I am strongly considering getting into Metallic Silhouette. I was looking at rifles that would be a good match grade rifle for high-power and was looking at Tikka T3 Sporters on gunbroker.com and they look like nice rifles and they are probably very accurate but I have read about 10 lb 2 oz weight limit and these rifles without a scope are reported to weigh 9.7 lbs. I was hoping to get some tips on a rifle that I could buy 'out of the box' that would be a good NRA Standard Class rifle. Maybe some tips to find good used rifles that have been built by a gunsmith that may even be better than a new rifle like the one I mentioned above. Forgive my ignorance about any questions above that sound dumb.

Kokenee wrote:I am strongly considering getting into Metallic Silhouette. I was looking at rifles that would be a good match grade rifle for high-power and was looking at Tikka T3 Sporters on gunbroker.com and they look like nice rifles and they are probably very accurate but I have read about 10 lb 2 oz weight limit and these rifles without a scope are reported to weigh 9.7 lbs. I was hoping to get some tips on a rifle that I could buy 'out of the box' that would be a good NRA Standard Class rifle. Maybe some tips to find good used rifles that have been built by a gunsmith that may even be better than a new rifle like the one I mentioned above. Forgive my ignorance about any questions above that sound dumb.

The Tikka T3 in 6.5x55 shoots well for HP Silhouette and there are several on the line. Post or search in the Marketplace for a HP Rifle and you may find a custom build avaiable as there have been several there in recent months. You will have several more trigger options with a Remington or Remington clone action then with the Tikka or others, but the Tikka trigger is a good off the shelf trigger with very little work other then adjusting the pull weight to 2 pounds.

Mach 2 wrote:The T3 is much lighter than 9.7lbs.http://www.tikka.fi/pdf/specs/Hunter.pdf

But that's the Hunter model. The T3 Sporter is 9.7lbs with a 24" barrel. http://www.tikka.fi/pdf/specs/T3_Sporter.pdf
You may have to modify the stock to make it legal.

In my opinion, if you are wanting to shoot only standard class, the selection is pretty limited. Savage and Remington make some models that are a good start, but like you mentioned you would want to watch the weight. Give yourself around twenty ounces for most scopes and then figure a weight for the type of bases and mounts you want to use. The ones I use are around seven ounces. So give yourself some leeway for weight.
Savage 110J’s are good used rifles that were made for standard class but may be hard to find and were made in 308 and 7x08 only I believe. Remington varmint rifles are used but quite a few need weight modifications as would the Tikka varmint model (you referenced the weight of).
I have a Tikka T3 sporter, but it is light and would make hunter class. They are good rifles, nice action, mine has a good trigger, plus I like the magazine feed. You can shoot a hunter class rifle in standard class, and this will broaden your choices, plus allow you to shoot in both classes. In my opinion, that is the path I would take.
If you are set on shooting standard class only, hopefully someone here can give you some guidance on a suitable rifle. As far as custom high power silhouette rifles go, I’m no help, I’ve never bought one. I’ve put new stocks and barrels on Remington 700’s and Savage 110’s to suit the class I shot in and I think a lot of people do that. There is plenty of tinkering you can do—in fact I think I spent more time tinkering with rifles trying to make weight and rules than shooting, and that’s why I mentioned maybe just buying a hunter class rifle and shooting it, it gives you more options and potentially less tinkering.
If you go the custom route, I think you should find a gunsmith that knows the silhouette rules, like the ones that advertise on this site. Speaking from experience on smallbore silhouette rifles; I’ve had barrels fitted on them and even after I told the gunsmith what the weight had to be to suit my equipment and rules, the rifle came back heavy=more tinkering or more time sending it back to be fixed---plus then you have to deal with re-chambering it or cutting off the muzzle---which might be tight or choked.
I hope you get some more answers and get one bought and get involved, it is a great shooting sport.

http://www.tikka.fi/t3models.php?forest


these look nice, i like the roll over. would make a nice match to a 1710

silhouette13 wrote:http://www.tikka.fi/t3models.php?forest


these look nice, i like the roll over. would make a nice match to a 1710

Even comes in .260 and 7-08. Nice.

Yes, nice looking Tikka and it's about seven pounds give or take. Very similar to my T3 sporter except wood versus synthetic.
One thing about the Tikka that I don't like is that the magazine won't allow for long seated bullets. Mine shoots well, the action is very smooth and zero feeding problems with the detachable magazine, plus for a price you can get higher capacity magazines.
It does have a nice look and good caliber choices and could be shot in both classes.

Thank you for all of your feedback and advice. Are competitions with more hunting style rifles more common than target style rifles?

Unfortunately I don't live near any HP but... HP and SB seem to be very similar in percentages. Hunting rifle should naturally be a bit more popular simply due to being able to shoot what's in the safe. And, a hunting rifle can be shot in both classes so,double the fun with one gun.

Kokenee wrote:Are competitions with more hunting style rifles more common than target style rifles?

Kokenee,

If you show up to a high power or smallbore silhouette match, there will be two types of matches that you can enter in: a "standard" match and a "hunter" match. Usually the standard match takes place first and the hunter match is shot directly afterward. (They are not at the same time, so you can shoot both matches) The difference in the matches is the rifle that a competitor is allowed to shoot:

The maximum weight for a standard gun is 10 lbs, 2 oz and it can have any safe trigger and a target-style stock (with thumbhole, if you want).

The maximum weight for a hunter gun is 9 lbs (8.5 lbs for smallbore) and it must have a 2 lb trigger and a traditional hunting-style stock (no thumbhole). It also has to have a tapered barrel.

The VAST majority of people in the high power game (and smallbore too) shoot one rifle in both classes. That rifle must meet the restrictions of the hunter gun and it will be legal in both standard and hunter.

There are certain advantages to shooting one gun (less expensive, easier to carry around, only one trigger to get used to, only one set of sight settings to keep up with, etc). In my experience, I have not seen a noticeable increase in scores of the standard gun over the hunter gun for those guys that shoot two rifles. That said, I shoot two rifles in smallbore and one rifle in high power, but I do it just because I really like shooting the extra gun.

My advice is to try both high power silhouette and smallbore silhouette if you haven't done so. If you decide that you like it (which you will), buy a rifle that you can shoot in both standard and hunter class. If you decide that you want a standard gun after that, you'll know a lot more about what's out there and can make an informed decision.

If I was going to buy a high-power gun out of the box, I'd get a Tikka T3 in 6.5x55 SE (if i could find one), 260 Rem or 7mm-08 Rem and have someone adjust the trigger to 2 pounds. If I was going to build a custom gun (like most people do but it's certainly not necessary) I'd get a Remington 700 action and go from there with whatever I wanted. I shot a Savage 260 Rem the other day with an Accutrigger and I REALLY liked it, so I'd add those into the mix too.

The best thing to do is to go to some matches and look around. Most shooters will insist that a new shooter try their rifle. Take them up on it and get an idea of what you like.

Dustin

Dustin,

Thanks for the tips man. That's some good advice.

I have been shooting a T3 in 6,5 x 55 for the past 6 years.

With a Weaver T24 it comes in about 8 pounds. Smooth as glass and accurate out of the box. Never been touched. 1/2 min and pleasant recoil with both 107 and 140 Match King.

Got about 4K rounds and it is still shooting well(better than I).

I'd do it again.

Bob 259 knows the gun but he ain't gettin' it.

Good luck.
Gator

Gator wrote:I have been shooting a T3 in 6,5 x 55 for the past 6 years.

With a Weaver T24 it comes in about 8 pounds. Smooth as glass and accurate out of the box. Never been touched. 1/2 min and pleasant recoil with both 107 and 140 Match King.

Got about 4K rounds and it is still shooting well(better than I).

I'd do it again.

Bob 259 knows the gun but he ain't gettin' it.

Good luck.
Gator

Gator,

How did you make your Tikka T3 Sporter fit the NRA Standard Class rifle specs?

Kokenee wrote:Gator,

How did you make your Tikka T3 Sporter fit the NRA Standard Class rifle specs?

You can shoot any hunter rifle in Std class, if it meets hunter rules you can also shoot it in Std.