Until recently, competitive shooters running Tikka rifles in modern precision matches followed a familiar formula: buy a T3x CTR, add a scope, then drop it into a chassis. That changed at SHOT Show 2025, when the Tikka T3x Ace Target was unveiled. Now, Tikka is finally selling a match-ready rifle straight out of the box that caters to modern precision shooting disciplines like PRS.
The T3x Ace Target is Tikka’s competition-ready bolt-action match rifle built around a heavy-contour barrel. As significant as its barreled action is, the rifle is mated to a fully modular Tikka-designed chassis. Incidentally, due to all T3x rifles using a standardized action length, one can install any other T3x barrel action to this chassis. It’s also true for rimfire T1x rifles. In fact, Tikka launched the T1x Ace Target and T3x Ace Game rifles along with the T3x Ace; all are bedded to the Ace chassis.
Tikka Ace Target rifles are available chambered in .223 Rem., .308 Win. and 6.5 Creedmoor with barrel lengths that measure 23.6 to 26 inches. Similarly, their twist rates are caliber-standard: 1:8-inch for 6.5 Creedmoor and .223 Rem. and 1:10-inch for .308 Win.
Barreled Action
The Ace Target’s action is straightforward and doesn’t hide its Finnish roots. It cocks-on-open and relies on a pair of two main locking lugs. Thanks to the factory’s broach-cutting technique that cuts smooth raceways for the bolt, the rifle’s 60-degree bolt throw feels slick when cycling. It didn’t take much for the action to wear in during its maiden voyage at a small Sunday club match.
This action’s safety sits in that familiar spot found on nearly every contemporary bolt-action rifle design—right behind the bolt handle. Push forward for “fire” and pull back for “safe.” On safe, the safety mechanism also locks the bolt in place.
Trim-wise, the T3x sits on the higher end of Tikka’s catalog, so the Ace Target is equipped with a fluted bolt and an extended bolt knob. The bolt knob is prominent and easy to grasp without getting in the way of the larger scopes that PRS-style rifles rely on. To that point, the Ace Target’s receiver comes with a factory-installed 20-MOA Picatinny scope base ready to accept rings or mounts.
The specimen I’m shooting is chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor and sports a 26-inch barrel. Though heavy countoured, the barrel is not the heaviest that one would find on a match rifle. Nonetheless, its contour is enough for competition shooting. Accuracy-wise, I haven’t found anything to complain about. The muzzle is capped and threaded at 5/8x24 TPI to accept relevant muzzle brakes or suppressor mounts.
Ace Chassis System
Tikka ships Ace Target rifles with a fully adjustable, pistol-grip equipped chassis. From front to rear, the entire structure is full of thoughtful details. Like many other contemporary precision-rifle chassis systems, the Ace chassis is composed of three main parts.
The rear-stock consists of a skeletonized structure that is joined to the remainder of the chassis via a stout hex screw. It includes a quick-adjusting cheekpiece and a comfy rubber buttpad that employs shims to determine the total length of pull. The buttpad also can also be adjusted vertically as it rides on its own track along the rear edge of the stock. The bottom portion has a single M-Lok slot that allows it to accept M-Lok compatible bag-riders. For convenience, Tikka ships the Ace Target with a basic one.
As is the case with many other modern bolt-action chassis systems, the remainder of the Ace chassis can be thought of as a blank canvas—ready for the shooter to make it their own.
Since the ability to accessorize and adapt these types of rifles to their end-users is just as critical as their accuracy, the handguard portion of the Ace comes with a full span of ARCA-Swiss rail underneath.
Additionally, each side of the chassis (save for the top) includes seven M-Lok slots for further accessorizing. Tikka also designed the top edges of the handguard to support additional accessories like upper rails that can be used to support extra peripherals (e.g., night-vision gear). Both the end of the handguard and the front corner of the magazine well are textured to serve as barricade stops.
Since the Ace chassis has a high degree of modularity baked into its design, it’s easy to plug-and-play with Tikka/Sako’s own accessory ecosystem that it developed to support Ace rifles. Thanks to M-Lok and ARCA-Swiss universality, the Ace system also plays well with many third-party precision accessories.
The Ace system’s modularity extends to the central part of the chassis, too. Since the Ace can accept any T3/T3x or even rimfire T1x action, the system relies on interchangeable and adaptable magazine-well “shells” that allow an action to work with its intended magazines.
Even though T3x Ace magazines are proprietary, the interchangeable magazine well means that the Ace chassis system can easily feed from T1x or T3x CTR magazines. I also appreciate the Ace’s default magazine well profile, which is cut back and “inverted” to make it easier to insert loaded magazines while prone.
Ace actions are supported by an aluminum bedding block that fits inside the Ace chassis. As with other Tikka T3x configurations, the receiver’s recoil-lug is a separate piece that sits inside of the bedding block.
While the Ace’s proprietary magazine is nothing like an AICS magazine, it practically functions like one. To its benefit, these 10-round double-stack Ace magazines are approximately the same height as a 5-round AICS magazine. The magazine’s bottom comes with a nice rubberized bump-pad designed to protect it. I’ve had no issues with this magazine, though I recommend some care with the steel feedlips.
Grip & Trigger
Ace Target rifles ship with a two-part grip. The inner part consists of a polymer extension that attaches to the chassis via a T25 screw, AR-15-style. The outer grip—the actual grip the shooter grabs—has a thick and vertical profile. It comes together like a clamshell via two screws that ride through horizontal slots found in the inner extension.
Thanks to these slots, the outer grip’s reach from the trigger itself can be adjusted by simply loosening or tightening both of its screws. Alternatively, the entire grip assembly can be switched out for any AR-15 pattern grip. A pair of triangular cavities located above the grip area accept an ambidextrous 3-position polymer thumb-stud for shooters who like to rest their firing-hand’s thumb off the grip.
Tikka Ace Target rifles include a two-stage adjustable trigger whose weight drops all the way to 2 pounds. It’s tweaked by way of a 2.5 mm screw, but the action must come off the chassis to access it. With my unit breaking at 2 pounds, 12 ounces, I was content to leave it as is.
No matter how great a rifle is, without a decent scope, it won’t matter much. So, I mounted Nightforce’s largest first focal plane riflescope: ATACR 7-35x56 F1. It’s an MRAD unit that uses Nightforce’s Mil-XT grid reticle and plenty of magnification for a 6.5 Creedmoor competition rifle. (Note: Even though the Tikka T3x Ace Target is a PRS production-legal rifle, I’m aware that this Nightforce scope falls out of compliance due to its list price. To stay compliant with PRS Production, I’d opt to mount a Leupold 7-35 Mark 5HD.)
Taking advantage of the rifle’s full-length ARCA-Swiss rail, I also installed MDT’s competition Gen2 Cyke Pod. This piece of kit made life easy while shooting and chronographing for the accuracy report.
Observations
The fun in writing this review doesn’t just come from the opportunity to play with a cool rifle. Being a novice to PRS-style shooting and discovering the magic and frustrations along the way is also a big draw. My local gun club had a small “unofficial” 50-round match, and despite the abbreviated format, it proved a great chance to wring out this rifle.
My match had various targets ranging from point blank out to our club’s 500-yard berm. With full-velocity 140-grain, .264 bullets sailing out of a 26-inch barrel, 500 yards isn’t anything to brag about. A rifle like the Ace can easily touch any piece of steel out to 500 yards. In fact, at 500, my hold was still less than 4 mils.
Under competition pressure, being left-handed and cycling a right-handed bolt didn’t slow me down like I expected. The rifle cycled, fed and ejected ammunition with no complaints. More importantly, nothing prevented me from safely manipulating the rifle across different stances and while moving around into different positions.
For accuracy testing, the Ace Target’s chassis provided a solid foundation while the MDT Gen2 Cyke Pod and Peanut rear bag provided plenty of stability and made short work out of shooting careful groups at 100 yards. The proverbial cherry on top was the Nightforce ATACR 7-35, with its clear glass being a great asset.
In addition to shooting this cartridge for my accuracy report, I shot my match with 140-grain OTM Barnes Precision Match cartridges and 140-grain Remington Premier Match BTHP cartridges. No complaints with their overall accuracy, but the data suggests a slight preference towards Barnes’ offering.
Finally, for the sake of experimentation, I also grouped Hornady American Whitetail 129-grain soft point just to see what would happen. I wanted to evaluate a non-match cartridge shooting a “less efficient” projectile. This embarrasses me, but you’ll notice that the “largest group” was 1/8-inch over the 1-MOA threshold. That was my fault. It was my flier that I called. Had I not flubbed that shot, all the non-match soft point 5-shot groups would have also been sub-MOA at 100 yards and neck-to-neck with the match rounds. Granted, .440 G1 BC soft point bullets start to behave differently compared to .586 G1 bullets at distance.
Nonetheless, the Tikka printed some remarkable groups with Hornady’s simple deer round. I don’t doubt that this rifle could print impressive groups with their dedicated match cartridges.
100-Yard Accuracy Report
| Ammunition | Muzzle Velocity (FPS) | Min Group (inches) | Avg. Group (inches) | Max Group (inches) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Remington Premier Match 140-gr. BTHP | 2,660.4 15.1 SD 60.5 ES |
0.625 | 0.720 | 0.750 |
| Barnes Precision Match 140-gr. OTM BT | 2,702.6 26.2 SD 115.8 ES |
0.500 | 0.520 | 0.563 |
| Hornady American Whitetail 129-gr. JSP | 2,792.9 16.8 SD 56.5 ES |
0.500 | 0.875 | 1.125 |
| Notes: Measured average velocity for 20 shots fired next to a Garmin Xero C1 chronograph at the muzzle. Fired at 100 yards with a rear bag. Temperature 97° F. Abbreviations: BTHP (Boat Tail Hollow Point), JSP (Jacketed Soft Point), OTM BT (Open Tip Match Boat Tail), ES (Extreme Spread), SD (Standard Deviation). | ||||
Compared to most 6.5 Creedmoor bolt-action rifles, the T3x Ace hardly has any recoil. However, within the context of production PRS rifles, I did find it to be slightly jumpy—even with that massive 7x35 ATACR on top. Consider this a minor gripe, but I do think the T3x Ace could benefit from a brake or suppressor to keep the jump down. Likewise, some extra weight wouldn’t hurt it, either. Fortunately, the T3x Ace chassis accepts weights and muzzle devices.
The Tikka Effect
Tikka is an interesting rifle company. It more or less acts as the sister brand of world-renowned Sako. Tikka is supposed to be the more-affordable alternative—and it is. Sako still produces the most luxurious rifles that come out of Finland. But given my experiences with Tikka products, nothing about their objective performance would suggest that they work like discount rifles.
Keep in mind that with a real-world price somewhere around the $1,800 mark, the Tikka T3x Ace Target is plenty of rifle for entry level to intermediate PRS shooters. Especially for those interested in sticking to mainstream off-the-shelf match cartridges such as 6.5 Creedmoor. In this sense, the Ace Target could be called downright affordable. The T3x Ace Target stays true to its Tikka heritage and offers great potential for those in search of a PRS production-legal rifle—or those in search of an accurized general-purpose rifle.
And if my groups with American Whitetail are any indication, the Tikka T3x Ace Target could even pull double duty as a varmint or stand rifle if you didn’t want to settle for the T3x Ace Game.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Tikka Firearms, sako.global/tikka
- Country Of Origin: Finland
- Model: T3x Ace Target, Midnight Bronze (JRTXATM31624)
- Action Type: Bolt-action
- Caliber: 6.5 Creedmoor (reviewed); also available in .223 Rem., .308 Win.
- Capacity: 10+1
- Barrel Length: 26 inches
- Rifling: 1:8-inch RH Twist
- Trigger Pull: Adjustable, 2-lb. minimum
- Stock: Tikka Factory Ace Chassis
- Length: 44.2 inches
- Weight: 10.8 pounds
- Accessories: 10-round magazine, T-Shaped T-25 Torx Driver Tool
- MSRP: $2,059
