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Stainless vs Carbon rifles

tuckybill

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
Oct 16, 2007
213
150
62
Kentucky
Looking at getting a Tikka t3x 223. Cant decide between the SS and the carbon steel compact. What do you like about carbon steel actions/barrels over SS if anytng? Thanks!
 
What’s your use plans? If few in row shots and weight is important go carbon. If is match use, SS moves up the pole.
 
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Farm/hunt/shtf all around rifle. I know some folks like a carbon action. Wondered why, stronger? Smoother? I have some ARs but to make a short story long I'm disabled and have multiple farms I want to hunt from the front seat of my car. So not wanting to have a AR up front where folks might get a peek if I drove to town for a bite to eat. Wanted a bolt. Im pretty severe disabled so casing a AR or keeping it in the trunk isn't very handy.
 
Being that you will be firing relatively few shots at a sitting, I would do a carbon fiber. I would also consider a shorter barrel to make it easier to manage.
 
General rule of thumb for me, stainless actions. It’s just a maintenance thing. I feel more secure with stainless actions and fear rust less with them in the elements. Mind you I care for all my gear but really don’t see a downside to stainless in my uses. Certainly feel no difference in slickness of action or function.
 
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I just ordered a blued Tikka T3X 6.5 CM off Euro Optic for $650. This rifle will be for my 15 year old.

I own a blued Tikka T3 308 that is over 10 years old. Zero rust and is a tack driver. I wipe my rifles blued or stainless down frequently with a Hoppes silicone cloth. If my rifles get wet I dry them out and wipe them down. Zero issues
 
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