Wind Gypsy
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Curious what about it didn’t seem solid?
Recommendations for a new varmint rifle
- Thread starter WNC2500
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Curious what about it didn’t seem solid?
WNC2500
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@Wind Gypsy I have hunted with mainly Browning's all my life. So, I am used to Browning. In regard to solid, the action was clunky, and not as smooth/crisp as I would think. As I said, I had never felt or held a Tikka before.
Again, this was just the one that I held. Not hating on Tikka's overall, just describing the one I held.
Again, this was just the one that I held. Not hating on Tikka's overall, just describing the one I held.
Wind Gypsy
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Interesting. I've fondled a whole bunch of tikkas and they all felt roughly the same to me but I haven't ever handled the newer ones with spiral fluted bolts. Sometimes a spiral fluted bolt can induce a little chatter in the bolt when running it. They do have a little more play typically when running the bolt than most. When I first handled them about 20 years ago when looking for my first centerfire rifle the extra play in the action and ease with which they operated made me think they might be "lighter duty" or "cheaper" than the american rifles that felt a little tighter. The fact that they were priced below $500 at the time might have played into that perception too. The brownings ive used are nice running bolt actions for sure though too.
I've come to really favor the tikka action feel. I'm not sure there is a factory action out there that is harder to bind up when the operator isn't pulling/pushing the bolt straight. When dust, snow, sand, etc is getting into your action or when working a bolt in rapidly, that sucker is more likely to keep running.
The stock finish (kind of slick) and plastic bottom metal give the rifles an overall cheaper feel for sure. There are websites selling bare tikka action/trigger/bottom metal for people building customs off of them for the same price as I just paid for a whole brand new t3x 6.5 creedmoor and they can't keep the actions in stock. That's a testament to the value/quality of the action and trigger on these things.
WNC2500
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Any feedback on 1:9 twist rate and best bullets for that?
Wind Gypsy
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52 to 69ish grains depending on the bullet. A really sleek or mono 69 grain is probably too much but most of the lead ones should still work good.
1100RemingtonMan
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Varmint hunting 95% plus shot’s will be under 300 yards. .223 Rem cheep ammo cheep brass for reloading and a Hornady 53gr V-Max at 3465 FPS is very close to 22-250 Rem performance. When you said Praire Dogs the .223 Rem makes even more sense.
