If you’ve read one of our earlier articles on getting started in PRS-style shooting, or you’ve attended a match or two, you might be considering what rifle you could compete with. I’m hoping to do a few posts on different gear considerations, but this first one will focus around the core of your system – the rifle.
Run what you brung
Don’t correct my grammar, I know “brung” isn’t a word. It just rhymes better. If you are not jumping into your local match because you don’t think you have the right gear, you may be missing an opportunity. If you have a rifle from a different shooting discipline, or even your mountain gun or bush-stalking rifle, bring it along and have a go. As long as your rifle meets the requirement of the shoot (i.e. within any calibre / speed restrictions) and is safe, there are a few reasons you should run it before investing in a new gun.
You don’t know what you don’t know. Once you’ve experienced a few comps or handled and seen other competitors’ rifles, you’ll be able to make a much more informed decision on your first precision rifle purchase – this could save you thousands of dollars, or many hours of heartache and searching the internet for unavailable parts and conversion kits
The sooner you start shooting this style of competition, the sooner you will learn and become more proficient
If you somehow find out this sport isn’t for you (highly unlikely), you won’t have invested time and money in a rifle you won’t use again
So, get stuck in, get to your local match, and start sending rounds down range. Accept the fact that you won’t be as competitive with what you are running (or maybe you will be in a different class / division), and set yourself a goal to learn something from each stage.
Entry level – mid-range
An entry-level rifle is not only a time and money-saver when you get started, but with modern rifles and ammunition standards, might be all you need to be competitive for quite a few years. Climbing the ranks as a shooter is not a gear race (for the most part), and you will find that investment in training, quality ammunition / components, and time behind the trigger, will get you further much faster than buying a gun and scope combo that is more expensive than your car.
If you’re looking for a reasonably priced rifle, the common names in shooting are a good place to start. They have a lot of aftermarket support, which means you will be able to make changes and modifications as you go, such as buying a chassis or finding the right scope base. Generally speaking, you would be looking at Howa (Weatherby Vanguard), Tikka, Ruger, Remington, Bergara or Savage.
Rifles like the Winchester M70, Browning X-Bolt, Mossberg Patriot, Ruger M77 MkII, Ruger American or Savage Axis might all be great platforms to modify, but only to a point. If you have your heart set on one of these for whatever reason, do some research to see if there are sufficient aftermarket offerings to explore down the road. Primarily, this will be around the availability of suitable chassis systems or stocks, scope bases with a bit of cant built in (20 MOA rails, etc), and potentially the ease of changing barrels if you decide you want to rebarrel once you’ve worn out the factory barrel or want to make a change.
Whatever rifle and chassis / stock combo you go with, make sure to consider your magazine system. Having the ability to run 5 or 10 round AICS pattern magazines is almost a requirement for the sport, as you need reliability and (sometimes) a lot of rounds down range really fast. For long action chamberings, your AICS pattern mags will be limited to 3, 5 or 7 rounds in most instances. Generally speaking for practical or precision rifle sports, you want a short action cartridge based on a .308 case.
Back to the rifles we mentioned as good starters, here are some pros and cons:
The Howa 1500 is an absolute workhorse and makes a great practical match rifle with its heavy varmint barrel. Photo credit: Simon Gillice / Gillice Practical Rifle Events
Can be purchased as a barreled action without stock, saving on cost of parts you don’t need
Match rifle variants come with a very suitable heavy barrel profile, threaded muzzle and threaded bolt handle with oversized bolt knob
Great aftermarket support from the likes of MDT, KRG, etc
Weight adjustable two-stage trigger
Reliable function in adverse shooting conditions
Best value for money by far
Cons:
AICS compatibility can be limited to certain mags (although this is easily remedied with notching out ahead of the feed ramp – best done by a gunsmith)
Aftermarket options are good, but not as universally supported as the likes of Tikka and Rem 700 actions (e.g. might be harder to find the trigger you want)
Tikka T3x / TAC A1 / CTR
Pros:
Extremely slick action due to tight tolerances, polished finish and unique bolt lug design
Universal action length means changing cartridges down the road is relatively easy, even from short action to long action, etc.
The action is an excellent basis for a semi-custom rifle
TAC A1 comes with a fairly good factory chassis
Excellent aftermarket support by most major brands
TAC A1 and CTR magazines are fantastic in function, reliability and have a short height for a 10 round mag
The T1x 22LR is somewhat compatible with T3x parts and stocks, so a trainer set up replicating your main gun can be achieved
Cons:
With the correct bolt stop, the Tikka is an excellent short or medium length action. If you want to change to a long action or magnum action cartridge in the future (e.g. 300 PRC), the action length can be limiting
Tom S shooting as part of Team Gun Rack at the Tarata Teams Shoot 2022. The Tikka T3x is a slick action and a great basis for a semi-custom gun
TAC A1 and CTR mags are stupid expensive
T3x variants have very good barrels, but not usually of a profile sufficiently heavy for long strings of fire
Tikka barrels can be hard work to remove, but a good gunsmith will help with this
TAC A1 scope bases are supplied in 0 MOA and are high above the action, so you will want to change this if you change stocks. They are also somewhat difficult to remove (otherwise a good quality!)
A bit on the spendy side
Ruger Precision Rifle (RPR) Short Action
Pros:
An affordable package rifle ready to go (when you compare to adding a chassis to standard rifle)
Later generations keep modernising, e.g. replacing Keymod forends with M-LOK
Limited chamberings, but relevant options for our sport (6.5mm Creedmoor, 6mm Creedmoor, and 308 Win if you don’t like winning)
Accepts a wider variety of magazines than most
Similarly to the Tikka TAC A1, features a variety of AR15 style controls and components
Cons:
Not as refined as the Tikka TAC A1, which is probably the most directly comparable option, but reflective of the price point at 3/4 the street price of the Tikka
You will likely want to replace included items like the grip and muzzle brake
Remington 700 Short Action
Pros:
The “standard” action shape and footprint, due to its prolific nature and saturation of the US market – the best aftermarket options
Most custom actions utilise a Rem 700 footprint, so accessories and stocks can generally be re-used as you upgrade
Training rifles in 22LR such as the Vudoo or Bergara B14R can be equipped with the same accessories and parts to create true trainer systems
System is so well known that there is an endless font of knowledge on trouble shooting or improvement
Lots of “off the shelf” options suitable for precision rifle shooting
Cons:
Varying degrees of quality control and materials / manufacturing over the years, as Remington has had several bankruptcies and new owners. The good ones are good, but it can be hard to know before you spend the money
Bergara is the newest manufacturer on this list, but taps into the existing market presence of the Remington 700 footprint
Bergara B14 HMR Short Action
Pros:
A clone of the Remington 700, but generally higher quality – all of the pros and none of the cons mentioned above
Factory stock is suitable for field style shooting and is a good compromise / cross-over option when considering precision shooting and hunting
Cons:
A bit more expensive – you’re spending Tikka money here
Savage 110 Short Action
Pros:
Very accurate rifles at a good price point
Good chassis options from the factory, made for Savage by MDT
Barrel nut design makes for easy barrel changes in the future – lots of pre-fit barrel options make this a good basis for a semi-custom gun
Cons:
Several variations in bolt release over the years – make sure your action is compatible with aftermarket stocks
Mag release, bolt release and trigger mechanisms can be a bit “fiddly” (might be personal taste, and my bias here)
Aftermarket support is good, but probably not as well supported in the precision rifle game compared to other options on this list
Custom guns
Guns NZ team shooter Graeme running his Curtis Custom Axiom in an MPA set up. Image credit: Dylan Ackley
If you’re looking at the high end of the precision rifle spectrum, you’re likely looking at a “custom” action. Either, you have been in the sport for a while and have a good idea of what you want, or potentially you’re new to the sport, but money is no object and you want the perfect rifle from the outset.
I don’t have much experience with these actions myself, but generally speaking you are buying a Rem 700 SA clone (or variation thereof) which is compatible with Rem 700 accessories and stocks. The action is going to cost around the price of a whole gun from the previous section, and then you have a choice of barrels. Barrel selection in New Zealand is improving dramatically, but prices are still a bit painful, especially if you are shooting a “barrel burner” of a cartridge.
Typical actions in this category would be:
Impact Precision
Lone Peak Arms
Defiance
Big Horn
Curtis Custom
Surgeon
BAT
Barnard (NZ)
Hardy Rifle Engineering (NZ)
Pair your action with a barrel – it’s helpful for getting bullets down range. You’ll probably encounter these names in barrel manufacturers:
Proof Research
Krieger
Bartlein
Criterion
Hawk Hill Custom
Benchmark
True-Flite (NZ)
Hardy Rifle Engineering (NZ)
Vulcan Barrels (NZ)
Conclusion
For most of us shooting precision rifle sports in New Zealand, gear selection is a bit of a journey, and it kind of follows the sequence listed above; start with the whatever you have, then get a dedicated precision gun at an affordable price point, and eventually spend all the money. If you aren’t sure what is right for you, hop in a comment section on Facebook, it’s always full of helpful information. Kidding! Go to a match – see what there is, talk to people, and see what makes sense for you.
You can always contact us for advice on where to purchase gear. We stock some of the above brands ourselves, or can point you in the right direction.
I think I need to start this article off by saying my wife is awesome. Not only for all the usual reasons, but also because she’s very understanding of my shooting habit (habit, not hobby – I am addicted). So, for Father’s Day this year my one year old son, with a bit of help from my wife, booked me a hunting trip with Richard from Balnagown Hunting.
Before the start of October rolled around, I was able to get out for a day with Richard, and spend some time on his amazing property, appreciating some great game animals and other wildlife.
I’d already been to Richard’s place, when I attended one of Kerry’s Deer Processing courses, where Richard shared his knowledge on how to gut and skin a deer efficiently. Country Meat Processors were also there, and showed us how to butcher an animal that had been hung for an appropriate length of time (i.e. we didn’t butcher the deer we had just skinned).
Anyway, I digress. I punched the familiar address into my phone and commenced the 1 hour 13 minute drive from my place in Pukekohe, to Balnagown, which is just a bit further than Kaukapakapa.
Richard assured me beforehand that he had everything I needed, so don’t go out buying new stuff if I didn’t have anything on hand. This is great for any new hunters who don’t have the spare cash to get flash camo gear, or who don’t know what they might want to invest in long term.
Is this what they mean by finding “sign”?
However, I came fully prepared and met Richard at the Wool Shed, where we compared our Tikka rifles and had a general chat. He took me through his safety and hunting procedures, focusing on when to load up, who will be loaded at what time, and when your finger touches the trigger, as well as reloading immediately after taking your shot. After signing in and enjoying a coffee, we checked each other’s rifles were unloaded and went for a walk.
Richard had been telling me about some previous clients who had spotted a deer 5 minutes into their hunt and wanted to take a shot. Of course Richard told them to hold on, and get a bit more out of the experience than a 5 minute walk into the pines. He reckons they were fishermen, and that a catch in the first 5 mins certainly wouldn’t be thrown back. And I get that, but after putting so much time and effort into preparing for a hunt and a hike through nature, shooting in the first 5 mins and heading home within an hour seems like a waste of an experience to me.
Well, true enough, we bumped into some deer within the first 10 minutes. We came across a couple that Richard spotted with well-trained eyes, and we watched them for a bit before moving on. He pointed out some does and fawns in a paddock as we progressed along the edge of the forest/bush hunting area and rounded our way into a block of pine that Richard planted when he first bought the property.
The well-established trees and dry, brown pine needles provided perfect cover for the fallow deer in between their winter and summer coats. In fact I spotted a buck across the pine block, but he was so well camouflaged that I had to check with Richard if I had seen right, or if my eyes were deceiving me.
See a deer?How about now?
As we exited the pines along a ridge, Richard shared his technique for spotting deer in a valley from behind a ridgeline, without being made out by the deer. Not only the deer down there, but also the animals across the valley on the opposite shoulder, who might see us and bolt, alerting our quarry to our presence.
We could see a few animals here and there across the valley and around the opposite ridge, and we decided to keep going around the edge of the property, through some native bush, and circle back to a purpose-built blind where we could hopefully spot some animals to stalk up on.
We kept low as we transitioned from the pine block over the spine of the hill and into the bush. We spotted some fat wood pigeons and had a chat about possums and rats, when all of a sudden we saw ahead a beautiful doe, on the larger side, standing broadside in the middle of a clearing. We hushed and kept still, observing the animal and seeing if she had spotted us.
Watching and listening under the native canopy was great – try spot the fat wood pigeon!
Unaware of our presence, she continued to graze and Richard whispered, “That’s not what we’re after.” We continued to observe for a couple minutes. “Don’t worry,” I eventually replied. “I’m not in a hurry.” I was there for the full experience of Richard’s guidance, and there was still plenty more ground to cover. From what I had seen of Richard in the Deer Processing course, I knew this man had a wealth of knowledge to share. I certainly wasn’t going to get gung ho and pick off an animal an hour in, just to pack up and get home by lunchtime.
We quietly moved off into the bush and made our way south west, keeping our eyes open for sign and animals. After a while we came to a clearing with some very fresh droppings, obviously where some animals had camped the night before. Richard quickly spotted a few deer amongst some dead gorse. I can’t reiterate enough how good his eyes and instincts are. It took me an age to find them, looking off in completely the wrong area. Even when I did find them keeping them in sight amongst the dead, dust-coloured gorse was definitely a challenge.
There was a buck flanked by two spikers, and Richard urged me get my rifle in place and crawl up behind it, while he kept low and spotted for me. The wind was in our favour, gusting gently at around 7 or 10 mph, straight into our faces. There was no way they could smell us.
We waited about 10 or 15 mins for them to move into a clearer patch amongst the gorse and ti trees, when Richard told me to quietly and slowly shift behind another bit of vegetation where I’d have a better shot. Once in position, I realised I had nowhere near enough elevation to make the shot at the deer which were higher than us, unless I want to try an unsupported shot, but there’s no way I could hold that position for 10 or 20 minutes and make a good shot.
I whispered that I was going to shift back a foot or two, so my body was on a better incline behind the rifle. With the bipod at full extension, I now had a good view of the deer. We waited another 10 minutes, sitting silently and stationary, with the wind in our face. Everything was in our favour, with nothing to do but wait for a clean shot.
Then they bolted.
The buck did a quick sidestep and ducked into the bush and out of sight, with the two spikers hot on his heels. Richard laughed. “They’ve got a sixth sense.” He said. And they certainly do. He couldn’t have heard us or seen us, but something didn’t feel right and he decided to get out of there. “That’s why he’s still alive,” Richard said, “Clever buggers…”
Richard has a knack for decorating.
Richard’s admiration for the animals he hunts was clearly evident throughout the day, as he discussed how intelligent and aware they were. His knowledge of their habits was equally impressive.
We picked up our bits and pieces and moved off along the edge of the property to see if we could come across the three males again. We did spot some very fresh sign, but they were gone. And the cheeky sods obviously led us through the gorse. Thankfully not too much of it. We continued through the bush, and pushed through to a large downhill slope, thinly dotted with trees. At the bottom of the hill I could see Richard’s blind.
We meandered our way down and took a seat for a while, glassing the valley to see if there were any animals worth stalking up on. There were a few groups of does and fawns, but no good game animals immediately apparent. We had a bit of a chat and Richard told me about some of his older clients who aren’t up for a long trek through the bush, and how they sat patiently in the blind with coffee and snacks and waited for deer to come into range. Not what you think of when you think of New Zealand hunting, but hey, if I still wanted to get an animal every year when I’m 80 and my legs wouldn’t take me through the bush, maybe I’d do the same.
I was told to take a rest while Richard went off to scout for a few minutes. I pulled out my Vortex Ranger 1500 and spent some time practising estimating distances, and then confirming with the range finder. I won’t say what my strike rate was, but I am improving! I had a bit of water and watched as two swallows decided to play fight around the blind.
The Vortex ranger proved handy throughout the day, lining up potential shots, and was also good fun to test myself against during down time.
After a while, I began to wonder where my guide had got to. He was quiet, and invisible. Eventually, he came back, but the report wasn’t good. Although he managed to sight a fair few animals across the valley, no groups had any decent spikers, they were mostly concentrations of does and fawns.
So, we made the decision to leave the blind and climb up a ridge to look into the next valley. It was good to get moving again, even if it had only been 20 minutes or so. It wasn’t long before we were out of the trees and covering some open ground uphill to our next position. All the while, a trio of Paradise ducks had decided to fly overhead in a holding pattern, squawking away our position to every creature under the sun. Before long, we had crested the hill, taking care to peek over the top, looking for game.
After a couple furtive glances over the top, we concluded everything on four legs had retired beyond the tree line, and so we moved on a bit before taking a seat and glassing the valley. On the way, Richard showed a patch of fence that had seen better days. “Bucks have been fighting here,” he pointed out.
We sat for a while, looking over at a handful of goats to our left, seeing if a deer or two would give away its position by interacting with them. No such luck. Keeping an eye on the tree line across the valley, we saw a deer come out a couple times in the same spot, but no further activity. We glassed a bit and I played around with the rangefinder, estimating distances to where we saw the deer, the opposite side of the valley, and checking out the goats too. We took a guess at the distance to the goats, and were both surprised it came in at 103 metres.
“Doesn’t seem like a whole rugby field between us and them, does it?” I asked. “That’s just what I was thinking!,” replied Richard. It was interesting to note how the changes in terrain made distances hard to estimate.
We continued to see if there’d be any more activity at the valley floor where we saw the deer before, swapping stories. Richard told me how he had come to acquire his land, and how different it was trying to get a home or a slice of paradise back then, compared to now. Both challenging times, but different challenges. We even ended up talking politics, work, and all sorts of nonsense. The deer didn’t come out again and the goats weren’t being the deer-Judas they might have been.
So we picked up again, and rounded the shoulder of the hill, getting ready to tackle this last stand of native bush before heading in for lunch and trying our luck again. After getting under cover and out of the midday sun, it wasn’t long before our eyes adjusted and a couple young spikers made themselves apparent. Richard confirmed I was loaded and indicated for me to take the lead and begin stalking cover to cover to get a clear shot. As I progressed to cover, trying to keep the trees between myself and the deer, I realised we had walked around into the wind, and it was no longer in our favour. Thankfully it was still for the moment, but any puff of wind would carry our scent right towards our waiting quarry. The wind was the least of our concerns, as the closest spiker saw or heard a bit of movement from my direction and decided to skip along a bit.
They hadn’t seen me yet, but they were aware of my presence, or at least the presence of something that wasn’t there before. The pair went down towards a stream, putting more cover between themselves and my rifle. Over the next ten minutes of tiptoeing through the fallen leaves and branches I spotted them twice more, but only briefly each time, before they got spooked enough to run off where I couldn’t see them or catch up to them.
By this point I had descended about halfway down to the stream, and Richard was waiting a bit higher up towards the tree line. I signalled to him to see if he still had eyes on the two animals, but he shook his head. I wandered up to his position, thrilled from the chase, but annoyed I couldn’t quite close the gap.
We headed towards the bottom of the valley, and Richard gave me some pointers on stalking while we walked down. “Don’t look at the deer,” he said. “You know where they are. Just walk directly to your cover, keeping the tree between you and them – you can re-check their location when you get there.”
We talked a bit as we walked, but mostly in a low whisper. There were plenty of animals in this patch of wood, taking shelter from the heat of the day, browsing amongst the fallen leaves. Some movement ahead revealed the location of a few deer.
Right. On point again.
We weren’t far, maybe 150 metres away when we spotted the group moving around their grazing spot. I went forward, remembering Richard’s advice, moving from cover to cover in a straight line. Richard stayed back with his binos, keeping an eye on the deer. I turned back once I had reached the small group of trees to see if Richard still had the animals in his sight. He had his phone out, taking pictures or a video of me approaching the group. So I took that as a yes. No pressure!
From where I stood, I was definitely close enough to take a shot. I knelt down next to a small tree, holding the forend of the rifle against the trunk with my left hand, creating a rough and ready support. I looked through the Diamondback 4-12×40 scope, and moved the magnification ring up to about 6 power so I could get a clear picture of the deer amongst the dry, brown foliage. I had a quartering shot on a smaller animal, but it didn’t feel great. The deer was moving around slightly as it nosed through the leaves and undergrowth. I didn’t want to take a desperate shot and risk shooting it in the hind quarters if it decided to turn. I knew the 140 gr ELD-M was leaving my 6.5×55 fast enough to shatter the leg and hip bones if struck there, meaning the deer wouldn’t get far and a follow up shot would be needed, but I preferred to make a clean shot that would minimise suffering for the animal, and do less damage to the meat as well.
As I was thinking all this, the deer made up my mind for me and turned to follow a couple old does off to my right. I tracked them in my scope until they came to a stop, but now I had a new problem. The multitude of native trees made for great cover for me, but also got in the way of a clean shot. Time to move.
I headed towards another small group of trees that would keep me from view, but allow me an unobstructed view of the browsing deer. I was almost to my chosen cover when a smaller doe turned around a tree, and looked straight up at me. She stood stock still. Okay, she hadn’t seen me, but she certainly saw or heard my movement. Now I had a decision to make. This young deer obviously hadn’t developed the experience of the older animals, and was still curious enough to try and figure out what was going on, when a deer a couple years older would have done a little jump and buggered off, taking the whole group with them. How much time did I have to take this shot? There was no way to try and take cover and wait for the group to present a better animal. The ponga next to me wasn’t exactly going to hide my 6’2” and 100kg frame.
Standing square on to the animal and with no support in sight, an offhand standing shot was not looking like a great idea, as I would have been way to unstable. Taking the time to move my feet into position and raise the rifle would be all the time the doe needed to make up her mind that she didn’t like the look of me. So, I tried the opposite. I slowly sat back, keeping my upper body as motionless as possible. I felt my water bottle get in the way, and wasn’t sure if I’d get a good seated position with it hanging off the back of my belt. Screw it, I was going to try anyway. I put as much weight on the bottle as possible without making a noise or unbalancing myself. Not bad. I won’t put my water bottle there again, but I was stable enough.
I was still square to the deer, with my feet out in front of me. I slowly lifted the rifle to my cheek and got my elbows settled into the tops of my legs, just behind the knee caps. Feeling pretty stable and good about my position and shot, I took the Tikka off safe with a slight move of my right thumb.
All of this positioning took seconds, even though it felt like I was moving at a glacial pace. I now had a good view. I felt calm and my breathing was good, as I had taken my time to settle into the shot. The young doe continued to look in my direction, but still not quite making me out amongst the low scrub.
Looking through the Vortex scope I could see the deer standing basically broadside to me, on a slight angle, with her head up and looking in my direction. I definitely only had a few seconds to decide on taking this shot or giving away my position and letting the group get away. An older doe walked behind the one I was glassing, and I was tempted to switch targets, given her much larger size, but the small break in the trees that I was aiming through wouldn’t allow me to shift enough to the right. The older doe moved on, heading towards my right, and I continued to check out the smaller animal.
There was a something in the way of my shot, right around the heart and lungs. I backed the scope out to 4 power and got a bit of a better focus, given the short range I’d stalked up to. The brown blob in my way was just a bunch of leaves. That’s fine, I knew where this shot was going, I could see enough of the animal. I focused on my breathing for a second, exhaled and squeezed the trigger on my Tikka.
The sound of the shot sent the rest of the animals running. I counted 6, Richard reckons 7. And I only saw 2 or 3 when stalking in. Damn these animals can camouflage. The doe dropped on the spot, falling backwards into the leaves, exposing her white belly. I watched her, knowing she wasn’t going to move at all, but I remembered to reload again anyway and continued to watch the animal for a few seconds. Richard walked up and congratulated me on the shot, shaking my hand after I had unloaded the rifle and picked up my stray piece of Norma brass (wasn’t going to leave that behind).
I put the magazine and brass in my Hunter’s Element pouch, which sat on my left hip, and pulled out the Vortex Ranger 1500. I placed the illuminated crosshair over the white belly of the doe – 53 metres. No, not a long range shot, the challenge was in stalking up close to the group. I was happy with that. I could only imagine the thrill of the chase for a bow hunter, who gets within feet of his prey. Speaking of which, Richard was talking about opening up a bow only hunting area, but that’s another story.
I walked over from my shooting position, and inspected the animal while Richard took a couple photos for me. As I was walking over I could hear a motor start up and a quad bike heading in our direction. When I got to the deer and inspected the shot placement, I was happy with what I saw. Below the spine and in line with the shoulder, the shot, taken from a higher elevation, had passed through the lung and left a decent sized exit hole on the other side, gushing blood from the wound.
A decent exit wound on this lung shot, thanks to the Hornady ELD-M.
The 6.5mm 140 gr Hornady ELD-M travelling at 2740 fps was probably overkill for this size animal, and a .223 or .243 could easily have done the job, but I was happy with the clean, emphatic kill.
We only had a 100 metres or so to go the edge of the tree line, were Richard expected his son was driving their quad to meet us. We dragged the deer downhill, talking about shot placement and other bits and pieces as we went. I was still buzzing from that stalk.
We got there in a few minutes, and did a final unload and show clear, as Richard’s son pulled up on the quad. He had been preparing lunch when he heard the shot, and decided to come and pick us up. The deer was tied to the front, and we climbed on the back with the rifles, heading towards the hunting hut where we had previously done the meat processing course with Richard, and Kerry from The Bloke.
As we pulled up, there was water on the boil for a cup of coffee, and a good ol’ Kiwi BBQ spread being put on. Our timing couldn’t have been better! I washed the blood off my hands, took off my water bottle and belt bag, and sat down for a hot meal and a coffee with Richard’s family. We discussed the day’s events and other items, and before the others left and Richard and I got to gutting and skinning the deer. It had been a while since I had seen Richard’s pretty awesome technique, so I was glad to get another opportunity to learn this part of his process. If you’re ever looking to learn a bit more or refine your gutting/skinning method, one of the Hunter Education courses is certainly worth the time and money.
We packed the carcass into a vehicle and cleaned off our knives, hands, and the covered deck area where we had hung up the deer. I received a quick tour around the hut and some new “glamping” accommodation Richard was building, overlooking a waterfall and some native bush. From there, we headed back to the main house and my vehicle, my day of hunting complete. Given that I was going to be back in the area in a week, Richard kindly offered to take my deer down to Country Meat Processors in Kaukapakapa for processing into steaks and mince.
Overall, the day was fantastic, and I can see how Balnagown Hunting attracts so many repeat customers. I determined before I left that I’d definitely be back, maybe taking my wife for her first hunt.
It goes without saying that the Tikka T3 is one of the most popular bolt action rifles in New Zealand. It’s loved by hunters for it’s simple operation, superb accuracy and reasonable price point. Competition shooters are increasingly turning to the T3 as the basis for customised F-Class rifles and the like. With an abundance of after-market parts and a fairly modular set up, it makes perfect sense as a platform to rival the Remingtons and Howas on the range.
Having a torque driver on hand to put everything back to spec again is ideal.
One of the great things about the Tikka T3 is that you don’t have to spend much money to make it a good shooter. Out of the box it has its 3-shot MOA guarantee, as well as some included rings and an adjustable trigger.
Common alterations to T3’s include the obvious, such as new scopes and suppressors. But others go a bit further with bipods, chassis systems, magazine/floor-metal replacement, etc. One thing that most shooters won’t need to change is the trigger. Your top end shooters may opt for an aftermarket trigger, but the majority of us can get away with the factory unit with no trouble.
Trigger overview
Adjustable from 2 ¼ – 4 7⁄16 lbs (10 – 20 N), the rifle comes set from the factory at around 3 lbs ( 13 – 15 N). Some models will allow access to the trigger pull weight adjustment screw through the magazine well once the mag is removed. On others you will need to remove the barrelled action. Even if you can access the screw through the mag well, you may as well take the gun apart, as it will probably be quicker and easier. With only two action screws to remove, it really isn’t hard work to do this, and you’ll get familiar with the innards of your gun too.
The factory setting is safe and light enough for hunting, however I personally prefer a lighter trigger (around the 2 lb mark). Since I never walk around with a round in the chamber, I don’t mind a light trigger from a safety perspective.
The user manual has all the info you need, but it’s quite a simple job really.
The trigger breaks cleanly and crisply, and many are happy with it without feeling the need to lighten the pull weight. If you’re shooting from a bench or mound for groups, you may want to lighten the trigger, as I find even a 3 lbs pull weight can cause you to torque the rifle a bit while pulling the trigger, producing occasional flyers.
If this is your first rifle (good choice!), getting used to a heavier trigger is not a bad thing, as it results in good trigger control practices. If you’ve got a heavy calibre and you’re worried about developing a flinch, a heavy trigger pull can accentuate these tendencies, as you anticipate the break.
In terms of function and looks, the T3 trigger unit is certainly above average for a factory rifle, and many will find it perfectly suitable without replacement. The easy adjustment makes it even more widely appealing.
If a safety is important to you’ll probably like the Tikka arrangement. It’s a thumb safety which when engaged will lock the bolt in the closed position, the firing pin in the cocked position and will keep the sear and trigger blade from moving. The red indicators for ready-to-fire are pretty clear on the safety and the bolt shroud.
Only a couple action screws and the Tikka comes apart easily. Although the “floor metal” is plastic, unlike other factory rifles the trigger guard can be removed to be easily replaced with a metal unit.
Adjusting the trigger
The trigger pull weight is easily adjusted with a 2.5 mm allen key – the same size your scope rings use. The screw is self-locking, so you’ll definitely need the tool to make the adjustment, You also won’t have to worry about it working loose. The screw will only move so far in either direction, so it’s simply up to you to find the weight you like. If you have the tools, you can even measure your trigger pull weight to be 100% sure. This will also inform future trigger decisions, as you’ll know what weights you do and don’t like.
The trigger pull weight is the only adjustable part of the trigger, so don’t worry about anything else on there. If you are uncomfortable with making your own trigger adjustments, a competent gunsmith is your best friend.
If you need pictures or more guidance, consult your instruction manual. If you bought your rifle second hand, Sako has an online version of their Tikka T3 rifle user manual here. If you do take your rifle apart to do this adjustment, having a torque driver on hand to put everything back together to the correct specs is ideal.
Let me preface this by saying… How long is a piece of string? If you’re looking for the definitive guide on the all-time showdown between factory and custom rifles, you’ve got a long wait ahead of you. There’s no way to say one is categorically better than the other, but depending on your needs, one will suit you more than another. Here’s a quick run down on the two options.
Custom vs “Custom”
Well, maybe there are three options. There are rifles that are custom built by fantastic gunsmiths, or even several different people (i.e. barrel manufacturer, suppressor builder, stock maker, etc), and they can run into the tens-of-thousands of dollars. Chances are you’re not comparing a $35,000 rifle built on a Surgeon action to a Weatherby. So, realistically, these types of custom rifles fall outside of the scope of this discussion.
There are even the customised Remington 700s, Sakos and others you can buy direct from a gun store, which have been assembled with a host of accessories and a non-factory stock, etc, which offer “custom” rifles at lower costs and with a lot less effort. This a kind of middle-ground which, again, falls outside of the debate of custom vs factory.
Factory rifles
There are a host of incredibly good choices out there when it comes to factory target or hunting rifles. And the fact of the matter is, with modern production techniques and better quality control standards, many of these rifles are incredibly accurate out of the box.
Sako guarantees the Tikka T3 line to produce an MOA 3-shot group out of the box, and they boldly make the same claim with their T3 varmint and tac and 5-shot group. That’s pretty impressive. However, that doesn’t mean your new Tikka T3 Lite in stainless/synthetic will do that with any ammo you feed it. Bear in mind, Sako tests rifles with ammunition they produce themselves.
So, you may need to find just the right brand of ammunition, or even reload your own to get that level of accuracy.
The great thing about factory rifles is that if you look after them and keep track of how many rounds you put through them, you’ll generally get a pretty good resale value if you decide to switch calibres or clean out the safe down the line. Selling firearms is just foreign to me – I want more, not less – so I couldn’t really relate personally. However, for some, it’s a major benefit.
Another aspect of factory rifles, and this is one that I can understand, is that you have warranties and guarantees form manufacturers and retailers. If something goes wrong with a stock-standard rifle, you’re usually okay. Again, this comes down to incredibly efficient modern materials and processes – a lot of manufacturers are so confident, they will give you a lifetime warranty, even with their base models.
Custom rifles
A lot of firearm owners like to try and get more for less. They’ll buy a rusty old milsurp and try restore it, or even convert a P14 action from .303 to a .338 Lapua long-distance shooter. It’s this undeniable urge to make something better and more accurate – but cheap.
Many people try, and many people fail. The old adage “cheap, accurate, reliable – pick two” still stands true. However, not all is lost. Many backyard tinkerers find that they learn more about gunsmithing, rifle maintenance and internal or external ballistics by working on their own firearms than if they bought an out-of-the-box MOA-shooter. It gives you a more holistic view and respect for firearms, and generally makes you a better shooter. The more you know about how your rifle works, the better you can work with it.
This modified Mauser bolt action was a lot more work, but is a joy to shoot.
What I have found with my own projects, from JW-15s to Swedish Mausers, is you’ll probably spend enough money in the end to have bought a tack-driving factory rifle. So why would you do it?
The initial outlay is low. Three or four hundred for an M38 in 6.5×55 which might need a lot of work to be great, but at least in the meantime, it’s still good.
It’s a project. If you yearn to create your own sub-MOA rifle and constantly look up the latest Boyds’ rifle stocks or DPT muzzle devices, then this probably for you.
It’s unique. Hey, it’s the gun you built, not the one Howa, Marlin or Remington made. There’s a certain amount of pride in this, and you can make it look and feel the way you want.
Individual needs. Hey, if you need a bush gun – cut down a .303. If you want an odd-looking F-Class gun, try your hand at “improving” an old Mauser. The best part is never feeling bad about cutting into the steel – coz it only cost $250.
Who wins?
Well, if you want a reliable, dependable and accurate rifle to take hunting or to the range, you could go and get yourself a Tikka T3 Lite in stainless/synthetic for less than $1200. Chances are your home-improved P14 or Model 1896 is going to end up costing you more with a new/improved stock, bedding, barrel and chambering, suppressor, bases drilled and tapped, etc, etc.
Floor metal from 1943 looking fresh and ready to go.
However, if you want something unique that you can enjoy working on for months – or even years – pick up a donor action to work with. Even an older (pre-1964) M70 or Remmy 700 is fun to use. And the best part is if you buy a complete milsurp, you can probably enjoy shooting it “as is” to start with for very little outlay.
I’ve heard many Tikka T3 owners say their rifle is “boringly accurate”. And that is high praise for any manufacturer. So, at the end of the day, if you want to drill tiny holes into paper or leave gaping exit wounds in deer at 400 yards – get the factory rifle. If you want to feel like you earned your way to shooting sub-MOA or making long-distance kills, a project might be on the cards.
