Tikka Turn-Key F-TR platform
Readers enjoyed our recent “Poor Man’s Tactical” item featuring the Tikka model 595. Well here’s a followup for F-TR shooters. The Tikka “Master Sporter” features an adjustable cheekpiece, adjustable buttpad, accessory rail, and 5-round detachable magazine. Remarkably, these originally sold for about U.S. $650.00, yet it was not unusual for them to shoot close to 1/2-MOA with handloads. Master Sporters also feature the fine m595 action, and they are blessed with a very good stock design for shooting prone from bipod–just what you need for F-TR. Tikka notes the factory trigger adjusts to 2 pounds, but Mac Tilton of MT Guns can get it down to one pound. The bolt throw is a quick 70°, the bolt handle is stainless, and, in .308, the barrel twist rate is 1:11″ — a good choice for the 155gr match bullets.
These Master Sporters are getting hard to find. It’s even more difficult to find one unfired, new in the box. But just such a specimen, chambered in .308 Winchester, was auctioned this week on Gunbroker.com, item 87063398. It even came with two (2) 5-round magazines. The auction closed at $975.00. We’ve seen them go for less, but also for more.
Skim-bed the action, maybe apply a couple sealer coats to the walnut stock, attach a Harris bipod to the accessory rail and you’re good to go for F-TR. (You’ll also need a scope and rings of course.) You could probably acquire this rifle, shoot it for a couple seasons, then get your full investment out of it. Or hang on to it and eventually add a longer custom barrel (factory tube is a bit short at 23 3/8″).
CLICK to DOWNLOAD TIKKA Master Sporter SPEC SHEET
If you’ve been wondering what to ask Santa for Christmas, and you haven’t found something “just right” from the many print catalogs and online “webstores”, check our AccurateShooter Articles Archive. Last year we prepared an extensive 
