Tikka Hunter T3x in .270 recoils more than others comprable rifles??

[blueknight99]

Hi Folks! Just wanted to get an insight in these from others who have shot the Tikkas and others side by side. Myself and a friend recently bought a Tikka T3x Hunter in .270 Winchester. Took it out to the range a few times to zero the scopes (mine is a Leupold VX3i 3.5-10 40 and his is Vortex Diamonback 4-12 40). The rifles are fine themselves, but we tried some others friends rifles - a bone stock Ruger American 30-06 with a Bushnell scope, Remington 700 30-06 in wood stock and blued barrel similar to ours in the same Vortex Diamonback, and a Bergara B-14 Hunter in 30-06 too.

Might feel weird but the Tikka in .270 using Remington CoreLockt 150 grain ammo, seemed to kick significantly more than the 30-06s. All of the others who shot them seemed to feel the same. Is it just the nature of the .270 cartridge or do the Tikka stocks transmit more felt recoil??

As far as the actions and triggers go, the Tikkas seem to all of the above beat. Anybody have any similar experiences?

 

[VikingsGuy]

We would need weights and actual velocity (not box velocity) of all the rounds and weights of the respective guns to know. If the calculated recoil from these numbers is the same for all but felt recoil more in the tikka, then could be stock fit to your body or differences in recoil pad. But could differences between the rounds and the guns. A lower weight or lower velocity 30-06 can easily kick less than a "hot" .270.

 

[nhn2a]

I have a Tikka T3 lite in 30-06 with synthetic stock. I'll say it kicked like a mule when I first got it. I consider myself fairly pain tolerant and being 200lbs I was surprised how much it would bruise my shoulder after one box of ammo at the range and would make me flinch after the first few shots. I've shot a 30-06 most of my adult life and had never had one kick like this.

After reading reviews on here I got a limbsaver recoil pad (the exact fit one that replaces the factory recoil pad). Now its like shooting a different gun altogether. I think it was a combination of a poor recoil pad and the lightweight but that limbsaver pad really tamed it.

 

[VikingsGuy]

I have a Tikka T3 lite in 30-06 with synthetic stock. I'll say it kicked like a mule when I first got it. I consider myself fairly pain tolerant and being 200lbs I was surprised how much it would bruise my shoulder after one box of ammo at the range and would make me flinch after the first few shots. I've shot a 30-06 most of my adult life and had never had one kick like this.

After reading reviews on here I got a limbsaver recoil pad (the exact fit one that replaces the factory recoil pad). Now its like shooting a different gun altogether. I think it was a combination of a poor recoil pad and the lightweight but that limbsaver pad really tamed it.

The T3 was known to have a particularly crappy recoil pad. The new T3X has an improved pad.

 

[blueknight99]

The T3 was known to have a particularly crappy recoil pad. The new T3X has an improved pad.

Mine is a wood stock T3x with the newer recoil pad but it still kicks like a mule. Not that it bothers me as I am used to 300 WM old guns but seemed like excessive for what it is. Especially when 30-06 guns seemed to kick less than this .270.

 

[VikingsGuy]

Mine is a wood stock T3x with the newer recoil pad but it still kicks like a mule. Not that it bothers me as I am used to 300 WM old guns but seemed like excessive for what it is. Especially when 30-06 guns seemed to kick less than this .270.

Again - I can give you a "hot" 270 or a "cool" 30-06 or vice versa - too little info in this post to draw a conclusion that some rifles on your list kick more than others. In a gross over generalization 80% of recoil is physics (bullet weight, powder weight, muzzle velocity and rifle weight), 10% recoil pad and 10% is stock fit. From my experience shooting the same round a savage 16, Ruger American and Tikka t3X in factory stocks all felt about the same to me in 7mm08.

 

[elkduds]

I was surprised to find that recoil from a Stevens 200 (Savage 10) 270 win/150 gr @ 7# was subjectively equal to a 9# 7mm rem mag/160 gr bullets. 270 win has the same case volume as 30-06, so it is a potent round. Any reputation 270 had as light recoiling came when compared to 30 cal rifles of similar weights launching heavier bullets. A light 270 win backs up pretty good.

 

[blueknight99]

Agreed. That is what I was thinking. .270 does have the same/or near equal case capacity of the 30-06 and powder loads are almost the same. To me atleast it does recoil the same or maybe more (I was comparing Remington 150 gr .270 bullets with 180 gr. 30-06 of the same manufacturer). People who think 270 is a way more lighter recoiling round than the 30-06 might be comparing or thinking of old timers comparing their 30 cal bullets. Plus with the modern propelants there is not much difference between the cartridges in the same case categories as far as recoil goes. I would personal rate the recoil of the cartridges (all other things being equal) as follows, excluding the bigger game rounds here:

1.) 30-06 and .270 (almost equal)
2.) .308 and 6.5 PRC
3.) 6.5 Creedmoor
4.) .243 Winchester and 7mm-08

 

[std7mag]

Stock fitment and shape can have a HUGE factor in felt recoil.
Example my Forbes 24B, all 6-1/2 lbs in 280 Rem feels less harsh than my 7lb Stevens 200 in 250 Savage.

Factors in stock fitment that will affect you accuracy include length of pull (distance from trigger to butt), castoff (left, center or right), heel, comb.

Check out Boyds website. They give some good informational videos for stock fitment.

 

[sbhooper]

I have shot several .270s over the years that kicked more than I expected, although I don't mind recoil. I had no use for a .270, but finally got one a couple weeks ago on a trade. It is a Win Mod 70 and it kicks pretty good, for just shooting 130-grain Hornady factory ammo. I have a Savage 30-06, though, that is down right rough. It is worse than my 7 mags. It is odd to me that the 270 often kicks that hard, but it is what it is. The only time that you notice recoil is at the range, anyway. Some rifles just seem to be kickers, due to stock design, or something.

 

[blueknight99]

I have shot several .270s over the years that kicked more than I expected, although I don't mind recoil. I had no use for a .270, but finally got one a couple weeks ago on a trade. It is a Win Mod 70 and it kicks pretty good, for just shooting 130-grain Hornady factory ammo. I have a Savage 30-06, though, that is down right rough. It is worse than my 7 mags. It is odd to me that the 270 often kicks that hard, but it is what it is. The only time that you notice recoil is at the range, anyway. Some rifles just seem to be kickers, due to stock design, or something.

Yeah you are right, some rifles (or cartridges too maybe) just kick unexpectedly hard. I was surprised too that .270 kicks so hard, that there is almost no difference from a 30-06. Maybe due to the amount of the powder the .270 case can hold, it is a bit deceiving .

Also, true, the only time you notice recoil is at the range, I was better handling it free hand than on the bench rest. I had bought a CTK Precision P3 Ultimate bench rest to use it to zero my rifle at the outdoor range and my Tikka T3x 270 blew the smithereens out of it. Every shot kicked the stand back in to my chest, and blew the teeny weeny rubber feet off. Put it aside after 6 shots and used my friends, Caldwell Tack Driver Shooting Bag (front) and got 1/2 MOA groups and also felt much better. Returned the CTK rest. Will get a Caldwell later...sorry for the off-topic sway

 

[88man]

I have a hand full of buddies who have the tikkas all in 270wsm & 300wsm & 300WM all have brakes on the rifles.

 

[Frazier]

Throw a limbsaver on there and you will be happy.

I bought a t3x lite in 300 win mag and put a limbsaver recoil pad on and have been very happy with the recoil. Hasn’t bothered me at all, no bruising, etc

 

[TheDudeAbides]

Recoil to me is very subjective.

Out of all my guns the twelve gauge shotgun kicks the worst, especially with turkey loads.

I also think that rifles that kick sharper bother me more than rifles that kick harder.

The first few times shooting my Savage LWH I jumped a bit. It kicks really fast and wasn't a big slow thud like the 30-06.

The first few times shooting my Win M70 300 WSM, I was flinching a bit until I got used to it.

I really enjoy shooting my 300 win Tikka, even though if you connected it to a force gauge it would probably kick harder than everything except for the 12 gauge.

The slow hard thuds are easier for me than the quick soft taps starting out, but if you shoot your rifle enough to get used it then it may not be a problem.

 

[blueknight99]

Recoil to me is very subjective.

Out of all my guns the twelve gauge shotgun kicks the worst, especially with turkey loads.

I also think that rifles that kick sharper bother me more than rifles that kick harder.

The first few times shooting my Savage LWH I jumped a bit. It kicks really fast and wasn't a big slow thud like the 30-06.

The first few times shooting my Win M70 300 WSM, I was flinching a bit until I got used to it.

I really enjoy shooting my 300 win Tikka, even though if you connected it to a force gauge it would probably kick harder than everything except for the 12 gauge.

The slow hard thuds are easier for me than the quick soft taps starting out, but if you shoot your rifle enough to get used it then it may not be a problem.

Agreed, the sharper kicks take you back a bit. The hard thuds like the Shotguns (Remington 870) are somehow ok. But anyways I too got used to it after about 3 shots and was enjoying the Tikka T3x. Getting tight groups makes you happy.

 

[sbhooper]

There is nothing much worse than a 3 1/2 inch turkey load out of a Mossberg 835. Pretty brutal. I screwed up a couple times, over the years, bringing in a turkey and twisted my shoulder into the tree trunk that I was sitting by, when I touched off the shot. Pretty painful. The second time it happened, I thought that I had wiped out my shoulder repair.