Advice on .223 Tikka T3X and a KRG Bravo

Douglas-001 · Oct 4, 2024

Ok members, been sniffing around for info on these items and many threads are close but way off....I have mucho .223 components and was leaning towards the Tikka (Lite JRTXE312) and the Bravo stock. This is not a PRS rifle, (I looked at build parts and that is not in the financial folder

) but a fun bolt gun that I can shoot on the cheap, keep kids off my beautiful crabgrass lawn, and even let others try it as a starting point. As a certified service rifle slut, many nuances of the bolt gun realm escape me so I'll try to lay it out. Will there be any conflict running AICS mags with that particular stock? I plan to use mag length 77's and the 80's would be single load as needed. Looks like a simple task to drop the action into the stock but wanted to ask if there are any other pitfalls to consider?
The other varmint Tikkas are threaded but not the model I am considering. I'm sure John at Area 419 could thread it but wasn't sure if that would be out of
the question for this model. Wanted to run a can...Well shit....maybe I'll just call over there.... total budget including glass (Tasco scope from 1983 anyone..?

) $1400 - $1500 tops.

As always, thanks for any help and direction. Good luck and good shooting!

Doug

K80/6.5 · Oct 4, 2024

Douglas-001 said:
Ok members, been sniffing around for info on these items and many threads are close but way off....I have mucho .223 components and was leaning towards the Tikka (Lite JRTXE312) and the Bravo stock. This is not a PRS rifle, (I looked at build parts and that is not in the financial folder ) but a fun bolt gun that I can shoot on the cheap, keep kids off my beautiful crabgrass lawn, and even let others try it as a starting point. As a certified service rifle slut, many nuances of the bolt gun realm escape me so I'll try to lay it out. Will there be any conflict running AICS mags with that particular stock? I plan to use mag length 77's and the 80's would be single load as needed. Looks like a simple task to drop the action into the stock but wanted to ask if there are any other pitfalls to consider?
The other varmint Tikkas are threaded but not the model I am considering. I'm sure John at Area 419 could thread it but wasn't sure if that would be out of
the question for this model. Wanted to run a can...Well shit....maybe I'll just call over there.... total budget including glass (Tasco scope from 1983 anyone..? ) $1400 - $1500 tops.

As always, thanks for any help and direction. Good luck and good shooting!

Doug

I had this build but with a varmint barrel that I had threaded. I wish I hadn’t sold it will probably build another on sometime. Mine loved 77smk with Varget. I did file the magazine some to fit longer oal bullets. I never had any issues with feeding if I remember right I didn’t need to file the mag unless I used 75 eldms which shot horrible out of my barrel. There are post talking about opening up the magazine. If I were you I would go varmint barrel to help with balance.

viking78 · Oct 4, 2024

My son had Tikka T3X TAC A1, that we took of from the chassis and put it in to a KRG Bravo chassis.
It was nice and cheap rifle to shoot.
This video, my son is shootin a steel black grouse, distance 380-meters, +400-yards.

CaptArab · Oct 4, 2024

I've had many many variants of tikkas and don't think the bravo is worth it for 223.

The CTR mags will let you kiss lands with 75 eld-m which is the best bullet for an 8 twist. They're excellent and let you seat further than aics with no screwing around or Dremel. If you want to do that from the lite mags you need to go expensive waters mags out of Australia. Some dude on 24 camp fire is 3d printing long coal mags for $40 but I haven't tried those. Mine are the mountain tac billet mags but I think they're discontinued. Factory mags allow ar15 ish coal.

The extra coal also lets you shove more powder in- significant velocity boost over ar15 length loads.

Id skip 80s. Decide up front if you want to shoot a heavier bullet than the 75. If so buy the cheapest lite you can find and a 7 twist prefit. Removing the factory barrel is easy don't believe the Internet hype.

It's really hard to beat a 75- the easy button is the 20" threaded CTR with 75s. Lever will get those moving.

Devastating on deer.

K80/6.5 · Oct 4, 2024

CaptArab said:
I've had many many variants of tikkas and don't think the bravo is worth it for 223.

The CTR mags will let you kiss lands with 75 eld-m which is the best bullet for an 8 twist. If you want to do that from the lite mags you need to go expensive waters mags out of Australia. Some dude on 24 camp fire is 3d printing long coal mags for $40 but I haven't tried those. Mine are the mountain tac billet mags but I think they're discontinued. Factory mags allow ar15 ish coal.

The extra coal also lets you shove more powder in- significant velocity boost over ar15 length loads.

Id skip 80s. Decide up front if you want to shoot a heavier bullet than the 75. If so buy the cheapest one you can find an a 7 twist prefit.

It's really hard to beat a 75- the easy button is the 20" threaded CTR.

Interesting I tried to get the 75eldm to shoot out of my 1:8 twist varmint it would always throw some. I finally gave up on them and went back to 77smk and it was bug holes again.

CaptArab · Oct 4, 2024

My experience is the opposite.
I cut mine to 16" doing about ~2800 with lever with a light kiss. Shoots great.

By "best" I just meant slipperiest. 50 grain vmax might be best for some folks.

Overwatch260 · Oct 4, 2024

My old T3 Varmint stainless 8 twist absolutely loved the 82 grain Berger, had it in a KRG X-ray & used the MDT .223 polymer mags as they allow ~ 2.550" COAL

sierracharlie338 · Oct 4, 2024

My kids Lite is a hoot to shoot. Just running factory mags right now and 77tmks. It’s going in a MPA chassis after she out grows the compact stock. Will run aics when we go chassis. I have a bravo on my 700 based 223 and really like it as well so I’d definitely not be opposed to one on a Tikka.

tacoman69 · Oct 4, 2024

love the ergos on the bravo. so much that the hnt 26 is long gone. it's just a little heavy for hunting but i have a 20 oz scope and 20 in barrel to counteract it but its a great hybrid range/hunting platform. Sits 9lbs 5 oz currently and am shooting factory 73 g eldm and 77 tmks. no issues with the mdt polymer 10 rd aics mag. id get a stainless t3x lite and cut and thread it.

trob · Oct 4, 2024

-You can thread the lite 1/2x28
-that’s a tight budget with an aftermarket stock (+ a mag)
- I sold my superlight when I found a CTR.

Douglas-001 · Oct 5, 2024

Wow! Great looking rifles! Seems the only varmint barrel style is hard to find and it ain't cheap. Not sure what the real difference is between all the mags, but some of them are close to $100.00. Is there an advantage to one or the other? I was planning on AICS as that is what I have in the .308 bolt gun. (I am the most dense object in the universe...I know..) Ultimately, the KGB would also allow me to mount a PVS14 as well so that's another plus. I started looking at pre-fit Tikka barrels....mo money, mo money, mo money....

I've had great success with 80's from a 1/8 barrel. If they work in the bolt gun, great! If not, I will use another pill. I understand how some like really fast bullets, but I have learned that the fastest bullet isn't always the most accurate. I relied on the predictability of the load I used while competing. I reckon this rifle would be for 500-600 yds. tops. Any-who.....still open to advice and thoughts on this bolt gun.

beetroot · Oct 6, 2024

K80/6.5 said:
Interesting I tried to get the 75eldm to shoot out of my 1:8 twist varmint it would always throw some. I finally gave up on them and went back to 77smk and it was bug holes again.

I haven't spent too much time on them but my Tikka doesn't like the 75 ELDMS either, the 75 BTHPs shoot pretty well and the 73 ELDMs really well.

beetroot · Oct 6, 2024

Just buy the cheapest 223 Varmint, Super Varmint, CTR or Tac A1 you can.

I prefer CTR magazines but AICS is probably easier, and they are cheaper. Also easier to lengthen the COAL if you want to run 80gr+ a mag length.

A 223 Tikka in a Bravo might be a poor man's precision rifle but they certainly perform. Cheap to shoot, low recoil.

Douglas-001 · Oct 14, 2024

Looks like T3X Lite is the rifle and the Bravo will be the formula. I just don't see many other Tikka .223's out there, save the super Varmint. The Hide has spoken......

Reached out to Area 419 (he's about 15 min from me) and they no longer thread barrels!

carbonbased · Oct 14, 2024

For kicks here’s my super varmint 223 in a Bravo. The gray tungsten factory Cerakote looks good in that Sako green.

Also got an excellent Bugholes 204 barrel for it that I swap in.

wind gypsy · Oct 14, 2024

There’s a ton of people who thread barrels, have no fear.

My factory 8 twist lite didn’t like 75 ELDs either so I had an ACE 7.5 twist in the factory lite contour spun up and now it likes 75 ELDs. Factory barrel liked 73 ELDs and a number of other bullets. It will be my most shot rifle, almost got a second.

I use the MDT plastic 10 rd 223 mags as well, that’s a great option. Bravo rifle is the one. Spigot and suppressor help balance it a bit.

beetroot · Oct 14, 2024

carbonbased said:
For kicks here’s my super varmint 223 in a Bravo. The gray tungsten factory Cerakote looks good in that Sako green.
View attachment 8524416

Also got an excellent Bugholes 204 barrel for it that I swap in.

Sterk Swept
Sako Green
CTR mags

A man of fine taste.

carbonbased · Oct 14, 2024

beetroot said:
Sterk Swept
Sako Green
CTR mags

A man of fine taste.

Thx man

Just got a Midas trigger. We’ll see how that goes…gotta crack the code on out how to lower the weight. They must be very worried about liability or something…Bix n Andy, TT, Jewel, etc etc sure aren’t.

Turkeytider · Oct 15, 2024

carbonbased said:
For kicks here’s my super varmint 223 in a Bravo. The gray tungsten factory Cerakote looks good in that Sako green.
View attachment 8524416

Also got an excellent Bugholes 204 barrel for it that I swap in.

Carbon, just curious , did you find the factory roughtech stock to be in some way subpar, thus the Bravo, or did you just want to put the action in a Bravo regardless? I’m about as far from an expert on rifle stocks as you’ll find, but I think the factory stock on my Super Varmint seems pretty substantial. However, I’m not a competition shooter, just a recreational range guy.

kentuckyMarksman · Oct 15, 2024

I've got a similar build. Tikka T3X 24" Varmint (previous owner had it threaded) in a MDT Chassis. It shoots great, probably the most accurate rifle I own.

It loves 75gr Hornady HPBT bullets, and 77gr SMKs. Does well with IMR 8208 XBR powder and N140.

Rodney65 · Oct 15, 2024

tacoman69 said:
love the ergos on the bravo. so much that the hnt 26 is long gone. it's just a little heavy for hunting but i have a 20 oz scope and 20 in barrel to counteract it but its a great hybrid range/hunting platform. Sits 9lbs 5 oz currently and am shooting factory 73 g eldm and 77 tmks. no issues with the mdt polymer 10 rd aics mag. id get a stainless t3x lite and cut and thread it.

View attachment 8517408

Cool paint job. Was that with a sponge?

wind gypsy · Oct 15, 2024

Turkeytider said:
Carbon, just curious , did you find the factory roughtech stock to be in some way subpar, thus the Bravo, or did you just want to put the action in a Bravo regardless? I’m about as far from an expert on rifle stocks as you’ll find, but I think the factory stock on my Super Varmint seems pretty substantial. However, I’m not a competition shooter, just a recreational range guy.

The factory tikka plastic stocks are quite rigid for what they are. Primary upgrade with the bravo is Ergos IMO. Having AICS compatibility and being highly modular are other possible benefits.

carbonbased · Oct 15, 2024

Turkeytider said:
Carbon, just curious , did you find the factory roughtech stock to be in some way subpar, thus the Bravo, or did you just want to put the action in a Bravo regardless? I’m about as far from an expert on rifle stocks as you’ll find, but I think the factory stock on my Super Varmint seems pretty substantial. However, I’m not a competition shooter, just a recreational range guy.

The Tikka sv stock is pretty good. I’m also not a comp guy, but I like the stock to really fit, and find the KRG chassis to work the way I like.

Like being able to adjust the buttpad all the way down (when standing shooting off a tripod) or moving it up a little (at the bench). People that shoot prone like the buttpad way up (I don’t shoot prone).

Angling the buttpad to more comfortably cross my collarbone is important to me (as you may know, the shoulder “pocket” isn’t really near the shoulder).

Lateral (right/left) adjustment of the cheek riser is super important to my comfort. And especially, modifying the grip area is easier with a chassis…maybe not with the Bravo, specifically, but with my W3, definitely. Here’s a pic of a custom grip prototype I had MKM make:

My request may or may not have spurred KRG to offer some factory grip customization, I don’t know. But anyway, I now have a significantly shorter grip-to-trigger distance on my W3.

Btw I don’t have tiny hands; I wear med-to-large gloves and I think some chassis and especially stocks were created by dudes with gorilla paws lol.

But I agree, the factory stock is pretty nice with the grip pieces, forend pieces, and cheek rest it has. More substantially built than their black Lite stocks as well.

Rodney65 · Oct 15, 2024

carbonbased said:
The Tikka sv stock is pretty good. I’m also not a comp guy, but I like the stock to really fit, and find the KRG chassis to work the way I like.

Like being able to adjust the buttpad all the way down (when standing shooting off a tripod) or moving it up a little (at the bench). People that shoot prone like the buttpad way up (I don’t shoot prone).

Angling the buttpad to more comfortably cross my collarbone is important to me (as you may know, the shoulder “pocket” isn’t really near the shoulder).

Lateral (right/left) adjustment of the cheek riser is super important to my comfort. And especially, modifying the grip area is easier with a chassis…maybe not with the Bravo, specifically, but with my W3, definitely. Here’s a pic of a custom grip prototype I had MKM make:
View attachment 8524828
View attachment 8524829
View attachment 8524836
View attachment 8524830
My request may or may not have spurred KRG to offer some factory grip customization, I don’t know. But anyway, I now have a significantly shorter grip-to-trigger distance on my W3.

Btw I don’t have tiny hands; I wear med-to-large gloves and I think some chassis and especially stocks were created by dudes with gorilla paws lol.

But I agree, the factory stock is pretty nice with the grip pieces, forend pieces, and cheek rest it has. More substantially built than their black Lite stocks as well.

Oh very cool. I wear large gloves and find the Whiskey 3 small grips on the small side but the large ones are bit big for me to get a decent wrap around grip when trying to hold the weight of it by the grip.

carbonbased · Oct 15, 2024

Rodney65 said:
Oh very cool. I wear large gloves and find the Whiskey 3 small grips on the small side but the large ones are bit big for me to get a decent wrap around grip when trying to hold the weight of it by the grip.

Yeah, the the thing that bugs me about the large grip size is that it doesn’t bring your hand any closer to the trigger! Dumb.

Turkeytider · Oct 15, 2024

carbonbased said:
The Tikka sv stock is pretty good. I’m also not a comp guy, but I like the stock to really fit, and find the KRG chassis to work the way I like.

Like being able to adjust the buttpad all the way down (when standing shooting off a tripod) or moving it up a little (at the bench). People that shoot prone like the buttpad way up (I don’t shoot prone).

Angling the buttpad to more comfortably cross my collarbone is important to me (as you may know, the shoulder “pocket” isn’t really near the shoulder).

Lateral (right/left) adjustment of the cheek riser is super important to my comfort. And especially, modifying the grip area is easier with a chassis…maybe not with the Bravo, specifically, but with my W3, definitely. Here’s a pic of a custom grip prototype I had MKM make:
View attachment 8524828
View attachment 8524829
View attachment 8524836
View attachment 8524830
My request may or may not have spurred KRG to offer some factory grip customization, I don’t know. But anyway, I now have a significantly shorter grip-to-trigger distance on my W3.

Btw I don’t have tiny hands; I wear med-to-large gloves and I think some chassis and especially stocks were created by dudes with gorilla paws lol.

But I agree, the factory stock is pretty nice with the grip pieces, forend pieces, and cheek rest it has. More substantially built than their black Lite stocks as well.

Thank you sir. LOL, based on the apparent number of Tikka owners that pull the barrel and actions and drop them into aftermarket stocks, it almost feels like that’s some kind of requirement for buying a Tikka! Paying what one does for a new Super Varmint, I don’t think I have it in me to dump the stock! If I didn’t think it would shoot with the original stock, I wouldn’t have bought it.

tacoman69 · Oct 15, 2024

Rodney65 said:
Cool paint job. Was that with a sponge?

Yes. Scuff with scotch brite pad. Spray paint on cardboard and dab paint with sponge on stock. Finish with clear coat. Good to go.

carbonbased · Oct 15, 2024

Turkeytider said:
Thank you sir. LOL, based on the apparent number of Tikka owners that pull the barrel and actions and drop them into aftermarket stocks, it almost feels like that’s some kind of requirement for buying a Tikka! Paying what one does for a new Super Varmint, I don’t think I have it in me to dump the stock! If I didn’t think it would shoot with the original stock, I wouldn’t have bought it.

Yeah, def didn’t buy the SV thinking I was going to ditch the stock. It was sort of an evolutionary process. My main gun/caliber is the Rem 204 but I just wanted a knock-around 223 bolt action and was Tikka-curious.

I bought the SV vs the Lite for the barrel weight, two-stage trigger, included pic rail, and cool Cerakote. That and for the fact I couldn’t source a 223 CTR, which is what I really wanted.

Baron85 · Oct 15, 2024

I had a tikka in a bravo running mdt poly 223 mags. Thing ran like a sewing machine and kinda wish I had it back. I had the factory barrel cut to 16” and re chambered to 223ai shooting 53 vmax and the second barrel was a PVA 1:7 223 wylde shooting 75 eldms and 88 eldms for local matches. Was truly a great setup!

carbonbased · Oct 16, 2024

Turkeytider said:
Thank you sir. LOL, based on the apparent number of Tikka owners that pull the barrel and actions and drop them into aftermarket stocks, it almost feels like that’s some kind of requirement for buying a Tikka! Paying what one does for a new Super Varmint, I don’t think I have it in me to dump the stock! If I didn’t think it would shoot with the original stock, I wouldn’t have bought it.

One way to think about it is if you’re a hunter, you’ve got the light setup when using the factory stock and for a heavier target setup one uses the Bravo or W3 or whatever chassis.

One uses that little L-shaped spring for the factory mags in the factory stock, and you don’t use that spring in an AICS or CTR mag chassis. That’s it for gotchas.

So I this scenario you’re not ditching the stock. It’s more like a switch-stock action lol (a little switch barrel humor there).

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Advice on .223 Tikka T3X and a KRG Bravo

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