Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting T3x CTR/ SWFA 3-9X42 thoughts

CTR and a 3-12 LRHS....

YES

The 143 ELDX factory load gets about 2600 fps out of my 24 3/8" Tikka, but shoots REALLY well. I have one other Creed with a 23" and it also gets about 2600 with that load.

Good scope but mine was a full 8 oz heavier than the SWFA 3-9x42

All of my SS 3-9x have been 19-20 oz, and both my LRHS 3-12x have been 24-25 oz.

My LRHS was 27 oz and many others here have reported the same. Got four SWFA 3-9 and all are 19 oz

First I’m seeing a report of 27 oz. I’ve mostly seen guys reporting 25.

I’ve also had 4 SS 3-9, and 2 were 19 oz while the other 2 were 20.

My 3-12x44 LRHS is 25.5 oz without the scope caps.
For reference, My PMII 3-12x50 P3 is 26 oz without scope caps.

Sure you can,just save a few more months,you know you want to.LOL

Honestly those Bushnell LRHS were going for about $700 at Opticsplanet at Christmas. You are going to pay that for a SWFA unless you wait on a deal or on Black Friday,or you may already have one,in which case,yes,I am an enabler.

Whitaker’s got the 24” version back in stock at a price almost $150 less than everyone else so I put my order in tonight. At this point, I think I’m just going to focus on it being a LR platform and not worry about weight. Going to save and wait if needed and top it with a NF NXS....probably a 3.5-15x

I'm probably going to go the 24" CTR 6.5 Creed route later this year. I picked up a Burris XTR II 5-25 a while back to go on it, so it's obviously not gonna be a lightweight. I'm setting it up more or less as a long range bench toy and it'll wear an SAS Arbiter can adding 9" to the end of it (another 12oz.) so "light and handy" really ain't in the equation.

It'll get hunted some, as a lot of my hunting is done a half mile from the truck, walking in across flat, open ground. I've got lighter, shorter stuff for anything more physically demanding.

A 20" CTR (sans can) with a SWFA 3-9 would be lighter and handier, but a Lite would seem even more so. Might even save enough money to chop the barrel to whatever and think about a Mcmillan?

If you're planning to add a can, I don't see any reason to choose the 24" CTR.

20" all the way and twice on Sundays.

20” CTR.... wearing the exact Suppressor referenced above, SAS TiArbiter.

The 20" barrel would likely look better with a can (I REALLY like the look of Dogshooter's!). It may balance some better (would be interested in opinions here). But functionally, I'm debating the difference in an extra 100fps vs. the relative handiness of a 29" or 33" barrel (with suppressor attached).
Likely, the biggest reason I think I'm leaning 24", is I should be able to hit 2700 with 147 Hornadys, without leaning on it too hard. Whether or not that really matters is, again, another question.

100fps is an easy concession for a handy rifle. IMO.

More like 60-80 fps loss vs. 24” barrel.... IME

I like your choice of scope and chambering immensely, but for the same sort of dollars I would get me a stainless T3X lite, cut to 21 inches and go new DBM and MDT mags.

So I wrapped up the ordering part of this package tonight. Stopped worrying about the weight and just settled with the fact of this being a heaver rifle, but one that is my dedicated LR options - so weight is ok.

Ordered the Weaver 3-15x50 EDMR 30MM FFP Illuminated scope. This had been running $750-$850, and Natchez runs a ridiculous sale that allows me to order for $599. This scope is made by LOW in Japan, and outside no Zero Stop, seems to fit everything I am looking for. Plenty of elevation to run out to 1000 yards. Reliable and Repeatable Turrets. (Lots of good reviews from professional level shooters who shoot a lot more than I do) Good glass, and lots of eye relief plus illumination. Just too hard to say no, plus at $599, if I hate it, I am confident I will get my money back on the used market.

The only downside right now is the scope weighs 27 oz, so this will be a 10 pound package when done.

Curious to see how little recoil will come out of this setup. Probably pushing my luck, but it would be cool if it was minimized enough to see hits through the scope.

If you went with the 24 inch barrel, you'll be over 10 with a 27oz scope and pic rings. Nothing wrong with that, just a heads up on the weight.

Let us know how you like the scope. I've been deaf to Weaver's offerings, stuck on the LRHS and SWFA stuff for LR use.

And enjoy the CTR! Great package.

Yep, more like 11 pounds loaded.