I have a 308 Tikka Deluxe made in 1970, model lsa 55. The barrel is stamped with Bofor Barrel Steel. It's almost a dead ringer for the whitetail hunter but with all metal parts, no plastic mag or triggerguard. Dual locking lugs up front with a third lug in back to guide the bolt. Action is very smooth and a great trigger.
Any experience with this rifle? How different is this action from a Sako action from that time?

I have an LSA 65 in 30-06 which is stamped Ithaca. This was made by Tikka. Mine is as you have described yours, all metal. It is a real tack driver. The outside is no lustre plain jane, but the inside is pure magic. When I first got mine, in about 1976 or 1977, my neighbour who at the time was the local gun expert, having about 30 rifles, asked me where I got the little Sako. The rifle looks like a no frills Sako, and shoots like a dream. Always has, and it still does, even after over 1,500 rounds have gone down range. You can't judge a book by its cover, and to look at, it is nothing special until you look down range and check the groups, usually very near an inch, with the best groups going about .625". Worth keeping!

Thanks shootist, glad to here I'm not the only one with this gun. I haven't shot the gun since I cleaned it of all copper (and it was bad). Even then three types of factory ammo of different weights all went in the same inch and a half area with all groups slightly over an inch.
All the smiths and gun nuts on this board and no one else has an opinion of these old Tikkas. I'm real interested to know how they are different from the old Sako.

I have owned several older Tikkas, all shot well.
The bolts looked identical to a friend's Shultz and Larsen.
The actions on all the rifles were flawless, and there were no plastic parts. fine rifles!
Catnthehat

The old Tikkas are essentially an inexpensive Sako, just like they are today. Sako makes the barrels and the actions in the same plant. Several brand name gun companies stuck their names on the older Tikkas and Sakos. Ithica, and a couple of others come to mind. They are extremely nice rifles and worth hanging onto. Flinch

I received a Ithaca .25-06 when my Father passed away. It was the first rifle I ever spent much time with, and the first rifle I reloaded for. Never shot any deer with it, but killed many woodchucks with that gun. I gave it to my brother, as he needed a rifle. Still take it out often. I shot my first sub-inch group with that gun <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />
Will

I just picked one up today.An M65 Deluxe in 30-06.A friend had an M55 in 6mm a few years ago,great rifles.The fit and finish is excellent and the detachable mag is solid steel and fits very positively.Question, this one is drilled and tapped as well as having the dovetails,Is the drilling and tapping from the factory?

Flinch,
The Finns that I met that were hunters and shooters thought more highly of Tikka rifles than Sakos in the early 70's. To a man they told me that the Sako was a fine rifle but that the Tikkas shot better and were built better, in their opinion. This was 1972-1974 time frame. I always wanted to buy one when Ithaca was importing them, but couldn't afford it. Now I have two White Tail hunters, one in 7mmRM and one in 25-06. Just thought I'd toss another opinion into the mix.

Rembo, I don't remeber mine being drilled and tapped for scope mounts. It has a intregral scope rail that is checkered for looks. I'll double check tonight.
I did find out that Tikka and Sako were seperate companies with seperate factories back in the seventies. The companies did follow similiar histories. Currently both are owned by Beratta and made in the same factories one the same machines. If the old Tikkas actions are the same as the Sako's with the same footprint they are a hell of a deal. I have not been able to play with a pre-garcia Sako to tell if there is a difference. But Bofor also made the Sako barrels prior to 1972.

Interesting thread! I have not heard many people who even knew about the old LSA-55's and 65's. I have an old Ithaca catalog that lists the LSA-55 as a short action in std and Deluxe models. And the LSA-65 in Std and Deluxe models, as well.

I remember back in about '76 when I wanted a .25-06 in the worst way, a local gun shop had a LSA-65 Dlx. At the time I thought the rifle rivaled the Weatherby. Back then, I couldn't have afforded a free lunch. But I fondled that rifle a good bit. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I now work part time at a local gun shop that has two LSA-55's One is a .308 and the other is a 7mm-08 (Non factory rebore.) As I own more than enough .308's I have been thinking about the 7.

I do also own a Sabatti Rover 870 (Imported by Kassner) in 6mm PPC that is identical to the LSA-55. However it is made in Italy. The finish on the metal is not up to the Finnish standards, but seems to function fine and is more than reasonably accurate. the9.3Guy

9 3 Guy, are those Tikka's the deluxe or standard. What's the price tag? Thanks.

mliang,

PM sent

I don't think they have the same footprint as a Sako, they have a totally different bottom metal setup extending well up into the magazine well.The trigger guard is a separate piece attached to the bottom metal.They have one of the best fitting detachable magazines I've ever seen.The rear tang screw goes in from the top which is kinda different.The extractor is definetely Sako style,maybe Sako copied Tikka,or vice-versa?A friend here has one in 22-250 and his is drilled and tapped like mine.The screw spacing is .875", the same as a lot of American rifles.They accept the same Weaver base as the rear bridge of a Savage 110 series,a #61.I have been thinking of taking a set of Leo QD's that I have for a M70 and milling the bottoms flat and bolt those on. One could also use two Remington 700 or Win M70 front bases and have a dual dovetail setup quite easily.I have a set of Tikka rings but they are HEAVY! Lots of steel in them.Seems the Ithaca rifles were marked as LSA-55/65 and the Tikkas are marked M-55/65.There are a few of them around here,mine is the 6th one I've handled in the last 5 years or so. I know guys who have or had them in 22-250(2),6mm,7 Rem Mag and a 300 Win Mag left hand.

Rembo, thanks for the information on the footprint. I checked my rifle last night and it is not tapped for scope bases. It came with those HEAVY tikka rings but I am debateing on a pair of warnes.

Had a few now, and all were the M65 and M55 versions (stamped Tikka) but one, that was an L65 (Ithaca). One of the finest rifles ever made IMHO. It is my understanding that in the early days, the two plants (Tikka and Sako ) were not affiliated, but in the last few years Sako bought Tikka and then Beretta bought them both. It seems that the whitetail hunter, T3..... are a trashy version put out by Sako to avoid Tikka stealing the thunder. The early all metal M65 and 55's were all the quality of Sako and shot as well or better. Sure wish they would start making them again, and drop all of the plastic that they have incorporated into their newer designs <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />.

280_ACKLEY

I got my hands on a copy of Gun Traders. The LSA versions were the earliest versions of Tikka/Ithaca. The M versions came later followed by the whitetail hunter and finally the T3. The listed price was ridicously low. I guess that is because no one knows what a Tikka or Ithaca were.
Ithaca imported the Tikkas under their name, otherwise both are the same rifle. But was a seperate company from Sako, Stoeger, Garcia, ect. Still don't know how the differences between the actions but they look pretty similiar.
One thing I did notice in the pictures was that the M versions had a large bolt knob while the LSA's had a more standard looking knob. I wish the Tikka's were still made like my LSA-55. I bet they would sell a ton of them.

I have an LSA 55 in .22-250 that I bought used in 1984. I believe it is the standard model, and it has consistently shot better than any other rifle I've ever owned, including a couple of heavy-barrel varmint models, at least for three shots. Right now I'm in the process of refinishing and recheckering the stock, and I'm definitely getting the itch to get it up and running again! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />