Personally... the last couple rifles I bought were Montanas or Americans. If I'm going cheap... then I'm going cheap. If I want a killing rifle, then the Montana has few peers.
That being said.... if someone asks for a rifle recommendation.... it's Tikka every time... simply to save myself some hassle. The last couple new Remingtons that buddies bought all needed to have trigger jobs done, chambers polished (1 outta 4 would extract fired brass), bedding work/stock swaps, and "load development". I had to do all that work, to the tune of about 8 hours of my time....
Are there "design flaws" in a Tikka? I guess you could say that.... but none of them have ever caused me, or any other Tikka shooter I know, any issues. Every rifle makes compromises, just as every caliber makes compromises. Glocks are plastic.... and "souless"... but they work every time all the time.
The Tikka CTR .260 in the safe is the most accurate factory rifle I've ever owned.... out of about a hundred... and it's more accurate than every custom I've had built except for a 15lb truck-axle barreled 6.5x47... and even then it's aweful close.
I hear 2MG's complaints/dislikes.... and to him they're deal breakers. To me... and 99 out of 100 people... they make no difference. The fact that everything works well, they're accurate as hell, they're lighter than average, they require no tinkering, and are available in a cornucopia of chamberings... makes them an attractive package for your average Hunter/Shooter.
