Tikka T3X Cerakote

Its tough green finish makes a nice change from stainless steel and protects this neat little rifle from damage in the field, says Bruce Potts

- Bruce Potts

The Tikka T3X has to be one of the most widely accepted stalking rifles in Britain today. It comes from the old firm of Tikkakoski, Finnish for ‘woodpecker’, hence the two back-to-back stylised woodpeckers in its logo, and this version has a super-tough and practical Cerakote finish.

Rather than the usual blued steel or stainless steel finish, Cerakote is an applied coverage system that adheres to the pores of the metal and forms a protective surface from the elements. It is a polymer-ceramic composite coating that gives a high resistance to abrasion, corrosion, wear, chemical attack and impacts. It also repels dirt and moisture and has lubrication properties that make it even smoother for bearing surfaces such as bolts.

Available in a wide range of colours the ultra-smooth finish is antireflection. The finish of a waterproof stainless barrel can shine a bit, but the Cerakote is much more hunterfriendly. I have several rifles coated in Cerakote and it acts like an armour plating, so you can forget about the weather and scratching it as you stalk.

The rest of the rifle is the standard T3X, which has the improved stock design from three years ago, modular stock inserts, improved bedding, larger ejection port, metal bolt shroud and, of course, Tikka’s legendary smooth bolt system and accuracy.

Barrel and action

At 20in long with a 1-in-10 rifling twist and six grooves, the Cerakote gives good performance for bullets up to 100-gr weight. You also have a metric 14mm/1 muzzle thread for a sound moderator; the Stalon was supplied and performed admirably. The barrel is also free-floated up to the thicker part of the barrel end near the chamber to aid accuracy.