New Tikka Rifle - Drover Ranch Rifle

[MRW]

Looks like Tikka came out with a new version of the T3x. The specs look good for a practical/ranch rifle. It's chambered in .308, has a 20 inch barrel, and weighs in at 6.4 lbs.

Price is a little high. I've seen them locally advertised at $1299. I haven't handled one yet so I'm not sure how good the Battue-style sites are and don't know they would interact with optics. Anyone use them before?

I was saving up for some other projects this year but this rifle might get my money. I've been impressed with the Tikka T3x compact a family member has in 7mm-08.

https://www.lipseys.com/itemdetail?itemno=BEJRTXWV316%2F20

[Sensei]

16” or bust.

I’d also rather have a Picatinny scope base.

[ccmdfd]

16” or bust.

I’d also rather have a Picatinny scope base.

+1 on both of these statements.

[Lost River]

Having shot a number of short .308s, I will take the 20" barrel as an all around every time. It is perfect (in my experience). Short enough to be maneuverable and long enough to have some good velocity numbers. Plus the balance is there.

I put together a rifle that was extremely similar. I used my 20" stainless threaded barreled action. Then put it in a laminate stock that was cut to accept 10 round AI mags. It was slick. It looked very similar to the Tikka T3 Arctic rifle that the Canadian Rangers were issued recently. However, when it was all said and done, as much as I enjoyed it, I decided it was WAY too heavy for what I wanted to use it for. A large part of the intended use for the rifle would be traversing fairly steep terrain where weight played a factor. So the laminate stock got put aside until I acquire another T3 action, and I put the 20" barreled action back in the McMillan Edge stock. Definitely the right move there.

As far as the rifle offered, it looks like a very nice gun, ready to go, right out of the box. Composite stock keeps it light. Threaded barrel for a brake or can, iron sights as needed. Pretty cool really.

[Paul D]

It looks like it has the RoughTech stock which is much more solid and feels better in the hand compared to the standard T3X stock.
The express iron sights are nice but they would probably preclude the use of a quick change scope. The Tikka rings and mount combos do not included a QD option.
Putting a rail on top would probably block a clear view of the rear sight.
Those mags are expensive: $100 per 10 round mag.

I would probably get their Battue version: TX3 stock, no threaded barrel, same sights, you can add a bolt knob and can use the standard 5 round mags at $40 per mag. $855 online.

https://choose.tikka.fi/assets/tikka_t3x/t3x-battue-lite/w_1920,h_1080/tikka_t3x__t3x-battue-lite__pov__1.png

[MRW]

The weight is attractive. I was interested in the commercial version of the Canadian Ranger rifle but it was a heavy gun.

The sites on this give me pause. The rifle is drilled and tapped but the design of the irons looks makes me wonder how they would co-exist with a red dot or a LPV. Also, not sure if the hood of the front site is removable. I like the threaded barrel too. A suppressor might make it less handy, but as I get older, I'm interested in preserving my hearing. There are other ways to do that too.

[rob_s]

I’m really intrigued by both of these models.

Love the fact that it’s got the irons, also a fan of the threaded barrel (to which I’d add a hider/can mount to have options). I’m also just fine with the 20in barrel given they seem to have still gotten the weight down.

Given the optic mounting method I wonder if there’d be a way to mount an optic with a qd feature to be able to go back to irons.

I shot a gun recently with the old see-through scope bases and wouldn’t want to have to resort to that.

Still has the same problem as all Tikas with that small-ish loading port. Wish they’d open that up a bit more.

[okie john]

The cool thing about this rifle is that it's built from standard parts combined in a non-standard (until now) configuration. It looks like battue sights can work pretty well with an optic.

Battue rifles with various optics: https://enoughgun.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6753

Another Battue rifle with a relatively low-mounted optic: https://www.snipershide.com/shooting/threads/tikka-t3-hunter-308-aftermarket-stocks.6376275/

The Drover is on gunbroker.com now for $1,299. If you want fast handling and light weight, then check out the T3x Compact for $749 MSRP.

116616

With that Leupold scope and the 12" LOP, it handles like a quail gun, it weighs well under 7 pounds, and it shoots like a Tikka. Details at https://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?59957-Tikka-Rebate-Heads-Up The $550 difference should cover cutting and threading the barrel with plenty left over for ammo.

What Tikka really needs to do is bring back the Boar Hunter, but in 308.

116617

I've been told that it used the Sako 85 Black Bear barrel with Recknagel sights, but I refuse to understand why anyone ever thought it was a good idea to build it in 300 WM and 338 WM.


Okie John

[MRW]

Didn't even know about the Tikka Boar Hunter. I agree that one of those in .308 would be ideal.

Looks like there are optics options with the sites. I've shot the T3x compact in 7mm-08. It is a nice handling rifle.

[ECVMatt]

I actually like this rifle quite a bit. I like the 20" tube and it looks like a compact scope with fit without interference with the scope. The mags are expensive, but I don't see needing as many as I would for an AR style platform.

[LittleLebowski]

I love .308, but I’m tired of it being the only option. 6-6.5mm for those of use with range, please.

[Paul D]

I've handle this gun before: Savage 110 Hog Hunter. I think it's a great gun if you truly want a gun you won't mind abusing a little.

20 inch threaded barrel with 1:10" twist (vs 1:11" twist for the Tikka). 7.3 lbs. Mags are 4 rounds but $40 each. Large bolt handle. Pretty decent adjustable trigger. Sights are probably more useful. You can have detachable rings. Stock is kinda meh. $550 most places.

https://www.savagearms.com/DAM/assets/web/800/110_HogHunter_Angle.png

[Clusterfrack]

I love .308, but I’m tired of it being the only option. 6-6.5mm for those of use with range, please.

Agree. Also please stop with the obsolete stocks that make getting a decent cheekweld impossible.

[GJM]

https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2024/03/26/tfb-first-look-new-steyr-scout-mk-ii/

[ccmdfd]

Agree. Also please stop with the obsolete stocks that make getting a decent cheekweld impossible.

Yeah, I love Tika, have had nothing but good results from several of them. However, they are quite slow to change. They still offer most of their barrels in rather old fashioned twist rates, not designed for the more modern ammo. They are not quick to adopt new cartridges, chamberings. And they do have a rather outdated stock design

I also simply don't need another shortish 308.. maybe in 7 mm-08 that would be a different story

[gato naranja]

The weight is attractive. I was interested in the commercial version of the Canadian Ranger rifle but it was a heavy gun.

I put together a rifle that was extremely similar. I used my 20" stainless threaded barreled action. Then put it in a laminate stock that was cut to accept 10 round AI mags. It was slick. It looked very similar to the Tikka T3 Arctic rifle that the Canadian Rangers were issued recently. However, when it was all said and done, as much as I enjoyed it, I decided it was WAY too heavy for what I wanted to use it for. A large part of the intended use for the rifle would be traversing fairly steep terrain where weight played a factor. So the laminate stock got put aside until I acquire another T3 action, and I put the 20" barreled action back in the McMillan Edge stock. Definitely the right move there.

When I was toying with the idea of s**tcanning all my centerfire rifles and getting one of the (then-new) Tikka Arctics to be my retired geezer multirole rifle, one of the lads shows up with one... and it did seem like a bit much to haul anywhere on foot, and it was probably not going to get lighter as I got older. I have been an ounce-counter now and then WRT other outdoor activities/gear, but I don't let it drive my firearms choices... up to a point.

As much as I like the concept of that Tikka Arctic and some of the Ruger GSRs (an aperture rear sight has been a desideratum and stainless steel an imperative), I put the whole idea on the back burner for the time being.

This Drover Ranch has irons that would likely be difficult for me to use for anything but a snap sighting picture, but I may be coming around to accepting that on a handy rifle as long as I am not intending to use them unless an optic craps out.

[MRW]

Also looks like there are other rifles in the Tikka ranch rifle lineup. Not on their page but on few vendors' pages. Different configurations are available. One with a 16" .308 barrell, but nothing in 6.5.

https://www.eurooptic.com/Tikka-T3x-Ranch-Rifles.aspx

[okie john]

When I was toying with the idea of s**tcanning all my centerfire rifles and getting one of the (then-new) Tikka Arctics to be my retired geezer multirole rifle, one of the lads shows up with one... and it did seem like a bit much to haul anywhere on foot, and it was probably not going to get lighter as I got older. I have been an ounce-counter now and then WRT other outdoor activities/gear, but I don't let it drive my firearms choices... up to a point.

As much as I like the concept of that Tikka Arctic and some of the Ruger GSRs (an aperture rear sight has been a desideratum and stainless steel an imperative), I put the whole idea on the back burner for the time being.

This Drover Ranch has irons that would likely be difficult for me to use for anything but a snap sighting picture, but I may be coming around to accepting that on a handy rifle as long as I am not intending to use them unless an optic craps out.

I’ve gotten to the point where I use a 308 or 30-06 for everything. I grew up on peep sights and I spent years going down rabbit holes on them before I learned a few things:
Optics are superior to any iron sight in low light. They add 45-60 minutes to each end of the hunting day, and that’s when you’re most likely to find game where I live.
A peep sight belongs on the bridge of a bolt gun, which interferes with most top mounts. Side mounts put the scope higher than is ideal and balance gets weird. Scout scopes leave the bridge free but bring a host of other issues to the table.
A rifle properly stocked for conventional irons doesn’t work well with a scope and vice versa. Some of the newer red dot sights are almost low enough to work, but they don't offer any magnification.
If an optical sight best meets your needs, then the best replacement if it fails is another one. That said, the failures that were common in the 20th century are extremely rare today. A blow sufficient to wreck a good modern optic will probably damage your rifle so badly that replacing the sight will be the least of your worries.
If your optic does fail and you switch to iron sights, then they should co-witness. That’s easy with black rifles but not with bolt guns. You also need to train using both. Many years ago, I missed a close but fast shot on a spectacular blacktail buck because I failed to do this, and I did it in front of a witness who has never let me forget it.
These days I run a low-powered scope in conventional mounts, with a backup scope in camp or in my truck.

I love the way that iron sights look, but I’m done paying much attention to them.


Okie John

[gato naranja]

I love the way that iron sights look, but I’m done paying much attention to them.

In my case, it is an old man's bugaboo that any rifle must have "backup irons" on it; insisting it be an aperture rear is probably OCD and something beyond mere "belt & suspenders." This may be diminishing a bit as my mortal goalpost gets closer. I am perfectly happy with an "upper mid-tier" LPVO on almost any rifle these days, or a red dot on a PCC (lever or otherwise).

[okie john]

In my case, it is an old man's bugaboo that any rifle must have "backup irons" on it; insisting it be an aperture rear is probably OCD and something beyond mere "belt & suspenders." This may be diminishing a bit as my mortal goalpost gets closer. I am perfectly happy with an "upper mid-tier" LPVO on almost any rifle these days, or a red dot on a PCC (lever or otherwise).

There are worse options than the Remington 700 Youth Model made in the 2000s.

116732


Okie John

[Matt C.]

It looks like it has the RoughTech stock which is much more solid and feels better in the hand compared to the standard T3X stock.
The express iron sights are nice but they would probably preclude the use of a quick change scope. The Tikka rings and mount combos do not included a QD option.
Putting a rail on top would probably block a clear view of the rear sight.
Those mags are expensive: $100 per 10 round mag.

I would probably get their Battue version: TX3 stock, no threaded barrel, same sights, you can add a bolt knob and can use the standard 5 round mags at $40 per mag. $855 online.

https://choose.tikka.fi/assets/tikka_t3x/t3x-battue-lite/w_1920,h_1080/tikka_t3x__t3x-battue-lite__pov__1.png Have one in 9.3
You won't be disappointed


Sent from my SM-S911U using Tapatalk

[SWAMPARSE]

The cool thing about this rifle is that it's built from standard parts combined in a non-standard (until now) configuration. It looks like battue sights can work pretty well with an optic.

Battue rifles with various optics: https://enoughgun.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6753

Another Battue rifle with a relatively low-mounted optic: https://www.snipershide.com/shooting/threads/tikka-t3-hunter-308-aftermarket-stocks.6376275/

The Drover is on gunbroker.com now for $1,299. If you want fast handling and light weight, then check out the T3x Compact for $749 MSRP.

116616

With that Leupold scope and the 12" LOP, it handles like a quail gun, it weighs well under 7 pounds, and it shoots like a Tikka. Details at https://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?59957-Tikka-Rebate-Heads-Up The $550 difference should cover cutting and threading the barrel with plenty left over for ammo.

What Tikka really needs to do is bring back the Boar Hunter, but in 308.

116617

I've been told that it used the Sako 85 Black Bear barrel with Recknagel sights, but I refuse to understand why anyone ever thought it was a good idea to build it in 300 WM and 338 WM.


Okie John


As a general response and with praise for the Tikka T3 Boar Hunter: I have one and can recommend many good aspects.
I have a good copy in 30-06 and regard that the velocity loss is acceptable vs. a more optimal 24-inch barrel for the slight handling advantages gained in heavy bush. Also, I prefer heavy bullets for caliber and the 30-06 and the Tikka chamber well support 200 grain bullets, only the Tikka magazine limits OAL length reloads that both fit the magazine and feed well.
I deploy the rifle with a 4x fixed scope, but I have used the express style sights alone and even a Red Dot sight. The best advantage in dark woods is the magnification and clarity of the scope.
After this much time (12 years?) some of the dipped camo is flaking off. I am considering a new paint with some added grit on the wrist area for handling confidence. The ergonomics with a scope and open sights alike is still very good.
The optimized reload that I have with whitetail in mind is a 170 grain FP loaded to about 2500-2600 fps. This is in effect a Win 307. The recoil is very manageable and follow on shots is very possible. Otherwise, I trend toward heavier 180 round nose bullets or 200 grain soft points and Partition bullets.

Best

Swamparse

[David S.]

The express iron sights are nice but they would probably preclude the use of a quick change scope. The Tikka rings and mount combos do not included a QD option.
Putting a rail on top would probably block a clear view of the rear sight.

I'm a retard. Wouldn't something like these Tikka dovetail QD rings (https://warnescopemounts.com/1tlm-warne-1-inch-tikka-qd-med-matte-rings/) solve that issue?

[Paul D]

I'm a retard. Wouldn't something like these Tikka dovetail QD rings (https://warnescopemounts.com/1tlm-warne-1-inch-tikka-qd-med-matte-rings/) solve that issue?

No, I'm retarded. Those rings will work.

[breakingtime91]

What optic would go well on one of these?

[David S.]

This seems like a perfect candidate for a RDS, LPVO or something like a 2-7x, depending on the role.

[breakingtime91]

This seems like a perfect candidate for a RDS, LPVO or something like a 2-7x, depending on the role.

I was thinking this with a 2-10 of some flavor would be a good field rifle and deer rifle.

[MRW]

I picked one of these up recently. Europtic has them for less than a grand. I haven't shot it yet. I plan to mess around with the irons. It's probably going to end up with something like a Leupold VX3-HD 1.5 - 4x. Plan is to use it for a walking around or woods rifle for deer and/or bear.

[JonInWA]

I resolutely remaining old school, despite probably compelling logic to explore more contemporary alternatives.

Lee Enfield No.4 Mk 1 in .303, with the OEM micrometer ladder rear sight....mine shoots 1.5" groups at 100 yards, with 150 gr bullets at 3268 fps which it seems to prefer, which is fine for my perceived needs.

My hesitation to moving to the Tikka T3X Arctic is my understanding that the sights are set up for 180 gr .308, as well as the expense of the magazines, and that you don't have the option to reload via chargers, and single cartridge loading looks a bit difficult.

https://i.imgur.com/ynmzcflh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/z6nPfTth.jpg

Best, Jon

[SecondsCount]

I resolutely remaining old school, despite probably compelling logic to explore more contemporary alternatives.

Lee Enfield No.4 Mk 1 in .303, with the OEM micrometer ladder rear sight....mine shoots 1.5" groups at 100 yards, with 150 gr bullets at 3268 fps which it seems to prefer, which is fine for my perceived needs.

My hesitation to moving to the Tikka T3X Arctic is my understanding that the sights are set up for 180 gr .308, as well as the expense of the magazines, and that you don't have the option to reload via chargers, and single cartridge loading looks a bit difficult.

Best, Jon

Please clarify- What ammo are you using that is giving 3268 FPS with a 150 grain bullet in 303?

1.5" groups at 100 yards with open sights on a military rifle is extremely good shooting.

[JonInWA]

Please clarify- What ammo are you using that is giving 3268 FPS with a 150 grain bullet in 303?

1.5" groups at 100 yards with open sights on a military rifle is extremely good shooting.

Privi Partizan, with the data from their website, which I muddled.....

https://www.prvipartizan.com/search_rb.php?id=A-382

Ok, my bad; I thought they'd flipped the muzzle velocity and energy figures, but Captain Mathematics here failed to realize that they were respectively in meters and joules; when converted, they come out to a muzzle velocity of 2,434 fps and 1,972 foot pounds of energy at 100 yards....Gibbs back-of-head slap to be self-administered....

Checking Hornady's chart for their .303 British 150gr Interlock, it shows 2685 fps for muzzle velocity, with 1985 foot pounds of energy @ 100 yards, which sounds like a reasonable comparison.

Regardless of the actual fps figure, the cartridges are well made, accurate and clean shooting. For whatever reasons, my No. 4 Mk1 really prefers 150 gr as opposed to 174 gr (although it's still eminently shootable with the 174 gr, it just does better with the 150's). I've never tried the 180 gr offerings.

Best, Jon

[SecondsCount]

Privi Partizan, with the data from their website, which I muddled.....

https://www.prvipartizan.com/search_rb.php?id=A-382

Ok, my bad; I thought they'd flipped the muzzle velocity and energy figures, but Captain Mathematics here failed to realize that they were respectively in meters and joules; when converted, they come out to a muzzle velocity of 2,434 fps and 1,972 foot pounds of energy at 100 yards....Gibbs back-of-head slap to be self-administered....

Checking Hornady's chart for their .303 British 150gr Interlock, it shows 2685 fps for muzzle velocity, with 1985 foot pounds of energy @ 100 yards, which sounds like a reasonable comparison.

Regardless of the actual fps figure, the cartridges are well made, accurate and clean shooting. For whatever reasons, my No. 4 Mk1 really prefers 150 gr as opposed to 174 gr (although it's still eminently shootable with the 174 gr, it just does better with the 150's). I've never tried the 180 gr offerings.

Best, Jon

That sounds better, unless you were shooting 303 Ackley Improved Turbo Magnum! 😂

[gato naranja]

Lee Enfield No.4 Mk 1 in .303, with the OEM micrometer ladder rear sight...

Once upon a time, I had a post-WWII Fazakerly specimen with two groove rifling and a very "generous" chamber... one that would have accommodated a cartridge dipped in honey and rolled in sand. The spent brass from it was visually sort of frightening, and the resizing thereof kept case life short. Nonetheless, it was a good shooter, if a bit much to lug around.

I respect the rifle and cartridge as a reliable, practical combination that deserves more recognition than it gets nowadays. "It slaps men down quite satisfactorily," as Roy Dunlap put it.

[JonInWA]

I consider it (with commercial loadings) to be sort of a ".308 Lite." Comparing like to like, using similar Hornady cartridges for comparison:

.303 British 150 gr Interlock Hornady Custom Spire Point: Muzzle Velocity: 2,685 fps Energy @ 100 Yards: 1,985 ft/lbs

.308 150 gr Interlock Hornady American Whitetail: Muzzle Velocity: 2,820 fps Energy @ 100 Yards: 2,184 ft/lbs

.303 British is very comfortable and controllable to shoot.

When hunting with it, I'll carry 5 rounds in the magazine, and 10 rounds in stripper clips in the buttstock pouches.

In defensive use, for home defense I'm fine with the .303 Lee Enfield, as I've got an adequate stock of bandoliered cartridges, but if I have to venture away from the homestead, I'll switch to a 5.56 or .30-06 platform for easier ammunition availability for replacement.

Best, Jon

[RevolverRob]

Rifle this light - Leupold VX3 1.5-5x would be my choice. That scope weighs about 14oz.

[Borderland]

What do Fins know about drovers and ranch rifles? I would think they know more about military rifles to repel Russian invaders.

[Rex G]

What do Fins know about drovers and ranch rifles? I would think they know more about military rifles to repel Russian invaders.

Well, the Sami people are, I reckon, “reindeer drovers.” ;)

[mtnbkr]

I've handle this gun before: Savage 110 Hog Hunter. I think it's a great gun if you truly want a gun you won't mind abusing a little.

20 inch threaded barrel with 1:10" twist (vs 1:11" twist for the Tikka). 7.3 lbs. Mags are 4 rounds but $40 each. Large bolt handle. Pretty decent adjustable trigger. Sights are probably more useful. You can have detachable rings. Stock is kinda meh. $550 most places.

https://www.savagearms.com/DAM/assets/web/800/110_HogHunter_Angle.png

I've had the Hog Hunter for nearly 15 years now. The stock is garbage (mine was the earlier blind mag version). Get the Magpul Hunter stock. It's also very barrel heavy, especially with the factory stock. But you can beat on it and not feel bad.

The sights weren't great for me. I replaced the barrel-mounted rear with a receiver-mounted peep but eventually went to a proper scope.

Chris

[Borderland]

Well, the Sami people are, I reckon, “reindeer drovers.” ;)

Deer herders. That probably gets one into the club.

I'm looking at this one for a bolt .223 carbine. I just need to find one locally to coon finger. I sold my Howa Mini and want something else.

[MountainRaven]

Deer herders. That probably gets one into the club.

I'm looking at this one for a bolt .223 carbine. I just need to find one locally to coon finger. I sold my Howa Mini and want something else.

Well, caribou, but same idea. Ish.

[entropy]

I resolutely remaining old school, despite probably compelling logic to explore more contemporary alternatives.

Lee Enfield No.4 Mk 1 in .303, with the OEM micrometer ladder rear sight....mine shoots 1.5" groups at 100 yards, with 150 gr bullets at 3268 fps which it seems to prefer, which is fine for my perceived needs.

My hesitation to moving to the Tikka T3X Arctic is my understanding that the sights are set up for 180 gr .308, as well as the expense of the magazines, and that you don't have the option to reload via chargers, and single cartridge loading looks a bit difficult.

https://i.imgur.com/ynmzcflh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/z6nPfTth.jpg

Best, Jon


Master baths can be very dangerous places…I’m glad you’re prepared! lol

Nice rifle. Always had a soft spot for the Enfield.

Where did you get the stock pack? That looks incredibly useful.

[entropy]

Once upon a time, I had a post-WWII Fazakerly specimen with two groove rifling and a very "generous" chamber... one that would have accommodated a cartridge dipped in honey and rolled in sand. The spent brass from it was visually sort of frightening, and the resizing thereof kept case life short. Nonetheless, it was a good shooter, if a bit much to lug around.

I respect the rifle and cartridge as a reliable, practical combination that deserves more recognition than it gets nowadays. "It slaps men down quite satisfactorily," as Roy Dunlap put it.


You too huh?

I messed with mine (Fazarkely) incessantly for waaay too long. I finally ended up on using the Hornady 174gr round nose with it. Everything else literally hit sideways. Similarly, another (Maltby) was a bit easier to figure out and settled on the Sierra 180gr ProHunter for that. It’s actually quite accurate with that out to 300yd or so which is the farthest I’ve taken it.

Like all things British, they require abnormal amounts of tinkering to function properly. Anyone remotely interested in either the Enfield (any Mk) or the .303 cartridge should invest in “Shooting & Reloading the .303 British and the .303 Epps” by Stephen Redgwell. It’s pretty much a requirement for success.

[MRW]

What do Fins know about drovers and ranch rifles? I would think they know more about military rifles to repel Russian invaders.

I think the original name for the rifle was "Boomslang". It's a green venomous Sub-Saharan snake. Someone along the line in Tikka's marketing shop decided Drover would be more appropriate. Saw this in an article online and I saw it somewhere at the store where I bought it.

[JonInWA]

Master baths can be very dangerous places…I’m glad you’re prepared! lol

Nice rifle. Always had a soft spot for the Enfield.

Where did you get the stock pack? That looks incredibly useful.

LOL! That's the guest bath AKA temporary safe room! The stock pouch is from an outfit called Strike Hard, and was made for Mosin Nagant stripper clips, but fits on the Lee Enfield (and similarly on my FN49 and also held the 5 round box magazines for a previous CZ 527) beautifully. They're very well made, and are attached via paracord lacing; on mine, I have my tailor sew green felt underneath so the stock won't be marred by the metal eyelets.

The portion in back (with the American flag) is a magnetic retaining strap, which gathers up the Magpul RLS sling (which incorporates and modernizes the best features of the Rhodesian and 1907 slings)-it's a great sling for classic rifles, and is dirt cheap at $25); the magnetic retaining strap prevents the RLS from flapping around and snagging when I'm using the tactical carry sling, and also prevents that sling's HK-type hook from marring the wood of the stock. It's a sling that I was T&E'ing for Amazon; the two sling system isn't heavy and has worked well. The tactical sling is easily unhooked from the sling swivel mount and removed if desired. Another advantage of the retaining strap is that it's positioned such that it also helps keep the buttstock pouches in place on the buttstock, minimizing their movement and any slippage.

Unfortunately, I'm not sure if the Strike Hard buttstock pouch is available. If not, it's worth a eBay search, as they're very well made and handy.

https://i.imgur.com/xn2nZXfh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/mXTWczph.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/1b2qh4lh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/ynmzcflh.jpg

I also added a Pachmayr Deaccelerator pad; not that .303 recoil is that onerous, but it made things a bit more comfortable and increased the stock length a tad which I preferred. It's a slip-on pad; I believe that mine is either the Small or Medium, but they provide the measurements to pick the one for the best fit on your rifle.

https://www.lymanproducts.com/brands/pachmayr/recoil-pads/decelerator-slip-on-pads

Best, Jon

[JonInWA]

Here's the tactical sling from Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Points-Length-Adjuster-Traditional-Mutiple/dp/B0CGPDXK4F/ref=sr_1_7?crid=87LJW6DF0FIA&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.iiPRSrfNVWlYfE9lKXvXwAV5yx1NMS8gQ MqalBC-FDTTawjiUB87

While there are certainly higher-speed, lower-drag options out there, this one seems to be working acceptably well so far, but I really haven't subjected it to any heavy field use so far.

I did get another one in black for my FN49, which also uses the Magpul RLS as the main sling.

https://i.imgur.com/dsXL7Fgh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/WveGbmOh.jpg

Best, Jon

[OlongJohnson]

I'm a retard. Wouldn't something like these Tikka dovetail QD rings (https://warnescopemounts.com/1tlm-warne-1-inch-tikka-qd-med-matte-rings/) solve that issue?


No, I'm retarded. Those rings will work.

Quite nicely.

https://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?25496-Tikka-Scope-Ring-Question&p=627816&viewfull=1#post627816

[entropy]

Here's the tactical sling from Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Points-Length-Adjuster-Traditional-Mutiple/dp/B0CGPDXK4F/ref=sr_1_7?crid=87LJW6DF0FIA&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.iiPRSrfNVWlYfE9lKXvXwAV5yx1NMS8gQ MqalBC-FDTTawjiUB87

While there are certainly higher-speed, lower-drag options out there, this one seems to be working acceptably well so far, but I really haven't subjected it to any heavy field use so far.

I did get another one in black for my FN49, which also uses the Magpul RLS as the main sling.

https://i.imgur.com/dsXL7Fgh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/WveGbmOh.jpg

Best, Jon

Thanks for the reply. Yep, took a look at it and figured it was from StrikeHard, but couldn’t recall the company name. Too bad the are no longer in business. They made some really neat, updated gear for mil-slurps. Sling and recoil pad are great ideas as well.