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Long Range Hunting
I had a Tikka T3 Varmint in 6.5 x 55 a number of years ago. When I tested it for the first time on the bench it put three shots of 139 grain Lapua Scenars into a single hole at 100 yards. I was amazed and called over the range officer to show him, so he had to have a go himself. After he fired he said “now you have four shots in the same hole”. When I measured the hole it was 14mm outside to outside i.e. 7.5mm centre to centre. Some time later I needed a .308 to get into FTR so I traded the Tikka against a Savage FTR which I still have. I also hunt deer with a Sako 75 in .243 and it is excellent, especially when loaded with 95 grain Hornady Superformance SST's. I don't use the .243 for shots beyond 250 yards or thereabouts but late in the season I often see deer, standing watching me across open ground, at 400-500 yards. I'd like to harvest these deer so I've decided to buy another Tikka in .270 Win. The question is, which model ? I prefer wooden stocks so even if I buy a synthetic stocked model I will build a replacement stock. Taking into account the fact that this rifle will be carried should I buy the Lite or Varmint. ? If I buy the Lite which only has a 510mm barrel against the 600mm barrel of the Varmint, will the shorter barrel with it's unavoidable drop in velocity be accurate enough and have enough retained energy to cleanly kill a deer at 500 yards ?
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