One Gun to Rule Them All

[DangerRanger]

For hunting, tikka in a rokstok, for competitive shooting…. Ehhhh tikka in a krg


You can for sure shoot the rokstok long if you just want to practice long range

 

[swavescatter]

Expensive lesson to learn: "Custom" rifle builds are generally bull$hit and simply a good way to hemorrhage cash. Modern rifles like Tikka are like Legos - put the pieces together yourself so you learn and save big time.

6.5 Creed is the perfect one gun. Call up Jake at EuroOptic and get the cheapest stainless Tikka they offer. Get a vertical grip and cheek riser and go to town. Save up for an aftermarket stock once you realize what you want. Grab a used Maven RS 1.2 from here - there's going to be a lot dumped on the market now that the S2H scopes are coming out. Sportsmatch T084 rings. Buy a good value suppressor (Airlock or UM seem to be solid choices these days). Have a local gunsmith chop and thread the barrel to your desired length (will need an adapter to go 5/8x24 most likely but that's fine).

Start shooting and familiarizing yourself on how to properly set up a stock Tikka before spending money blindly only to realize you wish you had done something different.

 

[Jordan Smith]

Food for thought, but if your buddies are up to reload (or you are up to get into it), an 8 twist 7mm-08 will do everything a 6.5 CM will do in terms of low recoil loads in the 120 to 140 something bullet class, but can also be loaded up with heavier and higher BC projectiles and do everything a 7mag or PRC will do, just not quite as far out as they will.

More upsides:

Much higher BC bullets available in 7mm for reach out and touch something work.

Feed 308 brass (second only to 5.56 for being the most common rifle brass on the planet) through a sizing die and get instant 7mm-08 brass.

Straddles the fence on suitable powders, so you can use most of the 308 class powders (Varget, R15, H4895, etc) all the way up through all the powders used in. 6.5 Creed and 30-06.

Downsides:

Nobody OEMs a gun with the 1:8 twist you really need to get the flexibility I describe, so you will be getting a prefit or custom barrel put on something (a Tikka is a great candidate). On the upside, chances are good the custom barrel will outshoot the OEM barrel by a fair margin.

You have to reload for it to get the flexibility I describe. There is good factory ammo for it, but not a wide selection. But again with the upside, reloading is super rewarding. I shudde to think of going back to factory ammo anymore.

Just my $0.02 as an old guy. 7mm is the best mm, IMHO.

Another downside is that you need a medium-length action with 3.000”+ of mag length to optimize this setup. Of course, using a Tikka makes this easy with a bolt stop swap and the use of LA mags, but it’s worth pointing out, none-the-less.

 

[NorthIdahoDude]

Another downside is that you need a medium-length action with 3.000”+ of mag length to optimize this setup. Of course, using a Tikka makes this easy with a bolt stop swap and the use of LA mags, but it’s worth pointing out, none-the-less.

Fully optimize for the longest bullets, sure 3 is nice. But it can run just fine, a 2.87 or whatever AICS mag as well. Done it.

 

[Walker6]

Fully optimize for the longest bullets, sure 3 is nice. But it can run just fine, a 2.87 or whatever AICS mag as well. Done it.

Seated optimally, what’s the COAL of a 180 ELDM in a 7-08 case, and what speed could reasonably be expected from an 18” barrel?

 

[BCDJR]

Howdy,

Looking to build one gun to use for pretty much everything. Long range shooting (regularly out to 750, occasionally extend out to 1000yds), hunting mule deer, bear, and elk out west in the mountains, and white tail back east.

Budget would be about $3k. Going to mount either a Maven RS1.2 or Trijicon Tenmile 3-18 to the top (not to be included in that $3k build). I am also left handed unfortunately, so there's another factor. 6.5CM seems to be

Looking for any input those from those who may have gone down this road already. What I'm thinking a semi custom TIKKA 6.5CM build from UM with the RokStok.

I don't have unlimited funds for multiple rifles like this. So this is my one gun to rule them all!

Couple of things to consider since you lead with “ one gun”. I’ve never owned a Tikka but many decades ago I had a couple of Sakos. You need to watch the Cliff Gray video on Understanding the Tikka. He talks about all the changes he recommends to improve the rifle. So others here mentioned cutting the barrel. You want to deal with all that time and costs? I would never buy one for that reason alone. I doubt most folks here making comments on your choices….do not have one gun….same with me. If I had get rid off all my rifles and keep just one…..it would be something that is at least a 7mm or higher. Good luck!

 

[Jusgunn3]

If you are hunting big critters like elk I would go 7mm or 30 cal especially if you are running a can or brake. I’d build a 300wsm in a rem action and you can do it all with some horse power.

 

[43.6N]

For everything you want: Tikka 65creed.
-Scope it with your choice of maven or Swfa 3-15.
-Use remaining funds on a suppressor and reloading setup.

-Sign up for NRL Hunter factory division.

Try as hard as you can to shoot out your barrel over the next year.

Use lessons learned to make a further informed decision on your next barrel.

 

[NorthIdahoDude]

Seated optimally, what’s the COAL of a 180 ELDM in a 7-08 case, and what speed could reasonably be expected from an 18” barrel?

I dunno what OAL is absolutely optimal for that combo in terms of "longest you could seat it and still have enough bullet in the case neck". Most AICS magazines will handle at leas 2.875 OAL, some will make a full 3.0 (my Amend2's top out around 2.88 if memory serves). Seated at that length, in an 18" barrel, QuickLoad you should be able to pretty comfortably touch 2450 FPS with a number of powders (Ramshot Hunter, Reloader 16, AA4350, N550, probably others).

Hodgdon roughly agrees; they show a variety of 175 gran bullets seated super-short at 2.8 OAL up in the mid 2600's from a 24 inch barrel (Ramshot Hunter mostly). Loosely deducing about 30 FPS per inch, that gets you right back to 2450 or a hair over.

If you run a can on it, you'll get a notable velocity bump, but I'm not entirely sure how much.

 

[Jordan Smith]

Seated optimally, what’s the COAL of a 180 ELDM in a 7-08 case, and what speed could reasonably be expected from an 18” barrel?

Here you go. 162 AM next to a 180 ELD-M seated to fit a typical SA, and then where they would need to be seated to align the boattail/body junction of the bullet with the base of the case neck. Ideally, to avoid the donut area of the case, you would want to seat slightly further out, like 3.090" OAL.

 

[Walker6]

Jordan and Dude, thank you.

 

[nm.otter]

Fully optimize for the longest bullets, sure 3 is nice. But it can run just fine, a 2.87 or whatever AICS mag as well. Done it.

A Tikka M+ mag should cover most applications.