I'm fortunate that I have a 1000 yard range a few miles from me and decided it's time to finally take advantage and pick up a bolt action rifle to try some "precision" or longer distance shooting. Up until now I've been a pistol and carbine shooter so this will be my first bolt action rifle aside from an old hand me down WWII Arisaka and a Mosin with iron sights so this is mostly all new territory for me. I'm looking for value and "bang for the buck" while hoping whatever I end up with can keep me satisfied for a while if not forever. I want something "good" while not completely breaking the bank, law of diminishing returns and what not...

As for the rifle itself, preliminary research done here and elsewhere on the interwebs has pointed me to the Tikka t3x CTR in 6.5 Creedmoor. I shot a buddy's Ruger RPC recently (what put my down this path) and while these seem to get pretty good "bang for the buck" reviews I wasn't fond of the chassis/stock at all. Maybe it was just how he has it setup and with more adjustments it would have worked but I couldn't get the stock adjusted properly to give me enough eye relief without putting my cheek at a very uncomfortable spot, basically in the gap of the stock. I also looked briefly at the Bergera B-14 HMR but it doesn't take much googling to find a few direct comparisons to the CTR with almost everyone pointing to the CTR being the better option. I guess I'm pretty set on the CTR (and probably a KRG chassis at some point), but wondering if there's anything else out there I should look at before picking one up. Also, regardless of rifle, is there any reason I'd want to go with a 20" barrel over a 24" barrel considering this rifle will be purely used at the range from a rest? I'll be picking up a suppressor down the road so that combined with a 24" barrel will be quite long, but the longer the better, right?

Next up are the scope, rings, mount, etc.... This is where I could really use someone's expertise.

Scope wise everyone seems to love the Vortex PST Gen-2 scopes, at least for the money, and I've been eyeballing the "Vortex Viper PST Gen II 5-25x50 EBR-2D MRAD (FFP) PST-5257" which Eurooptic has currently for $670. I see they also have "Vortex Viper PST Gen II 5-25x50 EBR-7C MRAD FFP Riflescope PST-5259" but as far as I can tell the only difference is the illumination of the reticle and I'm not sure for my usage that the extra illumination is worth the $400 premium. Of course I'm also open to other suggestions but would like to keep it in the $1k ballpark.

Rings, mount, rail, etc... HELP. I'm really not sure where to even begin. As I understand it target distance may come into play a little here. I hope to be shooting this thing anywhere from 100 to 1000 yards if that makes a difference.

This may also be a good time to mention that if it all works out I hope to be able to purchase everything I need to be up and shooting directly from Eurooptic. They're close enough that I think I'm going to make the trip this weekend, if only to look around, but would love to be setup when I leave there. That said, if I'd be better served by something they don't carry, I can certainly order online.

Biopod? Do I need one right away? I think I'll certainly want one down the road but could maybe use a bag for a rest for now? The 2 brands I most often see mentioned are Harris and B&T Atlas with Atlas seemingly getting the nod. I can't help but want to try and save a few pennies here and go with Harris but am I going to regret that? Any other brands I should be considering? What about height for this type of rifle as I see they make them from 6" up to 27" or so?

Lastly (I think) any recommendations on a suppressor for this kind of rifle? I went down the can rabbit hole hard during COVID when most everything else was out of stock and now I'm hooked. I'd like to say that this can wait but the reality of the situation is that I'll probably start the NFA process sooner than later. Most likely this would be dedicated to this rifle, however it wouldn't hurt if I could move it around potentially in the future. Do .30 cal suppressors work for 6.5? I ask because for no good reason at all I can see myself possibly picking up a shorter, lighter, .308 bolt action at some point and it'd be fantastic if I could use the same suppressor however I don't want to sacrifice function on this rifle to do so.

Surely I'm forgetting something? If so please school me... Thanks!

I assume you’ve seen the Tikka reviews here.

I like the chassis of the Tikka T3x TAC A1 model, but if you’re planning to get something like a KRG because you like it better, then the CTR would obviously be better. (Tikka advertises sub-MOA five shot groups for their tactical models, and sub-MOA three shot groups for the rest. Why? I do not know; perhaps the aluminum chassis is more stable.)

Something else that’s obvious is that the longer barrel gives somewhat higher velocity. Whether that matters, though, depends on one’s shooting situations. Higher velocity helps in the wind if that’s a consideration, but otherwise for range shooting it doesn’t really matter much. In fact, I just saw one authority who was discussing PRS shooting say that higher velocity makes spotting one’s own hits more difficult because there is less time to recover from recoil before impact. But again spotting one’s hits matters only in certain types of shooting.

I have Tikkas with both 20 and 24 inch barrels and although adding a 8-9" suppressor makes for a long package on the 24 I don’t find that to be a handicap at the range.

There are countless good rings and mounts, and it’s not as if the 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge requires anything massive to deal with the recoil. I like Spuhr mounts in part because they can be had with integral added elevation, but they are expensive and hardly essential for your application. I’d just pick a reasonably decent brand to help ensure there are no concentricity issues.

Scopes are a hugely complex matter. I just recommend looking at online reviews of anything that catches your eye.

Bipods. In watching videos of shooters reviewing guns and ammunition, I’m struck by how common it is for people who are striving for maximum precision to rely on what I consider to be an inferior rest system: i.e., a bipod rather than an adjustable bench rest. A bipod is of course essential for certain types of shooting. If we’re going to flop down onto the ground and shoot from the prone or if shooting from many other types of surfaces of the sort encountered in PRS and similar competitions, a bipod is really the only option. From a bench, though, they are not as stable as a good bench rest. They can also affect the recoiling characteristics of the gun and therefore affect precision and accuracy.

All that being said, I prefer Atlas bipods over the Harris line. But again from a bench the primary difference I’m aware of is that the Harris is more prone to “bipod hop” than the Atlas. The Harris line has been around for decades and they are still used by some professional shooters (i.e., military snipers). The Atlas (and many others) allow folding the legs at a forward or back angle rather than being limited to straight down. For myself I usually use a MDT Ckye-Pod bipod, but they are hideously expensive and their additional features may not be necessary for most shooters.
Like so many other things in precision rifle shooting there are many, many other bipod offerings from various manufacturers that bear considering. One firm piece of advice is to get one that allows different feet to be used. If I were shooting from the hood of my car, I wouldn’t want metal spikes, but for virtually everything else they are standard.

Really short bipods are intended for bench use and anything over about 12 inches or so are mostly for shooting from elevated positions like kneeling or sitting. For elevated shooting I prefer a tripod at the front. Another one of my threads discusses that.

Again, I recommend looking at the reviews and then asking specific questions as they occur to you.

For longer range shooting I use a Remington 700 that I've had since 1989, originally in .308 Win but rebarreled to 6.5CM and installed in a KRG Bravo chassis. I also replaced the factory trigger with a Timney Calvin Elite that's adjusted to a reliable 1 pound release. The factory trigger was all over the map, it would measure anywhere from 3 to 8 pounds. You never knew when it would decide to release. That said, I've heard nothing but good things about the Tikka t3x.

The scope is a Nightforce NXS 5-22 SFP MOA reticle (just because that's what I grew up using and I haven't had any reason to switch to an MRAD reticle - for known distance targets it works great). It's on a +20MOA rail (no idea whose), but that's a holdover from the rifle's old .308 days and I don't think the +20 is really necessary anymore. The rings are, IIRC, Seekins. My other "precision" rifle is a .223 AR that I built, and it has a Vortex Viper PST Gen2 5-25 on it also with a SFP MOA reticle. Either scope works fine for me. FWIW the Nightforce is illuminated, but I seldom turn it on (in fact I may have removed the battery from it to prevent it from leaking).

I have an Atlas A-10 bipod with a QR picatinny rail adapter, that I use either on this rifle or on the .223. But for shooting either rifle from the bench, I use an adjustable front rest (Caldwell, I think) and a rear squeeze bag filled with either sand or plastic beads. I have used Harris bipods in the past and they work and are pretty rugged, but as sigfreund said they're a little trickier to shoot well.

I have a .30 can already on hand for the 6.5CM, but I need to get the barrel threaded before I can use it. It's a YHM Resonator R2 that I picked up about 2 years ago. I've used it on a couple of .223/5.56 AR's and it works fine. That said, I also have a dedicated 5.56mm can that I use on the AR's now; the Resonator will be dedicated to the 6.5CM. Yes, a .30 can will work on a 6.5. Maybe not QUITE as well as a 6.5mm can might, but IMO you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference.

Regarding mounts for the can, I have YHM QD flashhider mounts on 2 AR's (never liked muzzle brakes myself, but that's a personal matter), so I can attach the 5.56 can to either one quickly. It's secure and doesn't work loose assuming you give it a good twist. I have another QD flashhider mount to put on the 6.5 when I get around to having it threaded, but I'm considering not using it. The concern I have is that I might accidentally mount the 5.56 can on the 6.5 and proceed to blow it up. So I'm leaning toward using a direct thread mount on the .30 can and foregoing the QD.

You might also look at the Sako S20 Precision in 6.5 that I mention in this thread:

https://youtu.be/ed_SoAJL1Qs

Pretty much the same thing as the Tikka but has a threaded muzzle and fluted barrel if those interest you.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Blackmore,

In looking at long range production rifles at reasonable prices, my first stop would be Savage. I would look at the Model 12 Long Range Precision in 6.5 Creedmoor with a 26-inch barrel. It has a target AccuTrigger, detachable magazine and HS Precision fiberglass stock. It's listed at $1500.

I run into the Team Savage shooters at the Nationals and other places and the team captain is a good friend. He tells me that they use stock Savage F-TR rifles for competition, and they do well.

For long range, you want barrel length and a fuller contour than a hunting rifle usually has.

For the riflescope, I would consider something from Vortex as less pricey option than my favorite. For 1000 yards, you want more magnification and a large objective lens. Illumination is worthless, just an added cost. FFP is nice for all around shooting, but SFP is superior for long range high precision shooting at known distances. If you choose to go SFP and high mag, we can discuss that.

For mounts, I like the Burris XTR with the inserts. You want to cant the riflescope to get to 1000 yards without using all the elevation in the scope. There may be a canted rail for the Savage.

Of course, you need a bipod and other have suggested good stuff.

The Tikka works, so does a Savage. Both are better than the Ruger. Try to shoot both, or a least get behind them in the position you will shoot from. A 24" barrel provides "free velocity" over a 20" barrel -- flatter trajectory and less wind drift. Barrel length means nothing when shooting from a rest position. Longer barrels are heavier than shorter barrels of similar construction. A heavier rifle makes it easier to spot your own impacts. If you can spot your own impacts with a short-ish barrel rifle of a given caliber, all other things being equivalent, you can spot your own impacts better with a long-ish barrel.

Vortex Viper PST Gen II scopes are good options for the money. Illumination isn't useful if you plan to shoot during daylight hours. The more discounted scope you mention has a discontinued reticle design. The newer design is a little better for some folks, not much different for others. Vortex rings are quite good for their price.

If you plan to regularly switch between targets at different ranges, a FFP scope is better than a SFP scope. If you plan to use the reticle for elevation and windage holds, a FFP scope is better. If you plan to just hammer on a target at one distance, a SFP works great.

Both Atlas and Harris bipods work. On smooth hard surfaces (like a bench rest) the Atlas is the noticeably better option. Harris works find if you're shooting prone from relatively soft soil, or if you can really jam the bipod legs forward into some kind of barrier. Atlas has 3" leg extensions that work quite well.

If you're only shooting from a bench rest, you might consider delaying a bipod purchase for a little bit. Multiple sand bags work -- not optimal, but they work.

I use a 30-cal suppressors on my 6.5mm and 6mm bore rifles. They work. Cans specifically for 6.5mm and 6mm bores will be a couple dB quieter than a 30-cal can, but hearing pro should still be used for 6.5CM because the bullet is supersonic.

I don’t have the finer details to offer, great advice above. The one area I’ll mention is a bipod, I’d skip that & go with a bench rifle rest.

Even laying on a mat with a bipod out prairie dogging, I never liked the way one has to tilt the head & neck.

What's your price range for the rifle?

Just to toss another option into the mix, I've had great experiences with the ARC Nucleus; I've got the preconfigured rifle in 6.5CM, and I've got another fully custom rifle in 6mm GT with a Manners T4A stock


The production rifle came in at $2500 without the scope. The custom is almost double that.

I went with the Strike Eagle 5-25x56 FFP on both, and I've got Wheeler high rings on both. They're easily more accurate than I am. I think the Viper is the stripped down version of the Strike Eagle. The last scope I bought cost me right around $800 from bass pro.

I've been experimenting with the Arken EP-5 5-25x56, and at least my sample has better glass than the Viper at right around $500 ish.

Definitely would buy the guns again, but might have done the custom differently. Were I smarter I would have bought a second prod rifle and had the barrel swapped.

Edit: for the bipod I have a Caldwell Harris style bipod that I modified with a photography Arca mount and a bolt. The prod Nucleus has an integrated arca rail, and I used bolts, T nuts, and some creativity to add an Arca rail to the bottom of my stock.

quote:

Originally posted by vulrath:
I think the Viper is the stripped down version of the Strike Eagle.

The OP is looking at the Viper PST II, which is made in the Philippines. It is a superior scope to the Strike Eagle, which is made in China.

quote:

Originally posted by vulrath:
I've been experimenting with the Arken EP-5 5-25x56

Which is another Chinese scope.

Since I posted and disappeared I wanted to pop back in and thank everyone for the info and suggestions. They certainly gave me some other things to consider.

Looked into the Sako S20 but the internet, and the guy who seemed to know his shit at the store, still steered me to the Tikka as being a better option for the price. I wasn't able to check it out in person but that Savage Precision looked very appealing however without a threaded barrel it was a non-starter. I know I could have it threaded down the road but I just don't want to bother with any gunsmithing at this point. I was able to check out the Tikka Tac A1 but it was in 308 and I wasn't able to find it available anywhere in 6.5 creedmoor at the moment plus I'm not 100% sold that chassis is for me.

Anyway, I did end up purchasing a rifle, scope, and rings...

Tikka T3x CTR with 24" barrel in 6.5 creedmoor
Vortex PST Gen II 5-25x
Mountain tactical 20 moa rail
Seekins precision High Rings

For what I was looking for, I just couldn't get away from the Tikka. I'm sure they're out there somewhere but it's hard to find any bad reviews from owners of these and the general consensus seems to be these are really the best "bang for the buck" rifles out there right now.

Initially that was going to be it for the moment but I already broke down and ordered a KRG Bravo stock. Figured I'll wait until that arrives and then get everything bolted up and hit the range for the first time.

Keep us posted.
I hope you're as happy with your Tikka as I am with mine.

I think you've made a good choice. It's on my list as well, however I want a 20" inch barrel.
I also favor more traditional stocks over chassis but I'm not impressed with CTR's plastic stock. For that reason I'd prefer the UPR but I'm left handed, so no luck.
Looking forward to updates on the rifle.

Wise decision IMHO! I have a Tix in 22lr and a T3x Roughtech in 270. Both very nice, smooth and accurate.