CTR vs Varmint in 6.5CM

[drew_235]

First time posting - thank you for having me.
I've been a very casual rifleman for the past 30 years and focused mainly on clay pigeons, upland bird hunting, and waterfowl. I got bitten by the rifle bug last year and currently own a Tikka T3x Varmint in 223 in a Bravo chassis and a Viper PST II 5-25. It is a great rig and I can thank this forum for pointing me in that direction.

The question I have - why is there very little love for the Tikka Varmint in 6.5? It seems like the suggestion is to (almost) always go with the CTR in 6.5 and not the varmint. I know the CTR has a lighter barrel (compared to the varmint), 0 MOA rail preinstalled, and a threaded barrel. Why is there so little love for the heavier barreled varmint in 6.5?
Is this because most shooters end up using a brake? Is there a high percentage of shooters using the original stock and magazine on the CTR? Are the CTR's running double duty as hunting rifles? My mind would point me in the direction of the heavier varmint barrel as a benefit and I could always have it threaded at a later date. The best prices I have found online get a 6.5 stainless 24" CTR to within $25 of a 6.5 Varmint, so the price difference is negligible. Any advice on this would be helpful.

Drew

 

[Yoteski]

CTR has decent detachable mags and is threaded. Accuracy has not seemed to suffer with the CTRs lighter barrel.

 

[346ci]

Yote pretty much got it.

If I could have got my .223 in a CTR vs the varmint, would have got the CTR. Having to ship the varmint off for threading was a PITA and cost me more money.

 

[drew_235]

Fair enough and a simple answer. I was afraid I'd be leaving something on the table with (slightly) slimmer barrel profile. Sounds like it's a no brainer and the CTR is the way to go.

 

[Yoteski]

Yote pretty much got it.

If I could have got my .223 in a CTR vs the varmint, would have got the CTR. Having to ship the varmint off for threading was a PITA and cost me more money.

Yeah, I'd spend money so fast on a CTR 223 it would make Bernie Sanders head spin.

 

[drew_235]

Yeah, I'd spend money so fast on a CTR 223 it would make Bernie Sanders head spin.

Would you keep it in the original stock or run a chassis with it?

 

[Yoteski]

The 223 I'd use as a trainer so that would entirely depend on my budget at that time.
If you're asking theoretically for your rifle when/if you buy a 6.5 I would say that depends entirely on your application. If you're wanting to shoot competition, I'd definitely switch to an aftermarket chassis.
If that's the route you're wanting to go I'd skip the Tikka completely and pick up one of those Rem 700 SA barreled actions that one guy was selling, DStactical or something like that.
For general plinking, hunting, etc. the factory stock is serviceable.

 

[Yoteski]

Here you go....

DST Reaper Barreled action ( 6.5 CM )

The southeast's premier custom precision rifle builder and gunsmith.

www.deepsouthtactical.com

 

[patriot07]

I've shot both a good bit. The wider forend on the Varmint is the only positive. Everything else on the CTR is better - the barrel profile, threading, stainless option, really good mags, cheek weld, different barrel length options, etc.

Varmint is a nice gun, but I'd rather have the CTR 8 days a week if for nothing other than the mags and threading. Other stuff is just a bonus.

 

[Redshako]

I've shot both a good bit. The wider forend on the Varmint is the only positive. Everything else on the CTR is better - the barrel profile, threading, stainless option, really good mags, cheek weld, different barrel length options, etc.

Varmint is a nice gun, but I'd rather have the CTR 8 days a week if for nothing other than the mags and threading. Other stuff is just a bonus.

And you can order the wider beavertail fore end from the Varmit directly from Beretta for $31 (less on sale). They mount in a minute on the T3x CTR, Lite, compact models or the T1x and come in several colors.

Way cheaper than having the barrel threaded...

 

[drew_235]

And you can order the wider beavertail fore end from the Varmit directly from Beretta for $31 (less on sale). They mount in a minute on the T3x CTR, Lite, compact models or the T1x and come in several colors.

Way cheaper than having the barrel threaded...

Thanks to your post, the light bulb in my head lit up and I just put the Varmint stock I had sitting around on to my T3x Lite hunting rifle - fits perfectly, gives me a wider forend and a bit of a cheek riser.

 

[Boltman82]

I just ordered the 6.5 varmint. I'm going to put it in a MDT ACC chassis anyway. I'm also going to get the barrel threaded.

I have a CTR in 308 and absolutely love it, but just shot it in a competition an couple weeks ago and it was real hard to get the mag to seat with all ten rounds in it. That is the only complaint about the rifle though.