r/canadaguns • u/ExtremeCommercial821 • 2d ago

Buy recommendations Ruger American Gen II vs. Tikka t3x

I'm looking for my first bolt action, and I know this sounds like a no brainer; the Tikka is objectively better on action and accuracy.

However, I'm going to be doing mostly range and I'm drawn to the Ruger; it's tastefully bubba'd from the factory and has all the aeathstics I love, plus functional stock risers, plus a pic-rail to boot.

Action feel is so important to me but the cost savings on the Ruger are very noticeable and at its price, the Tikka is already much higher I'll be spending hundreds more on a scope and basic mods.

I guess what I'm asking is; will the Ruger fall short the more experienced I get and cause me to just get a Tikka anyway; or is the Ruger respectable enough to keep for years to come and put down good groupings at distance on range?

I'm looking at 6.5CM btw. Thanks!

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u/Eyeronick 2d ago

I have both. As you said they Tikka is definitely better but the aesthetics of the gen 2 are hard to pass up. Something to note is that they both have pretty thin profile barrels. I'd highly suggest you look at something with a thicker barrel if you're interested in range shooting. My Ruger starts to drift after 1 mag and I need to swap it out for a different rifle to cool down. If you want to do both hunting and range shooting I'd suggest two seperate rifles.

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u/BuyRelevant1000 2d ago

I can't count the amount of times I've written the same thing about range shooting=thicker barrel. It needs to be pinned for the weekly posts about the differences between a hunting rifle and range rifle. 

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u/Eyeronick 2d ago

I've got to the point now where I'll be selling one, takes the fun out of it. Good operatunity for me to get a smaller cheaper caliber anyways for plinking than my 300wm or 308.

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u/BuyRelevant1000 2d ago

Honestly my (varmint) barrel'd 22 and 223 are great to shoot and I don't wince in pain when I need more ammo after a range day. My 6.5 is now only regulated to hunting duties, unfortunately. 

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u/Eyeronick 2d ago

I've thought about 6.5 but it's still relatively expensive even with reloading. 223 is what I'm contemplating picking up since I have a ton of powder, primers, bullets and cases that I no longer have a gun for.

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u/i-Hermit 2d ago

I reload 223.. you get all the fun of reloading and load development, but it's less powder and cheaper primers / projectiles.

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u/Eyeronick 2d ago

Absolutely, I used to reload for it, then my 223 semi got prohibited. Oh well.