Tikka 308 Whtetail Hunter

[Buckfever]

Today while attending a gun shops sale and outdoor vendor day I picked up a 308 looking for a gun to leave in Canada.  Immediately it felt like my T3 6.5-55 so I took a closer look.  It was a Whitetail Hunter new, on the rack.  It was marked at 559.00.  To make a long story short they haven't handled Tikka for a year or more and I was able to buy the gun for $430.00.  Now I have the caliber to use 150-180gr bullets in Canada.  I feel like I just won at Bingo, maybe better!!  Do any of you Whitetail Hunter owners know what scope rings this takes to fit the rail on top?  Man I have looked for one of these on the net and at local stores, no luck.  Bye the time I added the$ 50 or $60 dollars for transporting and the FFL search they were all over $525.  These Tikkas just fit me and man do they shoot.   Buckfever

[Buckfever]

After looking closer at the gun it is called a Whitetail Hunter Deluxe.  Cleaned it up and the Walnut is great.  Now I have to have Zachary tell me when you have a couple guns you really like how do you make a decision as to which to take each time you go hunting.  Hey what a problem to have!!! You know this is the 2nd best thing to do since I quit drinking!  Buying pretty guns.....  Buckfever

[bchannell]

I use Millett on my WH in 25/06 and they work really well. I'm not a big fan of Milletts, but these are great. They have a recoil lug pin that fits into the recess in the receiver which keeps things where they belong.

[Zachary]

Buckfever,

I use Warne Maxima rings on my WHs and they hold up extremely well.  The tolerances of the Warnes are not as good as the leupolds, but they work well.

It's kinda hard to decide which gun to take when I go hunting.  I try to take a new one out each time I go. :grin:

Zachary

[longwinters]

BuckFever,

You really did hit the jackpot!!  The Tikka Delux is a beautiful rifle indeed.  And at that price it was a steal.  What do you do?  Set one up sighted in for lighter range bullets and the other for heavier range bullets.  Then use them accordingly.  At least that is what I do with my 308 and 280.

Long

[Buckfever]

Yes sir the 6.5-55 goes to the Black Hills, smaller Deer, push and stand.  The 308 goes to, or stays in Canada. Needs penetrating bullet for large deer and not always a standing shot.  Therefore it has to lay them down big!! if it hits a shoulder.   I have one at 261 lbs and one at 307.  These are live weights with a scale before cleaning.  Yes sir I will set them up to task and bullet weight and use accordingly.  While I like both guns a lot I think the Whitetail Hunter is the best looking but only by a wee bit.  Man these Tikkas are just the best fit for me!  Longwriters if I remember correctly you have and use a 308 and you live in a Northern climate, (big deer).  What about my 308 bullet selections, thoughts?  I don't think I am going to sleep that good tonight I am still pretty jazzed up!   Thanks  Buckfever

[Zachary]

For big deer, hogs, and black bear in the .308, you can't go wrong with the 180 grain Nosler Partition.  Other good choices are the Trophy Bonded, Swfit-A-Frame, and Barnes X.

Zachary

[longwinters]

I use Nosler Partitions in 150 and 165gn.  Plenty of bullet for even your large deer.  But like Zackery says the 180 is also very popular, although around here it would be more of a 30-06 bullet.  If you are buying your ammo, the Federal Premiums or Winchester supremes have worked real well. But now that I roll my own I pretty much stick with the Partitions.

Long

[Buckfever]

My dad use to say 150's for 308...165's for 30-06... an 180's for bear, Elk, and Moose.  You know I hadn't bought a gun in a while maybe 10 years and I probably seem a little over the top about how great these Tikkas shoot.  Maybe all of them have got a lot better.  I have a Remington 742 in a 308 that can't group better than 4" at 100yds.  I use to think with some of my older bolts 30-06 and 308 that 1 1/2 " at 50 yards was the norm.   Maybe they all got a lot better!   Still like these Tikkas!   Thanks  Buckfever

[Big Tom]

You hit the jackpot INDEED!
I have been looking far and wide for a Tikka WH DLX. I put my friend on to one in .308 and he will NOT part with it!
I finally traded up to a Sako 75 Htr in .308 Win a couple months ago. I took it to the range today and shot a 5 shot 9/16" group at 100 yds with my hunting load;

165gr Sierra HPBT GameKing in front of 46gr of IMR 4350

I can't imagine a good .308 165gr bullet not killing any Whitetail on earth! :money: Tom

[Zachary]

Buckfever,

Also keep in mind that for the big stuff, Federal offers, or at least used to offer, the High Energy Loads with Premium bullets that turn a .308 into a .30-06 or maybe even more powerful.  Hornady has light magnums, but I don't like their bullets for the animals larger than whitetail or mule deer.  I have heard many credible stories from good friends about bullet failure on Elk, hogs, and African plains animals.

Zachary

[magnum308]

Though I have not hunted US deer speices, my 308 (Winchester pre 64 M70 featherweight) has accounted for a good many pigs (boars) and a couple of red deer over the years. My favourite is a 150 gr projectile (silvertips for pigs and Nosler partition or solid base for deer). This all that is needed for these animals. For a larger species of deer I'd go to 165 gr partition, solid base or ballistic tip. I agree the 180 gr are more a 30-06 or 300 mag bullet than a 308 bullet.

In fact below is a recent 3 shot group that I shot with 150 gr solid base at around 2,800 fps.

http://community.webshots.com/s/image1/0/48/98/177304898QNkykf_ph.jpg

Magnum308