GUNS!!!!!!!!

[couloirman]

OK that all makes sense, thanks guys. I think I'm going to splurge a teeny bit more than the vortex, and maybe go with something like the Leupold vx3 3.5x10x40. I dont know why, but aesthetically it just looks better. Now I guess I just need to figure out which rings will work for this combo.

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

OK that all makes sense, thanks guys. I think I'm going to splurge a teeny bit more than the vortex, and maybe go with something like the Leupold vx3 3.5x10x40. I dont know why, but aesthetically it just looks better. Now I guess I just need to figure out which rings will work for this combo.

I used to do Talley's on everything, but they're a pain in the ass to install right, they're too tall on a tikka and the drilled receiver mount is cheezy. Use the milled dovetail in the receiver, the rings will be straight and bomb proof.

https://warnescopemounts.com/1tm-war...d-matte-rings/

[Conundrum]

Rev turned me on to Maven Optics and I put one on a rifle. Really like it so far. Might look at those as well.

[highangle]

With all due respect, I'd pretty much give the opposite advice on magnification.

I dunno, I was thinking of spending somewhere in the $400-700 range. Probably won't shoot much beyond 300yds or so but it'd be nice to be able to if I want. Set it and forget it sounds nice but I guess it's nice to have options...

CM, where do you live and expect to hunt? 300yds is a long damn shot for most of North America.

No need for super magnification, sniper style, but for western, open hunting, I would say max of 18x is ideal, 24x if you want. That's just to say there are a few different schools of thought on optics. One thing for sure....buy the nicest optic you can reasonably afford. You'll quite likely change rifles at some point but a good optic will last a long time through multiple rifles. A cheap one will likely end up frustrating you, or worse, effecting your confidence.

I certainly agree with CM buying the best scope he can afford, but a sub-$700 scope that goes up to 18 or 24x is going to be like looking through a black soda straw.

Big game animals don't always stay still, heat monkeys jump all over the place, you got to bring your own rifle rest out to pronghorn country...the wide open spaces are the only places an 18x scope is worth a shit. CM isn't a sniper laid out 2 rooms deep shooting through a hand-sized hole in a wall, or cranking shots over sagebrush at something he can barely see with the naked eye - he's looking for a good first rifle scope.

I will actually argue one point, though....I'd never let someone else mount my optic. Learn how to do it, buy a torque wrench/driver and do it yourself...It's not hard. You'll learn how to do it right, how to fix it and know it was done right. I've seen too many blow hard tacticool types and/or old crusties at Cabellas or Sportsman's who actually don't know the fundamentals and sure as shit don't care about your rig as much as you do. They'll most likely be in a hurry, use questionable torque procedures and rush you through eye relief. A local gun shop might be a better experience but don't let the box stores do your shit.

The guy mounting scopes at the box store has more experience than CM, me, and the sophomore at the LGS put together. They sell a lot of rigs at box stores, and they know just how to mount a scope.
I deleted 2 paragraphs where I prosed on about how CM should expect to use a couple boxes of hunting ammo at the range to sight in and find his personal max, and make sure he buys enough hunting ammo of the same lot number to do that and crank 10-12 shots a season for the next few years. At $60/box, he doesn't need to fuck around trying to sight in a scope 3 degrees out of plumb because all he had was a door frame for vertical alignment.

Talley rings are great for sure. For Tikkas, check out DNZ as well--super sturdy. I think most mid range optics are 30mm tubes these days but I could be wrong.

I personally steer newish hunting folks towards the Tikka/Vortex combo. Brick shit houses, accurate and Vortex warranty is definitely best in class for when you have an oopsie daisy, there goes my scope. Tikkas are killer because you won't feel guilty for treating them like an actual hunting rifle but they can perform like a range gun.

DNZ rings cost a good bit more than Talleys, if you can find them. They don't work any better. You can also mount L-shaped Talleys to suit your scope eye relief and your personal aesthetics.
DNZ may be great guys. Hell, they may be your neighbors...but they do charge a premium.

[zion zig zag]

DNZ rings cost a good bit more than Talleys, if you can find them. They don't work any better. You can also mount L-shaped Talleys to suit your scope eye relief and your personal aesthetics.
DNZ may be great guys. Hell, they may be your neighbors...but they do charge a premium.

DNZ is like $10-15 more than Talley if looking at like for like, and they’ll ship them tomorrow?

[Conundrum]

Why not use levels instead or sighting target or door frame?

[zion zig zag]

Why not use levels instead or sighting target or door frame?

Agreed. Levels and a torque wrench are cheap and it’s easy to do. And when I do it, I know the screws were degreased and the torque values are right.

[highangle]

So CM needs to learn how to mount and boresight a scope before he can shoot his new rifle? naa

He'll have plenty of time to learn all that shit after he starts shooting.

[couloirman]

Thanks guys. Yeah, I will ABSOLUTELY not be hunting at 300yds at my skill level. The reason I mentioned 300yds is I have a field on my property that is about 300yds long where I can shoot, so that will be about my max length Ill target shoot at. I did just watch a few videos about bore sighting and whatnot, I think I will give it a go just to try to be independent with my gear for when I wanna swap things in and out. Worst comes to worst Ill take it to a shop to fix my mistakes LOL.

[TNKen]

If you are using two piece mounts, make sure you have something to "true" your mounts before putting the scope in the mounts. On one piece mounts, not a big deal. Get a two piece mount slightly off center and it's a little rough on the scope.

Or run it by a reputable gunsmith and spend $100 to get it mounted correctly.

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

If you are using two piece mounts, make sure you have something to "true" your mounts before putting the scope in the mounts. On one piece mounts, not a big deal. Get a two piece mount slightly off center and it's a little rough on the scope.

Or run it by a reputable gunsmith and spend $100 to get it mounted correctly.

That's why I trust the grooved receiver more than the drilled/tapped mount on the tikka.

For any rifle I've bought for a while now, I'm going to either use their grooves for scope mount or bed/mount a rail. Warne Maximas are bomb proof and they go on straight if you pay attention.

[TNKen]

they go on straight if you pay attention.

This--might add if you know what you're doing.

[zion zig zag]

That's why I trust the grooved receiver more than the drilled/tapped mount on the tikka.

For any rifle I've bought for a while now, I'm going to either use their grooves for scope mount or bed/mount a rail. Warne Maximas are bomb proof and they go on straight if you pay attention.

Yep, same reason I like the Sportsmatch rings. Warnes are also reputable.

[zion zig zag]

Thanks guys. Yeah, I will ABSOLUTELY not be hunting at 300yds at my skill level. The reason I mentioned 300yds is I have a field on my property that is about 300yds long where I can shoot, so that will be about my max length Ill target shoot at. I did just watch a few videos about bore sighting and whatnot, I think I will give it a go just to try to be independent with my gear for when I wanna swap things in and out. Worst comes to worst Ill take it to a shop to fix my mistakes LOL.

Strictly my opinion, 3-9x is plenty for hunting game out to 400 yards. But I personally like a little higher magnification for targets (which will be 90% of your shooting), even at 300 yards. My hunting scope is 3-15x and I'm happy with that range.

[zion zig zag]

Thanks guys. Yeah, I will ABSOLUTELY not be hunting at 300yds at my skill level.

Also my opinion: 300 yards with modern equipment, some instruction, and a summer of practice is very doable.

[The Reverend Floater]

Also my opinion: 300 yards with modern equipment, some instruction, and a summer of practice is very doable.

For sure. I've taught a bunch of folks to shoot and for better or worse, 300 yards repeatable, prone is very doable in a few months with modern equipment. Definitely a double edge sword....

But up here 300 yards is not a particularly long shot, being high desert and all. ZZZ knows because he hunts my spots!!!

[highangle]

Agreed. Levels and a torque wrench are cheap and it’s easy to do. And when I do it, I know the screws were degreased and the torque values are right.

You can stand there and watch the boy at the box store put a dab of blue Loctite on the base screws. If he ain't busy, he'll let you check him before he puts the caps on and takes the rifle out of the vise. Talley screws come out of the bag dry as a toad. That said, I've bought my last couple scopes and rings online, and mounted and boresighted them with a plumb bob and a bore light.

Cooliemon - Invest in a 1-piece cleaning rod and guides for your 7.62mm bore. Get a decent brass brush and patch jag. The box stores will have bags of .30cal patches and bulk clean white tshirt cloth real close to the jars of Hoppes and cans of CLP [which is a lot like transmission fluid with some Hoppes No9 in it...]. A rifle cleaning cradle is not at all necessary, but they make bore cleaning and maintenance a lot easier [if you have room for the 1-piece rod..].

While you're at the firearms boutique, get you one of those Bore Snake -type pull-thru cleaning snakes in .30cal for your hunting pack. It'll roll up and fit in a KT Blister Prevention Tape can with a few patches too. In case you take a dunking or tumble out there or otherwise get FOD in your bore...or get stuck in your tent for 4 days in 34f rain...or who knows what voodoo or hoodoo can occur out there... I tape my Tikka muzzle with wide Etape. It's too damn easy to bust my ass where I hunt, and it's always fucking wet at some point. It doesn't affect accuracy either. I know my T3 is stainless. IDGAF

CM, get you some Butler Creek flip-up scope caps for whatever scope you get. They're fucking great.

Happy shooting!


PS: You're gonna want a scoped rifle case, at least a $35 Realtree softie from the box store, while you're out. You can get a blaze orange Tikka case for $40, but you may be in the hood and don't want to advertise...If you plan on ever flying to hunt, consider a bare metal double rifle case that you can pad with your hunting clothes and soft gear. Save ya a checked bag sometimes...

Also my opinion: 300 yards with modern equipment, some instruction, and a summer of practice is very doable.

Very much this. He's already got the MOA rifle!

[Conundrum]

A chew can, or for no chew smell (Zyn or General) also works great for a small container of CLP or oil of choice, bore snake, and patches. Bonus on the fake chew cans, most of them have a little lid cap for used pouches that is great to keep your patches in the event the oil container leaks.

[couloirman]

Anyone shot the Bergara B14 Wilderness HMR or Wilderness Terrain? Overhyped/overpriced or a decent contender for a dual use hunting/getting into long range shooting at a decent price kind of rifle?

Also, super appreciate all the advice given above. I have no real friends who are into shooting much as well, so here I am on the internet looking for advice. Thanks for all the help

[zion zig zag]

^^^ I had to look those two rifles up. They have a good rep as accurate rifles but they’d be too heavy for the way I hunt. I’d rather have the Tikka for a hunting rifle. That being said, the weight would probably make them better/easier ‘long range’ rifles.


Sent from my iPad using TGR Forums

[exsparky]

Went to Texas for the day. Shot 2k 223 wolf through a mk18 with a surefire can and aimpoint pro. Killed 300+ hogs, 12 coyotes between the 4 of us. I got at least 50 and 4 coyotes.



The can wouldn't come off, 1 day in wd40, 1 day in CLP, a 30" pipe wrench and a vise didn't do it. My buddy had to shoot it off, 4th round did it.

[mangle]

^ That's awesome. It's hard to not have fun shooting from a helicopter.

[highangle]

[exsparky]

If it moves its a hog, if it stands still, its a well disciplined hog.

[Hopeless Sinner]

Anyone shot the Bergara B14 Wilderness HMR or Wilderness Terrain? Overhyped/overpriced or a decent contender for a dual use hunting/getting into long range shooting at a decent price kind of rifle?

Also, super appreciate all the advice given above. I have no real friends who are into shooting much as well, so here I am on the internet looking for advice. Thanks for all the help

I have the B14 Hunter in 7RM. It shoots great, it would take a lot of practice and skill to get to the point where the accuracy of this rifle was the limiting factor. Wished I got the 6.5 cause I'll likely never elk hunt w a rifle.