Rifle Scopes Tikka T3 Tac A1 - scope mount recommendations

F

Fishey9999

Private
Minuteman
Mar 5, 2025
6
0
Renton, WA
#1
I’ll get right to brass tacks here.

I recently purchased a used Tikka t3x tac a1 (chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor). With the purchase, a Sig Sauer Tango6 5-30x scope was included. However, as seen in the picture, it also came with some no name scope rings that I’d like to replace.

I’ve scoured lots of different forums but the mount recommendations seem to change over time, so looking for some fresh suggestions. I’d like to stay below $300 if possible (I know Spuhr comes up as consistently the best, but $600 for a mount is just a bit much right now.). Only consistency is minimum is 20moa

Appreciate any advice here. Also open to other tuning/optimization upgrades/changes to the rifle for those who have experience with them.

TIA
IMG_1928.jpeg
 
#2
Best bang for the buck and what I use on my Tikka Tac A1, and my AiAX. This mount was designed for exactly what you need. Quick detach and always returns to Zero for me.

www.admmfg.com

AD-Recon-S Scope Mount

The AD-RECON-S mount is made for putting high power glass onto a flattop style AR-10, Galil, Bolt Action Rifles, and Lever Action Rifles. This mount is best suited for the AR-10 platform or Bolt Action Rifles that are in a chassis system with a full length handguard covering the barrel. This...
www.admmfg.com
 
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#6
#8
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#10
So it looks like you may have Nightforce rings - I'd keep them for sure unless you encounter some problem. Just make sure they're torqued properly. It also looks like the rings are set very close to the ocular and objective bells... I was taught that the rings should be at least 1/8" away from the bells.

Fwiw, rings have one big advantage on a bolt gun over a one-piece mount: the ability to optimally space the rings on the scope tube and rifle rail. Certainly, whoever mounted that scope went for wide spacing --> great stability... although I would have put each ring one rail notch closer to the turrets.

If the scope's current position works for you, there's no real reason to change anything unless those rings are right up against the fore and aft bells. I'd personally move them in that case, but that's me. If you're new to this precision rifle silliness, you might as well learn to do scope mounting correctly. You'll need an inch-pounds torque driver like a Wheeler FAT wrench - but you do NOT need all manner of leveling trinkets. There are plenty of how-to threads and videos. Just make sure you apply correct torque to the mount screws.
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I started my precision rifle journey with a TAC A1 in 6.5CM. Great rifle. Enjoy. Good luck.
 
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#11
No complaints about my MRAD viper and tact a1 combo. 6.5 slaps steel easily at 1200M and groups 1/3 MOA regularly.

The Bushnell Match Pro ED 5-30x56 + Spuhr 34mm Mount is also a great combo.
 
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#12
DownhillFromHere said:
So it looks like you may have Nightforce rings - I'd keep them for sure unless you encounter some problem. Just make sure they're torqued properly. It also looks like the rings are set very close to the ocular and objective bells... I was taught that the rings should be at least 1/8" away from the bells.

Fwiw, rings have one big advantage on a bolt gun over a one-piece mount: the ability to optimally space the rings on the scope tube and rifle rail. Certainly, whoever mounted that scope went for wide spacing --> great stability... although I would have put each ring one rail notch closer to the turrets.

If the scope's current position works for you, there's no real reason to change anything unless those rings are right up against the fore and aft bells. I'd personally move them in that case, but that's me. If you're new to this precision rifle silliness, you might as well learn to do scope mounting correctly. You'll need an inch-pounds torque driver like a Wheeler FAT wrench - but you do NOT need all manner of leveling trinkets. There are plenty of how-to threads and videos. Just make sure you apply correct torque to the mount screws.
---
I started my precision rifle journey with a TAC A1 in 6.5CM. Great rifle. Enjoy. Good luck.
Click to expand...
Thank you for all the details here! I am definitely new to the precision silliness and now that I know that I've got decent mounting hardware, I'll keep using those until I need something different (like a MOA tilt). I dabbled in the past with a custom built I put together, but now looking to dive back in. The scope was mounted by the FFL because it was just loose in the box (the shipper forgot to include the case so my FFL didn't want it floating around the shop). I definitely have a range day coming up where I'll be remounting it and getting things in the proper position. Luckily, that scope has a built in digital level (LevelPlex) that make it super simple. I still have a lot of reading to do as well. I'll be sure to follow your advice as far as mounting is concerned! I'll need to look up the torque settings and have a torque driver on the way!
 
#13
Michael Fisher said:
I'll keep using those until I need something different (like a MOA tilt).
Click to expand...
My TAC A1 in 6.5CM easily reached 1000 yards with a first-gen Vortex Razor 5-20x50 on its flat rail and early-on use of slowish Hornady 140gr ELDM factory ammo.

No need to dink with adding more elevation capability unless you actually need it. I do plenty of eye rolls when I read about people putting so much angle under their scopes to extend "capability" to ranges they will seldom if ever use while squishing the erector springs flat 99.9% or the time.
 
#14
DownhillFromHere said:
My TAC A1 in 6.5CM easily reached 1000 yards with a first-gen Vortex Razor 5-20x50 on its flat rail and early-on use of slowish Hornady 140gr ELDM factory ammo.

No need to dink with adding more elevation capability unless you actually need it. I do plenty of eye rolls when I read about people putting so much angle under their scopes to extend "capability" to ranges they will seldom if ever use while squishing the erector springs flat 99.9% or the time.
Click to expand...
Its refreshing to get an honest opinion. Most of the previous posts I read (not necessarily here, but all over the web) 8/10 times you see people say tilt is a requirement, but good to know 1000 yards is solid on the existing rails. I'm in WA and the furthest range I have anywhere near me is 1000 (unless I head out to public land) and my local club is up to 600.

Appreciate all the feedback! Definitely have some work to do with getting it mounted and figuring out all the bells & whistles of this scope (plus relearning how to judge elevation and such since its been a LONG while).

You (along with all the others who gave feedback) rock!
 
#15
Michael Fisher said:
Its refreshing to get an honest opinion. Most of the previous posts I read (not necessarily here, but all over the web) 8/10 times you see people say tilt is a requirement, but good to know 1000 yards is solid on the existing rails. I'm in WA and the furthest range I have anywhere near me is 1000 (unless I head out to public land) and my local club is up to 600.

Appreciate all the feedback! Definitely have some work to do with getting it mounted and figuring out all the bells & whistles of this scope (plus relearning how to judge elevation and such since its been a LONG while).

You (along with all the others who gave feedback) rock!
Click to expand...
You might find the Online Training offered here to be of use. It certainly was for me. If you are paying for a subscription, you already have access to it. If not, read on.

You can subscribe as long as it's worthwhile, or if there other subscriber benefits you find useful. To access (I use a laptop; these instructions should be more or less usable with mobile browsers):
  1. Click / tap your screen name at the upper right of the window/screen
  2. On the dropdown, click/tap "Account upgrades" halfway down right column of options
  3. The "Account Upgrades" screen appears, showing your current status.
  4. Assuming you're a "Free" member, click/tap "Upgrade" on top menu bar.
  5. Click/tap "Subscribe" on the membership level you like. Online training is available in all levels.
  6. Follow directions.
You should now be able to enter the "Hide Online Training" forum. There are quite a few topics from which to choose... I imagine it's changed somewhat in the seven years or so since I used it, but I did learn a lot.

Enjoy.

One other thing: Keep a log for all your rifle's settings, environment data for your range trips, and so on.; A critical data point you want to record is your rifle's (well, your barrel's) round count. You probably have no information on rounds fired before you got it, but ya gotta start someplace. A gently-used 6.5CM barrel might go as far as 3500 rounds before its accuracy hits the wall (which happens rather suddenly); an abused one (hot loads, overheated barrel too hot to grip on your hand) might quit by 2500.
 
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#16
Michael Fisher said:
...good to know 1000 yards is solid on the existing rails.
Click to expand...
My TAC A1 still lives on in my ballistic calculator. It could reach 1300 yards with the Razor 5-20x50 on the flat rail and Hornady 140gr ELDM factory ammo at 2600fps (Tikka barrels tend to be slow). The furthest I've ever shot in a match was a little over 1200.

"Funniest" scope elevation thing I've seen was a guy who bought a .338 Lapua Magnum and put a 40MOA rail on it. He ran out of "down" before he could get a 100-yard zero with whatever scope he stuck on the thing... and at the time the max range to which he had access was 550 yards. I asked him why on earth he thought he needed a 40MOA rail... he said he wanted to maximize his range capability.... sigh.
 
#17
DownhillFromHere said:
You might find the Online Training offered here to be of use. It certainly was for me. If you are paying for a subscription, you already have access to it. If not, read on.

You can subscribe as long as it's worthwhile, or if there other subscriber benefits you find useful. To access (I use a laptop; these instructions should be more or less usable with mobile browsers):
  1. Click / tap your screen name at the upper right of the window/screen
  2. On the dropdown, click/tap "Account upgrades" halfway down right column of options
  3. The "Account Upgrades" screen appears, showing your current status.
  4. Assuming you're a "Free" member, click/tap "Upgrade" on top menu bar.
  5. Click/tap "Subscribe" on the membership level you like. Online training is available in all levels.
  6. Follow directions.
You should now be able to enter the "Hide Online Training" forum. There are quite a few topics from which to choose... I imagine it's changed somewhat in the seven years or so since I used it, but I did learn a lot.

Enjoy.

One other thing: Keep a log for all your rifle's settings, environment data for your range trips, and so on.; A critical data point you want to record is your rifle's (well, your barrel's) round count. You probably have no information on rounds fired before you got it, but ya gotta start someplace. A gently-used 6.5CM barrel might go as far as 3500 rounds before its accuracy hits the wall (which happens rather suddenly); an abused one (hot loads, overheated barrel too hot to grip on your hand) might quit by 2500.
Click to expand...
Thats great to know! I will for sure look into it because can use all the training I can! Appreciate all the help!
 
#18
You want a 1.5" high mount. You really dont need 20 MOA built in unless you are shooting past 1k, in fact, it will be better to optically center.

I would look at a Badger Ord 1 piece or a NF ultralight mount. Both can be had sub 300 and are rock solid.

I started competing in PRS with a A1 tac and know its pros and cons well. This would be my choice.
 
#20
If they are NF rings, which they look to be, you can easily use them to start out and not be hindered at all, so right now I wouldn't bother changing them. If it was me I'd move both of them in 1 notch. I never like rings to be right at the "ends" of the tube or too close to the windage/elevation knobs. Sometimes the scope tubes flare a bit at the ends and it can reduce how well the rings hold.

While you don't "need" a 20 MOA mount, and most scopes will get you to 1000 with a 6.5 easy. Sig says the Tango has ~79 MOA of elevation travel, you lose ~half that with a 0 MOA mount, so 40 MOA will easily get you past 1000yds with a 6.5.

One of the advantages of a rail or mount with rise is that if you often shoot longer distances a 20 MOA mount keeps you in the center of your optics at longer ranges. Optics all loose some quality/resolution as you go toward the edges if you start with a zero MOA mount, and shoot longer distances, you are probably taking some resolution degradation because you are not in the center of the optical path. You'd much rather have your best optical performance at longer distances than at 100m (unless that's where you shoot most often).

For example, and I'm sure this math is not ideal and varies by ammo/gun, but a 6.5 drops ~20 MOA around 800 yards. A 20 MOA mount lets you stay near your optical center at 800m. The downside is at 100m you are not in your optical center but most would rather have best optical quality at longer ranges. The difference is usually pretty small, but if you are buying a mount anyway, most opt to have some elevation built into the mount if it's not built into the rail already.

That said there are a lot of good 20 MOA 1 piece mounts available without spending over $300. I'm not a fan of quick release mounts unless you have a need to swap optics around frequently. Some of the ones you often hear about being reliable and dependable.

NF Unimount / Ultramount
Badger Ordinance
Seekins MXM
JP Enterprises
 
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