I am new here and new to the precision rifle game. I've been researching many of the entry level rifles such as the Ruger RPR, Savage BA Stealth, Bergara BMP and LRP, and the Tikka's. I'm leaning toward the Tikka T3X Tac A1. I've thought about buying a Tikka T3X for and then putting it in the chassis of my choice. I don't know that much about the difference between the T3X line and the CTR line. Which would be better? Also is the action and barrel the same amongst all T3X rifles? all CTR rifles? I'll be chambering in 6.5 Creedmoor. Thanks for any help!
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Newby...looking for recommendations
- Thread starter smokey24_24
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You’re best bet is buying a t3x action and putting it together yourself, piece by piece how you want it. I bought a CTR, and put it in a KRG Bravo. Shot it for a couple months and just bought and Alamo precison, in a MPA comp chassis. Moral of the story is buy once, cry once. I also upgraded my scope on the new rifle to a Mark 5 and have a Viper PST gen 2 on my tikka.
Bergara 700 clone will be your most reliable and supported platform with the Ruger RPR close second. And have excellent factory support. Tikka will forget you exist after the sale.
Jmho.
Jmho.
I found a Tikka T3X Lite Rifle for fairly cheap. Is the action and barrel on the Lite the same as a regular T3X rifle? Or is the Lite rifle barrel contour different than regular T3X rifle?
I guess worst case scenario I could sale the Lite barrel and get a PVA barrel? I feel like I've gone down the rabbit hole now!
CTR (Compact Tactical Rifle) is a flavor of T3X.
Budget?
For an accurate, easy-to-find, out-of-the-box, go-shoot-it chassis rifle, it's hard to go wrong with a TAC A1. I had one as my first "serious" centerfire rifle and sold it (in one day) only because I had an opportunity to pick up a fully-built custom at a great price. I still have a T3X Varmint (.223) in an MDT LSS-XL chassis. Suitably accurate (pretty much any decent bullet shoots into 0.5" or better at 100 yards; handloads hold 1/2 MOA or better out to 300 yards easily - past 500 on calm days when I'm living right.
Many people advocate buying a CTR and putting it into a chassis of choice. If you want to stay with Tikka forever - and some do - it's not a bad plan. But Tikka chassis fit Tikka actions and nothing else. For down-the-road versatility, R700-footprint actions are my personal recommendation. Emphasis on my recommendation - and it's based on my personal preferences. Other preferences/recommendations are just as valid.
Action is the same across T3X rifles but barrels vary in length. I don't know about contour. For me personally, I see no sense in putting a short barrel ( under 24") on a 6.5CM - too much velocity loss. Again, my $0.02 and other opinions are different.
EDIT: As was said above, you buy a Tikka and anything goes wrong with it, hopefully you can find a local smith to work on it for you. You should be able to find my thread in here about how I had a high percentage of misfires with CCI 450-primed handloads; my LGS sent the rifle back to Beretta. Five weeks later it came back, with no difference in rate of misfires. My local smith fixed it in 15 minutes. I don't know if any other major vendor would do any better.
Budget?
For an accurate, easy-to-find, out-of-the-box, go-shoot-it chassis rifle, it's hard to go wrong with a TAC A1. I had one as my first "serious" centerfire rifle and sold it (in one day) only because I had an opportunity to pick up a fully-built custom at a great price. I still have a T3X Varmint (.223) in an MDT LSS-XL chassis. Suitably accurate (pretty much any decent bullet shoots into 0.5" or better at 100 yards; handloads hold 1/2 MOA or better out to 300 yards easily - past 500 on calm days when I'm living right.
Many people advocate buying a CTR and putting it into a chassis of choice. If you want to stay with Tikka forever - and some do - it's not a bad plan. But Tikka chassis fit Tikka actions and nothing else. For down-the-road versatility, R700-footprint actions are my personal recommendation. Emphasis on my recommendation - and it's based on my personal preferences. Other preferences/recommendations are just as valid.
Action is the same across T3X rifles but barrels vary in length. I don't know about contour. For me personally, I see no sense in putting a short barrel ( under 24") on a 6.5CM - too much velocity loss. Again, my $0.02 and other opinions are different.
EDIT: As was said above, you buy a Tikka and anything goes wrong with it, hopefully you can find a local smith to work on it for you. You should be able to find my thread in here about how I had a high percentage of misfires with CCI 450-primed handloads; my LGS sent the rifle back to Beretta. Five weeks later it came back, with no difference in rate of misfires. My local smith fixed it in 15 minutes. I don't know if any other major vendor would do any better.
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I appreciate your opinions, very informative to me. I started this process looking at the Ruger and others around the $1k mark. As I researched I began to feel like it would be worth it to spend a few more hundred bucks on something like the TAC A1 or the Bergara LRP. I definitely want a 24" barrel on it. I don't mind the TAC A1 chassis, however I'm a left handed shooter...and I know I can get the TAC A1 in a lefty model...which is not necessarily a priority...but if I bought a standard TAC A1 is the cheek weld able to be moved to the other side of the stock? These questions led me to looking at the MDT LSS-XL, plus I like the look of the XL.
The Tikka will have the best resale value, after you decide to upgrade or resume your old life without your new addiction.
What about a bergara hmr/pro? Rem 700 footprint and have proven to be good shooters. Also available with 24” barrels you won’t feel like you need to replace right away. Only problem is the lack of prefit options as they have a coned bolt face. But the barrels are good and not slow, so I wouldn’t worry too much about that
If I buy the Tikka CTR and drop it in a MDT L
I looked at the Bergara B 14 BMP and thought about the LRP as it seems to have the better value for just a few hundred dollars more. I don't care for the way that the HMR looks...just personal preference. How would you compare the LRP to the Tikka?
Nice looking gun but my preference is to have an MLOK rail.
https://www.snipershide.com/shooting/forums/sniper-s-hide-px-left-hand-sales/
Could always look here.
Could always look here.
Tilka tac A1 in 308. Will shoot 1/2 moa with factory ammo.
6.5 CM is marginally better but has a lot less barrel life and way more expensive. It will be years before the difference matter. And by that time you will have upgraded to sonething else
you’l need to shoot thousands of round to get good. If you don’t reload, I recommend a mix of good quality milsurp ammo to nail your fundamental and Federal gold medal match.
eventually,you will have to reload if you really want to max out precision but one step st a time.
optic wise, vortex viper is the best value IMO.
6.5 CM is marginally better but has a lot less barrel life and way more expensive. It will be years before the difference matter. And by that time you will have upgraded to sonething else
you’l need to shoot thousands of round to get good. If you don’t reload, I recommend a mix of good quality milsurp ammo to nail your fundamental and Federal gold medal match.
eventually,you will have to reload if you really want to max out precision but one step st a time.
optic wise, vortex viper is the best value IMO.
Thanks for the link. I'm new to the site and didn't even realize this was an option.
I got to play with a Seekins Havok a few weeks ago and if I could do it all over again I would have skipped all the various modded 700's, 70's and an A7 and went with this.
Seekins Bravo
American made, and the quality was better than my Remington and 80's model 70 feather weight. It was a better gun than my sako and can take most 700 accessories.
Seekins Bravo
American made, and the quality was better than my Remington and 80's model 70 feather weight. It was a better gun than my sako and can take most 700 accessories.
The Seekins looks really nice....it's a little more than I want to spend right now. I found the Tikka T3X Tac A1 for $1499...I'm not sure I can beat that value at that price right now. Thoughts?
Some of the posts indicate the Tikka T3X TacA1 is as accurate out of the box as any factory rifle.
Before you check out the Snipers Hide PX, go to the search function and look at Tikka T3X posts. I love my Seekins Havak but the T3X might be the best value LR rifle.
Before you check out the Snipers Hide PX, go to the search function and look at Tikka T3X posts. I love my Seekins Havak but the T3X might be the best value LR rifle.
Honestly, unless you LOVE a pistol grip type stock I would just save the $400 from the Tac A1 and get a CTR then put the $400 into the Bravo.
The only gun that I am willing to get a pistol style grip on now is a Cadex Defence 300 Norma. yummy!
I considered that as well, but I just have a preference for the TAC A1 look. Thanks for all the help. I couldn't pass up the Tikka at $1499. Ships for $15 and FFL fee is $10. Doesn't look like Gun Pro Deals charges sales tax to my state. Ordered it tonight...so hopefully its here in a couple weeks.
Not that I didn't like it. I still have the gun for my wife to shoot or if someone wants to come to the range with me. When you buy the bravo, all you get is the chassis. If you want a spigot mount, that's an extra 160. If you want an arca rail, that's an extra 60 or so. You can get almost as much money tied up into tricking out a KRG Bravo as you would buying an MPA or MDT off the bat. That's all I'm saying.
The BadRock South Fork comes in a MDT LSS-XL Gen 2 chassis. Also comes in left-handed. I was going to spend a little less initially, but I am SO glad I didn't. If you haven't checked out this rifle, take a look. Good luck!
I think Eurooptic still has a special, buy a Tikka T3 A1 and get a free Viper PST scope...not sure if this helps your decision
Hope you have a better experience with Gun Pro Deals than I have. If there is any hitch in your order, they will blame it on you and charge you ridiculous fees to rectify their mistake.
I didn't have any issues. It took maybe a week and the gun arrived to my FFL with no issues. Hoping to get out and get it broke in this weekend....just haven't had the chance yet.
Keep saving until you get the scope you want, then put a rifle under it. You can't hit what you can't see.
Then, you can put both on the Px after finding what you want next. Simply repeat that process and soon you'll be just like (insert snipershide member name).
Honestly, there are so many good options nowdays best would be get behind multiple set ups and see what you do and don't like. I like my Howa, my tikka, christensen, even my Remington pcr. Still changed something on every one of them.
Then, you can put both on the Px after finding what you want next. Simply repeat that process and soon you'll be just like (insert snipershide member name).
Honestly, there are so many good options nowdays best would be get behind multiple set ups and see what you do and don't like. I like my Howa, my tikka, christensen, even my Remington pcr. Still changed something on every one of them.
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