I was considering a Kimber Montana, and may still go that route, but the cost of a Tikka T3x superlite is less the cost of a Leupold VX3i in 2.5x8x36.

My local Cabela's has the T3 Superlite in the crappy camo stock for $170 more than Sportsman's Warehouse sells the black stock version for, not interested in that rifle. I've found that the Superlite only weight 3 or 4 ounces less than the standard weight model. Nearest Sportsmans Warehouse is 175 miles away, would you make the drive for 4 ounces or I could have it shipped also, figure $30 for the shipping and $20 for the transfer at my local dealer, so $50 bucks.

Other than the weight, is there something I'm missing?

Is the camo stock worth $170 more than the black stock? No. By the way, if you've ever used them, I know it is subjective, they aren't really crappy stocks. If those stocks are what made/make Tikkas so frickin' accurate I would try to locate one for every rifle I own. My reccomendation, keep your eyes peeled for a good deal for a used one. They regularly pop up here in the classifieds for much less than you appear to be contemplating Sparetime. Good luck in your quest.

To me, it would be worth the drive, IM OCD about it. If I got the normal one from Cabelas Id regret not getting the SL, I also don't like that camo stock or the price mark up on the Cabelas model.

Id make the drive, and hit a good lunch at a place I don't normally get to go, maybe bring a friend along for the road trip.

I keep telling myself it is just a few ounces , not worth it etc etc. I want one but it has to wait until I buy a Bergara

Sportsmans won't ship,I'm pretty sure. To me it's more about what I want than economics. If it was all just economics I would only own one rifle and one shotgun.

I've had Lites and a Superlite, there is nothing wrong with either, but I don't think I'd pay the extra for the few oz difference again. Also, it might just have been my rifles (and isn't constrained to Tikka's), but it seems like my fluted hunting weight barrels have been more finicky than non-fluted versions.

I'd make the drive. I don't like the camo stocks and they damn sure aren't worth the extra money. As for flutes or not, that's entirely personal preference. We can't make up your mind for you. Hint

What caliber are you chasing down?

Have you ever made an online gun purchase?

if you are hunting small games then the creedmoor is he way to go. recoil is unbelievable.

I would be rational and get the rifle I didn’t want, then within six months sell it and drive 175 miles, but that’s just me.

Learning the buy once cry once theory has been a long hard road.

Holy C R A P P !! That's NOT his question.


Jerry

Guess What ?

I am FED up with the 'creedCRAP' not pertaining to the OP, being injected to discussions.
Just thot you'd need to know.!!

Jerry

Maybe it's JUST ME but I'm NOT certain WHICH stock your are NOT interested in.??

Regardless, take this from personal experience.....Don't SETTLE for something you don't like. I have NEVER been happy settling.

BTW - I like the looks of the Camo stock. Everybody doesn't.

Jerry

If you have a FFL licensee near you that will receive and transfer for you for a reasonable fee (say $25 or so) then why not order a standard weight Superlite from Whittaker's?

You can order and pay for it on Whittaker's website and they send it to your FFL, a very easy process. The last firearm I ordered from them was here in 3 days and I am over a 1000 miles away from them.

I don't know where you live but where I am when I order something I am not charged state sales tax on it - something else to consider. Or you could just spend the dollars and drive 175 miles.

drover

The one I played with at Cabela’s last weekend was nice. But it was $999.99. So no, it’s not worth 175 mike drive.

I know what you mean . . . kind of reminds me of the TikkaCRAP that crops up in every thread

Some guy is asking about a Mauser 98 and some douchebag tells him to get a Tikka

I am a Tikka fan/user but I 'pretty sure' I'm NOT guilty of that.

Jerry

The OBVIOUS answer to every question is “get a Tikka in 6.5 Creeedmoor.”

Duh

Yes, as I recall, you are innocent

I grew up in the gun business and have family that still is. Kimber is not what it was. Tikka go for it. Especially if you are looking for a very light rifle.

If you want the rifle, make the drive...

Sparetime, i don’t have a horse in this race so...

One thing no one has mentioned, that’s 175 mi BOTH ways. = 350 mi.

IF they don’t ship — consider that.

Jerry

Beside, My Tikka can kick your creed’s butt ! !

Jerry

This is the correct answer

Only for targets that are very very very close

Well... just don't blame my TIKKA because of my OLD eyes.

Jerry

i personally like the fluted barrel AND the camo tikka stock. But,both of those two points are entirely subjective as i don't think the flutes reduce a whole lot of weight and im fairly certain that they don't inprove accuracy in any way, But, to me the flutes look cool and they will set your rifle apart from most tikka's. I like the older T3 models better and have been chasing down a particular model myself as the nearest sportsman warehouse is 3hrs aways from my house and they won't ship to my ffl. so, in saying all this YES make the road trip and buy the one you really want. i will eventually do the same. i keep hoping one will pop up on GB.

Sportsmans Warehouse will not ship to your FFL, I already asked.....I own 2 Sportsmans model Superlites and its a 3.5hr drive (one way) to My nearest Sportsmans Warehouse so Yes The drive is worth it to Me as I think the fluted barrels look much cooler and everybody wont have one, hell I dont even mind the drive too bad, I might drive back and get another Superlite in .223 Rem or .243 Win someday 🤗........Hb

Where in the &^#* do you live in Virginia? I think my drive to Roanoke is 1 1/2 hours.

I think it is worth it. If you want the rifle you will quickly forget about the drive.

An 8 twist 223 is on my list.

I was looking for the black stock. i don't care for the camo stock or the additional $180 in cost.

Haven't decided on caliber yet, probably 7 mag, .270, 30-06, or .300 win mag. Yeah, I have some narrowing down to do (three others in elk camp shoot .300 win mag, so .300 wsm doesn't make a whole lot of sense). If Kimber, I'll probably go all in and do the .280ai just to be different. By the time I do that, buy the .280 dies and the .280ai dies and some brass, I'll be close to having two Tikka's. The current odd man out in camp shoots a .280, so I could use his in the .280ai and he'd be SOL with the brass. What are friends for?

I understand the limbsaver pad designed for the Tikka stock helps with felt recoil for less than $40 bucks. No brake wanted, so we'll see.

Awhile back my SIL picked up a used Tikka T3 Lite in 7mm Mag for a song. He put a good scope on it and we went to the range. He was trying some HSM ammo with the 168 Berger. That thing made a "bughole" 3 shot group! He killed a 5pt bull with I that Fall. Very LWT and easy handling. Now, in our group, another guy has one in 338 Federal. He has killed elk and muleys using the 185TSX factory loads. he has had all kind of trouble with his plastic magazine. I can't warm up to them just because of that...I don't rust any polymer mags but AR15 Thermolds, ha. They tell me that Tikka has aftermarket metal mags? I love Remingtons, but usually they need a lot of tweaking. So far, I haven't seen nor heard of a Tikka really needed it, right out of the box.

I fixt that for ya.

I've had my Tikka T 3 Lite SS 270 W since 2003. SO FAR my magazine hasn't given me ANY trouble. I bought a 5 rd just for an xtra but have not used it.

Jerry

ps: Jim, I promise I'm not a troll, following you around. it just happened this way! smile

No problem J! ha, I just spazzed out and didn't spell check. My SIL hasn't had any issues with his 7mag either...I wonder if it is common to the shorter mags? Anyhow, I am keeping my options open on acquiring one in 243 or similar. A fast twist 22-250 would be sweet too!

From his location on his post it says "BSG Virginia". I'm guessing that would be Big Stone Gap, up near the Kentucky line. If that is the case, it would be about a 3.5 hour drive one way.

Do it!

Long way's to go for a gunshop

Don't be afraid to order online. You don't have to drive 175 miles to do it.

whats with the fussk load up you tank and make the drive or have it shipped to you.

All you need is the Sparetime... Sparetime!

Go get it!

i only wish,like the op, that sportsmans warehouse shipped to lgs ffl's. i called em and they won't do it.

You could just cut the regular Lite barrel down to 21 inches. That ought to be in the ballpark in weight.

Whitaker's is a little over 400 miles round trip from the house. Have made the trip multiple times solo, and with buds. 10 to 11 hours including a stop at Moonlight Barbecue. Just gotta make up your mind that you're gonna do it...

Thats correct......The other Sportsmans thats somewhat close is in Lexington Ky, also a 3.5hr drive from My location...Hb

Picked up a used tikka t3 off gunbroker. Probably paid more than I should have but it called to me. It is a .300 mag so I’ll be getting a limbsaver pad and see how it goes. I’ll keep looking for a Kimber Montana also. I’m not heavily invested in the tikka so I can still get something else.

Rifle is the standard weight not the lite. Not a bad thin considering the .300 mag

I have a Tikka Lite T3x in 7mm-08. This gun shoots like "a house-a-fire".That's real good for some of you people.
I've herd the standard lite rifle shoots better than the SL
Not a hard choice for me.
Get one, you'll thanks us later.

I just went through this last weekend. Found a weatherby ultra lightweight on gun broker in 308, from northern firearms. That’s the online name for Reeds sporting goods in Walker, MN. Instead of having it shipped down to me, I hopped in wifeys car at dawn and drove the 3 hours up. The plus side?
They shaved $250 off the online price! Which I immediately spent on a Swarovski scope for it.

Does anybody know the distance between the Flutes and the muzzle on the Superlites?

On my T3 7MM-08 its about 1 1/2" from the end of the flutes to the muzzle. I had a new T3x 6.5 Creedmoor with the longer barrel and it was probably 3 1/2" or more on that one. But on the shorter barrels its 1 1/2".

Like the guy said, get exactly what you want, regardless of the extra trouble. The effort will soon be forgotten, but "settling" will haunt you forever.

Given gas prices, I'd look online before I drove, unless there's no LGS that will do the transfer for a reasonable fee. Some of them are pissy about that, I know. I pay either $25 or $29 here.

I drove 1,000 miles to Mid- Colorado for mine...but it was kinda on the way to Texas

.223 Superlight

Nice! Me like.....Lol...Hb

That pic looks familiar.........or at least very similar.

Perspective.. my family roots are about 100 miles west of Roanoke....
stretched between Christiansburg and Beckley.

been living in Southern Oregon since 1995....
3 to 3.5 hour drive out this way, is pretty common thing...

if I wanted something, 3 hour drive one way isn't a big deal...
Stopped at the SW last time I was back east, there in Roanoke..
that's a small one, compared to our local one here in S. Oregon.

Pretty country there around Big Stone Gap.

Virginia is a pretty state period. 3.5 hours to a gunshop each way is 1.5 hours over my self imposed limit . I have been in the Roanoke and Columbia SC SW store a number of times and ended up buying one maglite flashlight.

As fired up as everyone is about superlites, I thought mine would sell.