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One T3… Multiple Scopes?
Recently at my Small Town sporting goods store I spied a used stainless T3 hanging on the wall. I tried my best to look away but like a Singing Siren temptation overcame. It wouldn't hurt to look and touch it a bit? As the rifle was handed to me the clerk said this gun has been to Alaska twice for moose and successfully. This Tikka was so light and in 338 Win Mag. The moment I held this on consignment Rocket Launcher cash priced very low, I just knew it had to come home with me! I know, I know it will kick. But it does have a Limbsaver and I do have a Tikka Bell & Carlson stock in my inventory. Besides I used to shoot 375s and bigger. A few days later while evaluating my rifle battery, it occurred this T3 could be my one big game hunting rifle. On my digital scale it weighs 6lb, 4oz! Thus my Mountain Rifle! Or for moose, or bear, or elk the same rifle! Even deer! I have always liked the 338 Win years ago hunting with a Browning a-bolt and everything shot, pretty much went right down. I have always been in search of the elusive 1 HUNTING rifle and this Tikka 338 might be it? The problem is scope selection. I have a Leupold VX2 3-9X40, a tiny Leupold FXII 2.5X and a big Trijicon 2.5-10X56. I want to use them all! Head into black timber for elk and the FXII 2.5X would be so trim and quick to swing. Obviously the 3-9X40 a great compromise. But it's the big self-illuminated 2.5-10X56 Trijicon that amazes at dusk/dawn! A great lowlight black bear scope and no other scope I have can paint big game in low light- not even close! So, I could mount either of the 2 Leupolds in a 1 piece DNZ mount, or I could mount the big Trijicon in 30mm Optilocs I have. At first I thought the Trijicon could do it all for me, but I also like the idea of the small 2.5X Leupold! What a tough decision, but then it occurred… why not use all the scopes as desired or needed with quick release mounts? Why I could hunt elk in the thick during the day with the 2.5X Leupold and later switch out the big Trijicon to watch a cut into darkness? Interesting, any thoughts? Pretty much am thinking of using a Tikka Performance rail with correct height Warne QD rings for each scope. I do not think the High Warne Tikka QD rings with no base needed would fit my 56+mm Trijicon and why I'm thinking of the rail base with more Warne QD ring height selections for Picatinny style. I could go with Leupold QR bases and rings, but kind of think the Warne rings are better? I'm convinced the QD systems will return close enough to zero for general hunting. So, is sharing scopes with one rifle a good idea? Has anyone else done this for hunting and what QD/QR mounts/rings would you use?
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