Next Rifle Recommendations

[iburns]

Looking for help on deciding what cartridge to get my next bolt gun chambered in. Currently I have a model 700 chambered in 7mm Rem Mag and a Tikka T3x in 30-06. I use these rifles for everything from antelope to elk. My next rifle will be dedicated more towards antelope/deer, so looking for a lightweight rifle in a moderate recoiling cartridge. I’m pretty much set on another Tikka T3x but can’t make my mind up on what to get it chambered in. Would appreciate any suggestions.

 

[Marbles]

243 Tikka with factory 8 twist.
If rebarreling, 6 creedmoor, 6 UM, or 6 PRC.

 

[J_Jacobson196]

243 Tikka with factory 8 twist.
If rebarreling, 6 creedmoor, 6 UM, or 6 PRC.

Great suggestion. Came here to suggest the exact same rifle.
Even factory rounds loaded with the 87gr Vmax will be great on small/Med game.

 

[handwerk]

that or the 6.5 CM, might depend on if you reload or not....

 

[6mm Remington]

If your going to change a barrel or put a new barrel on something it's hard to beat a 6mm Remington and you could do it in a 1-8 twist for the longer bullets.

 

[IDVortex]

6arc, great recoil. Load it with 108 eld-m or the 103 x and you can still go out and shoot past 80% of the ranges most animals are killed at, install a can on it and it would be enjoyable to shoot all day long. I'm looking at building a 6arc for that reason and long barrel life.

 

[BCD]

I'm in a somewhat similar situation and am leaning towards an Xbolt in 7MM-08. Not a Tikka fan here and would never own one but I know they are shooters.

 

[Jmort1754]

25 creed

 

[Backcast88]

I'm in a somewhat similar situation and am leaning towards an Xbolt in 7MM-08. Not a Tikka fan here and would never own one but I know they are shooters.

Excellent choice/recommendation. 7mm-08 would be my choice to. It might be the hottest new cartridge created but in most factory offerings its hard to beat.

However, if you wanted a project rifle. A 6mm Creedmoor would be a fun one to build

 

[N2TRKYS]

243 Tikka with factory 8 twist.
If rebarreling, 6 creedmoor, 6 UM, or 6 PRC.

Why replace the barrel when going 6 Creedmoor? Cheaper to just have it set back and rechambered.

 

[Marbles]

Why replace the barrel when going 6 Creedmoor? Cheaper to just have it set back and rechambered.

That is certainly an option.

Set back and rechamber, looks to be about $375 done by LRI, if you want to get it cut and threaded, add $125 from LRI. Lets ignore the $80 in shipping, say you live local, and call it $500.

You can sell the barrel for $150-200. You can pick up a PVA Osprey barrel for $660 if you wait for a sale. That puts you at $510. The PVA barrel will likely be better than the set back and rechambered Tikka barrel, and it will be easier to get fixed if it does not shoot well.

If you have to pay someone to install the prefit, it will add a touch to the cost.

You can get a Preferred Barrel blanks prefit that is threaded for $550 and an X-caliber is about the same price.

Plus, the 1-8 twist is a touch slow for 109 gr ELDMs or 110 gr A-tips, so for roughly the same price, you can get a faster twist that is more appropriate for the high BC bullets.

My personal choice, having just acquired a 1-8 243 Tikka is that I will shoot the barrel out, the rebarrel. It will cost me the addition of a set of go/no-go gauges and the $40 I spent on the RCBS 243 dies. Cut/thread including shipping, adapter, and thread protector cost $230, so comes out cheaper than immediately replacing with a 6 creedmoor barrel (of course, if I had used the action from my 308 Tikka, a prefit would have been cheaper, but the deal on the new Tikka was too good to pass up).

 

[N2TRKYS]

That is certainly an option.

Set back and rechamber, looks to be about $375 done by LRI, if you want to get it cut and threaded, add $125 from LRI. Lets ignore the $80 in shipping, say you live local, and call it $500.

You can sell the barrel for $150-200. You can pick up a PVA Osprey barrel for $660 if you wait for a sale. That puts you at $510. The PVA barrel will likely be better than the set back and rechambered Tikka barrel, and it will be easier to get fixed if it does not shoot well.

If you have to pay someone to install the prefit, it will add a touch to the cost.

You can get a Preferred Barrel blanks prefit that is threaded for $550 and an X-caliber is about the same price.

Plus, the 1-8 twist is a touch slow for 109 gr ELDMs or 110 gr A-tips, so for roughly the same price, you can get a faster twist that is more appropriate for the high BC bullets.

My personal choice, having just acquired a 1-8 243 Tikka is that I will shoot the barrel out, the rebarrel. It will cost me the addition of a set of go/no-go gauges and the $40 I spent on the RCBS 243 dies. Cut/thread including shipping, adapter, and thread protector cost $230, so comes out cheaper than immediately replacing with a 6 creedmoor barrel (of course, if I had used the action from my 308 Tikka, a prefit would have been cheaper, but the deal on the new Tikka was too good to pass up).

A setback and rechambered is $300. I don’t know where that other cost you listed is coming from.

But if you’re gonna add it to the rechamber, you have to add it to the rebarrel cost.

The factory barrel resale seems generous, as well.

But hey, you got to do what makes you happy.

 

[Marbles]

A setback and rechambered is $300. I don’t know where that other cost you listed is coming from.

From were? And, do you trust the work? Note, I said specifically who would provide the service, and chose a source anyone with internet can verify.

But if you’re gonna add it to the rechamber, you have to add it to the rebarrel cost.

No, because the prices of the barrels that I listed are with threads. The factory barrels are not threaded. Every local gunsmith I have talked with charges $200 to cut and thread, I chose LRIs price because it was the most favorable to your argument, and I excluded shipping because that too was the most favorable to your argument.

The factory barrel resale seems generous, as well.

Have you tried to buy a factory Tikka takeoff in stainless? They frequently go for that price range in the classifieds.

But hey, you got to do what makes you happy.

You asked me why, I gave you an answer. Don't ask a question if you don't want an answer, because clearly doing so did not make you happy.

Finally, if not wanting threads, I can get a Criterion prefit for $399. Which makes rebarreling cost me $250 as I have the tools to change it myself. So, even taking your quoted price at face value, I can rebarrel cheaper. https://criterionbarrels.com/product-category/prefits/tikka/?v=7516fd43adaa

 

[Butcher8]

I own a 6 ARC bolt gun. I love it. It is a joy to shoot and efficient to reload.

But, the lack of quality brass (or any brass for that matter) would concern me if I shot the amount of ammo a competitor shoots. To get 6ARC headstamped brass, you really need to buy Hornady ammo because stand alone brass brass is not available in quantity.

Most of my 6ARC brass is converted Starline 6.5 Grendel brass.

 

[SloppyJ]

There's no need to rechamber a 243 tikka. You'll be very close to 6cm velocities and can shoot almost the same bullets. Buy one, mod it as you like and shoot it out.