KK:

Nice battery you have assembled there. Like the optics too.

I'll admit that for years I kind of dismissed the Tikkas as a budget or price point minded offering and, by extension, I didn't pay them much attention. However, after reading the Canadian Ranger rifle tests a couple years back, I figured I'd give one a try. So far I've been impressed. Fit and finish is good, fantastic trigger, and exceedingly accurate with a number of different loads right out of the box. I also like the integral rail for scope mounting. I did upgrade to MT bottom metal and MT billet magazines, but I didn't have any trouble with the factory set up.

I've noticed, too, that B&C seems to have upped their game as far as quality and fit and finish, and I think they represent a great value compared to some competition. If they offered the M40 style in LH, I'd equip a few rigs with them.

I'm a stickler for good cheek weld and most straight combs don't fit me the best, so I usually end up looking for aftermarket arrangements. If weight isn't an issue, I'll go Boyds if they offer a model to fit, but the plywood can get heavier than I'd like for certain rigs. For a few years now, I've been buying Beartooth comb raising kits to use on synthetic stocks. I started with them as a way to try different heights before ordering a custom stock, but I like the way they fit and feel, so I've ended up just leaving them in place and using them on a few rigs if I can live with the rest of the stock.