Sunday GunDay: Tikka T3x Ace Target — NRA 2026 Rifle of Year
The Tikka T3x Ace Target was named the 2026 American Rifleman Golden Bullseye “Rifle of the Year”.
The Tikka T3x ACE Target rifle has been named the 2026 American Rifleman Golden Bullseye Rifle of the Year, a highly coveted award presented annually by NRA Media. This impressive factory rifle is a great choice for PRS/NRL competition. It boast a good chassis with full-length ARCA rail, modular magwell, and adjustable cheekpiece. The action is smooth with a nice fluted bolt and big bolt handle knob. On top of the action is a +20 MOA Picatinny rail which helps with long-range shooting. This rifle has shown very good accuracy with factory ammo, aided by an excellent 2-stage trigger that adjusts from 2 to 4 pounds.
Available chamberings are .223 Rem, 6.5 Creedmoor, and .308 Win with prices starting at $1799.00 at EuroOptic.com. The 6.5 Creedmoor with 26″ barrel would be our choice for PRS/NRL competition.
SPECIAL REPORT: NEW Tikka T3x Ace Target Rifle for PRS/NRL
Tikka is best known for its rugged and accurate hunting rifles. But recently Tikka has introduced an impressive new line of T3x Ace Target chassis rifles. These 10.6-lb rigs have impressive alloy chassis stocks, with modular M-LOK and Arca-Swiss compatible fore-ends, and interchangeable magwells. Optimized for PRS/NRL competition, the Tikka T3x Ace Target has a fine 2-stage adjustable trigger, plus a rear stock section with adjustable cheek-piece and nicely-designed attached lower bag rider. NOTE: Tikka also offers the rimfire .22 LR Tikka T1x Ace Target rifle for practice and competition. This is cool because NRL-22 Matches are now very popular.
Accuracy Testing Results
Rifle Shooter, a leading UK gun publication, did extensive accuracy testing of the Tikka T3X Ace Target. This testing is featured in the above video. Shooting from a bench with rear bag and front tripod, the test rifle delivered MOA (or better) accuracy with five out of six types of factory ammo. The best group, 0.68″ for 5 shots, was shot with Lapua ammunition with 167gr Scenar bullets. Here are the test results:
In another test of a Tikka T3X Ace Target, top F-Class shooter Erik Cortina achieved half-MOA or better groups with SAKO 6.5 Creedmoor ammo. Watch Erik shoot the Tikka T3x Ace Target in the video below, starting at 8:22 time-mark.
Tikka T3X ACE Target Rifle Features
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2-Stage Adjustable Trigger (2-4 lbs) |
23.6″ or 26″ Heavy Barrels with 5/8″-24 threaded muzzles |
According to Rifle Ready: “The new Tikka T3X Ace lineup exploded out of SHOT Show 2025 and instantly became one of the most talked-about precision rifles of the year — and for good reason. With multiple testers recording sub-half MOA groups and even extended 15-shot strings under 1 MOA, the Ace is delivering near-custom accuracy right out of the box. Built on the legendary T3C action and paired with a full competition-ready chassis, the Ace Target and Ace Game rifles blend Finnish craftsmanship with modern modularity in a way Tikka fans have waited years for.”
Want to learn more? A Rifle Ready video released this month showcases Tikka T3X features. It covers real-world accuracy tests, reviewer impressions, and the differences between the Target and Game variants. This video does help explain why some shooters say the Ace “beats rifles triple its price”.
In promoting its rifle, Tikka posted: “The T3x Ace Target, crafted with Tikka’s legendary attention to detail, was developed for precision shooters seeking an out-of-the-box competition-ready platform. With its optimized barrel profile, enhanced ergonomics, and refined trigger system, the Ace Target embodies the advanced engineering and shooter-focused design Tikka is known for.” The video below features a test of the .223 Rem variant.
Many visitors to the site ask us, “I’ve got a .223 and .308. What will a 6mmBR Norma (6BR) give me that I’m not getting already?” Well first you will probably average consistently smaller groups than your current .223 or .308 rifle (assuming the 6BR has a quality barrel and trigger). A good .308 Winchester can be superbly accurate, no question about that, but the lesser recoil of the 6BR works in the shooter’s favor over a long string of fire. Even with a Rem 700 or Savage action factory action, a 6BR with a benchrest stock, premium barrel, and a high-quality chambering job should deliver 5-shot groups in the high twos to mid-threes, provided you do your job. We have one 6BR rifle that shoots Lapua factory-loaded 6BR ammunition in the low twos and high ones. That’s exceptional, we admit, but it still shows how the 6BR is an inherently accurate cartridge, even with factory loads.
