Hunting Rifle

[tknuts103]

I'm looking to buy another hunting rifle and I'm curious which way some of you would go. This will be my primary rifle for deer/bear/elk and I will probably go with 7mm rem mag or 300 win mag. I have narrowed it down to the Tikka t3x roughtech ember (24 inch barrel, just under 7 pounds) and some model made by Fierce (24 inch barrel, not sure yet steel vs carbon). Are Fierce really worth the $2500-3500 when most Tikkas can shoot just as well for $1200? I loved my Seekins PH2 but can't go with Seekins just because they only offer 20 moa scope bases and no matter what rings I use, my barrel takes up the entire bottom half of my Nightforce scopes (both 2.5-20 and 4-32) . So... Tikka ember or a Fierce, which would you choose?

MY GUIDELINES.....
Weight- somewhere between. 6.0 and 7.5 pounds
Barrel length- 24 inches (longest I want to go for when I run a suppresor)
Chambered in 7mm rem mag or 300
Price - under 3500

 

[Spoonman]

Maybe put together your own rifle? Use a Tikka action and a prefit along with whatever stock floats your boat? You can be all in for around $2000, maybe a little more.

 

[tknuts103]

Maybe put together your own rifle? Use a Tikka action and a prefit along with whatever stock floats your boat? You can be all in for around $2000, maybe a little more.

I have been thinking about doing something like that but I'm still undecided. I know nothing about gunsmithing so I wouldn't have a clue how to bed the action into stock or even what a good stock is to use. I have always just bought factory rifles. Would you change out the Tikka barrel or leave the factory?

 

[martinakl]

A couple things to consider with a Tikka.

1) They have slow twist rates on their 7mm's (1:9.5 twist).

*They have recently started doing 1:10 in the 300 Win Mag (they were doing 1:11 twist). You won't be able to use the sleek, heavy, bullets in the 7mm, period. 300 Win can now handle the heavier 30 Cal bullets, but....

2) The magazines in the Tikka's are super short. There's no room for seating bullets long in their long actions. COAL is very limited.

I do like Tikka's, I just think it's worth pointing out their shortcomings for the magnum rounds you listed. Even if you don't plan to hunt long range, banging steel at long range is great practice and that MAY lead you to wishing you had a different setup.

If you don't reload or don't plan or reloading (= shoot factory ammo only). Some of the above critiques may not be relevant.

 

[Turpentine21]

I just built or more correctly put together a 6.5-06.
Mack Brothers action with 2 stage Triggertech Special
Remage Criterion 26" Varmint barrel,
Oryx Chassis
20 moa rail
Seekins rings. Right at 2 Grand and it will shoot in the .3s and .4s with my hand loads. It is not bedded.
You could do something very similar on a Tikka action And customize your barrel twist and contour. Chassis are very easy to do. They do not require bottom metal. Mine uses Magpul polymer or metal MDT mags
Or try a Zermat, Bighorn, Savage action. Whatever you like. You'll need a barrel nut wrench, headspace go and no go gauges, and an action wrench.
I really like your caliber choices. There's very little those two can't do.

 

[crashlanding]

There's a for sale in the classifieds, you might want to take a look at
For Sale Fierce CT Rival 7mm PRC

• BlazerBeam

 

[tknuts103]

There's a for sale in the classifieds, you might want to take a look at
For Sale Fierce CT Rival 7mm PRC

• BlazerBeam

I just missed this one. I think I have decided I don't want to put together a rifle and will order one instead. I have tried getting ahold of Fierce but no response and my emails with Seekins have been interesting. They definitely make it hard to spend money.

 

[crashlanding]

Yes, I got a notification that rifle sold, I felt like it was a pretty good deal considering it had verified targets with factory ammunition. Have your communications with Seekins been negative?

 

[tknuts103]

I can't really say right now as I think they may not fully understand what I am asking for. A few months ago I asked if I could custom order a rifle with a 0 moa base and they said they can't. Not a big deal, I will keep searching for a rifle. Well today I emailed them and asked if it would be possible to make me a PH2 in 7prc with a 22 inch barrel. I didn't say a single thing about 0 vs 20 scope base because I already knew they couldnt make me a 0 moa base from my past email. Their response didn't answer my question at all about making me a rifle and just said "let me make this clear in no way, shape, form are you getting a 0 moa base" that's it.

 

[tknuts103]

Even when I had my ph2 and had a question not once did they ever answer their customer service line and their email was vague and no help at all. I think this is probably enough to just let it go and see if I can talk to a Fierce customer service rep after the holidays.

 

[crashlanding]

No doubt, if you're having trouble with getting answers right off the bat, no matter how bad you may want the rifle, it's probably best just to walk away. I do find it interesting with your Seekins experience, isn't the rail on the ph2 bolted on?

 

[Mark37082]

Maybe I'm not understanding your issue with the 20 MOA rail on.the Seekins. Are you saying that your NX8 can't be zeroed due to the cant? I must be missing something.
You have many options in $3500 range. I would prefer an 8 twist barrel in 7RM, but the 9.5 will shoot Berger 168's great or AB160's just fine. You can stabilize some 130 and 140 gr monos easily.

 

[Spoonman]

I have been thinking about doing something like that but I'm still undecided. I know nothing about gunsmithing so I wouldn't have a clue how to bed the action into stock or even what a good stock is to use. I have always just bought factory rifles. Would you change out the Tikka barrel or leave the factory?

I just did my first build myself. I purchased a Tikka T3x in 7rem mag. I pulled the barrel and put in a proof carbon in 6.5prc. As for the stock I'm using the factory one right now. I didn't bed it, just opened up the barrel channel to accommodate the larger barrel. It shoots Choice loaded ammo 156 Berger sub 1/2 moa. Rifle without scope weight 6lbs 10oz. Topped it off with a Nightforce NSX . At this point I've got about $1500 in it with out optic. Getting the barrel off is the hardest part.

 

[tknuts103]

I just did my first build myself. I purchased a Tikka T3x in 7rem mag. I pulled the barrel and put in a proof carbon in 6.5prc. As for the stock I'm using the factory one right now. I didn't bed it, just opened up the barrel channel to accommodate the larger barrel. It shoots Choice loaded ammo 156 Berger sub 1/2 moa. Rifle without scope weight 6lbs 10oz. Topped it off with a Nightforce NSX . At this point I've got about $1500 in it with out optic. Getting the barrel off is the hardest part.

Sounds like a nice rig!