Hi beast, welcome to the forum!  Your CTR is a great rifle!  The 300 WSM is a great caliber, I think you will find that it kicks like a mule regardless of the model.  If you plan to get an aftermarket stock, then get the least expensive model.  If you want a nice factory stock I love the forest stock and the Hunter is nice also.

Anyway, if you get a 300 WSM, get the hard recoil lug, the soft recoil pad and the mtn tac pic rail.  Then get a muzzle brake and you will love that rifle like your dog!(assuming you have a good dog).

I shoot a T3 Lite 300wsm on a regular basis, pretty much the only rifle I hunt with for anything larger than coyotes…and I would use it for yotes if it was legal to predator hunt with a 30cal where I live.

My rifle is setup pretty much the way Eric described…
– chopped to 23.75″ and threaded for 9/16″ muzzle break (with radial brake gun recoils like a 223-243)
– MT Picatinny rail
– MT Steel Lug
– MT Bottom Metal
– MT Gen2 Bolt Shroud
– Limbsaver Recoil Pad
– Vortex Viper HS LR FFP 6-24 x 50mm

I still have it in the original stock, only mod there is free floating the barrel.  I tried the action in a B&C last year and it did not shoot any better then the factory synthetic stock so went back to it because the LOP is better.  The synthetic stock is actually a lot better then most people give it credit…But, I still want to fill the front of mine with epoxy to add a little weight to the front and stabilize any movement.

You will love the 300wsm for hunting especially if you handled.  The confidence I have with my gun as allowed me to stretch and improve my shooting abilities and made me a better hunter for sure.  The gun as never let me down…

The only regret I have is not purchasing the gun in a stainless varmint model!

– You can get the Tactical in a 300win mag…but no 300wsm.
– Hard to find a Super Varmint in any caliber…good luck.
– I do not think the A7 is worth the extra money…its doesn't shot any better.

Hey dog, do you have the light/synthetic stock?

correct…

Hey beast, (sorry if you don't like the abreviation), one of the great things about the 300wsm is that it, along with the 338 win mag and 300 Win mag are often found used and sold by folks that can't handle the recoil of the light.  Don't order new until you have looked through the used sections of whatever gun store you frequent.  I almost gaurentee that any used high caliber tikka light you find has not been shot much.  You might find a deal! Further I would bet that any used high caliber tikka light has not been fired more than 50 times (prob less than 20).

Dog where did you see a high caliber varmint model in North America? Hard to find I think, (I may be wrong of course).

I have seen several fluted barrel mags at cabelas in Rogers MN and south at Owetana mn.

Hey beast, look at the video on lop by Boyd's stock to determine best lop

13.5 seems standard

“Dog where did you see a high caliber varmint model in North America?”

If you can find one look for a Tikka M695 Continental Longrange in a 300 Win mag. These came with a 26″ tube and had a beavertail varmint stock. They had 3 and 5 round mags. They look like the one pictured in the link below.

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/5022593/Re_WTS_Tikka_695_25_06

No that is the T3 Varmint, I was referring to the older Tikka M695 model. These were the Tikka's offered before the T3's. Here is a little history about Tikka, sometime in the 60's after Tikka was aloud to start making rifles again ( I believe after WWII, Tikka made sewing machines just to keep the factory open.) they came out with the Tikka M55 (short action) and M65 (long action) which were sold here in the US as the Ithaca Lsa-55 and the Lsa-65 (1969 to 1977). Next Tikka came here with the Model M558 and M658 followed by the M590 and the M690 ( I don't know if this model made it here) which had a closed action like the T3. The next offering from Tikka was the model M595 and the M695 (1989 to 2003) which ended in 2003 with the launch of the current offering the T3.

Dog where did you see a high caliber varmint model in North America? Hard to find I think, (I may be wrong of course).

I have seen several fluted barrel mags at cabelas in Rogers MN and south at Owetana mn.

No issues to get either caliber in “Canada” in a varmint….Cabela's usually always has in stock.

Ericbc7, I don't mind the abbreviation at all.  Thanks for the insight. I do have a bead on a used stainless lite at my local cabelas.  I tend to stay away from used rifles. However, It is as you described. Looks like it was shot just enough for the previous owner to decide they really only wanted a 308.  Dog down, was the LOP on the B&C longer or shorter than the standard tikka stock?  Also, what loads have you had the most success with? I am looking at heavier pills with higher BCs.  This info is much appreciated.

LOP was shorter on the B&C compared to Tikka factory stock with Limbsaver…

I'm currently shooting the 190gr LR Accubond and the 208gr Amax out to 1000yrds with no issues…190's fit in the mag but have to load the 208's as single feed for best accuracy.  I could push the COAL longer in the 190's but I use it as a hunting round so not interested in single feeding these. Feel confident shooting a Deer sized target at anything under 800yrds if its standing still and wind is not an issue.  180 Accubonds shoot awesome as well for a hunting round.  I only use H4831sc for my 300wsm reloading.

scooter700, your history lesson is greatly apprecieated!  I love hearing about the the history of my favorite brand!!

Hey dog, is the twist rate (1:11 i believe) working for the 208 amax?  One of the reasons i have not bought the tikka in 300 wm or the wsm is the 1:11 twist (thinking that it would not properly stabilize the 208 amax).