Likes father, likes son
Tikka T1x a versatile family friend, writes Mark van den Boogaart
In the spirit of truth in advertising I’m not much of a .22LR rifleman and, as I enter my 39th year of shooting and hunting, with hand on heart I can say I’ve only ever owned two rimfires. In fact I didn’t buy a .22LR until my second decade of shooting. One of those I had for a few short months before trading it, the other I bought for my then girlfriend, now wife, so we could go to the range together, though eventually it also found a new home after years of very little use.
The reason why? Well a .22LR has never really been in my hunting and shooting wheelhouse. I don’t regularly chase small game and when I’ve gone after rabbit, hare and fox I’ve used a shotgun. The rest of the time a .22LR didn’t fit the bill during my years spent hunting medium and large game. So I start this review of a .22LR rifle with firmly fitted, optically calibrated centrefire-tinted glasses. The firearm in question is a Tikka T1x Hunter, fitted with a 3-9×40 Burris Droptine B Plex .22LR and matching Burris mounts, supplied as a package by Beretta Australia.
As with any new item for review, I began Googling with three tabs opened on Sako, Tikka and Beretta Australia. Cross-checking each of the webpages there are three rifles in the T1x range in the Hunter, Multi-Task Rifle (MTR) and Ultra Precision Rifle (UPR), all being available in either .22LR or 17HMR. There’s further model variance in the Hunter range around barrel length and muzzle thread pattern, for those faraway countries where no-one clutches their pearls at the mention of suppressors, though I’m assuming all reflect the same base platform.
I also believe there’s a soon-to-be-released Tikka T1x Ace variant, their latest chassis-based practical rifle, though it wasn’t available on the Beretta Australia website at time of writing. Looking over the T1x it appears to share much of the philosophy and build quality of the Tikka T3x range, and it’s worth saying I’ll repeat that observation throughout this review, because it’s true.
What I noticed first was the highly presentable and ambidextrous timber stock. With a dark, smooth oil finish it shoulders beautifully and, with the inclusion of a wide flat fore-end, the rifle sits comfortably in an offhand shooting position. In contrast to the smooth stock finish is the lighter, bright checkering which lends the rifle a two-tone effect, the checkering deep and tactile, facilitating a secure connection at the pistol grip and fore-end.
Bringing it all together is the length of pull and at 13¼” (stated) the T1x feels like a full-sized rifle. For me this was real departure from previous experiences with .22LR as many seem to be youth orientated and feel very short and cramped, though not so the T1x. Another interesting fact about the rifle is that (as stated on the Sako website) the T1x Hunter’s barrelled action is compatible with T3x Lite and T3x UPR stocks, not something you see every day.
Following in the footsteps of the T3x, the T1x makes use of a free-floating, cold hammer-forged barrel. Tikka refers to the barrel as a crossover profile, in essence slightly shorter and heavier yet still light enough for hunting. The 510mm barrel is capped to protect the suppressor-ready thread. Looking closely it appears the receiver is a slightly different colour to the barrel and while I couldn’t find any reference to this, if you look closely the barrel appears darker.
It also uses the Tikka action so as you’d expect it’s very smooth and is complemented by a wide ejection port. Incorporating a 45-degree throw, bolt movement does give big hands enough room to comfortably cycle the action. The T1x Hunter makes use of an adjustable single-stage trigger. As a hunter I do like a slightly heavier trigger and found, out of the box, trigger pull to be crisp and light, though not too light to make me second-guess things.
It is a bolt-action repeater making use of a small, detachable polymer box magazine in either five or optional 10-shot capacity (the five-shot is flush mount) and, being a fan of detachable magazine hunting rifles, that’s a yes from me. Completing an evaluation of the controls the T1x is fitted with the standard T3x safety, easy to locate and operate without having to reset your grip on the rifle (it’s also quiet).
Like the T3x (again), the dovetailed action means easy scope mounting, so it really comes down to the type of optic you want to fit with the supplied scope, a Burris Droptine, offered in both centrefire and rimfire configuration. I got to test the .22LR version and while the Droptine is a budget scope, it felt right at home on the T1x.
I was liking what I saw so it was time to visit the range. My usual approach to reviewing a rifle involves two visits, the first being a ‘get to know’ the rifle scenario, the second to see what it can do. But this time I’d something different in mind so on my first trip I spent a lot more time than usual testing the rifle and, after getting a feel for things, I zeroed it for 50 yards. It performed very well though I expect I could manage a lot better accuracy with further practice and experimentation with different ammo. I also tested reticle increments of the Droptine for shooting out to 100 yards and found they provided an excellent aiming base line.
The reason for the change of approach was I wanted to introduce my son to the Tikka. After completing the necessary paperwork, we headed to the range and spent an afternoon shooting various targets at 50 and 100 yards. We started slowly and worked through the basics then, after overcoming his initial fear of 100 yards being too far away, we progressed from a standard target to a goat silhouette which was gleefully zapped by the new recruit.
As my job for the afternoon was to instruct and supervise, I gained a very different perspective of the T1x. My son, being a tall 12-year-old, was able to comfortably handle the longer stock, while the smoothness of the action and trigger made everything a little easier. One thing I did notice was the bolt needed a firm hand to execute a clean eject of the casing and at times the slow, unsteady cycling of a new shooter caused the spent case to catch. It wasn’t a problem when single loading at the range, but would be worth watching when cycling through the magazine.
It’s hard to knock a Tikka rifle. Sure, the standardisation and repetition of manufacturing creates a level of monotony, yet what it produces is an excellent platform you can draw a line under or, like me, use as a starting point to build something which truly suits you. As with every Tikka I’ve owned and reviewed the T1x performed to a very high standard. They’re accurate, functional, reliable and provide top shelf out-of-the-box performance, all of which in this instance meant it was perfect for a slightly nervous young man and first-time shooter.
Better still, those same qualities translate into a dedicated small game rifle for an adult. With that in mind and having never seriously hunted small game, the Tikka T1x Hunter does present a compelling case for a rifle which could be shared between a youth hunter and adult, making it difficult to argue against not having one in your gun safe.
Watch the video review here:
SPECIFICATIONS
Tikka T1x Hunter
Action: Bolt
Calibre: .22LR or .17HMR
Capacity: 5+1 (supplied)
Barrel length: 510mm
Rifling: 1:16½”
Trigger: Single-stage
Sights: Scope-ready
Stock: Checkered, oil timber finish
Length: 970mm
Weight: 2.7kg
Test ammunition: Winchester .22LR Wildcat