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help me decide deer rifle and caliber: 6.5 CrMo vs 270 Win and savage storm lightweight vs tikka t3x superlite

which rifle of the 4 below? details in post

  • savage lightweight storm in 270 Winchester (5.8 lbs, 20 inch barrel)

    Votes: 12 19.4%
  • savage lightweight storm in 6.5 Creedmoor (5.6 lbs, 20 inch barrel)

    Votes: 6 9.7%
  • Tikka T3X Superlite in 270 Winchester (6 lbs, 22 inch barrel)

    Votes: 21 33.9%
  • Tikka T3X Superlite in 6.5 Creedmoor (6 lbs, 24 inch barrel)

    Votes: 23 37.1%

  • Total voters
    62

raisins

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2019
Messages
6,207
Here's the contenders. I didn't post Tikka's factory site because their website is surprisingly confusing junk. This is for whitetail only and will be for a WV mountain rifle that might also stretch its legs in open fields up to 300 yards occasionally. But most shots will likely be 50 to 200 yards.

Expected loads will be 120 grain nosler partition in the 6.5 and 130 grain nosler partition in the 270 winchester



The Savage is lighter (5.6 lbs) but with a 20 inch barrel. The Tikka is about 1/2 a pound heavier (at 6 lbs) than the Savage, has a fluted barrel, and longer barrel lengths that vary by cartridge. The 6.5 CM has a 24 inch barrel and the 270 has a 22 inch barrel. Both are stainless synthetic.

Please vote and offer your reasoning if you'd like. Thanks.

PS. I'm coming from a 24 inch 25-06 Ruger that is standard profile blued barrel and wood stock (i.e. heavy for the mountains). The scope for either the Savage or Tikka will be something like 2 to 8 power with a mid-priced glass from a known maker (probably get like 400 buck scope from Vortex or Leupold or something). I'm a decent shot, but shoot lighter recoiling rifles more accurately. Off a bench, I can usually hold 1 inch groups at 100 yards with accurate rifle/ammo.
 
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I love the 270 Win, I own several, that being said a true lightweight mountain rifle should be based around a short action imo, of your choices I guess the 6.5 man bun it is, but honestly I would get a 7/08 or 308 over any of what you listed, when the **** hit the fan recently 308 brass was everywhere and still is, 7/08 wasn’t much different, I shoot 120 grain nosler ballistic tips from my 7/08 and it’s a hammer, almost zero recoil, lightweight mountain rifles has been my hobby for over 20 years, building and collecting.
 


.223
 
I love the 270 Win, I own several, that being said a true lightweight mountain rifle should be based around a short action imo, of your choices I guess the 6.5 man bun it is, but honestly I would get a 7/08 or 308 over any of what you listed, when the **** hit the fan recently 308 brass was everywhere and still is, 7/08 wasn’t much different, I shoot 120 grain nosler ballistic tips from my 7/08 and it’s a hammer, almost zero recoil, lightweight mountain rifles has been my hobby for over 20 years, building and collecting.

Agreed about short actions being nice and should have mentioned something weird that Tikka does (I guess to save money....they are giving you a Sako barrel for under a grand)......they use the same length action for the 2 calibers but put a block in for the short cartridges to limit how far the bolt moves rearward. But the weight and length savings of a short action are not there, unfortunately.
 
I’m in similar distance parameters. I’ve killed a lot of deer with my .270 and most of them I find within 70 yards. I just can’t get myself to try another caliber.
 
If using quality ammo I believe the caliber debate is mostly mute. Saying that I would opt for 270 for best balance of power and recoil. I prefer a 22" barrel on my bolt actions.
 
I love the 270 Win, I own several, that being said a true lightweight mountain rifle should be based around a short action imo, of your choices I guess the 6.5 man bun it is, but honestly I would get a 7/08 or 308 over any of what you listed, when the **** hit the fan recently 308 brass was everywhere and still is, 7/08 wasn’t much different, I shoot 120 grain nosler ballistic tips from my 7/08 and it’s a hammer, almost zero recoil, lightweight mountain rifles has been my hobby for over 20 years, building and collecting.

I agree with 7mm-08. But honestly, around here cartridges are hard to come by. Lots of 6.5 Creed. I have a fancier rifle in 6.5 and haven't used it I like my 7mm-08 so much.

I like the aftermarket options to customize a T3X.

(Honestly, not a huge .270 fan but I'm no Jack O'Connor either)
 
I’m in similar distance parameters. I’ve killed a lot of deer with my .270 and most of them I find within 70 yards. I just can’t get myself to try another caliber.

that was me with the 25-06.....shooting deer at 30-30 lever distance usually but with a bean field rifle
 
Agreed about short actions being nice and should have mentioned something weird that Tikka does (I guess to save money....they are giving you a Sako barrel for under a grand)......they use the same length action for the 2 calibers but put a block in for the short cartridges to limit how far the bolt moves rearward. But the weight and length savings of a short action are not there, unfortunately.
Yes I’m aware of Tikkas one size action, my vote would be a Christensen Arms Mesa FFT in 308 or 7/08, no fuss super light weight, if you don’t feel like making your own with a semi custom that is, I have one hoarded for my son when he’s ready.
 
I don't know a ton about guns to be honest, but those tikkas seem to be all the rage on rokslide in terms of accuracy for the price point. I'd likely go with the Tikka either way, but again... Somewhat ignorant newbie over here.
 
I don't know a ton about guns to be honest, but those tikkas seem to be all the rage on rokslide in terms of accuracy for the price point. I'd likely go with the Tikka either way, but again... Somewhat ignorant newbie over here.
They shoot better than they should for the price point, lots of plastic on them though I’m not a fan personally, a great rifle at a mass produced price, for people wanting something that shoots good and easy to get Tikkas win.
 
If using quality ammo I believe the caliber debate is mostly mute. Saying that I would opt for 270 for best balance of power and recoil. I prefer a 22" barrel on my bolt actions.

quality ammo is key

my dad had 2 failures of 120 grain remington core lokt green box (25-06) from the same box of shells in 2 years

he's now finally convinced to spend more money on ammo

in both cases, a slug blew up

this year, it hit the shoulder socket/humerus and blew up and the buck ran off, i helped him track it and it jumped out of a thicket with its leg hanging off (horrible sight) and before my dad could shoot it jumped in a river and swam off

i could very clearly see the mess of exploded flesh where the bullet struck and i'm nearly certain it would have entered the rib cage and the heart or close enough to it to drop the buck in its tracks

the year before, same ammo, he got the buck....first shot was okay (back of lungs) and second shot while buck was moving was quartering away and it hit the ham (bad shot) and the slug exploded before even hitting bone...i was really surprised by this

both shots were between 100 and 200 yards which should be in that calibers wheel house

my theory is it is just a bad box of shells, maybe poor quality control....but i would stop trusting green box in general
 
I don't know a ton about guns to be honest, but those tikkas seem to be all the rage on rokslide in terms of accuracy for the price point. I'd likely go with the Tikka either way, but again... Somewhat ignorant newbie over here.

i'm not an expert either

my gut tells me that the Tikkas are more consistently accurate (and they have an accuracy guarantee...which might just be marketing and not mean much) but my gut also tells me if you get a "good" savage from the batch that it will shoot as good or better than an average Tikka

Savage could always do what Weatherby does and test fire their guns and sort the more accurate ones into a pile, stamp range certified on them, and charge more
 
I wouldn't want a 24" barrel personally on an Eastern Mountain rifle. They do make a 6.5creed in 22", (still has a 1:8 rate of twist)

Looks to me like Tikkas in 6.5 actually spec at 6.6lbs. The 7mm-08 is 6.4lbs :)



 
quality ammo is key

my dad had 2 failures of 120 grain remington core lokt green box (25-06) from the same box of shells in 2 years

he's now finally convinced to spend more money on ammo

in both cases, a slug blew up

this year, it hit the shoulder socket/humerus and blew up and the buck ran off, i helped him track it and it jumped out of a thicket with its leg hanging off (horrible sight) and before my dad could shoot it jumped in a river and swam off

i could very clearly see the mess of exploded flesh where the bullet struck and i'm nearly certain it would have entered the rib cage and the heart or close enough to it to drop the buck in its tracks

the year before, same ammo, he got the buck....first shot was okay (back of lungs) and second shot while buck was moving was quartering away and it hit the ham (bad shot) and the slug exploded before even hitting bone...i was really surprised by this

both shots were between 100 and 200 yards which should be in that calibers wheel house

my theory is it is just a bad box of shells, maybe poor quality control....but i would stop trusting green box in general

Yeah I had 3 misfires out of a box of 20 Corlokts last year with my 270. Finally stopped using them. And now after hearing your dads story im doubly convinced!

Can't comment on those specific guns but ive had savages for years (old 80s version and newer ones) and they all shoot lights out for the price. And have been super reliable.

I own 2 270s and love them, but that said I shoot my neighbors 6.5 better than both. So if I had to pick one that I'd use for 300 yard shots, I go with the 6.5 since I can just shoot it better (lighter recoil I guess). Also access to more modern, higher performance bullets with the 6.5 id say.
 
Yeah I had 3 misfires out of a box of 20 Corlokts last year with my 270. Finally stopped using them. And now after hearing your dads story im doubly convinced!

Can't comment on those specific guns but ive had savages for years (old 80s version and newer ones) and they all shoot lights out for the price. And have been super reliable.

I own 2 270s and love them, but that said I shoot my neighbors 6.5 better than both. So if I had to pick one that I'd use for 300 yard shots, I go with the 6.5 since I can just shoot it better (lighter recoil I guess). Also access to more modern, higher performance bullets with the 6.5 id say.

supposedly remington's current quality is going down in their rifles (new owner destroying company to make money?), so maybe that is extending to ammo?

the 25-06 with 120 grain bullets is usually a lightning hammer on whitetails....usually crumpling on shot and looking dead before they hit the ground
 
quality ammo is key

my dad had 2 failures of 120 grain remington core lokt green box (25-06) from the same box of shells in 2 years

he's now finally convinced to spend more money on ammo

in both cases, a slug blew up

this year, it hit the shoulder socket/humerus and blew up and the buck ran off, i helped him track it and it jumped out of a thicket with its leg hanging off (horrible sight) and before my dad could shoot it jumped in a river and swam off

i could very clearly see the mess of exploded flesh where the bullet struck and i'm nearly certain it would have entered the rib cage and the heart or close enough to it to drop the buck in its tracks

the year before, same ammo, he got the buck....first shot was okay (back of lungs) and second shot while buck was moving was quartering away and it hit the ham (bad shot) and the slug exploded before even hitting bone...i was really surprised by this

both shots were between 100 and 200 yards which should be in that calibers wheel house

my theory is it is just a bad box of shells, maybe poor quality control....but i would stop trusting green box in general
Splash hit, talking about bullet performance is a rabbit hole like heavy arrows, if you ever buy a chronograph and reload your own you will soon realize why I don’t use any factory ammo, garbage…..
 
i'm not an expert either

my gut tells me that the Tikkas are more consistently accurate (and they have an accuracy guarantee...which might just be marketing and not mean much) but my gut also tells me if you get a "good" savage from the batch that it will shoot as good or better than an average Tikka

Savage could always do what Weatherby does and test fire their guns and sort the more accurate ones into a pile, stamp range certified on them, and charge more

Modern Savage rifles are known to be quite accurate.


Here's the contenders. I didn't post Tikka's factory site because their website is surprisingly confusing junk. This is for whitetail only and will be for a WV mountain rifle that might also stretch its legs in open fields up to 300 yards occasionally. But most shots will likely be 50 to 200 yards.

Expected loads will be 120 grain nosler partition in the 6.5 and 130 grain nosler partition in the 270 winchester



The Savage is lighter (5.6 lbs) but with a 20 inch barrel. The Tikka is about 1/2 a pound heavier (at 6 lbs) than the Savage, has a fluted barrel, and longer barrel lengths that vary by cartridge. The 6.5 CM has a 24 inch barrel and the 270 has a 22 inch barrel. Both are stainless synthetic.

Please vote and offer your reasoning if you'd like. Thanks.

PS. I'm coming from a 24 inch 25-06 Ruger that is standard profile blued barrel and wood stock (i.e. heavy for the mountains). The scope for either the Savage or Tikka will be something like 2 to 8 power with a mid-priced glass from a known maker (probably get like 400 buck scope from Vortex or Leupold or something). I'm a decent shot, but shoot lighter recoiling rifles more accurately. Off a bench, I can usually hold 1 inch groups at 100 yards with accurate rifle/ammo.

If you don't have a bunch of Cabelas rewards I'd shop on that price.

I see a perfectly nice Tikka T3x Lite Compact (20" barrel) in 6.5 for $650.
 
supposedly remington's current quality is going down in their rifles (new owner destroying company to make money?), so maybe that is extending to ammo?

the 25-06 with 120 grain bullets is usually a lightning hammer on whitetails....usually crumpling on shot and looking dead before they hit the ground
I live 30 minutes from Ilion, NY, yes you are correct.
 
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