So i pick up my new Tikka TAC1 and a few bits, but i get carried away......

[chaz]

I got a call to say my new TAC 1 in 6.5CM was ready for collection, and i couldn't wait. So yesterday off i went on my hour + or so drive to my favourite RFD. I needed the gun and a few bits, but got totally carried away! Not like me... I usually stick to a list i make before i leave to keep me in check, as i'm like a kid in a sweet shop!

But on this occasion i didn't, and when i arrived the line between what i need, and what i'd like got a tad blurred... Much to the pain of my wallet! I go over a little now and again, but who doesn't? But yesterday, i just couldn't help myself. By the time i'd finished i was looking at a bill of well of 3 grand! I'm glad, they were good enough to take a large amount of ammo i had bought for another gun back, and take a rim-fire as part exchange. It eased the pain a little...

I'm very impressed with the quality of the TAC1 though, and i forgot it was a folding stock for a while, as it felt so sturdy. The bolt is as smooth as my other T3 in .223 Rem. I was also pleased to see a muzzle break included, and that the metal mag was a 10 shot and not the 5 shot i thought it was.

Also my first Vortex scope, and in 1st focal plane. But the reticle is amazingly fine, even on x24 mag.

I would have liked an illuminated dot in the center, but that was a jump of cash too far. Especially as i didn't even intend on buying a scope yesterday anyhow! I knew i needed one as my Leupold VX-L only goes up to x14, i think.... And after all, i did buy the rifle long range varminting, deer, and for long distance range work. At some point anyhow....

I could have had a Steiner scope with a 34mm tube and illuminated reticle, but i've never even heard of them, so i wasn't going to go solely on the RFD owner. Especially without my own research before hand, despite trusting him a lot. And again it was another hike in price to...

Some nice Leupold steel mounts, and i believe a Vortex "Riser".

And despite a lack of responses regarding anyone's knowledge of the Aim Sports Triton Predator Moderator, i went ahead and bought 1. Not cheap, but only the outer tube is a soft textured coated alloy, the rest is high grade stainless steel.

I bought a box of Hornady 140 grain ELD Match, to be going on with, and to get some basics on possible loads with the used Hornady brass with Viht N150 before i start on the Lapua brass. I bought some more Federal Gold Match SR Primers, but forgot a box of large rifle primers, for the Hornady brass. Doh!

So i'll have to pop to my local, not so good RFD to get a box.

Also have to put my Lee de-capping die stem in my pillar drill, to reduce the pin from 2mm to 1.5 for the Lapua brass.

I just hope the picture is viewable. Fingers crossed!

Cheers

Chaz

 

[Villadave59]

Sounds gorgeous chaz, shame can't access photos let us know how you get on mate.

[chaz]

Sounds gorgeous chaz, shame can't access photos let us know how you get on mate.

What a pain. First time i've used photobucket in a while, i'll have to sort that...

Do you know if "we" can only post small pics on here still? Or maybe how others have overcome the photobucket rip-off issue?

Cheers

Chaz.

 

Edit - Just had a go at editing it. You should see my sexy slipper in the photo?

[Villadave59]

Photos on now,cracking looking rig you definitely had a shopping spree,fair play we need our toysEvery artical I've read on these reckon it's a bargain and extremely well built love to know how it shoots keep us posted ,Dave .

[phaedra1106uk]

Picked mine up on the 15th, stuck my Sightron SIII 10-50x60 on it and bore sighted it at my club, ran a few subsonics down to check and they were within 1/2" of where my Ruger RPR puts them.

 

Range last Sunday morning, few clicks left and up and spot on, everything going into 1" squares after I got used to the trigger (previously shooting my T3x CTR so almost chalk and cheese!).

 

So far extremely happy, much better fit & finish (no pun intended) than the Ruger, just a shame they stiffed everyone outside the US by supplying only 1 mag instead of the 3, not to worry I'll pick some up next trip over.

[David Hancock]

Good looking rig there Chaz. You are going to enjoy the 65CM

[chaz]

Cheers for the comments folks.

I'll be taking her out this coming week and will update you.

Cheers

Chaz

[DW58]

Not heard of Steiner optics? ... ... ... shame on you!

 

Steiner are an altogether different ballgame to Vortex.

[Hatzi]

I'd have gone Steiner too

[Dunc]

 

.. just a shame they stiffed everyone outside the US by supplying only 1 mag instead of the 3, not to worry I'll pick some up next trip over.

 

I gave the guy on the GMK stand a bit of a hard time over this at the Game Fair in July. His point, and probably reasonable, is that the US priced the 'package to include 3 magazines whereas GMK in the UK priced it to include only one. They could easily have increased the price by £200 to cover the cost of two more mags.

But let's not start on the cost of kit in the UK vs the US....

 

Just found that my TRG magazines fit the T3x TAC A1 perfectly... Although that would be like forging 10p pieces by rounding off the corners of 50p coins....

[chaz]

Sorry for my lack of knowledge on Steiner!

I did have a look through them at the same time i looked at the Vortex, and i couldn't see any difference. But then again i didn't have my glasses on!

I can't ever see me needing more than 1 10 round mag for my Tac 1...

As for the Aim Sport Triton Predator mods coming loose, i've found a few do after a certain amount of shots. I regularly test the fit of my mod, whether hunting or target shooting. Probably a bit of OCD......

[VarmLR]

THIS

 

Got a couple of pairs of Steiner binos - great optics & a great firm.

Would go with Steiner over a good few newly emerged "brand leaders"!

 

 

+1

 

Their Skyhawk, Ranger, Night Hunter and Wildlife series are especially impressive. For the money, Skyhawk 8 x 42s are simply unbeatable with class leading optics and build at the price. Had a bins "shoot out" here last year and placed some Geovids up against some Skyhawks, Pentax, Opticron Discoveries. The Steiners and Geovids wiped the floor with everything else, and if anything, the Steiners stayed brightest out into dusk, and were certainly a match for the much more expensive Geovids. Edge definition and slight yellowing were an issue due to the lens design, but for 3/4 of the centre image, they were as good as many top glass optics at a fraction of the price. In daylight, the only other make that I use when stalking which comes close is a pair of Swaro CL 8 x 25s, which have the edge.....just!

[lenteped]

Chaz, you will love 6.5 Creedmoor. I'm  not sure that you'll stick with VvN15 though. I'm just working up some loads using IMR4350 and will put results up shortly. Everybody in't US raves about H4350 but it is unicorn droppings here. IMR is made by the same Australian mill and is supposed to be identical, but there is no  end of boring debat in the forums on this.

Good luck--enjoy!

[chaz]

24 minutes ago, lenteped said:

Chaz, you will love 6.5 Creedmoor. I'm  not sure that you'll stick with VvN15 though. I'm just working up some loads using IMR4350 and will put results up shortly. Everybody in't US raves about H4350 but it is unicorn droppings here. IMR is made by the same Australian mill and is supposed to be identical, but there is no  end of boring debat in the forums on this.

Good luck--enjoy!

I'm also dubious about the powder too lenteped. But with a lot of the popular powders being stopped next year due to new rules, i had to go with something i could get. I'm reliably informed IMR are not similar in most cases to Hodgdon's. Although ive since learn't of a few like N550 being suitable for the 6.5CM, but i was put off due to it being a double base powder. I don't wan't a barrel burner.                                                                                          Cheers.

[lenteped]

The 6.5 Creedmoor forum has a confusing number of arguments/advices. The whole blasted regulation change thing is a pain-- I thought that we were leaving the dratted EU! I'm going to look at Reloader Swiss powders and see what they offer.

Regards, Jon

[RePete]

RS60 works very well in my 6.5x47.............RS 52 would be worth a go as well, but if you use Quickload, for a starting load with RS52, drop the recommended charge by 15% and work up.

RePete

[Dunc]

I went for RS62 due to it being kinder on the barrel  -  from Laurie....   Got a big tub in Fultons.  First 3 shots at 100 were in the same hole using 142 SMKs.  Didn't fire a 4th and 5th round on that occasion.... 

 

[VarmLR]

I use that too and for the same reasons.  Load testing went awry a bit yesterday as I had a few issues with mounts, so yet to test the loads.  I have noticed on the rounds that I have shot out of mine (TACA1 6.5cm) that the cases were getting scratched quite badly.  Culprit was the magazine lips which were not parallel, the RHS lip having quite an uneven, wavy edge which caught the cartridge side a little too firmly at one point as the round was being fed by the bolt.  Will be looking for a replacement mag or having this one sorted.

[Richie88]

Hi buddy! I know this is an extremely old thread but wondered how you got on with the Aimsport mod + TAC A1 combo? 
 

Thinking of buying the same mod for my Tikka. 
Cheers!