Tikka CTR or Tikka Lite w/PVA barrel?

[operatorj]

This is going to be my first dive into the Tikka word.
I'm torn between a CTR or a Lite and re-barreling with a PVA pre-fit. I'l have about $100 more in the pre-fit route but can do it a ittle later. What are everyone's views on the pre-fits. Please note that either route will eventually be put in a KRG chassis.

 

[USPatriot556]

I'm not familiar with those barrels, but the CTR does pretty well from what I have seen. I don't think you could go wrong either way.

 

[Simia Dei]

If you're going to drop it into a chassis, go the lite, provided you're going to only use the single stack mags. If you can work a KRG chassis to use the CTR mags, go the CTR.

 

[BurnOut]

PVA

 

[wareagle700]

I'd go CTR again. The factory barrels are very good.

 

[el_cazador713]

Yup, I'd go CTR and spend the rebarrel money on a stock if you don't like the factory one. It'll shoot!

 

[dannySH]

I have both. A CTR in a Manners T6A and twoTikka T3 with PVA barrels in a McMillan A3-5 and KRG X-Ray and while all are excellent shooters, the ones with the PVA barrels outshoot the CTR.

 

[el_cazador713]

Interesting Danny and great info. How muh better does the PVA shoot than the CTR?

 

[dannySH]

Interesting Danny and great info. How muh better does the PVA shoot than the CTR?

By not too much, all are sub 1/2 MOA at 300 yards with my handloads but PVAs are more repeatale. The big difference lie in small thigs like the chambers (CTR has a huge freebore that could interfere with mag COAl), barrel profile (my PVAs are Medium Palma) and CTR barrel is like a light Palma , barrel lenght (my PVAs are 26") giving a little more velocity and of course the barrel nut that give the ability to change barrels effortlessly.

 

[el_cazador713]

Thanks for sharing!

 

[m6z]

Will the PVA barrel fit in the Tikka lite stock?

 

[dannySH]

Will the PVA barrel fit in the Tikka lite stock?

I don't think so, the lighter PVA prefit barrel is a Medium Palma.

 

[m6z]

Don't forget tool cost either, you are going to need an action wrench, plus headspace gauges.

 

[operatorj]

Well I ended up picking up a CTR Stainless barreled action in 260 from the exchange forum here. Now to get my KRG Bravo or X-say. Then on to optic. Either a Burris XTR II or Vortex Viper PST II

 

[bohem]

Will the PVA barrel fit in the Tikka lite stock?

Yes it does. The standard Tikka prefit contour and the "hunter" barrel nut drop into the factory stocks.

Our prefit barrels come with a barrel nut and the barrel nut wrench. The action wrench is an add-on product though. We also offer for folks that if they send in the barreled action we will remove the factory tube, install the new tube and set the headspace for $75. The next time the barrel needs to come off you don't need an action wrench to do it. You just need a solid bench top vise to hold the action across the receiver flats and use the included barrel nut and a headspace gage.

Well I ended up picking up a CTR Stainless barreled action in 260 from the exchange forum here. Now to get my KRG Bravo or X-say. Then on to optic. Either a Burris XTR II or Vortex Viper PST II

Sorry we couldn't connect on this but we do have KRG Bravo Tikka stocks on the shelf, I think I still have one in FDE or Black, not sure which color. I saw it today doing inventory and we updated the inventory on the website this afternoon.

 

[j741]

Well I ended up picking up a CTR Stainless barreled action in 260 from the exchange forum here. Now to get my KRG Bravo or X-say. Then on to optic. Either a Burris XTR II or Vortex Viper PST II

I have an X-Ray listed for sale in the PX - https://www.snipershide.com/shootin...-tikka-t3-black-chassis.6867115/#post-6867115

 

[operatorj]

I've got it marked on my watch list. Just waiting for my tax return lol.
QUOTE="j741, post: 6910142, member: 116164"]I have an X-Ray listed for sale in the PX - https://www.snipershide.com/shootin...-tikka-t3-black-chassis.6867115/#post-6867115[/QUOTE]

 

[Maddy]

FWIW I also have a Tikka T3 Lite that I rebarreled with a PVA medium palma 6.5 Creedmoor barrel. I put it in a KRG X-ray chassis and it's worked great for field matches. PVA barrel shots 1/2MOA consitantly, and it's one of the few barrels I've had that actually put up higher velocities that the reloading manuals estimate when I work up loads.

 

[dannySH]

FWIW I also have a Tikka T3 Lite that I rebarreled with a PVA medium palma 6.5 Creedmoor barrel. I put it in a KRG X-ray chassis and it's worked great for field matches. PVA barrel shots 1/2MOA consitantly, and it's one of the few barrels I've had that actually put up higher velocities that the reloading manuals estimate when I work up loads.

Same here, my two PVA barrels are supe fast, they shoot 100 feet/sec faster than my other rifles with the same load and barrel lenght.

 

[el_cazador713]

Explain how the barrel can make the load faster?

 

[chadrp]

Explain how the barrel can make the load faster?

I am curious of this as well. I listened to the everyday sniper podcast 30 I think where frank was talking about how slow the tikka tac a1 barrel was at 2730 fps with factory prime and it should be around 2900-3000fps. 2730 is what I'm getting from my 24" ctr with prime also so was suprised to hear him say that barrel was slow and should be faster. I have a 24" Nucleus barrel coming from PVA so after reading this Im hoping it will be faster than my factory tikka. If it is I just may have to get a new Tikka barrel too.

 

[el_cazador713]

Yes I've definitely heard about factory ammo being loaded on the light side, slow compared to their stated velocity but not sure how one barrel to the next will make that much difference, not shot out

 

[Maddy]

With that PVA barrel I worked up my initial load on a trip to the range where I didn't take my chronograph. I settled on a charge weight that looked promising and headed back out with some loaded rounds to see what velocity and SD were going to be. First round I fired through the chrony I thought it was a bad reading cause the velocity was so high. Shot another round and it said the same; 2940fps with a 6.5Creedmoor 140gr RDF (26" barrel). I never spent so much time looking at brass cases trying to see pressure signs, but I couldn't see any.

I happen to have some Hornady factory 140ELD ammo in my bag so I shot it. I got 2845fps with it. It says 2710fps on the box with a 24" barrel.

At this point I was thinking that my chrony was off some how so I borrowed a friend's magnetospeed and got the same results. Don't know why but not all barrels give the same velocity with the same loads.