D9Firearms

LR-308B with: JP trigger/speed hammer, Hogue grip, ACE Ltd. skeleton stock, Leatherwood M600 range finding optic, 4 rail free float, fluted and threaded bull barrel with Miculek compensator. (Don’t Mess with Texas.)

This last month has been very busy with customizing DPMS rifles. Our goal has been to provide excellent customer service, quality work on any rifle we modify, at a reasonable price. After this month, we will be doing a little more scheduling up front with our clients. First, to let everyone know, we will not advertise a rifle we do not have. (There was an exception, but as you will see in the pictures, it worked out to Chris’s benefit.)

Typically, on DPMS rifles that we customize we try and stock the standard upgrades our clients are requesting and we are ordering rifles in small batches of 2 – 4 every month to keep a constant flow of rifles on hand. We do get request for options we don’t stock and look forward to bringing in new items. What we are finding during these peak times is that about a two week turn around gives us enough time to get the parts in (if we don’t have them), put them in a work flow, get the rifle built and out to you.

We also learned a few more things in the last few weeks of options that just won’t work with certain configurations. By the time, the parts arrived and we were into the assembly we uncovered that the standard length 4 rail free float hand guard would not work on the LR-308B. Although it will work with the standard round free float hand guard as with Earl’s rifle. I can only express how disappointed I was in myself for not seeing it sooner and the fact that I had to call a new client Tao and explain to him. I can only say he was very understanding, albeit disappointed, that we weren’t able to deliver. We are still working with Tao and are doing everything we can to make it right.

However, after looking back at last month we did build a couple of awesome rifles and were very pleased with the results as were their recipients.

Close up of the JP adjustable and speed hammer. The speed hammer is about half the mass of the standard hammer. You can feel, hear and see the difference with this trigger. When dry firing, you will observe a minimal shift off the target compared to the standard hammer. You will hear and feel the difference as well.

The building process. The Leatherwood is an interesting optic. This was our first experience and didn’t have much of an opportunity to get it out during day light and get the adjustments. It has built in range finding, the glass was very clean, and came on a frame ready to mount. We hope to get some feedback on this optic.

This is a little CAR that we built up originally for the KCPD for a demo model and added a few extras like a two stage trigger, Hogue grip, 4 rail free float hand guard, tac carrier release, tac mag release tac bolt release, collapsible stock, and a fabio compensator (shown below).

If you are a varmint you will not appreciate this rifle.

This is a menacing little varmint destroyer. This is a LR-260 with a JP trigger and speed hammer, Hogue grip, tac carrier release, 4 rail free float hand guard, fluted 24″ SS bull barrel, and Harris bipod. This was for a local client who will be bringing back to add a CAA 6 pos collapsible stock. (We had to order a different buffer tube and assembly.)

This kicked off our month. It was a neat little conversion of the LR-243 and included the JP trigger with speed hammer, tac carrier release, 4 rail free float hand guard, a Miculek and standard flash hider, ARMS 40 rear flip up and Yankee Hill front flip up sites. We received an email back from Mike and confirmed this is a tack driving machine. I think it makes an excellent all around small varmint to deer rifle. Mike confirmed sub MOA and several touching and overlapping holes at 100yd with factory ammunition.

This was a neat little deal we did and ended up doing on another rifle which was remove the A2 post gas block and replaced it with a picatinny rail gas block to be outfitted with a front flip up or put an optic.  This is an AP4 w/Miculek and is headed to Alaska and I’m sure some miscreant wild animal will be served for dinner.  Shown on the rifle is a new 3×25 IOR valdada QRT illuminated reticule.  I tested the optic out one night and for a 3x this is powerful.

This was another nice little project.  It is a LR-308B with fluted barrel and we added the 4 rail system, CAA collapsible stock, JP trigger and speed hammer, and the Tasco Super Sniper optic.  Another friend of ours sent his in from Ohio to let us test it and the owner of this rifle happened to be over and I can say for the money it’s rugged, the glass is very clean, mil dot reticule and target knobs.  They are priced at $300 and it is a great fit for the rifle and will serve well in the 0 - 300 range.  (It may be good beyond but that was all I was able to test it at.)  Shown with Ontario Knife and HK USP Expert.  This hard hitting, punch you in face trio would surely quell any restless natives thinking about causing mayhem, civil unrest, looting, or any other kind of violence.

If you are looking for a heavy duty rear flip up site we can recommend the ARMS. Also, on just about every rifle we add a tac carrier release shown on the left of the charging handle. This is a must for a gun with optics which eliminates trying to straddle the optic when charging your rifle.

Notice the standard hammer in the bottom lower receiver compared to the JP speed shown above.

Different upper receivers we start with.

Some optics we have and that go nicely with these rifles. Top to bottom: Springfield Armory 2nd Gen 4×14x56 very cool, Sightron 4×16x44 excellent optics very crisp, and our favorite IOR Valdada 10×42 SF with MP-8 it’s hard to use anything else after using these.

After is was all done we took a day to go camping down near where we plan to do a little hunting this fall and winter.

If you are interested in a DPMS and would like us to provide customized upgrades please contact us here at D9. Thanks

We recently sold a good friend of ours Kyle Remington 700 SPS Varmint in 308. I’ve written about this rifle before covering the new X-Mark Pro trigger. You can never go wrong with a Remington 700 but the older models including the varmint rifles all had heavy unrefined triggers. I was frustrated with the two 700’s I purchased in the VLS and VSF, both of which I had to replace the triggers at about $100 a shot. This combined with the cost of the rifle turned out to be quite expensive.

As a firearms provider, part of my responsibility to my clients is finding a gun and optics that I can recommend and stay within their budget. Unfortunately, cost is generally the first issue to consider. (I live in the real world with a mortgage, kids, and a wife, so I understand.) So when I look at the VLS & VSF at $800+, and then have to add a trigger, and have money left over for a decent optic, most people are going to bulk at that cost. I have and still do. And as we’ve discussed before and committed to the ATF we are in the business to make a profit and cover our cost.

So when Remington came out with the new 700 SPS Varmint my wholesaler called me up told me it’s worth a look. Naturally, being a varmint/target shooter the trigger action is very important to me. That was the first thing I tested out and thought for a factory trigger this is comparable to my Tikka. It has a very smooth 700 action, heavy varmint contoured barrel, and a synthetic stock. The vented the forearm which also adds to the ascetic appeal of the rifle even though it is synthetic (but this helps keep cost and weight down). And finally, the cost was very reasonable and left room for the shooter to spend a little more on the optics that will compliment the accuracy of the rifle. (If you can’t see it, you can’t shoot it. Also, a poor scope on a good rifle, will still give you poor shooting results.)

Since we weren’t able to fire it, it worked out great that Kyle purchased the rifle and we were able to have him out to the range with us. Prior to going out though, Kyle needed an optic. We had a Sightron 4×16x42 w/mil-dot reticule that we suggested. You will not find these optics on every street corner but they are very good optics for the money. I consider them a base line optic when recommending an optic to someone asking for my advice. As a side note, I also like the Nikon Buckmaster series for a slightly lower cost option and consider it a very good value for the quality and cost. However, Sightron doesn’t do much marketing and they have what I consider exceptionally crisp & clear optics, good construction, but at a slightly higher price. But when you get this optic mounted and sight down through it, you will see you got what you paid for.

After shooting the rifle, we asked Kyle if he would give us an honest opinion about each aspect of the rifle and scope. I know Kyle well enough that if it didn’t perform he would have not provided us with the feedback and secondly we were with him and saw for ourselves how the rifle performed. Thirdly, we offered Kyle the option to take the scope back if he didn’t like it.

Hey,

I finally got the .308 out to shoot. First lets talk about the rifle, it is a Remington 700 SPS Varmint. This is my second Remington 700 first was a deer rifle in 30-06 and man this blew that gun out of the water. The trigger is also a lot better then the high end rifles that Remington does make. Second, I started out by mounting some Leupold rings and bases and the only problem I had with them was that I wish I would have bought the double dovetail series. Then came the part I thought I would never get put on so soon, the scope. I mounted a Sightron 4-16×42 with mil-dot. I have not heard of Sightron before and was concerned if I would like it, but guess what it is crystal clear and the eye relief was fantastic. The first couple of rounds sent through the gun were sighting the gun in and then the first real three shot group. Two bullets almost through each other, then I pulled the next one, it was less then an inch to the right. Needless to say the rifle performed great and would defiantly consider one in .223.

We appreciate Kyle’s time in providing us feedback on the rifle. Here at D9Firearms our goal is to provide you with quality and proven firearms and optics to make your shooting experience more rewarding. If you’re interested in a Remington 700 SPS Varmint, please contact us.

The AR-10 chassis is quickly becoming a very dynamic platform. DPMS has multiple upper receivers in various calibers for the AR-10 lower. We just received a couple of these rifles chambered in .243Win. The upper receiver is configured in what I would call a hunter style upper that has a heavy 18” barrel with flash hider. This configuration seems well suited to this caliber since it would be an excellent varmint rifle especially for coyote hunting and wouldn’t weight you down having to carry it. Just from handling it for a free hand shot or sitting behind it with a bipod I think it’s going to be a fantastic performer.

Optic is Author’s favorite. IOR Valdada 2×12x32 with MP-8 Illuminated Reticule.

We added a few options to the lower, some of which you can see in the pictures, which included; Hogue rubberized grip, and JP Adjustable trigger. Of course in just about all of our DPMS hunting or target rifles we invariably install a JP Adjustable, which transforms the way the rifle shoots. The Hogue grip always adds another level of comfort and gives you a more firm feel. We are offering the G27 grips which are slightly different and will offer the same benefits as the Hogue.

The upper is similar to the LR-308T version with a 18” heavy barrel and flash hider. The only modification we made on the upper was adding a tactical carry latch. If you’re going to mount a scope to the DPMS rifle these are a must. They allow quick easy access to the charging handle with out trying to grasp over and around your optic.

The overall weight of the rifle is somewhere between the lighter LR-308 AP4 and the LR-308B with 18” bull. This rifle offers a good disposition for free hand as well as off of a stand or bipod. Combine it with a couple of 20 round magazines and the coyotes and prairie dogs will be getting their 62 virgins.

If you’re interested in a DPMS rifle and would like to have us install some extra options give us a call here at D9Firearms.

Author simulating fending his humble abode from ruthless tree rats hell bent on chewing the siding off his house. (Them bastards.)

About 2 months ago I received a call from a Texan who was inquiring about the DPMS LR-260 w/24” stainless bull barrel I had advertised.  He stated he had never shot or owned an AR style rifle and didn’t much care for them.  However, the .260 caliber intrigued him and with a battalion of hell raising, trench digging, belligerent, feral hogs he needed some semi-auto (full-auto would have been better) fire suppression.  His decision to go with an AR rifle was not an easy decision, but with all those hogs raising hell and violating his private property rights, the AR was an obvious choice.

I spoke with him for about an hour, not all necessarily discussing the DPMS and gained a lot of knowledge myself.  He had a variety of rifles and had done some hunting in Africa, which was a story in itself.  We also discussed optics which he had experience with a variety of optics ranging from cheap to expensive.  This is one area I always like to find out from rifle shooter’s what their thoughts are.  He was of the opinion don’t skimp on optics because you will pay for it some early morning or late evening.  He also made an interesting comment about one brand and the glare from normal daylight shooting.  My opinion is along with some others is “you get what you pay for”.  I told him about IOR and how I had inadvertently stumbled across them and could solidly recommend them.

Accuracy also came up in our discussion since he was a bolt action shooter.  It took some time to somewhat convince him that the DPMS would deliver sub MOA accuracy.  I also told him though, with the DPMS rifles, the accuracy is definitely enhanced by going with the JP Adjustable trigger.  Even DPMS says their number one upgrade is the trigger.  But sometimes it’s a matter of just getting the rifle first and then doing some upgrading.  And this ties right in with buying the right optics.

However, we covered the issues and I really enjoyed the conversation.  I would like to say that these guns and optics sell themselves, but when you’re from Texas, and you’ve never heard of DPMS, IOR, or much less a guy from D9Firearms who is also a northerner, you’re going to be skeptical.  I don’t know if it was the thought of the hogs taking over or my belief in the products that sold him, but he chose the DPMS LR-260, with a 6×42 IOR Valdada, and a JP adjustable trigger.

I then proceeded to get everything moving.  Since I had the rifle I just needed to order the optics.  I use this group out of Georgia called USA Optics to get my IORs from.  Unfortunately we had some delays getting the optics from IOR, but true to from Fred and his daughter Laura came through.  I installed and tuned the JP trigger and had about a 3lb pull and then mounted, aligned, and bore sighted the IOR.  Through the course of this I made a few calls down to Albert to keep him posted and let him know I hadn’t absconded with his hard earned dollars.  Put it this way, it was a faith-based program on his part, and we sincerely appreciate that.

About two weeks after shipping the rifle, I get a call at my office and Albert is on the other end.  He proceeds to tell me about his excursion to the rifle range.  He didn’t come right out and say this thing is the best thing since sliced bread and my family and I have been dining on roast hog ever since.  He provided me with a faith-based story on how he progressed through 4 rounds of shooting, by starting off saying the first round was a hard 3” right and was barely holding a 3” pattern.  Faith paid off, because each progression of his four round four shot test inched closer to the bulls and closer to the sub MOA.  During his final round, Albert said he had fired 3 shots and could barely tell the difference and was debating going for the fourth shot so as not to throw the last round.  But being a real man, he did it.  Now we all know those guys who say, yea my shots all fit under a dime, all the while we know “BS” you couldn’t hit a fricken barn, but not here.  You can hear honesty and combined with the products he was using I knew when he said I could fit all four rounds on a nickel he was telling the truth.
Thanks for your interest and if you’re interested in a DPMS please contact us here at D9.

We’re always pleased when one of our clients provides us feedback on a rifle package we provided. I have copied the email I recieved from Gary who we outfitted a T3 Varmint a Zeiss optic.

I finally got a chance to sight in my Tikka/Zeiss package with your hand loaded 168 grain bullets and the results were fantastic. The first shot at 100 yards was about 3” to the right and 3 or 4” down. It took a total of six shots to get the round in the bull. I then proceeded to shoot two different 3 shot 100 yard groups. Both groups had all three bullets touching and one was considerably less than 1moa … this was during a fairly brisk wind and less than “ideal” shooting conditions. I’m certain the rifle will also perform at yardages well beyond 100 yards. These results are phenomenal

As I told Kyle, this rifle will be able to shoot anything (even something as small as the head of a squirrel) at 100 yards and has a round large enough to cleanly take most North American animals. Combine that will very manageable “low” recoil and you get a true “killer” combo.

Gary

We hope this feedback assists you in making a decision if you are interested in a Tikka. Please contact us here at D9 we will be glad to provide you with an outfitted package of your choice.

Thanks and we look forward to hearing from you

Here recently optics has become a hot topic at D9.  We recently updated one of our web pages covering optics.  What I thought would be a quick review on some issues to consider when purchasing optics turned out to be more like a dissertation.  As we discussed earlier when considering a rifle the optics should be part of the decision if not the first decision, since poor optics on a good rifle will still give you poor results.

However, one of our clients really took the long road to getting a top shelf high quality optic.  This client, we’ll only refer to as Gary, is somewhat a perfectionist and rightly so when it comes to outfitting one of our favorite rifles the Tikka T3 Varmint in .308Win.  He started with the Leopold 4×14x40 with the Boone & Crocket reticule.  After a field test he brought it back in.  There were two main issues; the mounting and the scope in general.  We had originally used the low aluminum rings that Tikka provided with the rifle and it just didn’t give him the look he wanted or the robust mounting.  Secondly after the field test, where he used it to shoot a doe, the scope didn’t quite meet his expectation.

So he went back to evaluating scopes and we went to solving the bases and rings problem.  Gary called back a few days later with a new selection, the Nikon Monarch UCC.  We in the mean time came up with a new mounting and went with Burris bases and Burris Signature Zee Rings.  By the time we were ready to reschedule Gary he called back and had changed courses.  This time he was pumped and could barely contain himself and confessed he blew the budget (we don’t know if he told his wife) and went all out on a Zeiss 4×14x44MC Conquest scope.

I knew some about Zeiss and have only looked through them in the big box stores and was always impressed.  Well he brought it over on Sunday afternoon and I was very impressed especially once we got in on the rifle.  We went to work getting everything mounted, leveled, aligned, and sighted.  The scope, rings, and rifle were a perfect match.  Gary was very pleased with the outcome and so were we.  We then proceeded to do a little sighting with it in the neighborhood and boy was it impressive.  This setup will deliver.  Before leaving we set Gary up with some hand loaded 168grn rounds.  We will provide a follow up to this when he gets out and range tests his new rig.

We hope he enjoys it as much as we did getting it setup. He was glad to allow us to provide you with some photo’s.

If you are interested in a complete rifle package please contact us here at D9 and we will be glad to configure a scoped rifle package of your choice.

Varmint season is quickly approaching and at D9Firearms we’ve been preparing. We’ve just recently outfitted several Tikka T3 Varmint rifles which are awesome out of the box rifles and are very accurate. However, there are other rifles out there and one we’ve been working with is the Remington 700.

The Remington 700 is a staple in just about everyone’s collection. Remington is an excellent manufacturer and the 700 action is probably the most common and well known. Most precision and custom made rifles are based on the 700 action. And for a couple of hundred dollars a gunsmith can accurize this rifle with blue printing, bedding and working the trigger.

We purchased two Remington 700 models one in the VLS in .243Win and the VSF in .223. We also have the SPS in 22-250 on order and is due to arrive this week. Our purpose is to evaluate each one on how it performs out of the box. Is the action smooth, how is the trigger, accuracy, and economics? Hopefully our findings here at D9 will provide you with some insight when looking at a Remington 700 model.

The first rifle we purchased was the Remington 700 VLS (Varmint Laminated Stock). It is a beautiful gun with a Monte Carlo cheek piece, with a wide, flat, beaver tail shape fore-end, and a 26” heavy blued barrel. We outfitted this one with a Sightron 4×16x42 w/mil-dot reticule. Since we didn’t have any hand loads worked up we went with a box of factory ammunition. The bolt action felt very solid but seemed a bit stiff when locking and loading. Although the scope wasn’t sighted, we started with a couple of rounds to see how the rifle felt. The weight of the gun is a definite factor on lessening the recoil and was enjoyable to shoot. However, the first thing I noticed was the trigger, even before I brought it to the range. For a varmint/bench rifle why would they put a 5lb or 6lb trigger pull? I was equally disappointed when I looked at the groupings. After a couple more rounds it was time to move on. After getting back from the range it was time to send out a couple of emails and do a little research on rehabbing the trigger or dropping it and putting in an aftermarket. We ended up ordering and installing a Timney trigger assembly with a 1.5 – 3lb pull ($80). Installing the trigger was not too difficult and took about a half hour, ok an hour. Next we were also able to work up a couple of hand loads for it. About a month later it was time to bring it back out and test out the changes. Changing the trigger made a significant difference combined with the hand loads put us solidly in the bulls. It seemed to hold right at an inch. Part of this was getting acclimated to the trigger and part due to testing new loads. Just recently we took it back out with some new loads using Hogdon H414 powder and Hornady 70grn HPBT bullets. That seemed to be a very good combination. So overall the rifle is a solid shooter but you will want to install an after market trigger or take it to a gunsmith and have the trigger worked over. Our recommendation would be for the Timney or Rifle Basix trigger since it offers you the adjustability. We give it thumbs up in quality, accuracy (after the trigger install), and reliability; however I would expected a better trigger for the cost. I’ll still keep the rifle because it does perform and if you don’t mind spending a few extra dollars it will be worth it.

Just recently we also purchased a Remington 700 in the VFS (Varmint Synthetic Fluted) in the .223 to replace a CZ 457 Varmint.(Topic for another day.) However, this rifle receiver is mounted on a H.S Precision composite stock with reinforced aramid fibers and full length aluminum bedding block. (H.S makes an excellent stock. The CZ also has the H.S. and this was one reason for going with the VSF.) The stock has a contoured beavertail fore-end with ambidextrous finger groves, large palm swell (this is nice) and duel front swivel studs for a sling and bipod. The barrel is a 26” heavy contour with six longitudinal flutes, for added heat dissipation and weight reduction. The barrel also has a concave target style crown. Immediate overall impression was this is going to be a shooter. Next and fatal impression again was the trigger. I just don’t understand it, why do this to a varmint/bench rifle. We immediately ordered a new trigger and went with a Rifle Basix trigger this time. It took about an hour to install and was very pleased with the bench test. Next we mounted a Sightron 4×16x42 w/mil-dot reticule and then reassembled the rifle and put it back in the safe. In a few weeks we will get it out and give you an update. Our suspicion is that with the right load this rifle is going to allow us to effectively reduce the prairie dog population of western Kansas.

As always we hope this information would prove benefical. If you are interested in purchasing a new Remington please contact us and we will be glad to assist you. Thank you and good shooting.

At D9Firearms we don’t like to sound like a broken record but we came across an excellent deal through one of our vendors.  They were having a close out special on the Tikka T3 Varmint in Stainless Steel in multiple calibers.  The rifles had been discounted to that less than the standard blued models.  I couldn’t help myself, I immediately ordered several of each caliber they had in stock.  I immediately sent out an email to anyone I knew who was interested in a high quality varmint rifle.  I had some immediate takers and listed the rest on the auction web sites.

One person in particular, who is my neighbor Dave, has been interested in a good varmint rifle but had very limited exposure.  He knew the common names, which there is nothing wrong them any of them, but had never heard of Tikka until we showed him our personal holdings.  He was even more skeptical of the synthetic stock and then we tossed the optics requirement in the mix.  Now Dave is a very astute and learned individual and very knowledgeable of firearms he’s interested in, but it would have been easier to take him to the dentist, than convince him on this rifle.  However, this economic opportunity provided enough incentive plus the personal guarantee to him from D9 that we would take it back if it turned out not to be as good as sliced bread.

Dave bought off on the project but I could tell his skepticism and to compound it more we started on the optics.  Once again he had limited experience with a scoped rifle and had no idea on evaluating the optics.  We covered several issues on the optics such as; what was the max distance, what type of target (preferably killer prairie dogs), type of reticule, clarity of optics (especially on the edges), adjustability, and economics.

As with anything you pay for what you get.  Now we know people who love to have a $900 rifle and put a $75 optic on it.  That’s like buying a suit at Brookes Brothers and going to Wal-Mart to buy the tie.  (I am not disparaging Wal-Mart they are a great economic engine.)  But optics is one of those issues where everyone knows best and best is Leupold.  I’m personally not sold that they are the best but they are good.  I also have my favorites but we still look to the customer to get their input.

However, in the case of Dave the ball was in our court to make a solid recommendation for project to meet the guarantee and stay within a reasonable budget.  I have just recently started purchasing Sightron and have a write up on them as well.  Since I own them I felt comfortable recommending it in the event I had to take it back.  So we outfitted a new Tikka T3 Varmint SS in .308 with a Sightron 4×16x42 w/plex reticule.  When outfitting a scoped package for our clients we also mount, align, and bore sight the scope.

Our next step was including him in another hobby of ours, reloading.  Dave came over and we set up the press and knocked out a hundred rounds of 168grn Sierra Match King HPBT using Alliant Reloader 15.  I have a known good recipe that I’ve been using for my Tikka T3 Varmint and DPMS LR-308 that has consistently delivered sub MOA accuracy to at least 200yds.

Finally, the day came when we had a range rally with him, some new acquaintances that were looking to test out one of our DPMS AR-15’s, and another friend of ours Mike testing out his new DPMS LR-308 w/Sightron 4×16x42 w/mil-dot reticule.  (Topics for the next blog)  So Dave was excited and proceeded to setup shop and get ready for the test.  I left him to his own devices so as not to influence the miracle of sliced bread to him.  Out of the box he was on the paper at 100yd with reasonable grouping (not sub MOA).  Not to worry, he dialed his scope in and proceeded to test several more groups and by his 4^th round his groups were tightening.  After checking targets he proceeded with another round and if a picture were worth a thousand words I would have not needed to write this.  But his groupings tighten to multiple rounds in a 5 shot group all touching.

Dave did take the risk on yet another test out to the 200yd line and let’s just say that he held 1” at 200yd.  So I didn’t need to take the rifle back and he’s ready to work up some new loads and try it again.

So another non-believer has seen the light and we have forgiven him for his skepticism and look forward to some more awesome shooting.  (All in good spirit).

If you have any questions or would like a Tikka T3 Varmint please contact us here at D9Firearms.

At D9Firearms nothing is to small or to large for us to handle. We had the pleasure of doing some research for a friend who was looking for a 50 BMG. There are several players in this market and they all have some outstanding guns. But what separates them? When we started looking we had two main criteria; quality and accuracy. Interestingly economics really wasn’t so much a factor because one expects to pay for a piece of hardware in this category. We also looked at the overall design of the rifle and its ascetics.

After doing some research and speaking with the owner of a 50 I started making calls of what I deemed to be the top three contenders to get a comparison of the three rifles. We received one call back which was from Barrett.

I described my search process and asked her about her rifle. In our conversation I introduced the names of the other two manufacturer’s and she didn’t skip a beat, not once did she disparage, discuss, or compare her rifle to theirs. At the time I felt it was all professionalism on her part, but two things separated her from the chaff. The first was the overall rifle package and everything that was included. The second was when I received two of these bad boys on my door step and opened up the case and all’s there was to say wow what an awesome rifle (I actually said something else but you get the point). The point is she didn’t need to compare her rifle to theirs because she knew without a doubt hers was best. And when you have a superior product and you believe in it, it sells itself.

My friend was able to take his to the range several weeks before me so I had some warning as what to prepare for. The most incredible thing is that there is no recoil to this rifle; the weight and the brake eliminate all but that of a light shot gun. However, the tooth rattling concussion you suffer from what seems like a grenade going off in your back pocket will leave you feeling like you need a trip to the dentist. But you quickly recover only to do it again.

The Barrett is quite an entertaining rifle but we have since offered on the auction block due to the high demand in this tumultous political climate and am pleased to have passed this awesome rifle on to a new owner who will be able to enjoy it more frequently then me.  It was great fun while it lasted and there are still some available, but be prepared to wait.

The newest member of the T3 Varmint family is a full-bodied stainless rifle Tikka T3 Super Varmint. The heavy, stainless steel barrel effectively eliminates vibration and does not overheat even in fast paced varmint shooting. T3 Super Varmint comes with a 5 or 6-round detachable magazine. Synthetic stock has a extra-wide forend and adjustable cheek piece. Adjustable cheek piece and integral scope mount rails for Optilock scope mounts. Receiver is also drilled and tapped for optional Picatinny rail. Varmint models come with 5- or 6-round magazines as standard.

Technical Specs