It looks and feels to be of higher quality than the Ruger American and the Savage Axis models. The stock feels a bit cheap, but it is a cheap rifle so that is to be expected. The stock is definitely stiffer and more solid than the Ruger or Savage.

Mine is almost boringly accurate. It shoots great with the nine or ten flavors of factory ammo I’ve tried and the only two handload recipes I tried were well under sub-MOA. One went .043” for three shots, which is all I use for rifles with lighter hunting barrels.

The trigger was very nice out of the box, with an average pull of about 3.9 lbs. No creep and crisp as a Ruffles breaking in the onion dip.

It is not as nice as the Tikka T3x but it also costs a lot less. It does shoot and function as well as any Tikka I’ve owned, used or been around, however.

I bought mine for a backup and a truck gun when CDNN had the ridiculous sale on them at the same time Winchester was offering a rebate. I got it out of the FFL for under three bills, total. Other than one Weatherby Vanguard VGX in .270 Roy I had, which was its equal, my Winchester XPR in 6.5 Creedmoor is the most accurate out of the box factory rifle I ever owned. The first three shots it ever took put the 125gr Winchester Deer Season XP bullets into a 3/4” cloverleaf. It has done better since.

It is actually making it into the hunting rotation and I’ll be taking it on an in-State deer hunting trip and an out of state cow elk hunt next year. It loves the 142gr ABLR so that’s what I’ll most likely shoot for the cow with the Winchester Deer Season XP 125gr factory ammo getting the call for the deer.


What could be a sadder way to end a life than to die having never hunted with great dogs, good friends and your family?