Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Tikka Experience

I'm thinking about buying a Tikka. I don't know anyone who has one. I read somewhere that they are a "poor man's Sako" made at the same factory in Finland.
A local gun shop has them on sale at a darn good price so I,m probably going to pick one up in the morning, unless I get some negative reports from a bunch of guys.
Thanks

They're normally accurate with most bullets/powders/loads.

They feel like a damn play toy to me though, and with horrible ergos to boot. I don't plan to have another...

There are things I can nit pick about T3s but I have owned 3 (223,243 and 308) and they have all functioned properly, had nice triggers and shot exceptionally well out of the box with a variety of factory and handloads.

I doubt you will be disappointed in one

I have a couple around, bought them a few years ago when they were cheaper. One of the most accurate rifles out of the box I have owned. Unlike many others they basically need nothing done to them. Mount a scope and go shoot. Great triggers, most loads in a 270 and 338 Federal shot right at 1" at 100 yards many better than that. Hand loads, cheap plain box stuff did not matter. Folks whine about it being "plastic" but nothing has broken or not worked as it should. They are more expensive now, but they just plain work well. Unless they do not fit you I do not think you will be disappointed in one.

Have two so far, a T3 Lite stainless bought 2-3 years ago and a T3x Hunter with the wooden stock I just bought a few weeks ago. I looked at the new T3x Lite a fair amount in stores, also the older T3 Hunter before deciding to go ahead and spend the money on the T3x.

To my mind the older T3 Lite stock is a bit slippery but the T3x Lite has a lot grippier checkering. Same with the T3 and T3x Hunters, I liked the older wooden stock but really like the newer one a lot more, it has very grabby checkering and a double palm swell that really lets you hang onto the grip as well as forearm.

Other than that, same same as everyone else reports. Right out of the box both of them had superb triggers, crisp as can be, minimal overtravel and set right at three pounds. They become 2 1/2 pound triggers with about a half turn of the trigger adjustment screw.

The feeding is positive and smooth and they have the slickest bolt throws I've ever felt.

And they are Accurate, accurate, accurate! The stainless is a .223 and puts three shots into the .2's and .3's just dinking around. The Hunter is a .260 and also can put 3 or 4 shots into the .3's. And all that without one iota of "tweaking".

They are far and away the most accurate out of the box rifles I've ever owned and are as accurate as my best customs, at least these two so far. I have other rifles that will match them, but those have replacement aftermarket barrels, trued actions, bedding, the whole works - meaning I had to spend more than the cost of a new rifle on top of the cost of the donor just to make them shoot as good as these Tikkas do when you take them out of the box.


And dat's my Tikka experience...

What T Inman and Jim in Idaho said. If mine wasn't as accurate as it is I wouldn't have kept it.

I really like them and they shoot! I just bought a T3x in a 223 and dropped it into a Boyd's prairie hunter...

To me there is a big difference in the feel of the synthetic stocked T3 and the wooden stocked T3x.

I never have warmed up to the synthetic stock on my T3 Lite but love the new Hunter model. I always liked their wooden stocks better than their synthetics anyway but had an opportunity to compare the T3 and T3x Hunters side by side and immediately liked the T3x Hunter mostly because of the new checkering, you can really hang onto it and snug that rifle into your shoulder. That's what convinced me to forego the close out prices on the older T3 and go with the latest version, just the great way that T3x feels in the hand. If/when they come out with a left handed T3x Hunter in .223 I might just sell my Lite and replace it with a Hunter in the same caliber.

Fwiw, there are a lot of good internet dealers but I got my latest from this place, they had far and away the best price on my rifle - a good $120 less than most others for the price of the rifle alone and no extra charge for shipping to boot.

http://www.centerfireguns.com/

I can't warm up to the tikka synthetics at all, even the new T3x....the Boyd's fits me well and i had them do the stippling on the grip and fore end which makes it very nice to hang onto

I bought my T 3 Lite 270 Win in 2003. I still have it and hunt it. It's taken more than its share of WTs.

I have NO criticism. I've never thot of the stock as slippery/slick.

Absolutely love the trigger and the bolt is slick as any you'll work. I've never 'considered' getting rid of it.

As has been repeated, accurate out of the box, no gimmicks, no muss, no fuss.


Jerry

wyomike,

Yes, Tikka's are made in the same factory as Sakos, and in fact the barrels for both brands are the same--including that the bores of the heavier contour barrels are lapped to very consistent dimensions. Which is one reason heavy-barrel Tikkas shoot so well.

Might as well throw in my $.02...

Personal tastes are just that...personal. Some look at rifles as only tools and have differing opinions on what level of precision those tools need posses.

Others view rifles as objects of beauty and personality and demand a fair share of both be present or a firearm is not worth 'stooping' to own.

Some, like myself, have room for both. I love Ruger No.1's and view them as classy, beautiful rifles. I could be happy hunting with a No.1 for the rest of my life. I also own a few Glocks....firearms considered butt-ugly by most yet they are tools of the highest function.

The Tikkas tend to fall into the 'just a tool' category. My two SL's don't 'move' me aesthetically but boy do they deliver on the function spectrum. Super smooth action, totally reliable and tough, lightweight and almost unbelievably consistent and accurate (and with little to no effort).

A rather long winded way of saying that, depending on what you're looking for and expecting, you won't be disappointed.

I can't determine your subjective criteria but, objectively, they are great rifles.

P.S. I do believe a rifle (even a 'soulless' one like the Tikka) can grow emotionally on you to where it becomes more than just a 'tool' as you continue to make fond memories with it.

My brother got one years ago and I thought it was junk. Plastic stock, plastic magazine, it just felt cheap. Then we took it to the range and it was the most accurate gun we had that day.

After that they started growing on me. Everyone we have is sub moa and works. It's not the prettiest gun out there, but one of the best values when it comes to accuracy and function.

Very well put Mojo.

Totally agree.

Jerry

I'm glad there are folks that like 'em!

+1 ( or is it +P?). Regardless, excellent post Mr. Mojo.

Bought my wife a Left Handed T3 Hunter with the nice wood stock last year in 270Win. Two boxes of the Cheap blue box Federal 130s to get in on target and get the once fired brass to work up some loads. Slapped a vortex scope on it and took it to the range.

One shot at 25, made adjustment, bullseye.
Moved to 100 yards, one shot , made adjustment, bullseye. Thats four shots. Moved to 200 yards, Used two rounds to get the POI where i prefered it. thats 6 shots. I then used the next 24 shots to shoot 3 shot groups at 200 yards and ever one of them was 0.75 to 1.25 inches. 8 groups.

It was bloodied soon after

This is the second Tikka that ive had that same experience with, the other was a T3 Lite in 7mmRemMag.

I will say that i like the wood stocked models.

Don't like 'em. Good barrels and triggers, everything else sucks heavily......

I guess the "just a tool" thing is subjective.

I have a LH in 30-06. T3 light.

I think I will build a wood stock for it, because I like the gun.

My co-worker found one locally, RH blued T3 unfired for $400. I told him to buy it.

He was getting accustomed to the the smooth bolt throw and the next thing I know, he closes his office door, pulls the shade, and I thought I heard Barry White music playing.

I have one and had a another one but sold it. If the price and cal. were right, I would buy another one.