New Lite Weight Sheep Gun

[wymoosehunter]

I am so frikin happy to finally get my new sheep gun out on the range. I bought a Tikka T3 Lite SS in 300WSM and then took it to the local gun artist for some weight reduction. He cut the barrel down to 22", turned the barrel down quite a bit, put on some high speed epoxy in a dull black, and then skip fluted the barrel, action, and bolt. He drilled out the bolt even more than the factory. Then I pulled the medallion off of the grip and drilled that out, and removed the factory butt pad and put a Simms Vibration but pad on it. I am about to skeletize the forend of the stock to lighten it even more.
I put a Leupold Ultralite 3x9 scope on it, Talley Ultralite rings, ultralight sling swivels on it and put on my soon-to-be patented ultralight sling. With a full magazine of 168 grain Barnes behind a soon to be developed load, it weighs in under 6 pounds and I have less than $1250 into it, including rifle, scope, accessories, and gunsmith work. A custom rifle without the custom cost.
I shot it tonight for the first time, and shot a 1" group by the time I was done sighting it in. I think Tikka has the absolute best factory trigger and mine breaks clean at approximately 4 lbs. I will look into adjusting that to about 2.5 lbs. Other than the minor adjustment to the trigger that is yet to be done, this thing is a rock star.
The only drawback is that it does kick like a small mule, but for my intended purpose, I really don't care. I won't feel one or two shots when I am hunting.
Now I just have to draw a sheep tag so that I can use it for its intended purpose. Now that I am finally acknowledging that I am getting older, I sure like the idea of a light gun for most of my hunting.
I will share the name of the gunsmith via pm. He has a website that you can look at some of his work and I highly recommend the guy.
My picture sux, but you get the idea.
WyMo

 

[oregonmuley]

Interesting - don't see many Tikka's with bling!! If you can post some more pics of that barrel I wouls sure like to see them. The skip fluting looks cool, congrats.

 

[Hardway]

I could be an azz and ask why you did'nt just by a Kimber 84L Montana or a Tikka T3 "Superlight"....but since your chest deep in your rig already you might as well junk your factory stock and order a McMillan Edge. You should lose 6-7oz's.

"A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."

 

[wymoosehunter]

LAST EDITED ON Aug-26-11 AT 10:10PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Aug-26-11 AT 10:09?PM (MST)

Oregon Muley,
I will post more and better pictures soon. I just got back from a long biz trip, and I am about to head out and help a buddy on a sheep hunt, so bear with me. Thanks for the compliments on the gun-it wasn't me, it was the gunsmith. He does awesome work.

I was looking for a super functional gun that I would not be lamenting about the dings and scuffs that a mountain rifle will invariably receive from hard hunts, but that would still look good. I will never prefer stainless steel and plastic over blue and wood, but the utility of a gun that exudes durability/easy maintenance on a 14 day backpack sheep hunt in the snow/rain/sleet/etc has a certain appeal. I put a lot of thought into what I wanted and the biggest debate in my mind was over caliber, 270WSM or 300WSM, since I wanted a short action, but high performance for those longer shots.

I forgot to add that the scope is a Leupold Ultralight 3-9 with LR reticle, with custom engraving (goat on the right side and sheep on the left).

At +/- $1250 complete, it would be hard to beat that price on any good gun and scope without the smith work. Hence a custom gun without the custom cost and under 6 pounds scoped, locked and loaded. I could have gone with a very custom gun to the tune of $3500+ and gotten to about 5.5 pounds, but this thing kicks enough at it's current weight and I hate muzzle breaks.

There is no debate on making a barrel stiffer with fluting, but there is debate on whether skip fluting makes a barrel even stiffer, and I went with what an engineer friend of mine said, that the over-lapping skip fluting should be even stiffer and stronger, thereby increasing accuracy and with the benefit of losing unneeded weight. I did not do the fluting for looks, but it sure does look cool. The same goes for the bolt...stiffer, stronger and again, cool.

I have worked up a load for it now and it is shooting sub 1" groups and the gun fits like a glove (not OJ's). Hard to explain how this Tikka just seems be an extension of my body, but you lucky people that have one or more guns that "just plain fits" understand. Nothing inside of 600 yards has much of a chance. I was shooting a 3" diameter hanging plate the other day at about 500 yards and went 5 for 5 (I didn't try for 10 for 10-I didn't want to miss and not have something to boast about). This thing shoots as well or better than most of my other guns, including the high dollar ones.

Both my wife and son have matching old model Tikka Whitetail Hunters in .280 and all three Tikkas that we own have almost as good of triggers and smooth operating actions as any of my tuned and blueprinted higher-end guns. Frankly, having shot my wife and son's Tikkas, that is why I chose the Tikka T3 Lite. I think the Tikka is the best modestly priced gun out there in terms of accuracy, quality trigger and smoothness of action.

Hardway, I could be an azz and ask why you provide unsolicited, arrogant, pompous, and useless criticism/advice? I would have by'd (sic) a H.S.Precision or a Kimber if that is what I wanted....but since your (sic) head (is) deep in your rig (azz) already, you might want to junk your "advice" since McMillan only offers a stock for the Tikka M-65 model at this time. Your ego should lose 6-7 oz's.

Some of the best advice my dad ever gave me was to never criticize another man's dog(s), horse(s), woman(women), or gun(s). My mother used to say "if you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything. 'Nuff said.

WyMo

 

[foundation]

I'll be watching if you post some more pictures of that barrel at a later date . It looks cool and has caught my attention . i have never seen one like that before .

By the way my old man and Grandpa gave me the same advice several times . They did say it was ok to talk about another man's truck though , especially if it was a chevy . LOL .

Neat rifle , have fun with it .

 

[deadibob]

Some of the best advice my dad ever gave me was to never criticize another man's dog(s), horse(s), woman(women), or gun(s). My mother used to say "if you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything. 'Nuff said.

Maybe that's why my buddy with golden retrievers got butt-hurt when I told him he has "Punky Brewster" dogs.

 

[Hardway]

>LAST EDITED ON Aug-26-11
>AT 10:10?PM (MST)
>
>LAST EDITED ON Aug-26-11
>AT 10:09?PM (MST)
>
>Oregon Muley,
>I will post more and better
>pictures soon. I just
>got back from a long
>biz trip, and I am
>about to head out and
>help a buddy on a
>sheep hunt, so bear with
>me. Thanks for the
>compliments on the gun-it wasn't
>There is no debate on making
>a barrel stiffer with fluting,
>but there is debate on
>whether skip fluting makes a
>barrel even stiffer, and I
>went with what an engineer
>friend of mine said, that
>the over-lapping skip fluting should
>be even stiffer and stronger,
>thereby increasing accuracy and with
>the benefit of losing unneeded
>weight. I did not do
>the fluting for looks, but
>it sure does look cool.


Your barrel is no stiffer than before, it is only stiffer than a barrel of the same weight...not diamater. Fluting reduced your weight but did not increase the "stiffness" of your barrel.


McMillan only offers
>a stock for the Tikka
>M-65 model at this time.
> Your ego should lose
>6-7 oz's.

Its not on there website but they have been inleting for the T3 for awhile now in the "Sako Hunter" and "Sako Classic" patterns. I ordered mine about 8 weeks ago....I'll send you a picture when it gets here.

This is America, you can build whatever your heart desires...But this is also the internet...If you want to post up pictures and only recieve atta-boys and no criticism you should look into some type of boyscout forum or other feelgood group of people.


"A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."

 

[centerfire]

Hey, just wondering what is your load, if you don't mind ?

 

[ishootaRUM300]

wymoosehunter I sent you a PM.

 

[wymoosehunter]

Just got time to write a quick note, been hunting and working, two diametrically opposed subjects. My wife got her elk and now my son turns 12 so I am guiding him the rest of the season (except for my buffalo!).
Shot an antelope with it, and it performed as expected. I recovered my second Barnes triple shock after about 20 animals with them. The other was a moose that I shot stem to stern with a 300 WBY. Barnes triple shocks are awesome.
I worked up a load specific to this gun, so work up any load for your particular rifle by staying within the load data, I use the Barnes data (legal disclaimer). I am shooting 58.5 grains of R-15 behind a Fed 215 Mag primer and 168 grain Barnes Triple Shock. I have become a Norma brass fan over the years and just bought some for this gun. It is as advertised, the best, but expensiv
I haven't chrono'd it yet, but I think about 3050 fps or so. No pressure signs and very accurate. No need to bump it up for me as I will take 1/2 MOA any day over added velocity.
More and better pics this winter after hunting season. Hopefully I will have done some stock modifications by then.
WyMo