Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Tikka T3 with B&C vs plain jane Sako A7

Have around $800 saved up for a new (or used) rifle, want something for mostly predators and also to double as a whitetail rifle. Looking at the Tikka t3 and Sako A7. Assuming they would cost around the same, would you prefer a Tikka T3 in a B&C Medalist stock, or a Sako A7 in the factory stock? I am planning on using a short action cartridge and thus would be able to take advantage of the true short action of the Sako. How is the Factory stock on the Sako?

Also, of the low recoil coyote/deer cartridges, .243 ammo is most commonly found around here but I am not familiar with it. Coyote shots will be 550 max and that's a rare shot. Deer out to maybe 300. Should I move up to the 7mm-08, or will .243 do the trick? Can 7mm-08 be loaded to act like a varmint cartridge? I would like to avoid ricochet

I dont know about the Sako but with the Tikka T3 Superlight 270 I just got the accuracy is great,.75 inch groups with factory Ammo .

From seeing groups that are Posted here they all seem to be very accurate.

I suspect either caliber would serve you just fine.
Of course the 243 will kick you less if that is a concern.

Buy the Tikka.
Keep the factory stock, use the extra $$ for glass.

I have a vx-3 2.5-8 to throw on the rifle, will the cost of the B&C ($250-whatever the factory stock sells for) move me up to significantly better glass?

As far as plastic stocks go, the Tikka is great - very rigid. I would agree that simply using the extra funds for something like glass or ammo would be a better choice. Your choice of scope seems excellent.

For a rifle that is serving as a deer/varmint gun, I think the 243 is a better choice over the 7mm-08. Yes, you can load the 7mm down, but there are many more varmint bullet choices out there for the 243 than you will find with the 7mm.

You could probably find a Kahles for the difference. I believe the difference would be noticeable in low light and overall clarity.

I feel kind of silly putting a short action cartridge in a tikka. I wish there was more factory ammo available for the .25-06. The only ammo in town is deer ammo, and it's very expensive. I used to have a .270 tikka, just wanted to see if anyone thought the difference to the A7 was worth it.

I've run a first generation A7 243win for a number of years as a lightweight predator/coyote rig that doubles for deer. It's pleasing to carry, it shoots exceedingly well, and the overall package is easy to handle and manage with my light system when I'm on the move covering lots of ground. If a shot on deer presents itself, it works.

I'd grab the Sako A7 in a heartbeat over the Tikka.

250.00 could get you set up for reloading, if you buy used and carefully. Then it won't matter what the local store has for 25-06 ammo.

I understand some loony's obsession with action sizes, but in the Tikka it really does not matter. The bolt stop shortens bolt throw, the mag sets feeding for cartridge length and the action is light. If one finds they want to seat long, a long mag pops in, fix the bolt stop and you are in business.

It also is a plus to have a magazine longer than your OAL. Nothing worse than running out of mag room while chasing a burning throat.

I don't like DBMs and Beretta's crappy CS puts me off, but it's your dough.

If varmints are important, .243 for sure. Your scope is fine.

You could save big bucks with a Ruger American or one of the closeout Marlin XSs. They're not heirlooms, but then neither are the ones you mentioned. Shoot 'em to cinders and trade 'em off.

Had a early model Sako A7 in 25-06 and it was the most accurate gun I ever owned...

I have a plain Jane A7 in .243 killed a lot of critters with it .Shoots better then I do. Never owned a Tikka as of yet.

How does the stock on the Sako feel? Is it firm? Does it get gummed up?

no it does not . feels pretty good ,have not had any trouble what so ever,am going to get a a new bolt shroud at some time .

Exactly, the bolt throw is short and it's light weight.

I own two A7s. One is the original non Soft Touch(ST) in 30-06 SS.The other one is a blued steel ST in 308. My only T3 is a stainless steel lite syn. stock in 243. As far as feel goes I like the A7 ST the most.
The skinny rubbery pistol grip with perfect stock geometry feels just right. However the forend is not stiff enough.It is hollow but there is a "split pillar" of some sort built in at about 1/3 back of the tip of the forend. When I bought the 308 (used) it was shooting very poorly. The reason for it was the barrel touching only the right side of the pillar. Grinding it off and free floating the barrel made all the difference. The T3's stock is much stiffer, a bit slippery and cluby. It is still a very fine factory stock with good geometry. For me the ideal solution would be a T3 stock with rubbery inlays. Having sad that, if I find my favorite caliber, the stock choice would become secondary.

A year ago I might have recommended you check out those A7 Sako "Varmints" sold through Cabela's, and often on sale. They have a B&C bedding-block stock, 24" medium fluted barrel, dbm and easily-adjustable trigger. I bought one in .243 for longer-range varmints/yotes and maybe the occasional larger game animal. Shot great initially with a couple different factory varmint ammo loads. BUT, after recently getting dies and handloads together, it has begun shooting 2 inch flyers; I tried the factory stuff again and now it's shooting crappy, too! I haven't started to panic yet, and I'll check for stock settling or rubbing, swap scopes and the usual stuff before I get too pissed, but I'm sure my Scandanavian experiment is over. My next rifle will be something like a Remington 700 through Red Hawk, or maybe a (gasp!) Savage from Shaw.
Remember, too, those A7 and T3 lines are the low-end "Ruger American" versions of their brands; also, owning a lowly A7 will invite scorn from "fellow" Sako owners. Another issue may be, as stated in an above post (and which I might possibly be experiencing soon) is Berreta's notorious crappy customer service.