Hi Swampman,
Yes they are worth the price. When you have the chance to visit the manufacturing plant you understand the price better.
Exemple: bolt is made from a forged steel block, handle included and no it's not microfusion but forget steel. Receiver is made from a block of high qualitu steel, 5 sizes of it are available to match the cartridges.
Barrels are made from the highest quality of steel available, hammer forged they are thermicaly stress relieved, chamber is then cut. Every barrel (every one) is controlled by air gauge and human eyes buy real masters at that game.
Note that, when the barrel steel bars arrive at factory, some samples are taken, deep drilled and tested to managed destruction, to control the quality of steel. Mass spectrometers and electronics microscopes are used too. If one sample is not good enough the whole batch is send back to producer.
Once the rifle is assembled all (all) are pressure tested (euro mandatory) shooting three cartridges with more than 30% over pressure. Then each of the rifle is shot for accuracy.
Number of shot depend on the magazine capacity and goes from 3 to 6 depending of the caliber.
Accuracy must be equal or less than moa, 29mm circle diameter at 100m. These are made by man, no machine here, imagine the shooters at the end of the day!
If accuracy is no good (very very rare) the rifle goes back to the master gunsmith.
Ammunition are Sako cartridges of the caliber.
When the proofing is done rifle is cleaned, serial number is put on and the product is ready for delivery.
On the Bavarian stutzen model, stock is made by a german master craftman. Other are inletted in Beretta owned stock making factory in Italy with better quality wood, oiling and polishing takes a lot of hand job.
Just to gve you an idea: Sako produce between 55000 and 70000 rifles a year Tikka included. 2012 will be a very good year production planned to break that number a bit. Not Remington by the numbers but far above from quality point of view. Don't bash Remington i own some! Just to say...
So if you want one don't hesitate, buy it.
Dom
