Tikka youth build

catsfan20

FNG
Joined
Apr 14, 2021
Messages
23
I am in the process of building a rifle for my young boys to have as their first rifle. I have a Tikka action and sourced a tikka compact stock as a chasis just was too much at this time. I am going to build the rifle in 6cm and am in the process of finding a barrel for my smith to chamber and thread. I am going to cut the barrel to 18” and thread it for a Silencer Co Harvester Evo to sit on it once things all get approved. I am leaning towards a Bartlein in 3B mainly because I found one in stock. Will this fit the stock without much dremel work or do I need to go down to a 3 or 2B? Also any idea what that barrel will weight at 18”?
 

left hunter

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 6, 2013
Messages
174
If your not dead set on a 6mm Creedmoor and reload the new tikka 243’s are 1-8 twist.
Pretty much a copy of the creedmoor In performance with that twist and would save you a bunch of money
 
OP
C

catsfan20

FNG
Joined
Apr 14, 2021
Messages
23
If your not dead set on a 6mm Creedmoor and reload the new tikka 243’s are 1-8 twist.
Pretty much a copy of the creedmoor In performance with that twist and would save you a bunch of money
That was a consideration. Part of me is a little selfishly building a rifle for me too so that when they grow into a real stock we have a long range gun to shoot together if they take a real interest in it.

The thought of just buying a tikka stainless lite putting the compact stock on and having the barrel cut and threaded is still an option though. I can save the action I just bought for something else or sell it to fund my future 7PRC tikka build for my new hunting setup.
 
Joined
Jul 28, 2014
Messages
3,743
That was a consideration. Part of me is a little selfishly building a rifle for me too so that when they grow into a real stock we have a long range gun to shoot together if they take a real interest in it.

The thought of just buying a tikka stainless lite putting the compact stock on and having the barrel cut and threaded is still an option though. I can save the action I just bought for something else or sell it to fund my future 7PRC tikka build for my new hunting setup.

I went the Tikka 243 compact route at first. Now she is 16 but still small framed , I put a brake on my Tikka 6.5cm and slapped it in the compact stock for her. I think your on a good track with the 6cm but wouldn’t discount a 6.5 , so mild shooting and ammo selection is awesome.
 
OP
C

catsfan20

FNG
Joined
Apr 14, 2021
Messages
23
I went the Tikka 243 compact route at first. Now she is 16 but still small framed , I put a brake on my Tikka 6.5cm and slapped it in the compact stock for her. I think your on a good track with the 6cm but wouldn’t discount a 6.5 , so mild shooting and ammo selection is awesome.
My thought on 6mm is it’s will be mild shooting, great at range and then down the road they can make a call on a caliber of rifle to be their own as they move up to hunting on their own. I probably could have just gone with the 243 but I like to have something a little different every once and a while. In saying that, going that direction would give me more to put towards my elk rifle build.
 

Colby

WKR
Joined
Jun 25, 2013
Messages
309
Location
Sandy Oregon
Preferred barrel blanks will make you a shouldered pre fit in 6cm and match the factory contour. Might be cheaper than buying a barrel and having it chambered and for sure no stock work.
I just ordered one so I can’t say anything other than they are available.
 
OP
C

catsfan20

FNG
Joined
Apr 14, 2021
Messages
23
Preferred barrel blanks will make you a shouldered pre fit in 6cm and match the factory contour. Might be cheaper than buying a barrel and having it chambered and for sure no stock work.
I just ordered one so I can’t say anything other than they are available.
I have looked into prefits, but I’m not sure of my ability to install one, definitely not the tools. I have read threads about difficult to remove tikka barrels, but I guess since I have just the action I wouldn’t have that problem.
 
OP
C

catsfan20

FNG
Joined
Apr 14, 2021
Messages
23
In case anyone was wondering the tikka compact stock weight is 1lb 10.6oz.BAEF6E12-1624-4048-93AE-F1F333C835EF.jpeg
 
OP
C

catsfan20

FNG
Joined
Apr 14, 2021
Messages
23
I ended up buying the Bartlein barrel that was in stock at Mile High Shooting as the price was lower than shown on Bartlein’s website by about $40. I’m thinking the 3b profile should weigh a bit under 3lbs cut down to 18”. I plan to put a VX3 HD scope on the rifle, so I should be around 8 lbs ready to shoot. My kids are going to have a nice rifle than me at this point.
 
OP
C

catsfan20

FNG
Joined
Apr 14, 2021
Messages
23
I finally got the barreled action back and milled out the stock for the larger barrel. Right now it’s sitting as a 6mm creedmore with an 18” Bartlein 3b barrel with a Tikka action and Tikka compact stock. Put a Leupold vx3 hd 3.5x10 on it with Talley rings. Weighs in at just under 8 lbs fully loaded. The barrel profile maybe was a little heavy, but hopefully this is a shooter. Still needs the suppressor to be let out of jail and it’s good to go.

I even picked up a new place to hunt this fall with easy access for youth season, so now just need to practice. Any recommendations for a tripod to help kids shoot in a blind?EE663856-0113-4EEB-B476-880B40D195FA.jpegpBC54042D-F2E7-4417-84A5-B8BECEBD4A72.jpeg
 
OP
C

catsfan20

FNG
Joined
Apr 14, 2021
Messages
23
Got my Suppressor out of jail this week. Rifle is finished and ready to start getting it dialed in. First groups are promising with Barnes and sig ammo. Needless to say I’m happy with the build and look forward to my kids enjoying it with me.68D2104F-29F2-45BC-947A-22F979FAC1B8.jpegA2F4EE3B-681A-4EEC-8B21-63514F55A58F.jpeg
 

TexLuke

FNG
Joined
Jul 21, 2023
Messages
18
Location
Texas
I like that build. I did something similar but cheaper for my son: t3 lite SS in 243, I’m a compact stock with vertical grip, 1/2” muzzle threads at 18” with a 5/8” adapter to run a lightweight Ti can. It works great but I’ll eventually swap the barrel to something like yours, a 6cm in 3bish contour for 5/8” muzzle threads with a good shoulder..

As already mentioned l the newer t3x lites in 243 now come with 8 twist barrels so one of those would be the easy button for a relatively cheap 6mm hunting build…
 
OP
C

catsfan20

FNG
Joined
Apr 14, 2021
Messages
23
I like that build. I did something similar but cheaper for my son: t3 lite SS in 243, I’m a compact stock with vertical grip, 1/2” muzzle threads at 18” with a 5/8” adapter to run a lightweight Ti can. It works great but I’ll eventually swap the barrel to something like yours, a 6cm in 3bish contour for 5/8” muzzle threads with a good shoulder..

As already mentioned l the newer t3x lites in 243 now come with 8 twist barrels so one of those would be the easy button for a relatively cheap 6mm hunting build…
I think from a balance point with the supressor, a 2B profile would have been better, but I found the 3B on sale and went with it. I'd say once I put a full sized stock on it, the balance my feel more centered. It definitely wasn't a budget route and I probably should have just gotten a 243 and just saved the money, but I got a little caught up in the excitement of building one from an action.

The silencer co harvester evo has a 5/8 and 1/2 direct thread adapter, so I went ahead and threaded my Superlite in .308 but haven't shot it yet.
 
Top