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?i...JRTXWV316%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.

[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...tocks.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.



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....ebate-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.



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.