As I understand it, Tikka is the more affordable line from Finnish manufacturer SAKO (both ultimately owned by Beretta Holding S.p.A., along with a whole lot more), but is still definitely a precisely-manufactured, supremely accurate bolt gun. New for 2017 is Tikka’s T3x TAC A1, a chassis gun that appears to be geared very much towards the demands of the U.S. market. In the video above, Miikka Tamminen, Product Manager, walks us through its features then shows us the T3x Compact Tactical and T3x Arctic (Canadian Ranger Rifle) as well.
The T3x TAC A1 is available in .308 Win, .260 Rem, and 6.5 Creedmoor. Its chassis provides an extremely solid, left-side-folding stock that’s highly adjustable (yet the folding unit accepts an AR buffer tube should the owner want to swap stocks), an AR pistol grip, and AR-10 forend compatibility. It uses 10-round steel box magazines and comes with two of those, plus they mail a third upon warranty registration. The trigger is adjustable, the muzzle is threaded, and QD sockets plus sling clip points abound.
Under the muzzle brake are standard 5/8×24 threads. Overall, I think this rifle really nails one of the current hot segments in the U.S. rifle market and, if they get the word out, I expect it will sell very well. MSRP is $1,899.
The Canadian Ranger Rifle, or T3x Arctic, replaced the Lee Enfields carried by the Canadian Rangers. It’s a handy little gun that’s basically a scout rifle but for the non-scout scope rail location. It does have iron sights, though, and the rear has a pretty trick rotating aperture for dialing in pre-set range adjustment. For all-weather durability, it’s a stainless steel gun with a laminate stock.
Once again I couldn’t help but snap a couple photos of the Sako 85 Carbonlight. Its carbon fiber stock is a work of art, and it gets even better when you touch it. While you’d expect it to be hard and feel like plastic, its “soft-touch” surface feels somewhat like there’s a layer of clear silicone on it. So cool. It also makes for a short-action hunting rifle available in five calibers that weighs just five pounds.