TAC A1 for hunting

Mrieger27

Well-Known Member
Does anybody on here use a Tikka TAC A1 for hunting. I know it's a heavy rifle but was wondering if anyone does and how they get on with it?
Thanks
Mark
 
I have had one client who bought one. Its not for deer stalking. It weighs a TON. Try carrying it around on the hill for the day and you will rule the day you bought it. Besides in my opinion it looks like a Rambo gun. Ok on a range, stalking no. Of course this is my personal opinion.
 
I have one in .260, 24" barrel, would I use it for stalking? Almost definitely not; its not so much the carrying around of the rifle, with a backpack sling I could walk a fair way without trouble. That said, a full day on the hill may be quite challenging. But it's more getting the rifle into position, off of my back and onto sticks. Maybe this could be mastered but it's not something I have ever really considered.

I do however know that the person who owned the rifle before me used it regularly for stalking and I do know of numerous others that do. So it can be done.

For me it will remain my range rifle which is where it truly excels, that is of course unless I sell it but that's another subject!
 
I have one in 6.5 CM for target shooting. Unless I'm facing a valley full of steel targets it stays in the case. I can't imagine what would possess a person to hunt with one. A mile or so over rough terrain toting that crow bar would have you cursing it. ~Muir
 
Got one in 6.5 CM that I use weekly for stalking. It's heavy, but very manageable in my opinion. Have used it for long hours on hill and woodland stalking with no probs, although I'm used to carrying heavy kit so maybe that plays a part. I shoot it off quad sticks and find it easy enough to mount/unmount. I was wary that the rails on it would snag on heather etc, but have yet to find any problems with it in that regard. Yes, it looks a bit "rambo-like", but that's what comes with a chassis system, don't let the snobbery put you off (I get plenty of snide comments). End of the day, it's a ridiculously accurate rifle, so why not use it for deer.

Billy
 
I had a Tac A1 but changed the chassis for a KRG Bravo. Main issues for stalking I found were that it wasn't comfortable to carry, not the weight but just sharp edges etc and in the winter the aluminium chassis was really cold to the touch, almost painfully so when it was really cold
 
I had a Tac A1 but changed the chassis for a KRG Bravo. Main issues for stalking I found were that it wasn't comfortable to carry, not the weight but just sharp edges etc and in the winter the aluminium chassis was really cold to the touch, almost painfully so when it was really cold
Nice. I've toyed with the idea of doing this in the past, just to change things up. Out of interest, what was the weight difference like? Noticeable? Mind passing on some info about where you got the KRG Bravo??
 
End of the day, it's a ridiculously accurate rifle, so why not use it for deer.

Billy
Because it is ridiculously heavy? If you're carrying quad sticks around, you and I are perhaps doing a different kind of hunting/stalking?

My TAC 6.5 is also a ridiculously accurate rifle but so is my Tikka T3 Lite in 7-08. The difference is that the T3 Lite weighs about 7 pounds. I hunt in wilderness areas where you are target for mishap and misfortune; from things that want to eat you to sudden blizzards. Mechanical breakdowns induce a 20 mile walk to the nearest pavement.

🤔I think I'd rather carry more ammo, water, clothing, and other survival gear instead of another eight pounds of superfluous iron! ~Muir
 
Because it is ridiculously heavy? If you're carrying quad sticks around, you and I are perhaps doing a different kind of hunting/stalking?

My TAC 6.5 is also a ridiculously accurate rifle but so is my Tikka T3 Lite in 7-08. The difference is that the T3 Lite weighs about 7 pounds. I hunt in wilderness areas where you are target for mishap and misfortune; from things that want to eat you to sudden blizzards. Mechanical breakdowns induce a 20 mile walk to the nearest pavement.

🤔I think I'd rather carry more ammo, water, clothing, and other survival gear instead of another eight pounds of superfluous iron! ~Muir
We're definitely doing a different kind of stalking....nothing wants to eat me in this country 😂 and I'm never a 20 mile walk anywhere, more like 3 max, so survival supplies aren't really necessary. Suppose that's a luxury not all have, so I can see why you wouldn't want the extra weight of the rifle. I use quad sticks everywhere though, swear by them. To the point I don't even take a bipod anymore.

7lbs does sound tempting though 😂👀
 
We're definitely doing a different kind of stalking....nothing wants to eat me in this country 😂 and I'm never a 20 mile walk anywhere, more like 3 max, so survival supplies aren't really necessary. Suppose that's a luxury not all have, so I can see why you wouldn't want the extra weight of the rifle. I use quad sticks everywhere though, swear by them. To the point I don't even take a bipod anymore.

7lbs does sound tempting though 😂👀
My brother owns a lodge in the Dakotas and tells his clients of his "5 second rule". Once a whitetail deer figures out what you are, you have 5 seconds to get off the shot. It is almost always off-hand.

Seven pounds carries like a dream. I once walked into some whitetails: take a step, stop. Another step, stop. Wait. Repeat..... covering 50 yards of open ground in about 35 minutes. All the time with my Tikka 7-08 in my hands. I ended up taking an 80 yard shot off hand at the only antlerless deer in the group. I never noticed the rifle's weight. I'd have been panting like a rabbit-run beagle by the time I had to make that shot if I'd been carrying the TAC! ~Muir
 
Nice. I've toyed with the idea of doing this in the past, just to change things up. Out of interest, what was the weight difference like? Noticeable? Mind passing on some info about where you got the KRG Bravo??
I can't remember the actual weight difference but it was lighter and more importantly much nicer to carry and to shoot too. I bought it direct from March Scopes in Gatwick but that was a few years back.
 
I used a CTR in a KRG Bravo, with the enclosed fore end and a Carbon 6 CF barrel. With everything (scope, rings, arca rail, etc), it weighs somewhere around 13-14lbs (Gen 2 Votex Razor is 3.5 lbs itself).

Not really a good stalking rifle, but superb for "overwatch" style hunting.

Right tool, for the right job.
 
for those of you who ‘couldn’t imagine why’ the answer is i had an interminable wait for a barrel and the only rifle i had conditioned for deer was my Tiktac
From a highseat you don’t notice the weight, dragging it and a carcass across a muddy field you notice little else.
I also took it after goats which was an experience id rather not repeat.
as someone said above its cold to the touch, Its covered in sharp edges, and nooks and crannies which make it take an age to clean. its also a real pain to crawl with.
a spectacular rifle, literally the poor man’s AI, But id take anything else stalking
 
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