Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters No Tikka next best 7mm 08

If I didn't say no Tikka then most everyone on this thread would say Tikka.

+1, A close second in that price range is Bergara B14.

Get yourself a Tikka, you'll be glad you did.

I have one, it can stack the bullets on top of each other.

+2 For Weatherby vanguard- specifically the wilderness edition. Fluted barrel, textured bell and carlson stock.

Shhhhh. He doesn't want/like Tikka for some reason???? I think some guys like to make things more complicated for some reason. Or have a reason for why their rifles don't shoot well. Can't blame a Tikka for that happening..

Right!

Go ruger american:
Faster rifling twist than the tikka.

A short action cartridge in a short action rifle

Superior bedding system (twin steel v blocks)

Over $300 less

Better name

Better customer service

Safer design for youth hunters, you can cycle the rifle while on safe

Shorter, lighter weight

Cheaper price in the used market.

Comes with a standard 4 round mag unlike the 3 round mag on the tikka.

Most popular bolt action sold, outsells tikkas by a LARGE margin.

$300 in savings, thats a trip to the gunsmith for open sights and a call to Doug at cameraland for a good budget scope.

Example of what's possible with a used American, total cost of $670 rifle/scope/upgrades:

smith chopped to 20" installed open sights.
Anodized aluminum bolt shroud
Retrofitted boyds aluminum AI bottom metal.
Two used original STEEL AI mags off ebay.

LOVES any 200 grain bullet, not picky (308 win)

Shhhhh. He doesn't want/like Tikka for some reason???? I think some guys like to make things more complicated for some reason. Or have a reason for why their rifles don't shoot well. Can't blame a Tikka for that happening..


bsa1917hunter
I have a Tikka SS 7m 08 with a BurrisFF 2 3x9 40 with a Ballistic Reticle on it shoots Noz 150 partitions over 49 grains Hunter pretty darn good.
I just wanted to see other opinions on 7mm 08's

Sell it and get a ruger American.

That's a perfect/simple combo right there. I use the same set up. I'm in the boat with the guys saying RAR then. My buddy recently bought 2 RAR's and they shoot damn good.

I just got back from a range trip shooting my Superlite 7mm-08.

Hated every minute of it.





P

Of what's available today, if you can tolerate the anesthetics, the Ruger American is good rifle.

Or a Bergara or a Barrett if you can afford it.

Of you want a project, a re-stocked 700 MR would be great.

If you want to do some searching, a 700 SS MR would be great.

I have a 700 Ti & it's just a great rifle after getting it bedded right, but they are about as scarce a hens teeth & $1800+ if you were to find one.

MM

i have 3 early 1990s Remington m7 in 7-08. my dad (RIP) never liked the factory wooden stock (too short), so he did a black walnut blank that was measured to fit him. the other two are mine and my youngest son's rifle. wood stocks and 18.5" featherweight barrel with open sights and Swift's scopes.

they are sub inch at 100 yards, 139gr Hornady FN (discontinued but i have 150 - 200 bullets) and 139gr Hornady SST. if you want short and lightweight rifle, i would buy a used Rem m7 in 7-08.

"if you want short and lightweight rifle, i would buy a used Rem m7 in 7-08."

^^^ That!

Also, as was previously mentioned the Howa Alpine model in 7mm-08 with the Basner stock and the slabbed action works in that same price range. Mine shoots MOA as per factory guaranty.

The Kimber 84M is another but more expensive option. Again an accurate rifle and an MOA guaranty.

Me? I couldn't decide which - so I'm playing around with all three options (Rifle Looney).

Pick up one a couple of years ago........nice rifle.

The Mesa is a crap shoot. I've played with 3 of them, none would shoot anything better than 1.5 MOA. For every good story, i hear 5 bad ones. Too much money for a gun like that.

Way too much money for a crap shoot rifle. Things like this is why the majority of us suggest Tikka. I've seen more poor shooting CA rifles than good ones. I'd trust a cheap RAR over a CA, to get things right in the accuracy dept.

My brother had a Tikka .25-06 that didn't shoot worth a damn. After much load testing with different bullet weights/manufactures and swapping scopes for a known good one, the best it would do was 2.5 - 3" at 100 yards. By then he was just totally disgusted and traded it off. My hunting partner has a Tikka .270 and I have one in .243 and they both shoot .5 MOA so he knows they can shoot but he'll never buy another after his experience with that .25-06.

I have a near-new Bergara B14 Ridge in 6.5 Creed for sale in the classifieds, if you are leaning that way. The 6.5 will kick a little less than the 7-08 (I have both) and will hold on to its velocity better at longer ranges, although there is really little or no practical difference between the two.