Lately there have been lots of Tikka T3 threads about the great accuracy you can expect from these rifles with little or no fuss even with factory ammo.

I'm a big Remington fan but looked at the T3 this week and do like them a lot. Especially for the price of one.

My question is - do any of the calibers tend to be more accurate then others??

Seems the .243's shoot just about ammo well, so do the .308's from what I've seen posted. I'm a big fan of the .243 but found a 7MM-08 for a great price so wondering do the 7MM-08 tend to shoot as well as the others?

I've got several 7MM-08's already but can always like one more:)
Thanks
Frank

Others may differ, but, IMO, any cartridge based on a 308 case is capable of exceptional accuracy in a proper rifle. Maybe not quite PPC level accuracy, but close. Buy the 7/08.

I love my tikka t-3s. If I wanted to make a perfect tikka I would grab the 7-08, replace the bolt latch and ream it out to .280AI. If you have to have a long action I would make the most of it.

For what its worth I run a .270 tikka and love it.

Frank -

I only have a 270 W but it likes WW factory and the only 2 handloads I HAVE FED it.

I haven't tried many different loads because it likes the ones I like.

Like you I read too many others to worry about Tikka's accuracy.

Sure would like to find a stainless .243 - but the 7MM-08 is never a bad choice.

I've owned 6 of them. 22/250,25/06,30/06,300 WSM,7 Rem mag,and 338 Win mag. I handload for a friend who has a 308. The most accurate of them all has been my 7 Rem mag. With the 308 nipping at it'a heels. The 30/06 was next in the grouping dept. All were good and well under MOA with handloads. I'd have to put the 300 WSM in last place. It was finicky and sensitive chamber pressure wise. The 7 mag,308,and 30/06 were a joy to load for.

What everyone else has said...


Load development in a Tikka consists of putting cartridges in the magazine and pulling the trigger...

Sure wish they twisted their .243's and two-fiddys properly...

Seriously contemplating grabbing another SL in .223 and replacing bolt, mag and punching it out to .22-250 AI...

I thought the same thing regarding their .243 which is a 1-10" twist but since I usually shoot 95 grain for hunting purposes it seems to shoot them well - not sure if you saw the post from EricM but his was shooting unreal groups with 95 grain Fusion ammo, which got me wanting one of these since I don't handload.

Sounds like a hell of an idea.

Until you price the replacement bolt...ouch.

Did a cursory Google on that and found nothing...

Given the price of replacement mags it's probably scary!

Still gotta be cheaper than rebarreling and you KNOW you're getting an awesome barrel and setup...

brace yourself:

http://www.brownells.com/search/index.htm?k=tikka+t3+bolt+body&ksubmit=y

Well that took the fun right out of that project. Sheese! Any used beater T3s lying around as parts donors?

Damn!

What was I saying about rebarreling??

I remember Brownells coming up but it only showed the bolt stop...my Google Fu must have been depleted.

Not a gunsmith but I assume the bolt face could be opened up as on the 700, etc?

Frank,

I have had two .270's and a .223 in the T3. All have been accurate. I had one of the .270s surgically altered to a 280AI and was the most accurate rifle I ever owned. Somebody on the fire has it now. The only one I still have is the .223 which I have cut the stock down for my daughter to use.

I think they are fantastic for out of the box accuracy and although their durability is always questioned nobody seems to have any real issues. The plastic bold shroud can and will break and it happened to one of mine. You could spend a lot of money trying to come up with a lighter and more accurate package!

With that being said I still prefer my Model 70 Featherweight. No good reason just personal preference. The Tikka is starting to creep into the HOLY [bleep] price range. I think they were a good value for the first few years they came out.

Andy

Berettas distribution and parts chain is the only thing holding the tikka back at all. If we could get $20 magazines or reasonable replacement parts they would even be more popular. Almost $400 for a bolt body is beyond ridiculous. IRRC I looked at their OEM varmint stock to put on a regular T3 and I think they wanted $500 for it.....

I had a T3 7mm-08 that was easily the most accurate off the shelf rifle that I have ever owned. Fantastic trigger. I REALLY liked that rifle but it went to a very deserving young man on his 16th birthday.

Dave

They were cheap when they came out 6-7 years ago

So after trying to find a dumb blacktail this morning - didn't find one by the way.

Anyway, I stopped at the local Sportsmans Warehouse and checked out their Sportsmans Special - I think its the T3 Super Lite maybe?? Its a stainless rifle with a fluted barrel, dang nice rifle. They had a .308 and a .22-250 left. Might need to look for one of those, they did have a regular T3 Lite stainless 7MM-08 that was sure tempting!!

Think I paid $620 for my Superlite in .308 last year.

About two weeks later I was in SW and they had jacked the price to $699...

Was still worth it to me for my .223 SL. Once you factor in a comparable stock, trigger and rings the Remington wasn't such a 'deal'.

I have yet to see a Tikka that isn't super accurate.

Come on up my way. I have a .30-06 and 7mm-08 you could shoot.


P

My super lite 30-06 with 165 AB and RL-17...at 200 yards the other day



My Tikka Stainless 7mm-08 Rem at 100 yds with 120 TTSX and H4895



Just started playing with my 25-06 rem Tikka...worst group I've shot with any Tikka,2" at 200 yds didn't like 100 gr Ballistic tips and Hunter

I've already posted these in two other threads but it's worth it to brag up the Tikkas...

.308 Superlite 155 Scenars 47.0 Varget 2980 fps.



Today.



.223 Superlite 75 Amax 26.0 Varget 2950 fps. All THREE shot groups,




Best three shot group of my life...



The .308 out at 570 yds today...

Ok, the worst group out of my Tikkas. No development, just 46.0 Varget behind a 168 BT kissing lands. Usually BT shoot really well so it may have been me but these were shot today with the other loads just posted.



PS. The three .223 shots are 40 gr Varmageddon with 29.0 TAC.

Thanks Pharm - you know we both have a thing for the 7MM-08, as much as I want a Tikka .243 the 7MM-08 could be the way to go for anything I'll find to shoot at:)

How much for the fluted ones?

$649.99 at Sportsmans last I checked.

IIRC they don't offer it in 7mm-08.


P

I don't think the "super" lite is offered in 7-08, but it is offered in a standard lite.

I just ordered a Tikka T3 Lite Stainless in 7mm-08. I'm going to send mine to Kampfeld to make my own lite version. Spiral Flute the bolt and barrel and cut the barrel down to 21". I'm curious to see what that gets the weight down to.

Will Karl work on a Tikka? I did check on the Super Lite and no .243 or 7MM-08 made.

My 243 lite stainless was 629. Added talley bases and 3-9 conquest and its a mean machine

quickest way to save weight on any rifle is to put it into a lightweight stock. Fluting etc is cool, but it takes a lot of fluting and subtle changes here and there to actually add up to much.

Yes, I've already contacted him about it.

I understand that. The main reason I'm doing it is for the look. The factory stock isn't really all that heavy to start with is it?

How much weight do you think it would shed with a McMillan Edge?

That's good to know that Karl can/will work on them - now I really need a T3!!

I May Have To Send One To Karl Will He Flute A Barrel?

I'd have to weigh the factory, but I am guessing around 8oz.

Mine are 32 ozs. Thinking of getting either a Manners EHS or a Mcmillan Sako Hunter Edge.

I really like the Sako design, but IIRC there was a thread where a couple of guys had problems with Mcmillan's inletting for the Tikkas...

Manners claims 22-24 oz for their EHS-T and I believe Mcmillan claims similar for the Edge (depending on model).

I've weighed three different T3 stocks on UPS scales. The factory wooden hunter stock and the plastic stock both weighed 28 oz. The B&C medalist stock weighed 34 oz.

Mojo', I have a Sako Hunter on order, hopefully they worked out the inletting bugs by now.

I didn't weigh T3 Lite stock when I had it off but noted right away it felt very light. Even a McMillan Edge in one of the larger stocks will weigh in at 26-28 ounces. I had asked McMillan about a Remington BDL in an Edge and they gave me that "approximately 28 ounces" figure.

The super lite 30-06 I sold would put 3 168 TSX in a .75 hole at 200 yards, it was a Bass Pro Super "lite" blued fluted barrel. Sold it to buy my Forbes, I am still working on loads but it still doesn't shoot as good as the T3.

Been there done that with three different customs.

Mistem has a 30-06 Superlight in a Edge thats 6#9oz, scoped. Put that in your Ti and smoke it....

My Sako classic edge with a 1" decelerator pad and 13.125" LOP weighs in at 24.2 ozs....my factory synthetic stocks weigh 31 ozs