I have a T3 lite in 30-06. I put a limbsaver pad on it before I even fired it so I am not sure what the stock one will feel like. With the lightweight tikka and standard 30-06 rounds I can put about 40-60 rounds downrange before my shoulder has had enough (in 5 round groups, cooling between). A browning shirt with pad in it helps a lot if I want more. With hot hunting rounds that decreases to maybe 25 or so.
Bullet weight, the tikka will shoot them all well but I have settled on 168 grain for elk/mule deer. I'm using Barnes 168 TTSX over 56gr of RL19 and shooting groups like the one below all day long. That is an expensive bullet for plinking though, so I use Hornady 150's for practice etc and I can fire more of them before the shoulder complains. Changes my zero but that's no big deal. As far as range accuracy goes, I can and often do knock down water bottles at 500 meters with both of those loads....you have found yourself a very good rifle.
