I’ve owned maybe a dozen Tikka’s over the years and I’d say I’m about 75/25 on changing stocks out.
CTR stock is actually a very decent hunting stock with good ergos and super light weight.
The CTR stock is a mild exception. I like them well enough as well. I was mainly speaking of their T3/T3X lite stocks.
Just buy a super varmint and whatever chassis you want. The ace is just a proprietary chassis that was hastily designed to go to market, not for what shooters and competitors actually wanted.
Yes they really need to speak to shooters and all them what they want to buy. They seem to be just aimed at the hunting market and everything else is an afterthought. Barrelled actions would sell like hot cakes.
Prototypes were shot at the Gap Grind in October. There was a ton of feedback given to Tikka. Guess how much they listened to or changed based on that feedback. I’ll give you a hint, it’s a round number.
Lol, doesn't surprise me. I've worked for a few large corporates, too many yes people in the hierarchy. They actively exclude anyone that questions the status quo. Ask me how I know
I was the ONLY person in the org that actively shoots PRS and yet, all of my feedback was blatantly ignored. So I feel you.Lol, doesn't surprise me. I've worked for a few large corporates, too many yes people in the hierarchy. They actively exclude anyone that questions the status quo. Ask me how I know
Also interested in this @HardRockARC as I usually look at products through the eyes of a spot n stalk hunter and curious about different perspectives. And if you don't mind sharing what your current preferred chassis setup is for Tikka too thx
To be fair to Tikka they don't just serve the American market, so it doesn't make sense for them to make products that are purely aimed at the US market.
I did / am doing that. I've got a lovely Tikka action sitting in my safe waiting for me to build a rifle around it. Bought a $650 Tikka, and sold the barrel and stock for like $100 combined. So yeah, with the FFL transfer, I'm calling it a $600 action when all is said and done. Now I just need to sell my body on the street corner to raise money to turn it into a PRS specific rifle...
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Keep the CTR mags. Right now may be a good time to stock up since they seem to be $85 at midway for the 308. Fought with AICS mags for a year with my Tikka and couldn’t get the bolt to feed reliably. Would need to press the mags up to get them to feed otherwise the bolt would go over the first round. CTR feeds like butter compared to AICS.The internal weights on the Ace Target forend are 200 grams each, so if you used all 7 Mlok slots you’d add 1400 grams, not 400, for a total of 3.1 lbs. They work great, their only problem is that they’re ridiculously expensive. I added a couple, then added pairs of Salmon River Solutions offset forend Mlok weights. They don’t interfere with the Arca rail, so my Accutak bipod moves easily, the weights are cerakoted and reasonably priced, and I got another 2+ lbs there and have room to add 36 oz more if I want, but doubt I will; it’s heavy enough. With a pound of the Tikka rear stock weights, a 2 lb scope with heavy ARC rings, a 1.6 lb MDT Arca weight, brake, and 1.5 lb bipod, I’m right around 19 to 19.5 lbs and pleased with the setup for a PRS rifle. I’d build something else for NRL.
Obviously other’s mileage may vary, but if I wanted a rifle over 20 lbs I’d have bought something different, or spent more and built a rifle up from scratch with chassis, action and barrel. I get the weight advantages, but frankly think it starts to get slightly over the top after a while. (Or maybe it’s because I can’t get too worked up over 6.5CM recoil in a 20 pound stabilized rifle after shooting 30-06 in a 9.5 lb slung rifle.
I may still do that build someday, there are so many great options now, but I wanted this Ace Target. My only small complaints were that they had used actual bottom metal, and that it had a folding stock, which I heard is coming next year. I’m happy with the standard CTR mags which feed very well, sit high and fit tight with no rattle, buying two extra, and won’t bother changing out the well for AICS magazines. I also would have loved a 1.25” barrel rather than the 7/8”, but for the $1699 price for the bronze cerakote think I got a fantastic deal for an extremely accurate rifle out of the box, even after getting bent over on the weights and accessories, but again others mileage may vary.
Thanks, I think that’s good advice. I picked up those two extra on EuroOptic a couple months ago for $78 each, which seemed pricy at the time, but they’ve recently updated their website and I don’t see them now, they probably just relocated the accessories page. Getting extra mags is always a good idea. I also was looking at the .223 Ace Target, maybe the slightly lighter Ace Game in that caliber which would be a fun rifle, but it will be a few months till I can make that happen.
