Given my old Tikka T3X super varmint a spruce up .

[One on top of two]

Well my .223 Tikka T3X was in need of a bit of TLC after 3 years of being my Foxing rifle - 3 seasons  lambing - general rook and crow buster and whatever I could bead on .

It’s  had a hard working life rain sleet snow . But the thing has never let me down however it’s now time for a fresh one . ( It’s done 3k of HOT rounds ) 

now my first thought was to just go and PX and get another one but call me old fashioned I just didn’t like thought of some poor bugger spending there hard earned on my burned out tikka , especially if it’s someone at my club .So I thought sod it why not just use as a donor action and living 40 mins from dolphin rifles it would have been rude not too . And it’s always nice to chew the fat with Mik .

I already had the stock from my old one a GRS bi - frost which I really do like .so after a quick natter with Mik about what I wanted and intended use I dropped off and left it with him . Couple of weeks later all Done . 


22' Bartlein stainless varmint barrel with 1-7 twist throated for 80 grn  Amax 

. Also some bolt fettling and fluting

   Bix n Andy trigger . ( set @ 1.5 lbs ) 

Leupold Mark 5HD 5-25x56 IR 35mm 

sphur Mount 

Asu utra Jet Z CQB 

GRS bi-frost stock 

so with rifle all back together and barrel run in time for some load Devoplment . 
I had a quick look this morning and things are already looking good , 

The chrono below is with virgin brass first time firing ( new barrel new brass )  using some N140 and some old TMK 77 grain just for running in purposes 

rifle will be set up exclusively for 80 grain Amax.

Will be back out over this coming week for a bit of fine tuning  but so far very happy . 

Not a custom rifle but just a nice way to recycle an old one 😁

Cheers Mik 👍

 

 

[ColinBR]

Looks good that mate. 

Mine shoots the 77gr TMKs nicely too. Though mine is just a standard Varmint 223 in a PSE stock

To be honest it shoots anything from 50gr Barnes TTSX, 55gr sierra gamekings to the 77gr TMK's hole in hole so long as I do my part. 

It was yourself that put me onto the 223 varmint/supervarmint

[One on top of two]

Thanks Colin , I really like the feel and look of the super varmint,I wanted to keep it looking the same hense the subtle changes , barrel profile is the same but a bit longer and bead blasted so it matches the action , to be fair the only thing that look different to the eye is the bolt that’s it But it’s everything else apart from the action  has been swapped out . 
I have only ever had SAKO and Tikka rifles in all the years I have been shooting ( I did try a REM 700 but not for me ) all my rifles Colin get a hard life as there tools and get treated as such . .

I do like your stock though , I see one at dolphin and nearly pulled the trigger on one but I do like my GRS as I can bolt all sorts of crap onto it when using NV and thermal … it’s practical. 

[pengo]

On 7/12/2021 at 11:05 PM, ColinBR said:

Looks good that mate. 

Mine shoots the 77gr TMKs nicely too. Though mine is just a standard Varmint 223 in a PSE stock

To be honest it shoots anything from 50gr Barnes TTSX, 55gr sierra gamekings to the 77gr TMK's hole in hole so long as I do my part. 

It was yourself that put me onto the 223 varmint/supervarmint

Do you load these long and single load, or do you have an aftermarket mag, that allows longer cartridge use?

I have one of these and am struggling a bit with SAAMI spec length, but can't load them much longer as they don't fit in a standard Tikka magazine.

Cheers. P

[ColinBR]

On 7/29/2021 at 10:14 PM, pengo said:

Do you load these long and single load, or do you have an aftermarket mag, that allows longer cartridge use?

I have one of these and am struggling a bit with SAAMI spec length, but can't load them much longer as they don't fit in a standard Tikka magazine.

Cheers. P

I do load these long yes. Again yes I use an AICS type magazine. 

I have my varmint in a PSE Etac stock with Atlasworx bottom metal to take the magazine. 

[ColinBR]

On 7/13/2021 at 4:29 PM, One on top of two said:

Thanks Colin , I really like the feel and look of the super varmint,I wanted to keep it looking the same hense the subtle changes , barrel profile is the same but a bit longer and bead blasted so it matches the action , to be fair the only thing that look different to the eye is the bolt that’s it But it’s everything else apart from the action  has been swapped out . 
I have only ever had SAKO and Tikka rifles in all the years I have been shooting ( I did try a REM 700 but not for me ) all my rifles Colin get a hard life as there tools and get treated as such . .

I do like your stock though , I see one at dolphin and nearly pulled the trigger on one but I do like my GRS as I can bolt all sorts of crap onto it when using NV and thermal … it’s practical. 

My father inlaw has the GRS on his 243, and it does feel really nice in the hand.

I went with the PSE to keep the weight down a bit for stalking and crosses over when I get to the range too. Probably the best stock I've used. 

I will be doing the same as yourself once I've shot this barrel out, and having it rebarrelled. I think I'll go with spiral fluting on the barrel and bolt when I get it done.