I still want to know how a "mountain rifle" is not suitable to hunt with in Texas. Does it shoot better at +1000' ASL?

Today maybe, what about a year from now when your interests change or access to a 1000yd range arises and it's just too easy? Years ago I looked at LR and the required investment, I backed out. Now I'm chest deep in it. I don't know if you keep em forever or sell as fast as Buzzsaw so that has bearing too.

Budget - Ruger American, Ruger American Predator (threaded)
Mid price - Tikka T3X Lite, Tikka CTR 20" (threaded)
Big spender - Alamo Precision or West TX Ordinance custom

Does it shoot worse at 300 feet above sea level?

I'm just spitballing here, and don't have any real opinion on this subject, but maybe whoever said that a mountain rifle wasn't suitable for Texas was really getting more at; you're spending money to get a light rifle that doesn't give you any advantage in Texas and a heavier rifle might because generally in this part of the world we shoot out of a blind window over a feeder full of corn. So a heavier rifle is more stable, and even if it weighs 20 lb your pickup or four wheeler doesn't notice a bit hauling it to the blind LOL. So maybe that's what they were getting at but I don't know, it's one of the reasons that I don't care how much a rifle weighs hunting in Texas though :-)

Cause there are only mountains in West Texas. What if you hunt in East Texas or South Texas or Central Texas?

I didn’t think it would be this difficult. Listen to RJH.

There are scores of Texas hunters that actually walk, wearing a pack, carrying a rifle, and never hunt from a blind. Plus they sometimes shoot animals farther than 100 yards.

The Tikka T-3 is a known shooter. I've had more than I can remember come out to shoot, or get dropped off to me to work up a load, or to just scope mount and zero. They feed, they shoot, they have a nice trigger, and they eject. They can even shoot factory 6.5 Creedmoor ammo well, sometimes sub-MOA. They are not the only good choice, but one I recommend based on personal experience with lots of them over the years.

Then weight or length doesn’t matters. Does it shot less accurate or not as far if it’s lighter, I mean thought ETX was brushy and Hill country had feeders?

If you are still hunting from a blind what’s it matter what you shoot?

You are absolutely correct light weight rifles aren’t accurate . This rifle is less then 8lbs scoped. X100 on each of those. You are also absolutely correct that most Texas Blind shots over 100 or 200 yard to a feeder, there for you need 20lb rifle that sets on a rest to hit a 10 in area

Fair enough, whether you call it a mountain rifle or not the t3 lite barrel is more like a #2 or #2.5 contour, and true mountain rifles often use something like a 0 or #1 contour with a .550” muzzle diameter. The LSS rifles would’ve weighed more than something like a kimber Montana due to the laminate stock. The Tikkas are lite for sure and this is splitting hairs, but all I’m saying is they are a good sporter weight contour that shouldn’t be considered too light IMO, especially for hunting Texas white tails with short action chamberings. I use t3 lites in 223 and 243, both with lightweight suppressors and they work great for hunting.

Completely not what I said, but nice shooting

Many mule deer hunters drive around and then spot and stalk. The same goes for somes in South Texas. Few carry all their stuff around all day and I have been there done that.

My Tikka T3 stainless chambered in 270 took down many a nilgai and never lost one. Even so, it kicked more than my Kimber 300 WM. Neither equipped with muzzle brake. When I found my 2014 Christensen, Montag bought my Tikka. Both of us were happy.

Not an expert here. Just have my own experience plus the benefit of drinking from the cups of knowledge from many more experienced than myself.

Same page- I’d put any sub 6.5 lb rifle in the mountain category. And then put the speciality Montana series like the ascent or adriondack in the sheep category.


With the new action and stock weights the barrel on MTN type rifles are getting larger for same reason you mention suppression.

A lot of guys on here don't like them, but for a beater rifle that doesn't cost an arm and a leg, I've got to throw Savage in the mix here. Yes, there are other rifles with better fit and finish. There are better looking rifles too. But even those that don't like savages, if they are being honest with themselves, will admit that Savage rifles will almost always shoot very well. I'll call out JG on this. I know that he does not like savages, but I have seen him comment that every one that he has shot shoots well. I like their accu-trigger too.

My gun not my trigger finger, but thank you. I re-read it and you are correct. My apologies

I just want to point out accuracy and weight are alway synonymous.

A lot of the current production rifles are treading down in weigh. Xbolt, Montana, Bergara, Winny featherlight, savage, tikka etc.


At same stand point it’s Texas what do you need a bench rest rifle for. Why not get a dual purpose that’s fits both sides of the house.

Call me out if you want. They cycle like crap. I put four ejector springs in one bolt, over the course of 3700 rounds and two barrels. Sold it with a worn out ejector spring. My .22-250 does not eject at all. And I leave it that way, because it is a Prairie dog rifle and that keeps me from losing brass.

But, once you get a round in the chamber, I have made them legit 1/2 MOA shooters.

From the age of 21 to 35 I hunted only Texas with a Sako Finnlight in 30.06. Never took a shot further than 200yds with it. No reason at all that I needed a light weight rifle like this to hunt stands over corn in Texas other than, it’s the rifle I always wanted, so I bought it and hunted with it .

My next rifle was an HS Precison 300 WinMag mounted white a tank of a scope that all in weighted 11lbs. I took it to Jason’s long range class and had Chad do load development because I wanted to get into the long range game. It never got pulled out for whitetail hunting but I lugged that sucker around during mule deer season, a West Texas Aoudad hunt and even a few Colorado elk hunts.

So I used a lightweight rifle in Texas in a stand over corn with 100-200yd shots and an 11lb rifle to hike all over West Texas and Southern Colorado for elk and mule deer. Back asswards I know.

The moral of the story……buy what you want and like. As long as it shoots and you don’t mind carrying it no matter it’s weight who cares. You only need to be accurate with 1 shot. Precision is for the range, but almost all guns even the lightweight sheep rifles will be precise for a 3 shot group before you get flyers.

As far as back to the topic:

Price conscious : Savage
Middle grade: Tikka
Upper end: Sako, Browning X-Bolt
Custom: hard to beat Alamo or West Texas Ordnance as mentioned above

I was just joking.

I wasn't calling you out to say that you were wrong. I too have had ejection issues (although not near to the extent that you have had). I was calling on you to back up my statement that yes, they are indeed good shooters. First Savage that I owned had zero ejection issues. 2nd had major issues right out of the box, but that was made better with a new ejector installed. If you cycle the bolt fast, it will now eject. If you cycle it slowly, it will drop the empty brass right on top of the magazine. (it is convenient to not have to chase down my empty brass ). Between family and friends, I have shot 5 or 6 other Savages that don't have ejection issues either. Most people will never put the number of rounds down range that you do, and won't wear out the ejectors like you do.

My Salvage doesn’t eject worth a dang. Maybe I got spoiled to Tikka ejectors.

Having removed ejector and ejector springs from many different brands of bolts, I can tell you Savage's spring is a narrower diameter. And they must use less than great steel in the spring material.

One of my Tikka actions is on round count 3700, and still has all the original parts in it.

Went looking for a "beater" rifle couple years ago when I thought my shoulder issues were gonna be resolved enough to do walkabouts in one of the nearby Nat'l Forests. Bought a leftover nib Marlin 270 blue & black stock NIB for $250 off a guy cleaning out his closet. Stopped at Buffalo on the way home to get some rings & my scope mounted...and found a Stainless same gun in 270, got it for another $50 & traded in the NIB blue 270 and it has pleasantly surprised me with how easy the SS Marlin is on my shoulder & even more better, out of the box accurate even shooting my several years old leftover factory ammo.... A Win Win deal for sure....even if it was made in Kentucky. Just never could warm up to the Ruger American's or that other Big Marketing Splash plastic gun I got from the guys in Abilene whose brand I forget, PTL, and liked to have never sold it on consignment at the dealer in Athens.

Old time college friends from around Marshall I hunted with occasionally in the Old Days of my 20+ year old youth used to tease me about my "pretty" guns 'cause they were toooo pretty to paddle the pirogue/jon boat with or beat the dogs they hunted with religiously, off the dead deer ..they believed that "YOU Always need a beater rifle in the Deeep Wood's"...As was proven years later when I got tree'd by a sounder of couple dozen? BIG hogs I'd spooked out of a water hole in a Nat'l Forest west of Jacksonville Florida and almost ruined my brand new Ruger 77 25-06 X-Mas present hugging that pine tree I'd climbed to escape the hogs hunting me ...and have never forgotten that experience. I bought a rusty filthy but still barely shootable WW II Mauser 98 for $19.95 and a lunch bag full of FMJ milsurp ammo for a dime a round at Pick 'n Save in Jax on the way home....just never could find a bayonet for it though....but always carried a full sized Bowie knife in the deep woods after that.
Ron

Ya I see it now daaaa I’m dumb

Nice shooting if you like to center punch steel. Those hits are a little low for me. I aim for the bolt heads at the top, keeps that range operator busy and out of trouble.