I thought I needed a new “big game” hunting rifle

[awpk03s]

I do run a Dead Air Sandman S can on rifles. It’s heavy though. Maybe I’m leaning toward further optimizing this existing rig and just keep shooting it.

I’m confident with my Tikka Tac A1 and dope to shoot anywhere, but need to put more of that time into this setup.

 

[Ripnbst]

Need is the wrong word. That 6.5 loaded properly will kill anything you would hunt in North America to well beyond any distance most guys have any business shooting. But a different optic, like that Trijicon, is a great idea to swap onto this rig. Put a Maven RS1.2 or a Trijicon Tenmile and kill everything from contact to 1k with a 140 ELDM and live your life.

Need is a bad word, but I see nothing wrong with wanting a good companion rifle. If you do a companion rifle, go down in chambering, not up. Build a Tikka in 223 to go with your 6.5 and live happily ever after.

I'd advise if you're going to go down in caliber, only go as small as 6mm CM. Some states have 6mm as a minimum for big game hunting so a .223 would not be legal for use on Big Game in many states. My next rifle will be in 6CM because I realized that I do not currently own a 6mm bore rifle. I have .30 cal and 6.5mm and .270 and others, but no 6mm. Trijicon Tenmile is an awesome scope to put atop a hunting rifle and its what I have on my primary back country rifle. Nightforce NX8 is a great option as well. For a little less money you could take a look at Tract Optics Toric HD but they are on the heavier end.

 

[Ripnbst]

I do run a Dead Air Sandman S can on rifles. It’s heavy though. Maybe I’m leaning toward further optimizing this existing rig and just keep shooting it.

I’m confident with my Tikka Tac A1 and dope to shoot anywhere, but need to put more of that time into this setup.

I started with the Sandman-S as my first can as well running Keymo adapter. Now I've added the Diligent Defense Enticer Ti w/ key mo adapter as my primary precision rifle can.