243win Tikka. What to do?

[Ringbill27]

Good morning all,

I’m going to pick up a brand new youth model tikka in 243win for $500. But I don’t know what to do with it.

I could keep it and slap a new stock on it and use it for deer and coyote. Also was left with 20+ boxes of bullets from my grandpa when he passed he loaded for his 243win.

Or I also see a cheap donor action. But not sure what cartridge I’d rechamber it in. I was thinking of a something I could hunt mostly deer writhing 150yds but would be the rifle I’d take out west. I’ve had my eye in the 280ai or the 6.8western for awhile now.

Suggestions?

 

[HingleMcCringleberry]

I would shoot it as is until the barrel is toast, then buy a prefit in 6 creed and rinse/repeat.

6mm is the right mm.

 

[sierracharlie338]

Same. I’d play with the 243 barrel for a while and maybe a new stock. I really dislike the factory stock on my Tikka 243 so I ordered a McMillan to replace it.

 

[Dust Rider]

My daughter has a compact stock .243 tikka. Barrel chopped down to 18”suppressed and it’s so fun to shoot. Great hunting rifle. So compact, accurate and fun to pack around. Will order another Rokstok for this .243.

 

[Ringbill27]

Same. I’d play with the 243 barrel for a while and maybe a new stock. I really dislike the factory stock on my Tikka 243 so I ordered a McMillan to replace it.

I actually like the factory stocks minus the recoil pad. So I’d just find one on eBay or something. The compact is too short for me.

My daughter has a compact stock .243 tikka. Barrel chopped down to 18”suppressed and it’s so fun to shoot.

I’d probably just thread the 20” barrel and thread it.

 

[Dust Rider]

I bought a regular sized take off stock here in the classifieds for $50. They show up often and cheap.

 

[KenLee]

Make/have made a spacer for the stock and install a limbsaver pad.

 

[TaperPin]

Good morning all,

I’m going to pick up a brand new youth model tikka in 243win for $500. But I don’t know what to do with it.

I could keep it and slap a new stock on it and use it for deer and coyote. Also was left with 20+ boxes of bullets from my grandpa when he passed he loaded for his 243win.

Or I also see a cheap donor action. But not sure what cartridge I’d rechamber it in. I was thinking of a something I could hunt mostly deer writhing 150yds but would be the rifle I’d take out west. I’ve had my eye in the 280ai or the 6.8western for awhile now.

Suggestions?

A free 6mm rifle you don’t know if you’ll shoot much isn’t nearly as much fun as showing the bros a fancy new 6.8 Western barrel. Having said that, everyone should have a 243

 

[Ringbill27]

Make/have made a spacer for the stock and install a limbsaver pad.

Limbsavers are a cure all for tikka.

 

[wind gypsy]

The tikka compact model comes with a modular stock allowing shorter LOP but you should still be able to get it to the same LOP as a standard lite stock.

If you don’t want the modular stock I’m sure you could find someone with a kid who’d happily trade you for a regular one.

An 8 twist 243 is about as useful as a gun gets. I’d just be happy with it as is.

 

[Ringbill27]

The tikka compact model comes with a modular stock allowing shorter LOP but you should still be able to get it to the same LOP as a standard lite stock.

If you don’t want the modular stock I’m sure you could find someone with a kid who’d happily trade you for a regular one.

An 8 twist 243 is about as useful as a gun gets. I’d just be happy with it as is.

Wait it comes with a spacer? I could find that info anywhere. Unfortunately this rifle has been on the shelf long enough I think it’s the slower twist.

 

[waspocrew]

Even with the slow twist, a 243 is totally fine for most applications. Once you shoot out the barrel or get bored though, I'd go with a 6 CM. The fast twist really opens options up.

 

[LongWayAround]

Wait it comes with a spacer? I could find that info anywhere. Unfortunately this rifle has been on the shelf long enough I think it’s the slower twist.

The newer, faster twist barrels are stamped as such. The older ones do not have a twist stamp. FYI

 

[wind gypsy]

Wait it comes with a spacer? I could find that info anywhere. Unfortunately this rifle has been on the shelf long enough I think it’s the slower twist.

The “compact” stock comes with a spacer. I’m not sure if there was previously a “youth” model.

 

[Ringbill27]

The “compact” stock comes with a spacer. I’m not sure if there was previously a “youth” model.

Sorry I use those word interchangeably with firearms. Good to know thank you.

 

[Ringbill27]

The newer, faster twist barrels are stamped as such. The older ones do not have a twist stamp. FYI

Good to know. I haven’t look that closely at it yet.

 

[ARK_Ginger]

Knowing what I know now, I should’ve kept my slow twist tikka 243 a 243 and shot the barrel out before getting another takeoff in the faster twist(which wasn’t a thing at the time). But better is the enemy of the good, and shooting high bc factory ammo is better(6 or 6.5 creed).

 

[JAG1]

Limbsavers are a cure all for tikka.

Agreed

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Wait it comes with a spacer? I could find that info anywhere. Unfortunately this rifle has been on the shelf long enough I think it’s the slower twist.

The older slower twist barrels shoot just as accurately!

Do yourself a favor and grab a couple hundred rounds of Hornady 95 Grain SSTs for it. I haven’t seen a Tikka or Sako 243 that didn’t shoot them lights out. They are also incredible bullets on big game, low recoil for target shooting, they blow up varmints, etc.