Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Tikka T3 Super Lite 338-06?

So I bought a Tikka T3 Super Lite in 30-06 a few months back. Its a great shooter, BUT I have another 30-06 that I really like plus it has sentimental value as well.

So I was think of sending the Tikka to JES and turning it into a 338-06.

Anybody done this on the Tikka platform?

I don't think anyone has yet but several have talked about doing it with a 338Federal. Just a re-chamber and your done. powdr

Being a fan of the 338/06, I think it is a wonderful idea. Make sure to post a review when complete.

+1

That could be a great combination. Since you already have a 30-06, maybe load the 338 with 225 Partitions or A-Frames as a way to be different. Or just send a 160 TTSX at warp speed (3200ish I'm guessing). That will kill anything.

Or you could just save yourself a lot of money, trouble and recoil by just loading 200 gr Partitions or Accubonds in the 30-06 at 2700 fps. Or 150 gr TTSX's in the 30-06 at 3100 fps. Both of those loads shoot flatter and hit harder than 338-06 beyond 100 yards or so. The 338-06 shows a slight edge at the muzzle, but who shoots anything at the muzzle.

Tikka builds a 9.3X62 on the T3.

Can't think of a reason the 338-06 will not work.

If I would have never bought another big game rifle after my first 30-06, now that would have saved me a lot of money. I'm in too far now.

This is a rebored to 35Whelen standard T3 6lb 13 oz with Talleys and VX-2 3-9x40 and there was just enough metal for a safe rebore.

Without a lot of setback .338'06 isn't going to clean up a 338Fed.
Needs to be reamed out to the AI. Which isn't a bad thing.

Nice looking Whelen you got there. Set up nice too.

Sssssshhhhhhred

<that's yer rifle loonie badge being torn from yer chest>

I think it sounds like a cool idea also.

Does that mean that with the fluted barrel of the superlite, that there won't be enough metal for a rebore to 338?

^^^^ I guess I should be finding out.

You'll need some dial calipers and call JES

It will just be a giant muzzle brake

W

Talked to JES on Friday. He said no problem, send it in.

I have reached 2900 fps with 200 grain and 2600 with 225's both Hornady and 3000 fps with 180 grain Accubonds. With my 200 grain load it takes over 400 yards until you're beating it in trajectory and energy with a 200 grain NPT at 2700 fps MV. Even then it hangs pretty close out to 600 yards with the 200 grain NPT.

I'll take my 180 grain Accubond at 3000 fps any day over the 150 grain TTSX at 3100. The numbers aren't terribly different but I still make the bigger hole. The .225's at 2600 aren't terrible in the ballistics department either, just that the recoil gets to be more than I want to tolerate.

That said there surely isn't anything that walks the earth that I wouldn't or couldn't kill just as easily with either my .30-06 or .338-06.

For routine use, there is not much that a 200 Speer or a 210 Nosler partition will not handle. Good velocity and controllable recoil. I once went five for five in a herd of hogs with the Speers. I could be had on another one.

Jack

I got some 225 Accubonds from SPS to give a try. Should be able to get between 2600 and 2700 fps with them. If I end up not liking them I will go back to either Speer or Hornady.

JMR40, I'm going to have to disagree with your statement regarding the 30-06 hitting harder and shooting flatter than the 338-06. I shoot the AI version which doesn't matter too much. If you check ballistic tables you'll see the 338 leads in all aspects. I'm talking loading the 338 with 210gr bullets. Scirocco's or Partitions. Energy levels are 15-20% higher with the 338. That's substantial. It's definitely a step up in power. Don't get me wrong, the 30-06 is and always will be one to be compared to.

Regardless of what ballistic charts say, I have been very impressed when using larger caliber bullets on game. This from my own experience.
Sure, some people like to get away with the smallest caliber possible. Not me. I like a medium size bullet, going at moderate velocity, out of a mid sized caliber. Straight up gets the job done with authority. I have hunted quite a bit with .308, .338, .358, and .375 calibers. I personally like what they do to game better than the .257,.264, and .284 bullets I have used. Just personal preference, but I like my bullets with a little heft to them.

I hear what you're saying bigswede! I like what they do as well, but I like to play with small cartridges as well 6mm and up. Though what JMR40 states isn't false, it just doesn't happen quite as fast has he claims.

I had JES bore to T3 30-06 to a 35 Whelen

I am very happy and it shoots well too

Im thinking about doing this and almost started a new thread.
How did this project turn out?

Rubbish.

A couple of months ago I sent a new T3 Lite 30-06 to JES . I got a 35 Whelen back in about two weeks. I've only tried one load so far, a 200gr. deer load I use in Mississippi. The first group had 3 shots touching. I adjusted the scope and fired another group that had 2 touching and the third just barely out. For now group testing and sight in are done. I will try Partitions and TSX in the spring.

Most of my animals are at 100 yards or less. I plan on going to canada or alaska eventually and I doubt ill be doing 300+ yard shots.
JMR what do you use to get 2700fps with 200gr pills out of 06?
What about barrel lengths for the 338-06? 22, 24 or 26?. If I rebore the tikka 06 barrel that will be 22". Or should I just get a new barrel?