Which precision rifle in 6.5 Creedmoor?

[Knotwild]

I'm not sure about the barrels, but just thinking of manufacturing efficiency, I would think they are. It's easy to cry once if it is something you know you are going to be using, but if it is something new you are getting into and you really don't know how well you will like it or how often you will be able to do it, I would start out conservatively. Your thoughts and preferences may change as your experience grows. For instance, I personally don't like a pistol grip type chassis. Bergaras come with a very nice looking stock for around 1K, and I have a friend that has one he loves, but I don't have any personal experience with them.

I tend to look at things from the view of a person who doesn't have much money to spend and I know that I sometimes get interested in things only to find I don't like it as much as I thought, or it is inconvenient or too time consuming.

 

[eric32]

If you dont like an AI you will sell it for exactly what you bought it for. No loss on a premium product.

 

[GSPV]

+ $1k to upgrade to an Accuracy International.

I have an Eliseo for the T3, with accessories, that I’ll sell for $600. It just doesn’t work with my rest setup.

 

[Delfuego]

Does anyone know if the tikka CLR 24" and the Tac1 share the same barrel? I'm thinking maybe a 24" CLR in an MDT chassis. Would still be less than a tac1.

I believe they are.
You should call (and buy) from EuroOptic They are good folks and can probably get you the correct answers. They are member here on the forum too

 

[Evan]

My RPR has been great, but I believe that I won the factory gun lottery. It shoots like this at 300 with enough regularity to make me feel like I am the problem:

The RPR trigger is just "OK" a lot of folks praise it, but I found it to be inconsistent. The Timney is a big fix.
My RPR will do this anytime, anywhere at 300:

So I call it a solid 1/2 MOA rifle. It's been a surprisingly accurate factory gun.

 

[LVLAaron]

The MPA is miles above any of the other off the shelf options. I have one just for fun. Can't beat it.

 

[Minutes and Mils]

I've got both a Ruger Precision Rifle and a Tikka T3x Tac A1 – both in 6.5 Creedmoor.

The Ruger shoots tighter groups than the Tikka. Noticeably tighter. I've tried pretty much every combination with the Tikka, but I can't get it to shoot on par with the Ruger. The Tikka isn't an inaccurate rifle by any stretch of the imagination, but the Ruger outshoots it easily.

The only problem is, the Ruger shoots 10 inches to the left at 100 yards, and with a scope like a Nightforce NXS 12-42x56 you only get 30MOA of total windage adjustment which works out as a 25/5 split instead of 15/15. I suspect (hope) that it's an issue with the scope rail, rather than a barrel/receiver alignment issue.

The Tikka feels like a slicker, tighter gun – but the CTR style magazine simply doesn't work reliably enough. I haven't been able to get it to feed a complete 10rnd set without encountering an issue. I reverted to single loading shortly after buying the Tikka. The Ruger/PMAG combination works flawlessly – I've never had a single problem with it.

The Tikka rusts like a pig, regardless of how anal I am keeping it dry and maintaining it. I'm not alone. I've yet to meet a real world Tikka owner who hasn't suffered the same problems. Bear in mind I live in Scotland, and four seasons in one day is the norm.

The Tikka is pretty much a done deal straight out the factory. You'll struggle to replace the rear stock with any great effect, and likewise the pistol grip is a kind of half beavertail affair. The cheek height adjustment is rudimentary and not particularly repeatable, and the length of pull requires disassembly/spacer installation. The standard rear stock on the Ruger offers tool less cheek height and length of pull adjustment, but in practice it can be quite an awkward affair. The Tikka also offers butt pad height adjustment, something which the Ruger lacks.

With the Ruger, you can swap out pretty much everything. I find the Magpul PRS rear stock works really well with the Ruger's in-line barrel axis/buffer tube design.

The Tikka has the better factory trigger of the two, and the standard Tikka pistol grip is very nice indeed. I swapped out the standard Ruger trigger because I wasn't happy with it, and likewise I didn't like the standard Ruger pistol grip either. The safety lever on the Ruger is beyond terrible.

All in all, I'd swap the Tikka for another Ruger, but I wouldn't swap the Ruger out for another Tikka. If you're keen to go down the Tikka route, I think you'll be far happier in the long run if you buy a Tikka T3x barrelled action, and drop it in to something like a MDT chassis. This will allow you to enjoy the action, without being crippled by the Tikka CTR magazines. Ultimately however, the in-line recoil path of the Ruger is a superior design, and it feels a bit like comparing VHS/Betamax (Tikka) to DVD (Ruger).

I hope that's of some help...

 

[vbirddogs]

You're doing something wrong with your Tikka then!! It's hard to beat performance like this out of the box!!!

I've got both a Ruger Precision Rifle and a Tikka T3x Tac A1 – both in 6.5 Creedmoor.

The Ruger shoots tighter groups than the Tikka. Noticeably tighter. I've tried pretty much every combination with the Tikka, but I can't get it to shoot on par with the Ruger. The Tikka isn't an inaccurate rifle by any stretch of the imagination, but the Ruger outshoots it easily.

The only problem is, the Ruger shoots 10 inches to the left at 100 yards, and with a scope like a Nightforce NXS 12-42x56 you only get 30MOA of total windage adjustment which works out as a 25/5 split instead of 15/15. I suspect (hope) that it's an issue with the scope rail, rather than a barrel/receiver alignment issue.

The Tikka feels like a slicker, tighter gun – but the CTR style magazine simply doesn't work reliably enough. I haven't been able to get it to feed a complete 10rnd set without encountering an issue. I reverted to single loading shortly after buying the Tikka. The Ruger/PMAG combination works flawlessly – I've never had a single problem with it.

The Tikka rusts like a pig, regardless of how anal I am keeping it dry and maintaining it. I'm not alone. I've yet to meet a real world Tikka owner who hasn't suffered the same problems. Bear in mind I live in Scotland, and four seasons in one day is the norm.

The Tikka is pretty much a done deal straight out the factory. You'll struggle to replace the rear stock with any great effect, and likewise the pistol grip is a kind of half beavertail affair. The cheek height adjustment is rudimentary and not particularly repeatable, and the length of pull requires disassembly/spacer installation. The standard rear stock on the Ruger offers tool less cheek height and length of pull adjustment, but in practice it can be quite an awkward affair. The Tikka also offers butt pad height adjustment, something which the Ruger lacks.

With the Ruger, you can swap out pretty much everything. I find the Magpul PRS rear stock works really well with the Ruger's in-line barrel axis/buffer tube design.

The Tikka has the better factory trigger of the two, and the standard Tikka pistol grip is very nice indeed. I swapped out the standard Ruger trigger because I wasn't happy with it, and likewise I didn't like the standard Ruger pistol grip either. The safety lever on the Ruger is beyond terrible.

All in all, I'd swap the Tikka for another Ruger, but I wouldn't swap the Ruger out for another Tikka. If you're keen to go down the Tikka route, I think you'll be far happier in the long run if you buy a Tikka T3x barrelled action, and drop it in to something like a MDT chassis. This will allow you to enjoy the action, without being crippled by the Tikka CTR magazines. Ultimately however, the in-line recoil path of the Ruger is a superior design, and it feels a bit like comparing VHS/Betamax (Tikka) to DVD (Ruger).

I hope that's of some help...

 

[vbirddogs]

Or this group at 1,100 yrds

I've got both a Ruger Precision Rifle and a Tikka T3x Tac A1 – both in 6.5 Creedmoor.

The Ruger shoots tighter groups than the Tikka. Noticeably tighter. I've tried pretty much every combination with the Tikka, but I can't get it to shoot on par with the Ruger. The Tikka isn't an inaccurate rifle by any stretch of the imagination, but the Ruger outshoots it easily.

The only problem is, the Ruger shoots 10 inches to the left at 100 yards, and with a scope like a Nightforce NXS 12-42x56 you only get 30MOA of total windage adjustment which works out as a 25/5 split instead of 15/15. I suspect (hope) that it's an issue with the scope rail, rather than a barrel/receiver alignment issue.

The Tikka feels like a slicker, tighter gun – but the CTR style magazine simply doesn't work reliably enough. I haven't been able to get it to feed a complete 10rnd set without encountering an issue. I reverted to single loading shortly after buying the Tikka. The Ruger/PMAG combination works flawlessly – I've never had a single problem with it.

The Tikka rusts like a pig, regardless of how anal I am keeping it dry and maintaining it. I'm not alone. I've yet to meet a real world Tikka owner who hasn't suffered the same problems. Bear in mind I live in Scotland, and four seasons in one day is the norm.

The Tikka is pretty much a done deal straight out the factory. You'll struggle to replace the rear stock with any great effect, and likewise the pistol grip is a kind of half beavertail affair. The cheek height adjustment is rudimentary and not particularly repeatable, and the length of pull requires disassembly/spacer installation. The standard rear stock on the Ruger offers tool less cheek height and length of pull adjustment, but in practice it can be quite an awkward affair. The Tikka also offers butt pad height adjustment, something which the Ruger lacks.

With the Ruger, you can swap out pretty much everything. I find the Magpul PRS rear stock works really well with the Ruger's in-line barrel axis/buffer tube design.

The Tikka has the better factory trigger of the two, and the standard Tikka pistol grip is very nice indeed. I swapped out the standard Ruger trigger because I wasn't happy with it, and likewise I didn't like the standard Ruger pistol grip either. The safety lever on the Ruger is beyond terrible.

All in all, I'd swap the Tikka for another Ruger, but I wouldn't swap the Ruger out for another Tikka. If you're keen to go down the Tikka route, I think you'll be far happier in the long run if you buy a Tikka T3x barrelled action, and drop it in to something like a MDT chassis. This will allow you to enjoy the action, without being crippled by the Tikka CTR magazines. Ultimately however, the in-line recoil path of the Ruger is a superior design, and it feels a bit like comparing VHS/Betamax (Tikka) to DVD (Ruger).

I hope that's of some help...

 

[Kurz]

Guys, I need some advice for my first "precision rifle" . I stopped by my local gun shop and was eyeballing a masterpiece arms rifle in 6.5 Creedmoor. Wow what a really nice looking rig. This got me into looking at other brands like the tikka t3x tac1, ruger precision, and the remington 700 precision rifle. While the masterpiece rifle looked great, it was also the most expensive. I have heard great reviews on the tikka t3x tac 1. This would be mostly used for informal mid to long range shooting. Just thought I would see what others have experienced . I'm an experienced shooter and reloader, but just haven't got into these types of guns.
Thanks,
John

First of all, everyone has their own opinion on what works fro them and how outstanding it is. No one wants to acknowledge that they made a poor choice or are having problems shooting acceptable groups.

So, based on your question, I suggest breaking down the choices then look at the prices and where you think you fall with your shooting desires vs cost.

There are three basic categories for rifles you are considering and I stress in general so the nitpickers can be held at bay:

Bolt gun Production category - almost every rifle manufacturer now offers a rifle for this category and they are all priced to stay within the rules of PRS competition. This includes Howa, Ruger, Tikka, Bergera, Remington, Savage and 1/2 dozen others. These are all supposed to be under $2000 (usually less) but still perform accuracy-wise for competition. Most are a chassis-style system.

If you have an existing barreled action, buy a chassis, drop it in and go shoot it. Choose good glass. There are numerous stories on the internet proclaiming the improved accuracy when factory barreled actions are put into a quality chassis.

Custom barreled actions combined with a chassis system which includes the Manners Mini-Chassis stocks with top of the line glass mounted.

It is imperative though that you try these chassis rifle out for fit and comfort. Yes I know that they're all adjustable but some folks can't seen to get comfortable enough with chassis designs. But variety is the spice of life. Pick a more traditional stock, have it bedded or get a Mini-Chassis and go shoot!

Enjoy the process!

 

[eric32]

Guys this OP is from 2018, i am pretty sure he bought a rifle already.

 

[Rdlningcltchdmpr]

My favorite is Tikka but the ruger is very affordable and shoot great also.

 

[Hohn]

I'm in a bit of this situation myself. I bought a cheap savage to get experience with 6.5 and I love the round. I'm loathe to try to build another rifle on a less-than-optimal Savage action (budget model 12fv cabela's exclusive that seems made from reject parts).

One plan I thought of was buying the cheapest Tikka made in 6.5 and selling off the barrel and stock, then just buying the chassis you want and a pre-fit. You'd be $500 or so into the action, and the barrel and chassis would put you around $2000 total.

So-- for $2k would you want a Tac A1? Or on the same action, an aftermarket match barrel in an Eliseo chassis? To me, it's the latter every time.

I'm willing to consider that a higher-end Savage isn't as bad as the cheap models. But I think a custom action is likely the route I'll end up because the cost relative to the longevity seems worth it. You might rebarrel several times or swaps stocks and chassis as needs change, but that action is forever, might as well get a good one.

 

[10XSHOOTER]

A Remington 700 in a Mdt LSS-XL Chassis. Magpul PRS buttstock. Ergo Tactical grip.
And 6mm Creedmoor over 6.5. You'll have a winner!

 

[Dgd6mm]

ARC Nucleus $1000.00, Good quality prefit $350.00 - $450.00, KRG Bravo $350.00. Trigger $150.00 - $300.00. Total $1900 - $2100.00.

 

[GSPV]

T3. Manners drop in stock. CDI bottom metal for AI mags. OEM trigger with aftermarket “Varmint” spring. Broughton barrel. Chambered in 7x47 Lapua (long story). Can’t say enough good things about it. If anyone can find a T3 action inexpensive enough, they are a great platform for a hunting/plinking/tactical rifle.

 

[mauser284]

"Precision rifle" wow talk about marketing gone wild! Well what you really want is a Ninja rifle. It is twice as accurate if it comes in black! So other than these rifles coming in a non-standard "chassis" which is more marketing nonsense in terms of a stupid word that is non-descriptive and has no standard what makes a rifle "precision"? Is it the detachable magazine? Is it the want-a-be AR taci-cool stock?

Does Remington actual tell you what part of it is "precision" and what the clearances, tolerances and concentricity is of the action compared to a normal 700?

All of these things remind me of a kit you could buy that was a Ferrari like body on top of a Volkswagen car. More sizzle than substance!

Are they guaranteeing .25 to .5 MOA out of the box?

 

[Evan]

"Precision rifle" wow talk about marketing gone wild!

While I understand your point, I think the whole precision terminology is only used to tie the rifles to their targeted use - the Precision Rifle Series competitions - and it was just a nice marketing bonus that precision already has very positive connotations for the consumer. I think that's called a twofer

 

[SPQR70AD]

I know a guy that got a ruger precision rifle in 6.5 creedmore (or less) and got his wife a cheap ruger American in same caliber cause it was small and light so she could hunt with it. he can barely out shoot the American rifle with his precision rifle. some loads they shot the same