bullets over a near max losd of MagPro powder, I can put three in a half inch and five in less than an inch at 100 yards with them leaving the muzzle at 3340. What more can you want? That answer is my 7.82 Warbird in Sako TRG-S that's on it;s way right now. Try 150 grain Triple Shock at around 3775. Smokin!! If you go with the Tikka go straight for the Kahles 3X9X42 with a TDS reticle. This is a match made in hunters heaven! Perfect balance in a sweet little package you have to handle to believe. Use the factory Tikka rings. They look cheap (to me) but they have the lightest weight and give the gun the best balance with the Kahles. I put Burris rings and bases on and the factory supplied ones are going back on. I think my tikka Burris mounts will work on my Sako TRG-S until I can locate a real beefy tactical mount. This may sound opinonated and it is but it is also straight and true! Good shooting!

-- Rick Hall (rick@wyckoffind.com), December 10, 2003.