Because I need another rifle

[bnewt3]

Like many(most? all?) of you I find myself thinking about a new rifle.

Purpose: light recoiling, open country rifle in a fastish, flatish cartridge. Pronghorn mostly as im buying points in WY, but also whitetail back east. I got a 110 Tactical in 6.5CM for this purpose/dipping a toe into comp. none of it has happened yet......so of course I need another rifle and thinking about it doesnt cost anything.

I dont reload yet, still waiting to pull the trigger on that. not exactly sure what im waiting for but there it is.

2 things that constrain my search:
1) im a lefty
2) im not spending over $1k on the rifle.

So of course im considering Tikka(I have a SL in 308), and Savage has the New 110 out which is attractive with a(much better than G1 accufit) adjustable stock, but the 243 is 1:9.25 so im wondering about heavier bullets, and the Axis 2 is an option. Threaded sounds good, I dont have a suppressor yet but I likely will before long.

Any other rifle options I should consider?

As far as cartridges, im considering 6CM, 243, 6ARC, maybe 25CM but I dont see much reason to have a 6.5 and 25 .......what else? Because I dont reload yet, i want something im likely to find on shelves/online.

Thanks for the input.

 

[hereinaz]

A 6 arc or 6 creed. Creed will do better in WY wind and is way more than you need for eastern whitetails. Velocity of a .243 makes up for the lower BC bullet so inside 4-500 it’s gonna fall between the ARC and Creed most of the time.

Splitting hairs really if all your choices are factory rifles with 20” or longer barrels. All will be over what you need for your purposes.

IMO, getting an 16 or 18” 6 creed is where it is interesting… What barrel length?

Cost to rebarrel one of your other rifles with a prefit keeps you well under budget.

 

[eric1115]

.22-250 8 twist Tikka rechambered to 22CM would be a strong contender for me if you're open to a 22 cal.

Several good factory ammo options until you are up and running to hand load 77 or 88 TMK's.

Faster and flatter than anything already on your list. Legal for WY deer/PH. Light recoil. What's not to love?

 

[bnewt3]

I only have 2 LH rifles, I dont have any desire to change the 308. and I kinda like the 110 in 6.5CM, both with tons of ammo options.

As far as barrel length, I love the idea of a shorter package, but I also hate giving up velocity....but if I get reloading, I can make some of it back. IDK. Too many routes and none of them are wrong.

 

[bnewt3]

.22-250 8 twist Tikka rechambered to 22CM would be a strong contender for me if you're open to a 22 cal.

Several good factory ammo options until you are up and running to hand load 77 or 88 TMK's.

Faster and flatter than anything already on your list. Legal for WY deer/PH. Light recoil. What's not to love?

Yeah thats something to think about.

 

[nm.otter]

Factory T3x 20" 6mm Creedmoor? Chop ~2" off and re-thread for not much cost.

 

[SloppyJ]

22cm or 6cm would be the ticket. I'm a lefty too but it doesn't have much bearing here in this convo. I just helped a buddy find a 22cm but he wanted a factory option. IMO, there isn't a good factory option out for that anywhere near your price range. About the cheapest you're going to get is a 22-250 or 243 Tikka with the right twist and having it rechambered. Maybe you can find a used one?

I wouldn't hesitate much just using an 8 twist 243 but you're not going to get the high BC bullets to fit in there but a 95BT has done everything I've ever asked of it and more. How far are you wanting to maintain adequate expansion velocity?

6arc in a mini would be another option but I think that the Tikka is the better choice overall, they just don't offer that ppu bolt face for the arc cartridges for Tikkas.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

Since you don’t reload, I suggest getting the cheapest left hand Tikka you can find in the .308-family and sticking a prefit 16-18” high twist 22 or 6 CM on it.

If you got a stainless steel 1:8” .22-250 or 1:8” .243 with the factory 5/8x24 threading, I would probably buy that barrel off you.

 

[hereinaz]

Since you don’t reload, I suggest getting the cheapest left hand Tikka you can find in the .308-family and sticking a prefit 16-18” high twist 22 or 6 CM on it.

If you got a stainless steel 1:8” .22-250 or 1:8” .243 with the factory 5/8x24 threading, I would probably buy that barrel off you.

Unless you want to have the Tikka 308 to shoot, that would be a candidate.

In self promotion, I agree, . There are a lot of happy shooters with them. This is a service we provide for Tikka, and have the short barrel 22 and 6 creed prefits in stock or on order. We will also have 22 and 6 ARC prefits and actions soon.

 

[Coopsdaddy]

Factory T3x 20" 6mm Creedmoor? Chop ~2" off and re-thread for not much cost.

That’s probably the plan there!

 

[bnewt3]

I see Ruger just launched the RA G2 in LH, but from what ive seen its a gamble whether you get a good one.

 

[TheM1DoesMyTalking]

Factory T3x 20" 6mm Creedmoor? Chop ~2" off and re-thread for not much cost.

Maybe eventually, but I haven't heard of any left hand SKUs yet.

Eurooptic hasn't seen any as of last week:

Post in thread 'Will Tikka come out with a 6 CM soon???'

May 6, 2026

Lefty options coming?

Not that I see yet

• EuroOptic

• 

I agree that would be a great option for the OP if/when Tikka offers it.

 

[Kenai_dtracker]

You could just get a Tikka T3x in .270 win and be done with it. I'm a lefty as well and have a 300 WSM Browning A bolt and a Tikka .270. Not even sure if the 270 kicks, and ammo is everywhere. It's not sexy, but it just works.

 

[hereinaz]

Maybe eventually, but I haven't heard of any left hand SKUs yet.

Eurooptic hasn't seen any as of last week:

Post in thread 'Will Tikka come out with a 6 CM soon???'

May 6, 2026

Lefty options coming?

Not that I see yet

• EuroOptic

• 

I agree that would be a great option for the OP if/when Tikka offers it.

I would not count on a 6 creed, I have two distributors with their list and they have no idea when Beretta will bring them across the pond yet. Who knows how long that process will take. Could be days, could be weeks or months. I was told Tikka was making them by their rep at SHOT 2025.

 

[Cherokeeguide]

2) im not spending over $1k on the rifle.

In 1950, the MSRP of the Remington 721 started at about $90.00 and the only serious domestic U.S. made competition it had was the Winchester Model 70, with an MSRP starting at $110.00.

It got some additional competition in 1958 when Savage introduced the Model 110, which got its model number from its $110.00 MSRP.

Those prices sound cheap until you consider that it takes $1,200.00 2026 dollars to buy what $90.00 did back in 1950. A Winchester Model 70 would have set the sport of yore back about the equivalent of $1,500.00 and change in 1950. The Savage 110 was introduced in 1958 at a price equivalent to $1,256.87 in 2026 money.

The Remington 721 and Savage 110 were the discount bargain bin bolt action rifles of their day, yet they still cost the sport of yore more than "$1K" and he very likely paid cash for it, as most people didn't have credit cards to rent their lifestyle with.

The sport of yore demanded a certain level of quality, reliability, and long-term durability, and he was willing to pay for it in exchange for one good rifle to cover all of his hooved game bases.

Pronghorn mostly as im buying points in WY, but also whitetail back east.

The sport of yore would have taken his one good rifle and gone hunting. He wouldn't be splitting hairs over the ballistics of one cartridge over another. He'd have settled that issue before spending over a grand on his one good rifle. He'd have recognized that anything from the pipsqueak .250-3000 Savage on up to the mighty ought-six will kill pronghorn and whitetail as far off as they're commonly shot. He'd "run what he brung" rather than buy something special for a hunt he might not ever actually take.

Even if he could have, he wouldn't have done this:

and the Axis 2 is an option.

Here in 2026, though, we'd rather have a gun safe full of over-lapping discount bolt action bargain-bin mediocrity at best or the craptastic at worst than pay what a rifle of true quality should cost today.