D9Firearms

Tikka T3 Hunter

Once again D9Firearms has provided a serious hunter with a serious rifle the Tikka T3 Hunter in a 300 Win. Mag. As expected the rifle has beautiful piece of hard wood with a smooth action and crisp trigger pull. I was surprised by the weight of the rifle it feels almost as light as the synthetic and it has a much lighter feel than the Weatherby that we shot and tested the previous week. To top off the rifle our hunter decided on the Nikon 3 – 9 Buckmaster w/BDC, which we mounted, aligned, and sighted. The only thing left is for our hunter to field sight and bag the big one that got away last year.

Since Tikka brand rifles are my most favored it was a pleasure to outfit this rifle for our hunter. One of the benefits to recommending Tikka is that once a shooter or hunter picks one up the rifle sells itself. At D9Firearms we are not a stocking dealer or representative so we have no allegiance to a particular brand. So when we recommend a Tikka firearm it’s based on filling the shooters requirements and Tikka repeatedly provides the quality, value, and accuracy to fill their requirements.

When our hunter came to us he was considering a couple of different rifles and was open to suggestions. He was considering a Remington 700 CDL or a Winchester. I personally own a couple of Remington’s and have only sold Winchester shotguns which are both outstanding brands. After discussing what our client was looking for and the economic range he wanted to stay in, we discussed the different rifles (except Winchester) and the Tikka.

After a lengthy discussion he decided to think about it. Several days later he contacted us and decided to go with the Tikka T3 Hunter sight unseen based on our recommendations. Our client was more than pleased when he picked up the rifle and proceeded to test the very points we discussed. He was also very pleased with the overall cost of package and we were able to come in below his budgeted amount.

So when you’re ready for your next rifle contact D9Firearms a hopefully we can outfit you with a new Tikka of your choice.

For you enthusiasts that like black rifles Defense Procurement Management Systems DPMS builds a solid, reliable, and extremely accurate rifle. I have owned and shot them for several years and have been impressed with the reliabity, workmanship, and most importantly the accuracy. The rifles are also very competitively priced making it an excellent value for your money.   The LR-308B w/18″ heavy barrel provides a good balance for high accuracy on the bench while keeping it light enough for free handed shooting.  This rifle will deliver MOA off the bench very easily with factory ammunition and sub MOA with hand loads or match ammo.

I outfitted this rifle with an existing IOR Valdada 2×12 x35 mil-dot with illuminated recticle.  Having good optics always enchances the accuracy and performance of the shooter, but the rifle must still perform. My personal rifle is the LR-308 w/24″ stainless bull barrel and have use an IOR Valdada 6×24x24 scope. (The scope will be a topic for another review.) The rifle has constantly delivered sub MOA accuracy with factory ammo and has performed even better with the hand loads I have personally developed for it.  However, this gun is strictly for the bench and does not lend it’s self to making a free hand shot like the LR-308B does.

I have also recieved feed back from the individual who purchased another LR-308B rifle from us and has been very pleased.  He used Black Hills match ammo and was hitting figure 8’s at 100yd.  He has since came back and ordered a JP adjustable trigger assembly for the rifle.  (I have these on both of my DPMS rifles).  He is also pleased with the balance and is also considering it for a deer rifle.

With the AR-10 style rifle increasing it’s popularity in the varmint, long range shooting, and target shooting it’s worth considering the DPMS for several reasons. First, most people believe you will sacrifice accuracy with a semi auto, which compared to a bolt action is true, but the DPMS will consistently deliver sub MOA accuracy. Although DPMS doesn’t outright guarentee sub MOA, of the 3 rifles I have shot/owned, and one from a client of mine, they have all consistently shot sub MOA. However, the real test begins when you get past 100yds. I have tested mine at the 200yd and produced 1″ grouping with hand loaded ammunition. I will be looking to stretch that to 300 on the next test.

Secondly, quality of workmanship and overall feel of the rifle is always important. I like the ventilated aluminum forarm which helps give it a robust industrial feel combined with the heavy barrel. Although the feel is important, how will the bolt carrier hold up? For the amount of shooting I do the gun has never jammed, misfired, or otherwise broken down, and I don’t clean my rifle after every use (I know.).  I would trust this gun to make the shot count, and rely on it in most urban and field environments. Of course cleaning is always important.

Another important issue is cost verses quality. Not everyone can afford the custom made, or other high end AR style rifles, so we have to look at the economics of it. DPMS seems to be consistently lower prices at most of the suppliers I deal with. I have also spoken several times with the DPMS reps and discussed their quality and service on the gun. They will immediately issue an return authorization if you feel the gun is defective in any manor. I have put this to the test. So for the money I feel I have purchased a high quality (not exceptional), reliable, and very accurate rifle.

As a firearms dealer I am confident about recommending these rifles wether it is the .223 or the .308 (I have both) to you. For future reference I have also ordered the LR-260 and hope to see it in the next 12 weeks and will provide an evaluation of it. If you are interested in a DPMS AR style rifle please contact us here at D9Firearms.

Introduced in 1970, the Vanguard® action first served as an economical alternative to the Mark V®. Over the years however, the Vanguard has continued to gain in popularity among all hunters, who can simply no longer ignore the exceptional combination of value, wide range of features and guaranteed accuracy. Based on a two-lug design, the Vanguard offers many of the same design elements and superior materials as the Mark V. The result is a highly accurate and dependable rifle that delivers year after year. With models starting at just a few hundred dollars, Vanguard is perhaps the finest rifle value on the market today. And, it is the only production rifle that comes with a factory-shot target as your assurance of guaranteed accuracy.

The performance and value of the popular Vanguard® is now available for wood stock enthusiasts.

Nothing like getting out to the farm for a day of birthday celebrations with my aunts & uncles and of course what’s a trip to the farm without a couple of high powered firearms. It truely was an enjoyable day where we were treated to some down home cooking and of course smoked pork provided by the cousins. (See www.plowboysbbq.com).

After an enjoyable meal a few of us retreated out to the field to test out a couple of new deer rifles. My personal favorites are the Tikka rifles which we tested out a T3 Lite Stainless Synthetic .270 Win. with a Burris 3×9 nickel finish. The other rifle we put to the test today was the Weatherby Vanguard with a hardwood stock with blued barrel chambered in .270 Win. with a Nikon 3×9 Buckmaster BDC.

The T3 performed as expected. They are lite, guarenteed to shoot 1″ or better at 100yd (Sako barrel), has a smooth as silk action, with a crisp trigger that is adjustable 2 - 4lb trigger. This gun is perfectly suited for fast action free hand shooting in any environment. And don’t worry about scratching or rusting the stainless and synthetic will hold up. Of course I will need to order another one after today.

This was the first Weatherby I have purchased and didn’t know what to expect from one of their mid level models. If you like the hard wood and blued barrel with just a little extra weight this is a very good shooter. The gun is lite enough for a free hand shot and combined with the Nikon bullet drop compensated scope a long range shot is just made easier. I plan to take it back out to bring the scope and just shoot a few more rounds through it. The gun was factory test fired and delivered about 1/2″ grouping, which I wasn’t able to achieve today, but plan to put it through the test in a week or so. But for the money I believe it will do excatly what you need it to do this season.

The Tikka T3 Hunter is made for the hunter looking for top performance and innovation, but who prefers a classic style and feel. The high-grain walnut stock is selected and shaped by Sako master gunsmiths. The T3 Hunter offers an extensive caliber selection for hunting and sport shooting. An “old-world” platform based on modern thinking, taking you to a new level in accuracy, reliability …and shooting enjoyment.

Technical Specs

The Tikka T3 Deluxe features a high-grade walnut stock, rosewood fore-end tip, classic checkering, metallic pistol grip cap and rosewood decoration, the Deluxe brings a high level of classic sophistication to the Tikka T3 range. The high-grade stock is either oil-finished or matt lacquered.

Technical Specs

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

The heavy, free-floating precision barrel of Tikka T3 Varmint effectively eliminates vibration and does not overheat even in fast-paced varmint shooting. The receiver and barrel are made of high grade blued Cr-Mo steel. T3 Varmint comes with a 3, 5 or 6-round detachable magazine. The synthetic stock has a extra-wide fore-end for bench resting and the swivel stud accommodates both a bipod or a sling. Just install an add-on cheek piece for proper head position with large scope - and you are geared up for some serious fun.

Technical Specs

The Tikka T3 Camo Stainless is designed for a serious shooter who is ready to ”rough it” for best results. The barrel is non-reflective stainless steel and the camouflage (Realtree Hardwoods® HD™) patterned fiberclass reinforced copolymer stock completely blends in with the surroundings.

Technical Specs

Shooters who are ready to face the most extreme conditions require that their tools share the same characteristics. T3 will be your trusted, hard-wearing companion, offering spotless long-term performance. The T3 metal parts are made of Sako’s high-grade stainless steel and the stock is glass fiber reinforced copolymer, both giving you the double advantage of easy maintenance and great looks. Whatever the weather, with a Tikka T3 Lite Stainless in your hands, you will always shine.

Technical Specs