I resisted the force for a long time and have had vurtually several of everything else. I finally bought a 270 win T3 Lite and painted the stock to my liking with some Rusto multi-colored textured stuff that creates a a good "grippy" surface. Mounted up a Swaro w/BRH reticle in DedNutz 1PC mount. Did black Plasti dip on the bolt handle. It shoots my 140 AB loads into about .5. My go-to for most everything now and would not part with it. Solved that "sole-less" feeling for me. All others are gone except a 788 that I did a similar treatment on and it is my short-range gun.
Mike
This is a good idea, to disguise its plasticky presence. Though it will likely cost you if you ever decide to sell it.
The T3's are attractive to me because, besides expected inherent accuracy and reasonable price, they are available in 6.5x55, a chambering I feel is the sweet spot.
"There's more to optics than meets the eye."--anon
"...most of us would be better off losing half a pound around the waist than half a pound on our rifle."--dhg
Seriously? It's like saying "I can't warm up to a crescent wrench unless it handles like a Craftsman."
I've said that, with the ante upped to my late father's forty+ year old Craftsman. The real good old stuff.
I'm not that old, but it was a coming of age to realize that the Craftsman ratchets on the rack at Sears were not nearly as good as the ones my dad had bought for me in high school only about four years before.
The flat blade screwdriver that is my go-to for every car I work on was part of a set I got for Christmas in kindergarten. My dad was pretty good about that stuff.
It's interesting that you ask who cannot get themselves to like Tikka T3s and most of us come here to tell you we do. At first, I did not like the looks. Now, I actually like the looks. I thought about buying a B&C stock for the three that I have. Then I talked myself out of it because I would be doing it solely for appearances (which is O.K. too) instead of function. I've spent significant amounts of money to get rifles of all makes to get to shoot like my Tikkas. Maybe I should just start buying Tikka stocks and put them on those other rifles (tongue in cheek). Add to that a trigger that breaks like thin ice and a bolt that is slick as snot on a door knob, other than appearances, it's hard not to like them. I'm still a Kimber/Winchester and others snob; but, I have added four T3s in the past four years (just sold one here) because of all I have stated above.
Last edited by TheBigSky; 10/28/15.
_________________________________________________________________________ “Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.” John Steinbeck
I, like several others who have chimed in, can't get over the disposable feel of these guns. I am a big fan of the 595/695 series but the T3 just doesn't do anything for me despite its performance/cost ratio.
It's not that I don't like Tikkas. There's nothing wrong with them. I just see no reason to own one. Why would I get a Tikka instead of a Sako? Sometimes cheap stuff will do just fine, but I get more enjoyment out of the finer things. If I just viewed guns as tools, maybe the Tikka would appeal to me.
Design, simplicity, accuracy.. Hard to overlook when the majority of domestic rifles require so much work after the purchase to finish what the factory set out do do, just to get them to shoot and function almost as well as a Tikka.
My long guns being in storage after our house fire, I brought two Tikkas, a Ruger and a Kimber to the apartment for the season. The Ruger and Kimber to work on, the Tikkas to hunt with.
g
"I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man." Thomas Jefferson
I have tried to Like the Tikka T3 Super lite but I just cant make myself like it.
The rifle shoots 3 into .75 inch with Factory ammo The rifle fits me extremely well The rifle had a 2.5 pound crisp trigger pull from the factory The Bolt is slick as can be with no binding The rifle weighs less than 7 pounds with scope and ammo
I held off getting one for a long time But now that I have one I can tell you that something is missing.
Oh ,I think it may be not having to do anything to it for it to be ready to be a fine hunting rifle other than just shoot it !
Naw I cant get myself to like it.................................................................................................................................... I love it !!!
For me it was an accuracy issue. I bought a T3 in 338 Fed when they first came out. I tried different factory loads, several different bullets and powders. Never could get it to shoot. That soured me on the T3 and never bought another.
I tend to recommend Tikka T3s when people ask me what should I buy in this price range, especially if I know the guy will fire factory ammo and will probably never want to 'fine tune' the rifle.
But for some reason I cannot see myself buying one. I know they are accurate and built fairly decent, but there is something I just do not like about them. I have handled and shot quite a few T3s but it feels as if something is missing when I have one in my hands. I personally do not think they are in the same league as some of the older models but apart from that, something feels cheap about them.
I am not saying everyone here owning T3s have crappy rifles as we all know how they shoot and it seems like they get the job done. Just want know whether anyone else feels the same way? What is missing in the T3?
Cheers
Pieter
A tool is a tool... Some guys just prefer nicer tools than others...
Originally Posted by raybass
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style.
Originally Posted by Pharmseller
You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole.
I'm the opposite. Nothing else balances and floats in my hands like a T3. Not all plastics are created, or molded, equal. An H&K is a plastic gun, just like a Glock, but it's a different world of fit and finish. Tikka's plastic is a different world of fit and finish than any Savage, Ruger, or any other molded polymer I've seen.
I hate plastic pistols too:
Originally Posted by raybass
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style.
Originally Posted by Pharmseller
You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole.
It's Glock vs. 1911 all over again. Nice throwback to every gun rag of the 80's. Funny thing is everyone now makes a Tikka look alike, just as the DA triggers from Glock got imitated.
T-3's aint going anywhere for sure. Price them the same as RAR's and it'd be another story.
For a fella that doesn't hand load or tinker he's hard pressed to find better.