UM build or local Tikka build?

[Sled]

I've been trying to decide on new 6cm and having trouble. The local builder does a good job (Garrett Preece) and can have one done in two or three weeks with a Proof or CRB. The price is less with local but the CRB is a heavier profile than I like. With UM I may not get the rifle any time this year but it has a better barrel profile for hunting. Plus I've been interested in an ace barrel for a while now. I assume the rok stok is the holdup on most of their builds. Have the nuances been worked out with the stock? Is there any reason to avoid a UM build?

 

[Lawnboi]

If I were in your shoes I’d find my own blank and have it done locally

 

[huntnful]

You can source your own barrel in no time and have it done locally. Absolutely go that route. Or a proof will shoot too.

 

[huntnful]

6mm/.243

Brux 6mm 1-8 twist #4’s and #5’s in stock here

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

Local if you got a good guy/timeframe/price. Any issues / miscommunications can be easily handled vs shipping a gun back and forth. Also a reputable gunsmith doing his own work is different than using a shop where multiple folks may be involved in your gun and could have communication gaps, QAQC misses, staffing issues, etc. Both options have potential to be awesome experiences or headaches, its the nature of the beast, one version is easier to deal with.

 

[waspocrew]

I would 100% have Preece build the rifle. Just order the barrel of your choosing.

 

[B_Reynolds_AK]

I've been trying to decide on new 6cm and having trouble. The local builder does a good job (Garrett Preece) and can have one done in two or three weeks with a Proof or CRB. The price is less with local but the CRB is a heavier profile than I like. With UM I may not get the rifle any time this year but it has a better barrel profile for hunting. Plus I've been interested in an ace barrel for a while now. I assume the rok stok is the holdup on most of their builds. Have the nuances been worked out with the stock? Is there any reason to avoid a UM build?

I see absolutely no reason to even use a gunsmith when it is so easy to buy a Tikka and a prefit & spin it on yourself. You get exactly what you want. There is no way that a gunsmith built rifle would out shoot, or do anything better, than any of the 4 builds that I have done myself in the last year.

Otherwise, like @huntnful said, source your own barrel and bring it to the local guy.

 

[Tx_6UM]

You could also buy a prefit Ace barrel from UM and do the build yourself. Quicker than UM doing the build and you get the barrel you want.

 

[Lawnboi]

I see absolutely no reason to even use a gunsmith when it is so easy to buy a Tikka and a prefit & spin it on yourself. You get exactly what you want. There is no way that a gunsmith built rifle would out shoot, or do anything better, than any of the 4 builds that I have done myself in the last year.

Otherwise, like @huntnful said, source your own barrel and bring it to the local guy.

His local guy is fairly well known, if he was in my back yard I’d be taking stuff there.

But this is correct. The right smith can likely make you a prefit that will shoot as well as something your shipping a rifle out for.

Personally having been screwed by long lead times and bad barrels, I’d prefer to keep my rifle in hand and just screw on new barrels rather than spring 80$+ to ship a rifle around and have a gunsmith play 1 year waiting games.

 

[Deadspace]

Buy an ACE blank from UM and have your local smith build it

 

[hereinaz]

I would buy a UM prefit or do it local, can’t beat a Preece build.

 

[RyanT26]

Buy a barrel from bugholes and send to a local. There is nothing magical about ace barrels.

 

[swavescatter]

I see absolutely no reason to even use a gunsmith when it is so easy to buy a Tikka and a prefit & spin it on yourself. You get exactly what you want. There is no way that a gunsmith built rifle would out shoot, or do anything better, than any of the 4 builds that I have done myself in the last year.

Otherwise, like @huntnful said, source your own barrel and bring it to the local guy.

The only caveat I would add is that if you are a reloader you may run into throat/freebore issues.

I just spun on my first prefit - 223AI. SAAMI min freebore that resulted in a shorter Max COAL than my factory tikka 223. WTF

Working through a fix now with the manufacturer, but I will never again order a prefit without a clear understanding of how much freebore I want for my bullet of choice, and their spec (which they almost never list in the descriptions).

 

[Ucsdryder]

It’s always a pro/con decision. What’s the pro of UM over local? I can’t think of any…

 

[Sled]

Ok, Preece Precision it is. I've done several prefits and am no longer interested in going that route. McGowen, Carbon Six and Crown Ridge have all been junk for me and not worth the effort I've put in. Garrett has always done a good job for me and the smart money is to stick with him and either a proof or another cut rifle blank from a reputable barrel maker.

 

[Sled]

Buy a barrel from bugholes and send to a local. There is nothing magical about ace barrels.

Are they selling to the public again? Last barrel I tried to get from them was around COVID and they weren't an option.

 

[Sled]

Local if you got a good guy/timeframe/price. Any issues / miscommunications can be easily handled vs shipping a gun back and forth. Also a reputable gunsmith doing his own work is different than using a shop where multiple folks may be involved in your gun and could have communication gaps, QAQC misses, staffing issues, etc. Both options have potential to be awesome experiences or headaches, its the nature of the beast, one version is easier to deal with.

That is the largest "pro" I can think of. I don't have the bandwidth to deal with problems anymore and need the easy button. Honestly, if Tikka made a 6cm in a 20" barrel threaded I'd just do that and drop it in a stocky's.

 

[RyanT26]

Are they selling to the public again? Last barrel I tried to get from them was around COVID and they weren't an option.

Yes I believe they are

 

[B_Reynolds_AK]

The only caveat I would add is that if you are a reloader you may run into throat/freebore issues.

I just spun on my first prefit - 223AI. SAAMI min freebore that resulted in a shorter Max COAL than my factory tikka 223. WTF

Working through a fix now with the manufacturer, but I will never again order a prefit without a clear understanding of how much freebore I want for my bullet of choice, and their spec (which they almost never list in the descriptions).

Absolutely, but that’s not a prefit issue, that’s with any build regardless of the source.
Actually with a “custom” prefit from someone like Patriot Valley Arms, you can spec exactly what you want for freebore, regardless of saami specs.

 

[hereinaz]

That is the largest "pro" I can think of. I don't have the bandwidth to deal with problems anymore and need the easy button. Honestly, if Tikka made a 6cm in a 20" barrel threaded I'd just do that and drop it in a stocky's.

How soon do you want it?

I am getting ready to order barrels soon, and will prove out our barrels before shipping them. I am doing barreled actions too.

This was the first 20” 22 creed to proof out, factory trigger no adjustment. 30 rounds

Rather than the bogus 3 round sub moa, but making you prove the barrel is a problem, I am shipping proven barreled actions, give confidence in the “easy button”.

I am going to do this as an add on service. Doing it for the cost of the ammo right now. But, will increase it eventually.