Review: Tikka T1X MTR Rifle

The Tikka T1X MTR is a utilitarian rimfire bolt-action rifle that originally entered the US market in 2018. All variants in the T1X MTR family are married to a black synthetic stock that’s identical to those found in centerfire Tikka T3X Lite rifles. One of the central tenets of the T1X MTR’s design philosophy is to offer a sporting rimfire rifle that covers all of the bases for a rimfire bolt-action. In light of this, T1X MTR rifles use a medium-heavy barrel contour to strike a balance between being handy field rifles and lending themselves better to precision shooting. After conducting my review, I’m of the opinion that these Tikkas are actually precision rifles that ship with basic stocks to keep costs down. 

Action And Barrel

Because the rimfire T1X MTR has much of the same DNA as the centerfire Tikka T3X series, T1X receivers share the same geometry around their exteriors and the same positioning of the thumb safety and bolt-release latch as their centerfire cousins. T1X receivers are machined with an 11mm dovetail mount, so finding suitable scope rings and bases is easy to do. The “bottom metal” on this rifle is made wholly from polymer, including its supplied 10-round magazine. Like the receiver, the T1X’s bolt follows the same T3X styling, with the smooth black rear cover and cocked-indicator and a stainless steel bolt body and knob. Because T1X bolts are adapted for rimfire cartridges, the bolt doesn’t need as much travel and can get away with a short 45-degree arc when cocking/opening. This leaves the unlocked bolt-knob horizontal and makes it easy to cycle with the shooting-hand. Initially, the bolt was fairly stiff due to the shorter unlocking and cocking arc, but it will wear-in during the first few hundred cycles.

Rifling for all Tikka barrels is formed by time-honored European technique of cold-hammer forging, and the blue-carbon-steel barrels of the T1X MTR barrels are no exception. As previously mentioned, T1X MTRs use a medium-heavy barrel contour and include a threaded muzzle (½x28 tpi) given their prime directive of being “do-everything” rifles. T1X .22 LR rifle barrels stabilize bullets with a 1:16.5-inch rifling twist that’s ideal for use with 40-grain .22LR ammunition. 

Tikka T1X MTR Triggers

T1X MTR trigger assemblies are identical to units on centerfire T3X models. The silver finish matches the rifle’s bolt knob and body, and the trigger-face includes target-style vertical serrations to provide texture for the pad of the trigger-finger. These single-stage triggers are fully adjustable from 4 pounds to under 2 pounds by way of an Allen screw. While it’s possible to set the adjustment beneath 1.5 pounds, caution is urged for safety’s sake. I did all my shooting with the rifle exactly as it came out of the box, so the trigger was breaking just shy of 3 pounds.

T1X MTR Stock

The black synthetic stock supplied with T1X MTR rifles is straightforward and best-suited for field use. This stock has a straight comb and a 45-degree stock wrist with some texturing over the grip area. There’s also texturing on either side of the fore-end ahead of the breech. For hardware, it includes swivel studs for a traditional two-point rifle sling. In fairness to this basic stock, it does offer a degree of modularity because the grip panel in front of the stock’s wrist is interchangeable with other Tikka-supplied grip-panels of different shapes or colors. As the barreled action sits over the factory stock, the barrel is only partially free-floated but I don’t think this is a liability for field-shooting, especially after shooting the rifle out of the box off the bench at 50-yards and shooting groups the way I did. Anyone chasing precision is more than likely changing out the OEM stock for a precision chassis system.

Practical Experiences Off the Bench

I mounted my Leupold Mark5 HD 3.6-18x44mm scope over an 11mm 20 MOA Picatinny scope base with medium 35mm Leupold Mark4 tactical rings. Thanks to the Mark5 HD‘s generous eye box, it wasn’t too hard to make the eye relief and height work with the T1X MTR’s basic stock. In fact, everything about my Mark5 HD augmented the shooting experience, and its powerful 18x magnification made short work of shooting small groups off a bench at 50-yards. To help support the rifle on the bench, I used a couple of front and rear shooting bags, with the MDT Peanut doing most of the heavy lifting.   

One recent afternoon, I fired close to 350 rounds of different rimfire .22 LR cartridges and had lots of fun doing so. Ammunition used in test-firing included two precision, Olympic match-grade products: Eley Tenex and RWS R50. I also fired a sampling of popular standard and high velocity rimfire rounds including Eley Club, CCI Standard Velocity, CCI Mini Mags, Aguila Super Extra and Winchester Subsonic Max HP. 

After shooting scores of groups, I can appreciate the raw performance that the Tikka T1X MTR offers. Even out of the box, this rifle was able to print shots precisely enough that I could virtually call the majority of my flyers due to my own mistakes. In other words, if I let up or tweaked something before breaking the shot, I could predict that bullet’s deviation from the rest of the cluster. In fact, this rifle’s baseline accuracy allowed me to punch some cloverleafs with more than one type of cartridge. Rimfire-specific precision is its own nuanced topic that covers subtle factors such as bullet lubricants, priming consistency, the hardness of the brass and so forth. From a generalist’s perspective, it appears that the T1X MTR can handle almost any type of rimfire round reasonably well. With the selection of ammunition I fired, this T1X MTR seemed to favor RWS R50 the most; Eley Tenex was right behind it in 50-yard performance too, but its groups only shrank after “seasoning” the bore with about eight to 10 rounds first. In short, I’m very satisfied with the T1X MTR’s a la carte performance. I even managed to shoot a 50-yard cloverleaf with the Aguila Super Extra, the fastest round I tested (1,309 fps).  

The Takeaway

During shooting, the short 45-degree bolt throw and short travel distance were nice, but I noticed that the rifle’s ejector does a better job when the bolt is cycled more assertively. While I didn’t have any major issues with the supplied 10-round magazine, I also noticed its tendency to be slightly finicky. Some extra care while loading it is recommended. I won’t harangue readers with the “limitations” of its basic synthetic field stock, because that’s exactly what this rifle’s furniture is and it would be foolish to expect it to act like a precision stock. However, when shooting for the tightest groups possible, the stock is the single biggest limiting factor (assuming the user knows how to shoot). The basic stock won’t prevent anyone from shooting more accurately, but it calls for a higher level of control and introspection prior to breaking the shot.  

The term “jack-of-all-trades,” often comes with that negative second part, “master of none.” But the Finnish-made Tikka T1X Multi-Task Rimfire (MTR) rifle, Tikka’s flagship do-everything bolt-action rimfire, strives to be an exception to that tired cliché. As a company, I get the impression that Tikka makes more left-handed models easier to find than other rifle manufacturers, be they rimfire or centerfire. And as a left-handed shooter, I certainly appreciate this on a personal level. I even sourced a left-handed model for this review, a factory-configured Tikka T1X MTR chambered for .22 LR with a 16-inch barrel. Those unfamiliar with the T1X series should not be deceived by their plain looks. Their well-regarded performance speaks for itself and these days, these rimfires enjoy a privileged niche in aftermarket accessories, stocks, chassis and parts.

Tikka T1X MTR Specifications:

• Manufacturer: Tikka
• Action Type: Bolt-Action
• Chambering: .22 LR or .17 HMR
• Capacity: 10 rounds
• Barrel Length: 16-inches
• Rifling: 5-grooves; 1:16.5-inch, RH twist
• Trigger Pull Weight: 3 pounds
• Sights: Scope base for magnified riflescope
• Stock: Traditional Synthetic
• Length: 33.7-inches
• Weight: 5 pounds, 11 ounces
• Accessories: Cable lock, instruction manual, magazine  
• MSRP: $649

Ammo Test Results