Not sure why as I have no shortage of hunting rifles. Narrowed it down to three possible choices:

Tikka T3X Lite SS
CA Mesa
Browning X-Bolt Speed

Any thoughts or opinions would be appreciated.

Also would like to thank everyone for the help and advice in my reloading efforts. Killed my first deer with my own handloads first week in December.

I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!

Clifford

I bought a Tikka T3x Lite SS 308 this Fall, and I am impressed with it. Good trigger out of the box and it's light and accurate even with me shooting it. I did replace the polymer trigger guard with an aluminum one.

Looks to me like you picked them in the correct order. They all would do nicely. But the Tikkas always shoot extremely accurate. I have not known one yet to disappoint.

Tikka= EASY BUTTON.

I’ll second that

Why stop at just one? For me the classic 7mm-08 is a Model Seven:



Rem 700, Model Seven FS, Howa Alpine, Kimber Classic Select, & a SS Model 7 in a B&C

Bet yah stop at one!

I had one here in a 7mm-08 that was about to drive me crazy. Couldn't keep consistency with it. Wood stocked rifle that ended up being a combination of 2 different things. Way too much slop in the stock and too much in the receiver IMO with the floating recoil lug, which I remedied by dropping in a mountain tactical lug. And a scope that would hold zero for a string of shots, then not hold zero.

Got both of those things taken care of, and then it shot like they're supposed too!

Why not Rem 700 Mountain rife from late 1980's or 1990's in 7mm-08, awesome rifles.

We have several Tikkas. A bunch in 7mm-08. My main shootin’ iron, in fact.




P

My vote is for a Model Seven. Love mine!!

Out of the ones you listed, the Tikka. I have a T3 Hunter in .300 WSM that shoots lights out!

Chris

I have one. Great rifle

I have one in a Tikka T3 that shoots very well, both factory and reloaded ammo. Most folks like to shoot it as well. It just seems to be a rifle that people are drawn.

Tikka. Of course.

I like my Remingtons and Tikka's. The new Ruger American Gen II is a nice little rifle
Shoots factory 140 Fusions 3 shots in .358 with only 4 rds through barrel @100 yards
Scope is a 3-10x40 Bushnell elite 3200

I have a T3x SS that I really like. Light, accurate and reliable.



I’ve shot 120-162gr bullets through mine and it’s been easy to find accuracy with anything.

I'd probably go with Tikka. Then start with either Varget or Big Game.

Good luck.

There's definitely worse things to want! My last 7mm-08 was a faux Howa Alpine I put together, shot very good! Of the three you mention, I'd go with the Tikka, but that's just my opinion. Best to you and enjoy!

Howa barreled action from brownells. Put it in any stock you like.

That's what I did. 22" standard sporter barrel instead of the 20" pencil barrel, same Cerekote finish as the Alpine and then fit it into the Basner stock I had. Came out great, shoots great too!

For some reason I'd like one of these to play around with a bit.

Been looking at those too. Sportsma's Warehouse T3x Superlite.

Can't comment on the rifle choice - mine's a Montana but I'm a big fan of the cartridge choice. Thing just flat out works above its paygrade for me on deer.

Jsut helped future son-in-law. I know no one admits to liking them but we went Browning and are super happy.

Nice trigger, great weight, and short bolt throw.

Its probably the best grouping 7mm08 I have

I also can't comment on the rifle choices but this round has been DRT on Deer for my son. I got him a new old stock Model 70 in 7mm-08 when he was 12. He never developed a flinch with this round, and his 5 deer to date have either DRT or ran less than 20 yards.

After seeing the 7mm-08 in action, I want one now.

Cool. Shoot it for a week and get a 6.5 CM

Same here.
My 7-08 Montana is the rifle I grab first out of 3 safes full of rifles.

I’d have to say my Bobby Hart built M-700 in a Hunter’s Edge is just about my fav all around hunting rifle. And, as others have posted, it’s not my only choice. And, of course, it’s a 7-08.

DF

Browning X Bolt. Hands down favorite caliber 7-08! I own I don't know how many rifles in this caliber. If you go with the browning pm me and ill share a handload for 120 gr Barnes ttsx. However you cant go wrong with any of those on your narrowed down list. To me the browning is the more comfortable fit but that's just me

I have been shooting the 7mm08 since 1984
Started with a rem788 still have it. Bought a new 700 classic when they came out. still have it
Finally bought a tikka t3 when they first came out That gun is boringly accurate. I have since bought tikkas in 308, 22-250, 30-06 and a 17hmr
I can’t see you going wrong with the Tikka

i rebarreled a Remington 700 to a 7mm-08 before this cartridge was a standard cartridge made by any ammo company and still have that rifle.been , yes the 7mm-08 cartridge is great , i just went to using a bigger cartridge by my choice.

Definitely my favorite cartridge. I've been shooting one since the mid '80's.
I have 3 Kimbers chambered in it now, 2 Montana's and a Super America, plus my boy's LVSF.

First off congratulations on your first deer with your own hand crafted loads. There's something very satisfing about taking an animal with a load you developed.
As to the 7MM-08 a great caliber, it's the new 7X57 . I can't speak to your choices in rifles as my two are a Weatherby Ultra Light and a Ruger #1.

About the only thing Remington missed was a steeper shoulder for a shorter case. Still a hard to beat a 7-08 for most any use.

I shot a 7rem mag for years then my girlfriend at the time, wife now, wanted to start hunting. Ended up with a 7-08 for her and I saw it killed deer just as dead with less recoil and noise. The 7-08 is my favorite cartridge now but I find myself trying everything else trying to compare them to the 7-08 and like them better. For our deer I don’t think there is anything better than the 7-08 with the 120 ttsx or 120 ballistic tip.

OP, browning x bolt feels better to me and is a short action, but the tikka will likely be more accurate, but not enough to really matter at normal hunting ranges. You really can’t go wrong with any of them for normal hunting

My son has a Bergara and I really like the rifle. I was planning on taking it to Wyoming in 2023, but didn't draw.

Tikka T3X stainless or Ruger American Gen II

Looking to build or buy a lightweight 7mm-08 with 18-20 threaded barrel to hunt surpressed

my favorite caliber for sure.

Same direction I'd like to visit....I'm thinking 18" barrel
I have two Tikkas in 7-08, thinking about cutting it down and going that route.

I bought TC Icon at great price and my son started hunting with it and now claims it as his. I haven’t been able to hunt with yet and it’s been 4 years now b

I have 2 7mm-08's and love them both. One is a CVA Cascade and the other is the Tikka T3X lite. Both are tack drivers. My Tikka likes anything I put through it so that's what I would go with.

My kimber Montana in 7-08 with 120 ttsx is a laser beam

Not much gets by my Tikka 7-08 /150 eldx

Lotta love for the Tikkas…me included!

A friend was recovering from shoulder surgery and thought his 06 or 7MM Mag might be to much for him. We were going on an Aoudad hunt in west Texas and I offered my Weatherby Ultra Light 7MM-08 to him. He was concerned it wasn't enough gun. Needless to say he dropped his ram at about 200 yards with one shot.

Love the 708, sitting on 3 now, a micro medallion, model 7, and just picked up a bergara ridge

I had Bansners build me one of his Ultimate One rifles on a 1st gen 700 Titanium action in 7-08 in 2003. It’s been all over NA with me since then. It’s a killer no matter what you feed it. You will like it, go hunt and be merry.

Mine isn’t a factory rifle and was intentionally built with a heavy contour 18” 1:8 barrel but it’s easy shooting and a fun rifle for sure.

I also have a 18.5” 788 in 7mm-08 that shoots 139’s wonderfully.

About 3 years ago, I was stuck looking for a new deer rifle with only a month before season and came across a TC Compass in 7mm08. I'd been thinking about one for over a decade, but I didn't know it would be all that different from my 308 WIN.

The first year I hit the Easy Button and ran Varget under Hornady 139s . I poleaxed a doe with it, but really didn't like the groups or the velocity I was getting. Over the winter I took a hog down in Florida. I found StaBall 6.5 this past year and wound those 139s up over 2900 fps. That's what I carried last deer season. The groups were much better.

Considering where I am and what I shoot, 7mm-08 is about optimal. I hunt Kentucky whitetails where I never have more than a 200 yard shot and most of the shots are inside 80 yards.

I wish I'd scratched this itch earlier in my hunting career.

Definitely my favorite cartridge. I've been using it since the 80's.

I've had best results using H-4350 with 140+ class bullets.

I could live with that Gen II Ruger, and it has a faster twist than most if that matters to anyone.

I have had good luck with H414 (W760 now) and almost any bullet in the 140 weight class.

I own a Sako 85 Finnlight II in 308. Though it is a great gun, that price level is not necessary. In comparison to the Tikka TX3 Lite, I would certainly go with Tikka. They come from the same place.

I’ve got a sealed 8# jug of Win 760 waiting for me to shoot up my h4350

I have a Browning A Bolt II in 708 and just picked up a Tikka T3 in 708. Been shooting the 140 TSXs out of the Browning and have had absolutely perfect results with it. Deer are either DRT or less than 40 yds away fro POI. I'm going to try 120gr TTSXs and NBTs in the Tikka. I have Sta-Ball, Big Game, Varget and several others so I'm sure I can get something to work

Got a wood stock Kimber 84 with lots of stripes that I like pretty good. Shoots good and looks good, not a bad combination and it matches my .325 WSM 84M .

There's a stainless Tika on the trader now.

Yeah a SS Howa 1500 barreled action in a Boyd’s Prairie Hunter stock with upgraded wood and laser cut checkering.

That’d be a bad ass rig.

I had a Tikka SL it was just too light weight for me to shoot well. The Classic FW Model 70 I had was a little heavy… call me Goldilocks.

My first custom rifle is in 7MM-08 I wouldn't be without one.

I have a Sako M75 in 7mm-08 that is a great shooting rifle, both with factory loads and quite a number of handloads. Currently using handloads with 120 gr. BT

What powder?

I’ve had good results with BG and that bullet. Fast and accurate. Pharmseller get me started with BG. Got a big jug. Check out his posts and pictures. Works for him.

DF

WOW!

I have a couple 7x57's and a 7mm-08 all 700's. Two classics and one mountain. If I had to pick a favorite 7mm-08 it would be a 700 Mountain, then a classic. Easy 1/2 MOA shooting, nice triggers, great stock fit and great cartridges. But limited to those three it would be a Tikka. I only have one and it's a 308. It's not as accurate as my 700 308's, but it's pretty good. I don't know much about the other two.

I have a BLR 7mm08 and love it. That’s a great deer caliber.

Best load was 44 grain of Varget.

I've tested Varget, BG, and RL-15. RL-15 is very forgiving with accuracy with the 120 BT. 40 gr for youth and 44-45 for adult.
BG works as that's what I'm using also , RL-15 is like gold.

My favorite 7mm-08 is a build by Eddie Fasnaugh on a Remington 700. Bedded in a Hunters Edge stock, installed a TriggerTech. Shoots lights out with Nosler 120 gr. Ballistic Tips over Big Game powder. That said, if starting over, the answer would be the Tikka T3x stainless. I’ve never owned one that wasn’t great out of the box. Have a 6.5 Creedmoor, a 223 currently and both shoot great.

All my 7MM-08's are my favorite But this one gets hunted most, build by Shaen Rifles. This one also loves 120 grain BT's.

Dakota 708

my dad (RIP) and i had Reminton m7 (18.5" barrels) in 7-08. he really liked it. he liked the 7mm so much, that he bought a TC Contender in 7x30 Waters. he had a Remington m760 in '06 but he older, it got heavier. i loaded some 139gr Hornady FN (discontinued dammit) and IMR4320 (discontinued). he killed alot of deer with it. my son now has (i used to hunt with it) a custom '98 FN Mauser in a 20" Douglas with 7x57. he and i put alot of deer down. i have a sporterized 1908 Brazilian and a 24/30 Venezuelan Mauser in 7x57.