Tikka T3X TacA1-223 discontinued?
- Thread starter DrDeath
- Start date
While myself and a lot of others really like them, I don't think higher priced 223 bolt guns sell all that well. That said, hopefully they will build a bunch and send them over soon.
Personally, I've never understood the use case for a 223 Tac-A1 ... it's too heavy for a rifle to be shot primarily off-hand, and not super-practical for hunting. For field shooting comps, 223 is usually a little underpowered.
I'd love to hear what people are wanting to use these for! (For context, I love the Tac A1 as a package; have one in 308.)
I'd love to hear what people are wanting to use these for! (For context, I love the Tac A1 as a package; have one in 308.)
Having a heavy .223 is awesome. I regularly shoot mine to a 1000 yards but 700 and in it’s easy mode. Very little recoil, easy to load for, bullets and components are cheap.
They are tons of fun.
They are tons of fun.
^^^^^^^^Perhaps this is why I have *cough* a couple of the standard 223 and Ackley Improved versions.
Tough to spot impacts on steel at times past 600 ish for me <old eyes> but accurate waaay out there. Just plain fun and economical, and at times the coyotes don't like em much either.
A bunch of my shooting buddies were out with their .223 AI’s and dropped a hog at 900 with it lol.
Right in the side of the head. If they weren’t all there I don’t know if anyone would believe it.
.223 AI, varget or XBR, and a 80 grain Berger. Stupid accurate.
Right in the side of the head. If they weren’t all there I don’t know if anyone would believe it.
.223 AI, varget or XBR, and a 80 grain Berger. Stupid accurate.
I remember the first time I took my 223AI out past 100. The guy I was with had one of the nicer Savages in 308 that was a decent shooting gun. We set two milk jugs out at 1030 yards, and gave each other 10 shots to hit one. I hit mine in 4 shots with a 75 Amax, and he went through all his 10 of his 175 SMK loads without a hit. He grabbed his precision AR with 77s, and got a hit in six shots. Wind was a quartering 10-15 MPH.
My 223 with 88 eldms beats my 6br in the wind at 1200 and just slightly more drop.
Impacts and misses are harder to spot after around 800 but the hit indicators seem to still work at out matches.
Shooting 223 is not only fun it is very competitive at the local level and it’s cheap. If you’re not fighting for the number 1 spot I honestly think most people would be better off with a high end 223. The lack of recoil will help people see what’s happening better down range. The lower cost will help them shoot more. Both will make more improvements than the slight edge a 6 dasher has in BC.
The caveat is that you have to hand load and have a barrel chambered to allow mag length loaded 75-88 bullets to maximize performance. Factory ammo won’t cut it.
Impacts and misses are harder to spot after around 800 but the hit indicators seem to still work at out matches.
Shooting 223 is not only fun it is very competitive at the local level and it’s cheap. If you’re not fighting for the number 1 spot I honestly think most people would be better off with a high end 223. The lack of recoil will help people see what’s happening better down range. The lower cost will help them shoot more. Both will make more improvements than the slight edge a 6 dasher has in BC.
The caveat is that you have to hand load and have a barrel chambered to allow mag length loaded 75-88 bullets to maximize performance. Factory ammo won’t cut it.
Attachments
Tell that to the people dropping elk, moose, and bear with them at 300-400+ yards…
.223 for bear, mountain goat, deer, elk, and moose.
DON'T HAVE TIME TO READ 176 PAGES? HERE'S THE CHEAT SHEET. “Bullets matter more than headstamps.” “Spent primers offer the supreme tutorial”. I’ve read it here and elsewhere online. It got my attention. I started digging and asking questions and listened. The 77gr TMK delivered by a .223...
rokslide.com
223 is a fine target and hunting round.
I didn't say 223 wasn't good for hunting (and am aware of the Rokslide thread) - my question was specifically about what people see as their use case for heavy 223 rifles, such as the Tac A1.Tell that to the people dropping elk, moose, and bear with them at 300-400+ yards…
.223 for bear, mountain goat, deer, elk, and moose.
DON'T HAVE TIME TO READ 176 PAGES? HERE'S THE CHEAT SHEET. “Bullets matter more than headstamps.” “Spent primers offer the supreme tutorial”. I’ve read it here and elsewhere online. It got my attention. I started digging and asking questions and listened. The 77gr TMK delivered by a .223...
223 is a fine target and hunting round.
.223 is fine for hunting, until it isn't. Sorry to side-track for a moment.
It is certainly effective within its limitations. It just lacks the ass for anything less than a really good shot placement. While we shouldn't probably be taking shots that aren't guaranteed to hit exactly where we want, it happens. And when you start killing animals out of necessity, it happens more often.
I switched from .223 as a hog hunting round because after that initial pig, runners that I hit had a much larger chance of making it out of the field...and I had two boars come back at me in my first ~25 hogs.
I'm not shitting on the .223. I still keep an 18" FN DMR by the back door that has killed a lot of stuff. I just noticed a big difference on medium-sized animals when I switched to something larger.
*****
That being said, I love a .223 trainer. I've had my wife's family come out and enjoy a fantastic day in a pasture shooting clay targets at medium ranges. Even the M-I-L was bustingthem and smiling from ear to ear. Got the F-I-L out past 200 for the first time in his life, and he shot a ~.75 MOA group at 400 on his first try. The. 223 bolt gun just makes shooting enjoyable for many who woukd otherwise be adverse to the recoil.
OP: I hope you're able to find what you're looking for, or build exactly what you want down the road.
It is certainly effective within its limitations. It just lacks the ass for anything less than a really good shot placement. While we shouldn't probably be taking shots that aren't guaranteed to hit exactly where we want, it happens. And when you start killing animals out of necessity, it happens more often.
I switched from .223 as a hog hunting round because after that initial pig, runners that I hit had a much larger chance of making it out of the field...and I had two boars come back at me in my first ~25 hogs.
I'm not shitting on the .223. I still keep an 18" FN DMR by the back door that has killed a lot of stuff. I just noticed a big difference on medium-sized animals when I switched to something larger.
*****
That being said, I love a .223 trainer. I've had my wife's family come out and enjoy a fantastic day in a pasture shooting clay targets at medium ranges. Even the M-I-L was bustingthem and smiling from ear to ear. Got the F-I-L out past 200 for the first time in his life, and he shot a ~.75 MOA group at 400 on his first try. The. 223 bolt gun just makes shooting enjoyable for many who woukd otherwise be adverse to the recoil.
OP: I hope you're able to find what you're looking for, or build exactly what you want down the road.
I couldn't find a Tikka T3X CTR in 223. My solution was to buy this:
Tikka T3X Varmint 223
I will have my friendly neighborhood gunsmith cut the barrel to 20" and thread. I also purchased a KRG Bravo and Area 419 rail. I'm anxious to get it all put together and send some rounds down range. This is my third Tikka. If it shoots like the other two, I'll be very happy.
Tikka T3X Varmint 223
I will have my friendly neighborhood gunsmith cut the barrel to 20" and thread. I also purchased a KRG Bravo and Area 419 rail. I'm anxious to get it all put together and send some rounds down range. This is my third Tikka. If it shoots like the other two, I'll be very happy.
Quiver gun. Great shooting rifle for all the same reasons as 6BR, but you subtract about 150-200 yards of max range. But for guys shooting inside of ±800 yards, the .223 offers alot in a very convenient package, with COTS/crossover platform potential if you want/need it. Granted you DO need handloads to really exploit it at longer distances, but it still a kind of everyday versatility a cottage industry/6BR match rifle really lacks.my question was specifically about what people see as their use case for heavy 223 rifles, such as the Tac A1.
It's Nov 2024 and Europtic doesn't even list a TAC model in 223. They do list left-hand versions in 308 & 6.5 CM calibers. Strange.
Tikka's new .223 option with the TRG profile barrel (22mm/.875in), now available as the super-varmit....actually in stock right now at Euro...this used to be only in the original t3-Tikka-Tactical with TRG mags etc. At some later stage, the CTR moved to a lighter barrerl (iirc, 20mm/.79in) and cheaper CTR specific mags.
Tikka T3x Super Varmint .223 Rem 23.7" 1:8" Bbl Green Roughtech 6rd Rifle JRTXRSV312R8
Tikka T3x Super Varmint .223 Rem 23.7" 1:8" Bbl Green Roughtech 6rd Rifle JRTXRSV312R8 For Sale
The legacy CTR SKU is still showing up on EO's website, I'd give them a call if you really care about that particular model/ SKU.
Tikka T3x TAC A1 .223 Rem 20" 1:8" JRTAC312
Flat Rate Shipping on Tikka T3x TAC A1 .223 Rem 20" 1:8" JRTAC312
$1650 for a Tikka seems crazy to me. They're great rifles, I own two, but at that point you might as well buy a low end custom action. Add in the cost of a prefit barrel, trigger, and a KRG Bravo, and you aren't much more.
