Heard so much for so long about how good the Tikka T3's shoot...saw a stainless .30-06 recently, think I'll go buy it tomorrow. It's gotta be worth $375...doesn't it?

Anybody got one?...ya happy with it?

My modest collection of firearms grows again...geeze, this will make three that I haven't even had a chance to shoot yet. Can't wait to retire...hard to pass on a good deal while I'm working.

Like to shootem' all and figure out which ones to keep and which ones to pass along to the next looney. Hope there are some young ones coming up to take care of these nice rifles of mine.

Finally a Friday...what a Winter we're havin' up here this year.

If he has another for $375, I'll take it.





P

Had one in 30-06. Since have turned that one into a 280 AI, and have also added a 243, and a 300 mag. Once you go Finnish, you won't go back.

KenMI - "Once you go Finnish, you won't go back." Pretty good advice...just thought the same thing about the two(2) SAKO's I've owned since the mid-70's. Plus a fairly new Tikka (6.5 Swede).
Homesteader

Don't hear many complaints about Tikka. Never owned one myself, can't seem to warm up to them, now sakos are another matter!

I look at them as another Sako model with a more reasonable price tag. Essentially that is what they are.

Some say they are actually Sako barrels that for whatever reason don't make the cut for Sako rifles.

Sako and Tikka barrels come out of the same pile. There is no difference.

Sako 85 Finnlights for me

I have owned a pile of both and I have 2 Tikka's in My safe at the moment and no Sako's if that tells ya anything.......Good luck....Hb

I've got 2. A SS 270 and a 260Rem that started life as a Hunter, but now looks like this:


And it puts 125 NPTs into a ragged hole. The 270 shoots well also, but the 260 is stupid accurate.

Yeah, that's what I understand. But, the story is, each barrel is "graded" and the highest quality go to the Sako top of the line models, then it steps down to the other Sako models, then to Tikka. Obviously, that doesn't mean they put all the flaws and defects on Tikkas, it is just a matter of how they are graded by air-gauging or other methods as to what lines they end up on.

Sort of like match grade primers. They went through an extra step of QC to end up in the match boxes. Not to say the same exact quality primers wouldn't also be in the standard primer boxes.

What stock is that?

What barrel did you go with on the 280 AI?

wow! This is the first ive heard of this....Tikka barrels are Sako seconds?....Where did you get this information?.......Hb

B&C Sporter gray/black

What is the source of information regarding this "grading" step? I would really like to see it.

drover

I thought so. Is it heavier or lighter than the factory hunter stock?

Originally Posted By KenMi
I look at them as another Sako model with a more reasonable price tag. Essentially that is what they are.

Some say they are actually Sako barrels that for whatever reason don't make the cut for Sako rifles.
wow! This is the first ive heard of this....Tikka barrels are Sako seconds?....Where did you get this information?.......Hb


I knew that a long time ago myself. Did anyone actually believe they would use the Sako premium barrels on the lowly Tikka? Maybe GM dealers use Cadillac and Corvette engines in the Chevy Malibu's too. You get what you pay for in life.

Slightly heavier than the plastic original, but stiffer and better looking IMO.

KenMi,

Not true about the grading. They just keep making barrels at the Sako/Tikka factory, and when they make either brand of rifle they use the barrels on hand.

They do lap the heavier-contour barrels to more consistent bore diameters, but the same barrels are still used on both rifles.

Thanks for clearing this up John, I know that unlike the guessers on this thread that you recently visited the factory in Finnland and know for certain that they do use the same barrels.......I never understood why some guy's just guess at things and tell it as facts......Thanks Hb

Like I said at first, that is the rumor. I read it a few times and actually heard it through a retailer, but that certainly does not prove credibility.

I put a Douglas on the 280 AI. I know its not the top of the line, but it gets the job done. Only way to have a factory barrel would have been starting with a 7mm-08, but I already had the 30-06 t3, so not much of an option.