Tikka T1x

[Tony Z]

I have had my T1x in 22lr for a couple of weeks but only got to get out with it today. I wanted to do a sight in and ammo test out to a 100 but due to some ex cyclone rain depression crap going on i was only able to do a limited test at 50 metres.


The rifle is exactly like a T3 centerfire to use. No ejection issues like i have read about but the truncated type Winchester Subsonic ammo was a bit stiff to feed due to the blunt nose. The rest of the ammo brands were fault free.
I set the trigger to around 10 ounces and mounted a Burris Fullfield II in 2-7×35 earlier in the week after stripping down the rifle to clean off the factory residue. A quick bore sight and a few foulers in the center and off into some 5 shot groups. Considering the conditions i was impressed with the potential the rifle showed. A better day and some higher magnification and cleaning between ammo types would see the groups cut considerably. Some of the slingers I'm sure are from different bullet lubes mixing until a couple of shots later when things settle.

Things i don't like. Plastic thread cap. Plastic barrel channel insert, that i removed, to close up the barrel to stock gap. The camels hump magazine extension thingy that i will bin and remake out of Acetyl to not look like an afterthought or left over from some other model. The need to cut away the forward section of the action to save weight? A full profile would have been stronger and in keeping with the complete T3 footprint. The 11mm dovetail. Why? The 17mm T3 action dovetail would have enabled the use of any T3 mounts and again kept the profile of big brother while greatly strengthening the action.

Things i do like. Stock, the one offered and the fact any T3 stock can be used. Trigger. The ability to easily swap out barrels with a hex wrench. I will do a 22 Mag barrel this week and get the Hummer magazine as the action used for the two cartridges currently offered is identical, only the magazine is blocked off in the 22lr.

Overall i think the rifle lives up to the Tikka standard of functionality without the trimmings. There is no doubt there is cost cutting going on, but the barrel, action and trigger are delivering.

[johno1]

Looks real promising Tony, had a play with one a week or so back and thought they had nice balance. Tikka dropped the ball by not having it in 22 magnum

Johno

[barryb]

Tony - was that CCI a17 ??

[Camel]

Tony - was that CCI a17 ??

A visit for you to Spec Savers old fella, have a look at the ammo boxes.

[johno1]

A simple mistake to make Barry, ignore the bloody young whipper snapper

Johno

[The Raven]

That's a very interesting set of groupings there.

I would like to see how the SK standard and plus compare. I've found these very accurate/consistent, if only they were a tad cheaper... Happy to donate a box for you to compare against.

I've not used a lot of CCI. Found them to be good but the SK gave marginally tighter groups on a more consistent basis (covering my mistakes?).

[lee_enfield223]

here's mine, I added the t3x varmint bits to my stock and an Athalon Ares 4.5x27x50 FFP scope to mine and yes I dislike the plastic thread cap on the muzzle ,I lightened my trigger to 1.5 LBS and I bet you will find that those grub screws are in really tight and probably locktited, and I bet the barrel might be as well ??? anyway I would love to know how you go with yours ???
the groups were shot at 50m and cci bluebox is the standard velocity type.
Also the reason I went for a FFP scope and not a second fp is simply that its faster in the 22 PRS matches to use, now I love my second focal plane scopes and own MK4 Leupolds ,Marches ,Nightforce NSX and others, but I tried dialing ranges from 50 to 100, and found it slowed me down.
But for hunting and general long range shooting give me a second FP scope everytime.
Also I am thinking about ordering a tactical laminated stock from Hatchers as I am finding that the rifle is too light and it's hard to get steady on the barricades

[Tony Z]

lee i had mine in a varmint stock but the scope mounts i had were just a small amount too low so i went back to the factory original stock. The trigger spring replaced to something less than that from a McPherson strut greatly reduces the pull weight while retaining its safety. Normal fare for all Tikka T3 triggers.
Raven i had a shitload of ammo to try but really had to cut it short as the weather was becoming really crap. I do have SK in the test box there somewhere. I was saving the exotic stuff for a nice day which may be a ways off and most likely in the new year at this time. All the yank reports say CCI standard shoots well, so it was the first choice since i have heaps, is cheap and everyone sells it.
The fact that they have left the 22 Mag out puzzles me as it is still a popular cartridge. Long before i looked to get the rifle i had sussed out that a barrel swap was possible and that the magazines were just blocked off and not different in overall length. The three grub screws holding the barrel in are odd in their key size. They are 3.1mm. Not 3mm or 1/8th inch. A new 1/8th Allen key will not fit. A 3mm is loose and will no doubt turn ruining the hex sides. A worn 1/8th taps in and with a bit of heat the screws come out. Glued by the look but none on the barrel. The shank is a neat fit in the action and setting up the 22 mag barrel is going to be a very easy job. The hardest choice will be which barrel or profile to go with.

[The Raven]

Great work Tony and Lee.

Interesting that you mention the rifle is basically made to support the 22mag but they haven't followed through...

[lee_enfield223]

if the barrel comes out, according to Tonys post, which I think he is saying it does, then I think a visit to my smith is in order, to order a Lilja target Barrel for mine and get it installed. then a nice tactical stock and ill have a poor mans version of a stiller 22LR or Vodoo 22LR

[johno1]

There's a bloke over on rimfirecentral, a sweed swiss whatever ive been arguing with re Tikka dropping the ball he claims "no interest in europe" I asked then why Tikka was the only euro maker not doing the 22 mag, he let the argument go at that point pretty much, plus its an export product they have to look at the overseas market.

Tony one fella did mention the area where the screws are will need heating at some form of loctite has been used

Johno

[Tony Z]

Thanks johno. I got mine loose the other day and then put it all together as i want to run the 22lr a bit more. The 22 Mag will wait till next year at this stage.

[Tony Z]

I got to shoot three brands of ammo today in conditions that again were not that great. Swirling wind with a few squalls about. Same 7x magnification. All in all the rifle is proving to be remarkably forgiving with any target type ammo hitting virtually the same POI.
Raven it looks like the SK rifle match wants to work.
How the groups were shot is, clean barrel, five into the center aiming dot, then two groups of five. On each occasion the second group was tighter. No explanation other than that it may require a few to settle or i just ran with a better choice of wind second time around. No idea really so it looks like more testing needed in the next day or two with more ammo and less weather.

[fenring]

A mate of mine just picked up his 16" .22 to go with his .17HMR.



I haven't handled it yet.

[The Raven]

I got to shoot three brands of ammo today in conditions that again were not that great. Swirling wind with a few squalls about. Same 7x magnification. All in all the rifle is proving to be remarkably forgiving with any target type ammo hitting virtually the same POI.
Raven it looks like the SK rifle match wants to work.
How the groups were shot is, clean barrel, five into the center aiming dot, then two groups of five. On each occasion the second group was tighter. No explanation other than that it may require a few to settle or i just ran with a better choice of wind second time around. No idea really so it looks like more testing needed in the next day or two with more ammo and less weather.

That's a good test, thanks.

I've not used the SK Rifle Match, at least not that I can recall. SK Plus shoots very well, SK HV close but opening up, and the SK Magazine shoots as good as the Plus for a lower cost.

Interesting to see how the groups tightened up.