I have a T3 6.5x55 in both blue and stainless.
My stainless wears a walnut? stock Tikka must have been trying as a prototype. They popped up on ebay one day and I picked one up. I should have bought them all. Decent figure and the ? is because they are nearly as light in weight as the plastic stocks, so probably not walnut but the figure makes them look like walnut. It's not painted on either.
The only rifle I've shot more one hole groups with than those two is a .223 Cooper Varmint.
And yes, they have a very long throat. Mine like the bullets seated deep, too.
I'd strongly recommend going to Talley's or Warnes and leave the supplied rings in the box. Leupold's or Burris would be fine, too, but the supplied rings need different screws to get them tight enough for the scope not to slide under recoil. Even with a 6.5x55. I also have an '06 and of course, that's worse, as was my 270 WSM.
