Barrett Fieldcraft worth the extra $1k over Tikka T3x or Kimber?

[Hunt_Jefferson]

Is the Barrett Fieldcraft 21” worth the extra $1k over the Tikka T3x Superlight or Kimber 84M classic? Looking at 6.5cm as a replacement for a Tikka T3 hunter in .270 which I feel is too much rifle for our little CA deer (and I don’t particularly like shooting it). That $1k can buy me 5-6 extra cartridges...

Edit: finally got her home and cleaned up. I thought Tikka had a smooth action, this is better. And about a pound lighter fully dressed with a 3” longer barrel. Here she is with Talley Lows and a Leupold VX3 2.5-8 B&C:

 

[Stud Duck]

Under normal buying conditions I would say yes, but that is only my opinion. The FC comes with a full-length bedded stock, Timney trigger, NP3 coated bolt, drilled and tapped for the larger 8x40 screws; not sure if it's really necessary, but.......

The FC is akin to a custom rifle at a rack-rifle price, but based on what the FC is currently selling for today, no.

 

[Hunt_Jefferson]

Under normal buying conditions I would say yes, but that is only my opinion. The FC comes with a full-length bedded stock, Timney trigger, NP3 coated bolt, drilled and tapped for the larger 8x40 screws; not sure if it's really necessary, but.......

The FC is akin to a custom rifle at a rack-rifle price, but based on what the FC is currently selling for today, no.

This would be at MSRP for all three

 

[Stud Duck]

I purchased my FC rifles for $1400-$1650 when they were being manufactured. You can't touch them for that today, so IMHO there is no current MSRP for the FC, the last couple I seen go through Gunbroker went for approximately $2000.

 

[Hunt_Jefferson]

I purchased my FC rifles for $1400-$1650 when they were being manufactured. You can't touch them for that today, so IMHO there is no current MSRP for the FC, the last couple I seen go through Gunbroker went for approximately $2000.

So what your saying is if I’m standing in the store right now with one in my hands at $1850 I should buy it?

Tikka T3x super lite is 799 and Kimber is 1k. All plus tax

 

[willfrye027]

So what your saying is if I’m standing in the store right now with one in my hands at $1850 I should buy it?

Tikka T3x super lite is 799 and Kimber is 1k. All plus tax

I think you will end up with close to the same felt recoil with an ultralight 6.5cm vs a 270 with some lighter bullets like 110gr or so.

if you handload I’d try some light for caliber monos before I sunk that much change into a new gun. Plus get a Limbsaver for the tikka if you don’t already have one.

 

[hereinaz]

Its not a $1000 difference you will notice hunting, IMO.

 

[Stud Duck]

So what your saying is if I’m standing in the store right now with one in my hands at $1850 I should buy it?

Tikka T3x super lite is 799 and Kimber is 1k. All plus tax

hereinaz makes a valid point.

I own all three of the rifles you're considering; more than one FC and T3 SL and only one Kimber.

If I'm standing in a store with a FC in my hand for $1850, I'll own one more.

 

[VernAK]

hereinaz makes a valid point.

I own all three of the rifles you're considering; more than one FC and T3 SL and only one Kimber.

If I'm standing in a store with a FC in my hand for $1850, I'll own one more.

I have two FCs but another in a wanted caliber would go out the door with me.

 

[Drenalin]

So what your saying is if I’m standing in the store right now with one in my hands at $1850 I should buy it?

Tikka T3x super lite is 799 and Kimber is 1k. All plus tax

Where is this store you speak of? Please.

 

[Hunt_Jefferson]

I went home to mull it over and got a 10% off coupon in my email! Drove back to buy it and apparently it was online only and they wouldn’t honor it nor manually adjust the price, so I was pretty pissed since they show out of stock online and it was sitting on the shelf in front of me.

And with our lovely gun laws in CA it would take me 2 120 mile round trips to buy it so I took it as a sign that it was not meant to be since it would be ~2200 after tax/fees/gas. NorCal people shoot me a pm if you are interested and I’ll tell you where it is.

 

[Kimber7man]

If I'm standing in a store with a FC in my hand for $1850, I'll own one more.

this

 

[SDHNTR]

Hell yes. Tikkas are built around cheap plastic junk with a one size fits all receiver. Kimbers are a roll of the dice. FC’s are solid in every regard.

 

[JohnJohnson]

I'm still kicking myself for not buying an 18" Fieldcraft in 6.5CM when they were being made. You better believe I'd be handing over $1850 with a smile on my face if I could get one now. I convinced my father to buy one and I'm jealous every time I see/handle it.

 

[USMC-40]

The FC is at least a pound lighter than the Tikka - most often, that kind of weight savings comes at a premium. For 1k, a pound in savings is worth it to me for the kind of hunting I do.

Your situation may be different.

 

[JohnJohnson]

The weight is nice but what I really love about the (threaded) Fieldcraft is how it has a very thin barrel that flares out at the muzzle for 5/8-24 threads. It's the most perfect suppressor host hunting gun I've ever seen.

 

[Hunt_Jefferson]

So funny story...I was putting my passport back in the safe (yeah you need a passport in CA because a regular CA ID is not valid for a CA background check) and an old envelope fell out. Inside was a stack of savings bonds my grandparents had given me 30+ years ago that were all matured.

Grandpa turned 90 this year and pretty much just plinks squirrels now, but I thought it would be really cool to buy a nice rifle that I (hopefully) will have for years and can pass down to my kids some day.

Long story short, I bought the Barrett and can’t wait to take a picture with my kids and Grandpa to show him what I got after all this time. I think he’ll get a kick out of it

oh and I got 5% cash back since I have a Sportsmans card, so it’s kinda like getting free rings. Salesman said it’s been in the corner of the shelf for over a year just hiding.

 

[Grumman]

Glad you got it I was rooting for you.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Kimber7man]

Amen. Good job!

 

[wildwilderness]

So kicking myself for passing up a FC in .243 on clearance for $1100!!! I had the thought I don’t need another rifle when I saw it. A couple days later I checked again and it was gone .

At least I have one in 7mm-08. They are very well built rifles.