The Crossover

With the heart of a rifle traditionalist, the transition from wood and chromoly steel to synthetic and stainless steel was fraught with misgivings. However, the metamorphous that followed was a resounding success. My “user” hunting rifles are now an iteration of synthetic stocks, Cerakote treated or carbon fibre-wrapped stainless-steel barrels. It was time to tackle the trending chassis build.

Tikka T3x Ace Game .308 Winchester

A Tikka T3x Ace Game provided that opportunity. Built on the same modular chassis as the T3x Ace Target, this is a true crossover rifle designed for both hunting and sport shooting. The only difference between the two is the Game’s fluted, semi-heavy, Sporter-weight barrel. It is free floated, cold hammer forged and is threaded 5/8×24 for a muzzle brake, but it ships with a simple thread protector. The Game also boasts a 20 MOA Picatinny rail, fluted bolt with dual locking lugs, adjustable trigger and a bolt shroud plus knob made of high-impact polymer. The magazine, a traditional composite single stack, holds five rounds, while the unique magwell is designed to accommodate various magazine types.

It’s the chassis, however, that characterizes this rifle. Machined from lightweight, aircraft-grade aluminum, it is about as adjustable as one might envision. Customization comes in the form of a cheek rest, length of pull and recoil pad adjustability, while the standard pistol grip is both angle and position adjustable. The stock itself is compatible with all T3, T3x and T1x barreled actions and is equipped with M-Lok and an Arca-Swiss RRS rail that offers unparalleled compatibility with a wide range of accessories, from bipods to stabilizing weights.

 

Rifle Specifications

Calibre: .308 Winchester

Weight: 9.3 pounds

Barrel length: 24.4 inches

Total length: 44.3 inches

Twist rate: 1/10 inches

Magazine capacity: 5

Trigger: Single stage, adjustable from two to four pounds

Length of pull: Adjustable

Drop at comb: Adjustable

Burris Veracity PH 3-15×44 RC-MOA Scope

The Tikka was accompanied by a Burris Veracity PH 3-15×44 front focal plane scope. As its innovations are beyond my editorial space to fully describe, I will list the preeminent features with a very brief description.

• Mechanical/Digital Click-Less PEK Elevation Knob: This click-less design uses a digital position sensor that offers 1/10 of MOA adjustments.
• Head-Up Display (HUD): Shows elevation and turret position in yards, metres or MOA, rifle cant, distance accurate wind holdover and battery level.
• Bluetooth for BurrisConnect: Allows pairing to the BurrisConnect app for building custom ballistic profiles.
• Rapid Cross MOA Reticle: Features progressively thicker crosshairs and numbered wind holdoffs, numbered holdovers for manual bullet drop compensation and an illuminated crosshair.
• Extra-Low Dispersion Glass: Revised ED glass reduces chromatic aberrations and enhances light transmission.
• Zero Turn Stop Adjustment Knobs: Provide quick and easy back to your original sight-in setting.

Other features include Dex-Matched Hi-Lume multicoating, five times zoom system, double internal spring tension system, ergonomic side focus, solid one-piece tube, nitrogen filled, waterproof and comes with the Burris Forever Warranty.

 

Scope Specifications

Magnification: 3-15x

Objective lens: 44 millimetres

Tube size: 30 millimetres

Length: 13.1 inches

Weight: 27.3 ounces

Field of view: 36 to 7.5 feet

Eye relief: 92.7 to 92 millimetres

Elevation adjustment: 100 MOA

Windage adjustment: 60 MOA

Parallax: 25 yards to infinity

Factory Ammunition

Brand	Bullet	Velocity (fps)	Group Size
Sako Super Hammerhead	150-grain Bonded Soft Point	2,788	1.210
Sako Powerhead Blade	162-grain Expanding Copper	2,675	.495
Sako Super Hammerhead	180-grain Bonded Soft Point	2,629	1.490
Norma Whitetail	150 grains	2,763	1.110
Norma Whitetail	180 grains	2,563	1.380
Norma Oryx	180-grain Premium Bonded Core	2,619	.860
Norma Oryx	165-grain Premium Bonded Core	2,733	.470
Fusion	150 grains	2,825	.750
Federal Premium	165-grain Trophy Bonded Tip	2,827	1.235
Federal Premium	150-grain Nosler Partition	2,902	.680
Remington Core-Lokt	150-grain PSP	2,839	2.040
Barnes VOR-TX	150-grain Tipped TSX-BT	2,913	1.090
Hornady Precision Hunter	178-grain ELD-X	2,590	.560
Browning BXC	168-grain Controlled Expansion	2,570	1.665

 

Handloads

Bullet	Powder	Case	Velocity (fps)	Group Size (inches)
Hornady 165-grain CX	BL-C2	Hornady	2,714	1.580
Hornady 200-grain ELD-X	Varget	Hornady	2,443	1.180
Barnes 175-grain LRX BT	IMR4064	Hornady	2,536	.953
Nosler 180-grain AccuBond	IMR4895	Hornady	2,167	1.540
Nosler 150-grain Ballistic Tip	IMR4064	Hornady	2,733	1.150
Berger 185-grain VLD Hunting	W760	Hornady	2,558	1.380

Note: All groups were three shots at 100 yards and velocities were measured with a Garmin Xero C1 Pro and averaged.

Test Results

I had two immediate observations regarding this rifle. First, it was built like a tank, and second was its weight. On my postal scale, the rifle at eight pounds, 15 ounces, was a tad lighter than its advertised weight. Adding the Burris Veracity and mounts elevated it to10 pounds, 12 ounces – a weight beyond what I would consider ideal for a backcountry or mountain hunt, but on a stand, it would offer a totally different perspective. At three pounds, four ounces, the trigger pull weight was a bit heavier than I would have liked, but it was so consistent that I left it at that weight. I also installed a side ported muzzle brake that, when combined with the weight of this rifle, reduced both recoil and muzzle jump.

The action was as smooth as I have come to expect of a Tikka, while the stock delivered as advertised – adjustability. I only noted one niggly regarding that adjustability, the cheek piece had to be lowered to remove the bolt. Being spring loaded, however, all I had to do was push the release button and it instantly returned to its preset height.

With Weaver Tactical four-hole rings, mounting the Veracity was a snap. Meanwhile, if you envision using the Ace Game as a crossover rifle, you may want to consider upping the magnification of the scope to the 4-20x model.

On the range, while testing 14 factory and six handloads, both the rifle and scope functioned flawlessly. While the overall average accuracy of 1.297 (handloads) and 1.073 (factory) was not as tight as expected, there were several highlights. In total, seven loads bettered MOA, while two factory loads, Sako Powerhead Blade 162-grain Tipped Expanding Copper (.495) and Norma Oryx 165-grain Premium Bonded Core (.470), topped the lot. Both would be excellent choices for most big game.