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Is A Tikka T3 Lite in .243 Okay for My 8 Year Old Son?
#6533084
11/08/16 07:18 PM
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Joined: May 2012
Posts: 29
Bullseye34
OP
Light Foot
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OP
Light Foot
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 29 |
Hey Guys,
I was wondering if it would be a good idea for my son to start shooting the Tikka .243 at the gun range for a deer hunt next year. He has shot 22LR rifles before without any issues. Will he develop a flinch shooting this gun on a regular basis? Should I use lite loads to soften the recoil? Do you guys have any gun range advice to get him ready. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Joe
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Re: Is A Tikka T3 Lite in .243 Okay for My 8 Year Old Son?
[Re: Bullseye34]
#6533117
11/08/16 07:39 PM
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Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 15,695
603Country
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 15,695 |
The Tikka has a pretty good recoil pad. As for recoil, I was just shooting my 260 with 100 gr and 120 gr bullets. There is a definite reduction in recoil with the lighter bullet. I'd go with something less than 100 grains, and if reduced recoil rounds are available, get some of those. Also, it might be a good idea to let him shoot a 223 for practice. It's an easy step up from the 22LR and would get him use to the bigger "bang".
Not my monkeys, not my circus...
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Re: Is A Tikka T3 Lite in .243 Okay for My 8 Year Old Son?
[Re: Bullseye34]
#6533146
11/08/16 07:52 PM
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Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 1,088
Creedmoor
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
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Posts: 1,088 |
I have shot the "reduced recoil" loads in our 243. I can't tell any difference at all. None. If you have to resort to reduced recoil loads in a gun your better option is to go to another cartridge altogether.
I have informally (God knows I'm not an instructor!) taught 7-8 grade students to handle a shotgun on the skeet fields. I can attest to the fact that every kid is different. About half were of the "WOW ...COOL!" crowd, half were "Ehhh,it's OK" and there were always several who handed the gun back and wanted no part of it later on. The point is that they are all different in their attitude towards it. If your son is extremely excited and raring to go he could probably be ok with a 30.06 and laugh while shooting it. If he's eager but also a bit hesitant, and the gun tags him more than he expected the first shot, you've likely gotten off on the wrong foot and will have to back off a bit.
Every kid is different. There is no way anyone here can advise you about your child and his/her recoil tolerance.
. There's a fine line between BRAVE ... and STUPID.
The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.
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Re: Is A Tikka T3 Lite in .243 Okay for My 8 Year Old Son?
[Re: Bullseye34]
#6533150
11/08/16 07:54 PM
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Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 49
CTK84
Light Foot
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Light Foot
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 49 |
I'd let him get use to a gun that's loud and has a bit of recoil before I turned him loose with a 243
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Re: Is A Tikka T3 Lite in .243 Okay for My 8 Year Old Son?
[Re: Bullseye34]
#6533159
11/08/16 07:57 PM
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 4,423
jeffbird
Extreme Tracker
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Extreme Tracker
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 4,423 |
If you handload, try 70 grain SMK's with Varget to produce some "soft" 243 loads for practice. Otherwise spring for a 223 for the regular practice.
Also, make sure it is not too big for him.
The Ruger American Compact 223 can be picked up for about $350 out the door, and 223 bulk ammo is cheap enough.
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Re: Is A Tikka T3 Lite in .243 Okay for My 8 Year Old Son?
[Re: Bullseye34]
#6534998
11/09/16 12:19 PM
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Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 705
Age N Score ?
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Tracker
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That is what my dad started me out with when I was a kid. While I'll admit it seemed like a cannon at the range, I never felt any recoil in the woods. My desire to shoot a deer was greater than my fear of recoil as he wasn't going to let me shoot a deer until I could be consistent on paper. He was the same way teaching me to make sausage and learning how to smoke it.
I Feed Indian Corn. The deer love it and all the colors make them stay at the feeder longer.
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Re: Is A Tikka T3 Lite in .243 Okay for My 8 Year Old Son?
[Re: Creedmoor]
#6535113
11/09/16 02:02 PM
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Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 7,806
Deerhunter61
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 7,806 |
I have shot the "reduced recoil" loads in our 243. I can't tell any difference at all. None. If you have to resort to reduced recoil loads in a gun your better option is to go to another cartridge altogether.
I have informally (God knows I'm not an instructor!) taught 7-8 grade students to handle a shotgun on the skeet fields. I can attest to the fact that every kid is different. About half were of the "WOW ...COOL!" crowd, half were "Ehhh,it's OK" and there were always several who handed the gun back and wanted no part of it later on. The point is that they are all different in their attitude towards it. If your son is extremely excited and raring to go he could probably be ok with a 30.06 and laugh while shooting it. If he's eager but also a bit hesitant, and the gun tags him more than he expected the first shot, you've likely gotten off on the wrong foot and will have to back off a bit.
Every kid is different. There is no way anyone here can advise you about your child and his/her recoil tolerance. 30-06...for an eight year old? Your kidding right? Unless the eight year old is very big for his age and even then the average eight year old would get kicked hard. And if this gentleman is asking about the recoil of a 243 how in the world would you get that a 30-06 would work for him? By asking the question alone....that's enough to understand that this is not someone who could handle a 30-06 effectively...geez. I will say this if the 243 has a "light" stock on it then it could be a little much even with a recoil pad but if you have one that has a little weight to it with a good recoil pad the 243 should be fine.
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Re: Is A Tikka T3 Lite in .243 Okay for My 8 Year Old Son?
[Re: Bullseye34]
#6535126
11/09/16 02:13 PM
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Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 759
Aggieman775
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I don't know if it is true or not but growing up I always heard that a light weight gun will have some recoil and a Tikka is very light weight. I started out on a wood stock heavy barrel 7mm-08 and it had almost no recoil. I didn't get my tikka until I was 13.
TSmith
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Re: Is A Tikka T3 Lite in .243 Okay for My 8 Year Old Son?
[Re: Bullseye34]
#6535157
11/09/16 02:39 PM
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Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 2,778
Gone to Texas
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Posts: 2,778 |
Yes, it is a perfect rifle for him. I wouldn't worry about the weight of the stock, the recoil on a .243 is very low.
If you are still worried about stock weight, you can buy a Tikka Hunter or just scoop up a wood stock. They pop up on THF Classifieds from time to time. Or, just fill the Tikka T3 Lite stock with epoxy and shotgun BB's, that's an easy way to add weight and reduce recoil.
I don't know if you have a suppressor, but I would look into getting one. A .243 with a suppressor honestly feels like a .22lr.
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Re: Is A Tikka T3 Lite in .243 Okay for My 8 Year Old Son?
[Re: Gone to Texas]
#6535186
11/09/16 02:51 PM
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Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 759
Aggieman775
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Yes, it is a perfect rifle for him. I wouldn't worry about the weight of the stock, the recoil on a .243 is very low.
If you are still worried about stock weight, you can buy a Tikka Hunter or just scoop up a wood stock. They pop up on THF Classifieds from time to time. Or, just fill the Tikka T3 Lite stock with epoxy and shotgun BB's, that's an easy way to add weight and reduce recoil.
I don't know if you have a suppressor, but I would look into getting one. A .243 with a suppressor honestly feels like a .22lr. I could be wrong but I'm thinking he wants a lite because it's left handed. I'm pretty sure no other tikka is left handed. Like I said I could be wrong though about him being left handed.
Last edited by Aggieman775; 11/09/16 02:51 PM.
TSmith
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Re: Is A Tikka T3 Lite in .243 Okay for My 8 Year Old Son?
[Re: Bullseye34]
#6535251
11/09/16 03:11 PM
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,536
redchevy
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,536 |
If he has shot a lot I don't think it will bother him. If he is relatively new to shooting it may take a bit to get used to.
Personally I would look for a heavier gun in 243 to reduce recoil even more. I have been very impressed with the wby vanguard rifles and they are on the heavy end of the spectrum.
It's hell eatin em live
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Re: Is A Tikka T3 Lite in .243 Okay for My 8 Year Old Son?
[Re: Aggieman775]
#6535304
11/09/16 03:27 PM
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Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 2,778
Gone to Texas
Veteran Tracker
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Yes, it is a perfect rifle for him. I wouldn't worry about the weight of the stock, the recoil on a .243 is very low.
If you are still worried about stock weight, you can buy a Tikka Hunter or just scoop up a wood stock. They pop up on THF Classifieds from time to time. Or, just fill the Tikka T3 Lite stock with epoxy and shotgun BB's, that's an easy way to add weight and reduce recoil.
I don't know if you have a suppressor, but I would look into getting one. A .243 with a suppressor honestly feels like a .22lr. I could be wrong but I'm thinking he wants a lite because it's left handed. I'm pretty sure no other tikka is left handed. Like I said I could be wrong though about him being left handed. Whoops, didn't see the left handed part.
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Re: Is A Tikka T3 Lite in .243 Okay for My 8 Year Old Son?
[Re: Bullseye34]
#6535810
11/09/16 07:22 PM
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 1,930
gtrich94
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
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Posts: 1,930 |
+1 on the low recoil rounds. YMMV, but I can definitely feel a difference between the regular 100gr Core Lockt's and the Hornady Custom Lite 87gr reduced recoil rounds. Does it turn the 243 into a 22lr or 223, no it doesn't. However, if you shoot the two back to back, you will feel a slight reduction in recoil.
This is just an aside, but my son didn't like the recoil that much on his 243 until he started shooting doves with his Remington 870 20g. After blasting away with the shotgun for a day or two, he came back to the 243 and said this thing doesn't kick at all, can I try your 308 again?
Thanks, Rich
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Re: Is A Tikka T3 Lite in .243 Okay for My 8 Year Old Son?
[Re: Bullseye34]
#6537845
11/10/16 09:20 PM
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Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 407
Harrier
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 407 |
A.243 should be fine. I'd say even more important than reduced recoil would be hearing protection. Get some earplugs or earmuffs for the kid to use while hunting. It will definitely help reduce flinching.
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Re: Is A Tikka T3 Lite in .243 Okay for My 8 Year Old Son?
[Re: Bullseye34]
#6538047
11/10/16 11:24 PM
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Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 488
Birdog62
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 488 |
Good ear protection and lite loads. When I started with mine years ago. They were more afraid of the bang than the kick. Good luck with him.
"Many of the problems we face today came about because the people who WORK for a living are outnumbered by the people who VOTE for a living."
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Re: Is A Tikka T3 Lite in .243 Okay for My 8 Year Old Son?
[Re: Birdog62]
#6538501
11/11/16 03:39 AM
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Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 66
Bayharbor
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 66 |
I have a Tika Lite 243. I removed the recoil pad, added silicone in to the stock for additional weight and then installed an aftermarket recoil pad. It shoots like a [censored] cat....
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Re: Is A Tikka T3 Lite in .243 Okay for My 8 Year Old Son?
[Re: Bullseye34]
#6538632
11/11/16 10:48 AM
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Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 2,879
sbushee
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
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Posts: 2,879 |
Should be ok for him. Wear ear protection. The bang is worse on em than the recoil.
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