So I bought one in 300winmag. The idea of a sub 7lb all up magnum interested me. I already have a couple Kimber Montana's in 308win and 223 and also a T3 in 308win so to complete my lightweight lineup I needed a lightweight magnum.
I started at sportsmans....I dont recall the exact price but it was right at $775 or so OTD. When I picked it up I also grabbed a box of Winchester Supremes loaded with 180gr Nosler Accubonds. When I got it home last night I weighed it...Not 5.8lbs but right at 5lbs 10ozs with the factory supplied rings and mag in the gun. I then (after reading the Tikka ring thread) went to the hardware store and bought some high grade stainless/metric button head cap screws and sockett head cap screws to replace the factory ones......Grabbed a Leupy VX2 2x7x33lr I had in the safe and mounted her up. With the scope mounted...no ammo or sling It weighs right at 6lbs 8ozs.





Today, after a good cleaning of the gun/bore I loaded it up and headed to the range.......Now regardless of how some of you feel about "barrel break in" I've done it and not done it and have'nt seen a difference so I did'nt do it on this one as well. Here are the results...First and second shots I was twisting on the adjustments and then I let 3 rounds fly for a group of right at .580 or so.



I remembered why I liked these Tikkas so much my 308win was just as easy...no fussin around trying to find a handload that works or having 3-4 half shot boxes of factory stuff. I later fired 2 more 5 shot groups that both measured right around .800.....All with off the shelf Winchester Ammo. Now as far as looks go It aint as handsome as the kimbers...fit and finish is about what you would expect on a mostly plastic rifle, but for a Sub 7lb all up magnum that most guys can afford I dont see how you can go wrong.

LOL....I almost forgot. Hows the recoil? Well I honestly expected worse. I have a wood stocked 300 weatherby mk5 and I would rate them pretty equal. I also have a wood stocked Browning Abolt in 325wsm that puts this rifle to shame in the OMG that hurt department. The Tikka has that big magnum thump but not a too much muzzle jump, it must be due to the stock design. I ran 16 or so rounds through it today with no issue.

Awesome! I think the magnums weigh more than standard because they have a 24" tube?

I spoke to Beretta, and that is indeed a Finnlight barrel, on a Tikka action.

I have a T3 Lite/Stainless in a 300WM that sh.oots lights out!! It shoots hand-rolled 200 grain Accubonds into tiny little holes. I put a Limbsaver on it and the recoil doesn't bother me one bit. It gets harder and harder not to leave the house with this one.

Hardway, thanks for the report. Tikka's are the best rifle built for under a grand...all things considered. I think I have a Limbsaver I took off one. Shoot me a pm if you want it.

Watch those factory rings they are a big problem on the magnums. The recoil pin in the ring will actually drive itself through the ring from the recoil.I have seen his happen 3 times so far with proper mounting. I put warnes on all tikka's problem solved.

Thanks for the review. I have had nearly the same result with my Superlight in .30-06. It's just the easiest shooting gun I have ever owned. I question your weights though. My .30-06 weighed 5 lbs 12 oz out of the box, exactly the advertised 5.8 lbs. Now you have 2" more barrel and only a tiny bit less metal in the chamber and on the bolt face, otherwise the barrel taper, action, and stock are identical. I would think you would have to be right around 5 lbs 14 oz bare. I checked mine on three separate scales, of course I could be off a bit too.

I put Talley's on mine and have not had any issues.

question:

Do the super lites and standard T3 have the same profile barrel? I thought they had the same profile, just one had flutes. Looking at the pic above, it looks like a heavier barrel, with heavy flutes.

thanks.

Good review I do miss the sportsmans warehouse's they closed out here now the nearest one 400 miles away!

Hopefully I can get up to Sacramento in January and grab a superlight in 30-06....

I have the exact same rifle except mine is not a SL, it's a T3 lite. The barrel is not flutted. Right out of the box mine has been a 1/2"-3/4" rifle. Have been seeing these Tikkas shooting in local matches in the factory class for about 4 years. They generally shoot better than any other gun. Triggers are good and never have seen one malfunction in any way. Have seen full magazines drop off a bench onto concrete floors with no damage. Plastic may be ugly, but it is tough.
The factory rings a junk. Replaced mine with Talley LW's

I have several rifles and could basically have used anything I want for this years elk hunt. Took the T3 lite .300 and it worked perfectly in temperatures down to -24.

Elk didn't like it much.



LC

Can some one direct me where to find info on this model. There is nothing on their website and can not find one on Gunbroker. Were these made specifically for Sportsman Warehouse??

I measured my T3 superlight .30-06 and my T3 lite in .338 win and the barrel taper is the same, just the flutes in the superlight and 2" more barrel on the .338 win.

There is no info on the web that I can find, it appears to be a special makeup for Sportsmans, your best bet is to call your nearest Sportsmans Warehouse, they will ship one to an FFL. The superlight is the same as the lite just a fluted barrel, which saves a few ounces. The superlight also has a very fine satin finish on the barrel, as opposed to the bead blasted look of my lite. Not sure if that's just because the came from different years? I would guess if you found a Sako that had a fluted sporter weight barrel - it would be the same one that's on the Superlight.

They are only sold through Cabelas and Sportsman's. The ones at Cabelas are more because they have a camo stock.

FOr those that live near Columbia, SC the sportsmans warehouse seems to have quite a few in stock ...680 is the selling price

Question on the Superlights -

Are they available in 7mm-08? .270 Win?


Thanks,

Phil

I had a local dealer order it from his distributer. Had it in 3 days. Ask your dealer to make a few calls.

LC

Beretta told me they go straight from the factory to Cabelas or Sportsmans, and they were not available through a dealer???

Phil, they come in 270, 30'06, and 300 Win mag.

I would love one in a 25-06! Maybe they will offer more in 2011.

Do they make one in a lefty in 204 Ruger? 1Longbow

My 85 finnlight measures .625" at the muzzle. The 75 finnlights were only .575" at the muzzle. Yet the 85 weighs less.

My daughter has one in 25-06 and with the short 22 7/16th" barrel it's VERY portable, in my opinion the super lite probably won't happen in that caliber. Why wait just get the T-3 lite and put a smile on your face.

Anyone know if they make a T3SL in 308?

If you read about six posts above, that question has already been answered.....270, .30-06, .300 Win Mag.

Sportsmans warehouse offers them in 308.
Not sure about the Cabela's line.

I heard that tikkas are a POS because they are not entirely metal.

And that engineer who designed the space shuttle, someone should fire his ass because he cut a lot of corners not using metal on the ship!

That is all!

Shod

And .223 (1/8") and .22-250...

My T3 SL in 30-06. 180 accubonds over H4350 are my elk medicine, though I ate tag soup this year.

Link to custom milled Tally's from 16bore:

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/7954938/1

There are 3 versions of SL's available. Sportsman's warehouse sells the black stock stainless model. Cabelas sells the camo stock stainless model. Bass pro shops sells the black stock with black coated stainless metal.

Barrels as noted above are Sank Finnlight barrels.
The wife's .308 has shot several factory loads and several hand loads around 1/2- 3/4" 5rd groups.

She uses the 150TTSX for deer and it routinely shoots one big hole.

Hell I started her on some old crusty Sierra 130 gr HP's (old green cardboard box) loaded on minimum loads of W760 and the damn things go under 1/2" all day with dick for recoil.

. Are they coated or just blued? I have a big boar in 338 win mag and I'm pretty sure it's not stainless steel coated

They are blued, the models at Bass Pro sold in the mid 500's when they had them, I doubt they got a stainless steel gun and coated it since Sako doesn't coat any of their rifles except maybe some speciality big dollar gun$.

I picked up a 223 super lite a few months back. In comparing it to my 270 lite I felt the super lite balanced some better for offhand shooting though the lite balances very well in itself.

I haven't had time to do loading for the rifle so I picked up some 64 gr. Fed blue box ammo and put them through the rifle. Groups were slightly over 1" which surprised me as my 270 shot anything I fed it under 3/4.

I'm eager to load for the 223 as I'm sure the rifle will do far better. It was a bad sunny morning with the sun positioned at about 2:00 with a breeze. Nodody seemed to be getting groups.

Next trip will be hand loads with lapua brass in the evening with the sun at my back. I'm expecting to see bullets touching which I think is not uncommon for a tikka.

Congrats on the 300 win mag! Not a lot of rifles you can load and shoot groups like that with little effort however the tikkas seem to have a long history of doing just so.

With the 180 Accubond and groups like that coupled with the power of the 300 win mag you should be good for way out there! Grin

Shod

Will Sportsmans ship to my FFL dealer?

Call them and ask, but I'm positive the answer is yes. I believe the super lites is a limited run and they may be running out soon!

Shod

The SW in Salem Oregon will not ship.

The SW in Salem Oregon will not ship. They'll transfer store to store, but not to an FFL.

I asked the manager at the closest SW and the answer is that they will not ship to an FFL. I would have to travel to their store about 4 hours to buy one.I suppose they do not want to sell them so they can keep it as far as I'm concerned.

Sure love mine (.223 and .308).

If Tikka (or Beretta, if you prefer) would pull their heads out and offer them in a fast twist .22-250 and .243 I'd have two more in the safe...

(I REALLY don't get the slow twist two-fiddy. Jus screw on the existing 1-8 barrel and sell it to me, damn it!)

Rumor has it the 1/8" Super-Lite .223 is going to 1/10" same as the current "Lite" model.

I just picked up a NIB unfired 7mm Rem Mag in the camo stocked Cabela's model from a fellow and it's a beauty!

Tikka cannot be beat for the money.

Not a magnum but I did just buy a T3 in 338Federal and I am excited about it. I love the weight and the total configuration. Can't wait to shoot it. powdr

I just shot a 308 T3 and now I'm wanting a super lite in 308 or 223!...

I have 2 Superlites and a blued 25-06 they are a lot of gun for the money.

A Limbsaver recoil pad and a set of Talleys from 16bore and you got a nice rifle.

Like this one? 7mm-08.






P

Shucks, my 06 looks just like that! except you got a fancy scope. I just got a poor boy VX II.

I'm honestly jealous as a lefty. Would love a SL. Had to settle for a T3 Hunter in 6.5swede. Took Beretta USA 5+ months to import after I ordered
Sako and Tikka make lots of awesome lefty's. Beretta USA had to be the slowest and least helpful importer as far as bringing a wider selection in.
That might be improving seeing the options Whitaker and the sako select dealers were able to get.

I was looking at a Tikka T3 SL in 223 for my boy. What's the twist rate on these?
Are these fairly accurate after a few shots on the thin barrel?

The SL is 1:8, and a great way to fly for your son. Did the same thing for my oldest

Fancy indeed. Got it at Cabelas for $249.



P