Rings & Bases, Suggestions, Tikka T3x Varmint .223?

[Pittsburgh Pappy]

Having a hard time deciding on ring/base for my T3x. Mounting a Nightforce 12-42 x56 30mm 1/8" moa Benchrest. Plan on shooting bench primarily out to 500 yards, use 0 moa base, if I go out to 1000 yards, goofing around, I'll just hold-over.
So far I like the Tikka Optilock system and the ring insert .....high rings for 56mm objective.
Would appreciate any suggestions from your experience with the Tikka T3 or T3x.

Thanks;
Pgh Pappy

 

[370bc]

Having a hard time deciding on ring/base for my T3x. Mounting a Nightforce 12-42 x56 30mm 1/8" moa Benchrest. Plan on shooting bench primarily out to 500 yards, use 0 moa base, if I go out to 1000 yards, goofing around, I'll just hold-over.
So far I like the Tikka Optilock system and the ring insert .....high rings for 56mm objective.
Would appreciate any suggestions from your experience with the Tikka T3 or T3x.

Thanks;
Pgh Pappy

I have something similar going on. I have Talley Rings on my T3x and I am looking to add a NF similar to yours. I have a Vari III on it now. They told me that all I would need is medium or large rings for a 50 or a 56mm bell. They said I would not need a rail. I don't have one now. My 270 load w/110 VMaxes @ 3200 is good to 1000. I don't plan on anything past 700 as of yet. Things might change. You never know. I still have a chubby from looking trough my first NF the other day. Wow was that something to see.
I am ordered a manners stock for it with a high comb. I want to save weight and $$$. Some of those rings and mounts are $$$! And Im not going to be jumping and rolling out of any helicopters anytime soon. I hope this helps.

 

[Pittsburgh Pappy]

I have something similar going on. I have Talley Rings on my T3x and I am looking to add a NF similar to yours. I have a Vari III on it now. They told me that all I would need is medium or large rings for a 50 or a 56mm bell. They said I would not need a rail. I don't have one now. My 270 load w/110 VMaxes @ 3200 is good to 1000. I don't plan on anything past 700 as of yet. Things might change. You never know. I still have a chubby from looking trough my first NF the other day. Wow was that something to see.
I am ordered a manners stock for it with a high comb. I want to save weight and $$$. Some of those rings and mounts are $$$! And Im not going to be jumping and rolling out of any helicopters anytime soon. I hope this helps.

I don't want to use a base either, I want to keep the objective bell as close to the barrel as possible, without touching it. I e-mailed several brands and they all came back and said order the HIGH rings for a 56mm objective .... without a base. If you go with a base, then maybe you can get away with a MED? That weird 17mm rail on the Tikka limits my choices. I tried to buy the Optilock rings and short bases, and websites said the bases were discontinued? I e-mailed them to see what is going on. The Nightforce rings are stupid expensive, and I saw the one piece Nightforce 20MOA mount was like $400 ... they can't be that much better ... it's just scope rings! I ordered a set of WARNE, and a set of Burris, they should be here Tuesday. I hate the look of synthetic stocks, I like wood working and I prefer wood or laminates. I'll wait until I get a season or two under my belt, before I make radical changes etc. I don't want to dump a bunch of money into "bling" in case I decise to move to 6mm or PPC or something down the road. I hear ya, all this tactical these days .... I'm too old for all that Rambo crap. I don't even want the prone thing in the F Class. I just like sitting my arse on a bench, and try to shoot tiny groups, and hit stuff, and get x's.

Pgh Pappy

 

[yukonal]

Talley Lightweights in Medium work for a 50 MM obj NF. 56 MM, might work with a factory T3 Varmint barrel. Buy one of each from Midway, and return the one that doesn't work.

Mountain Tactical 20 moa base and NF UL High is what I use on 3 F-TR Tikka's that I compete with. I need the high to turn the objective with a mirage shield...otherwise a medium just barely works. But my barrel contour is bigger than the factory T3 Varmint.

 

[Pittsburgh Pappy]

Thanks, Yukonal .... So far the Warne work well. A PITA to install, but nice. Today the Burris get delivered, and I'll see what fits the best for now. I saw that 20MOA base from Mountain ... I hated the look of the overhang, it is way too long for my liking. It appears to be an awesome quality base ... I might buy one then cut it to match the rail length.

 

[yukonal]

The nice thing about it, it has a pin that drops into the hole on the Tikka receiver top.

I mill all my rails off, ahead of the receiver. Or, wrap a piece of masking tape around the barrel, and carefully hacksaw off the extra length of rail, then finish the end with a Sharpie or a gunsmith paint pen.