Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Winchester Model 70 Extreme Weather Vs Tikka T3x?

Mine was a year old. Sold it this spring. It was a tank. If the stocks were worse, I can't imagine how.

Thought this was a fairly well known issue with the Tikka T3s and Sako A7s. The plastic isn't strong enough and so the top of the mag expands from the spring pressure with cartridges loaded in it. Some cartridges are worse than others. Short action rounds all seem to be fine as the extra block of plastic at the rear adds a lot of strength and holds it all together. Standard and magnum long action rounds seem to be the worst. You can physically see the feed lip area expand when you load shells into it and can squeeze it back down with your fingers. Every single T3 mag I've ever seen or owned does this and they seem to get worse with age my buddies with them have the same issues. The Sako A7 mags are even worse than the Tikkas they were so bad I sold my A7 just because of the crappy mags, my buddy with an A7 still continues to struggle with his after Sako has warrantied his mags 3 times.

I've had Tikkas for over 20 years and never heard of this phenomenon. I think you're jinxed.

I’ve only had Tikkas for 10 years so I lack JG’s duration, but I have a lot of Tikkas and I’ve never had this problem.

Makes me wonder how you’re loading the mags. Try not pushing the cartridges straight down on your next mag.






P

Maybe you got a new old stock one, you can do a quick google image search and see differences in the stocks, I honestly don’t know how people can really complain about the current stock, it’s 10x better than the old one easily.

Well they now have 2 more at the store now. One is a .308 which turned my crank until I held it...TANK.

I never considered the Tikka mag a shortcoming. I like carrying a loaded spare or two. Nice way to carry extra rounds.

You must have small hands or something, I’ve hobeatly never understood what people are talking about when they say this, I’ve started thinking that anytime people say this they haven’t held one and are parroting what other people say about the old ones. I think it feels pretty darn good and I have other stocks to compare it to, a few McMillans kimber Montana etc.

Or you have gorilla mitts! I have a 1st Gen M70 EW in .270 Win and the factory stock felt like a 2X4 in my hands. Here it is next to a M70 FWT in McMillan Hunter, and there is no way the EW stock feels right in my hands.





I don't know if the newer stocks have an improved feel or not, I've heard the short actions are more trim. I picked up a McMillan FWT Edge stock from TDN off of the Campfire classifieds and couldn't be happier with the way the rifle handles now. I paid about $1200 total for the rifle even with the McMillan after selling off the old factory stock.





It has been a shooter from day one. And still is all these were shot prone off of a bipod after the stock was replaced.

I like the way my Tikkas shoot.







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I've never top loaded these mags. Always in from the front and down under the feed lips. Mine and all my buddies are original from the very first generation of T3 rifles, haven't bought a new mag since the original spare I got right after purchasing the rifle, maybe I should try some brand new ones... I know the A7s definitely are a common problem, you can google that one easily and Sako/Beretta have admitted issues with them, assumed the T3 was similar as the only difference is the feed lips are steel on the A7.

I’m not saying the EW stock is some slim stock but it’s never felt as bad to me as so many people claim, it actually feels pretty good to me, they did slim down the Doreen’s and the grip from the version you have in your picture. I’ve thought a lot about getting a McMillan featherweight for mine but not because I hate the b&c but just because I like the featherweight stocks.

Put me behind your Tikka and I promise it won't shoot like that anymore!

I DID NOT NEED TO SEE THAT FRIGGIN SPORTER M70 IN A MCMILLAN FWT STOCK........DAMN YOU! 😡

Ha! I totally agree 16bore, that is a cool rifle indeed....Hb

You’d be surprised. I taught my buddy’s son to shoot intermediate distance last year. He got tired of ringing steel at 400 so we backed up as far as we could, another 146 yards. Shooting seated off a Primos Trigger Sticks tripod. Bang, clang.




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Thanks! I'm not parting with this one anytime soon.



I can ring steel pretty well at 400-600 yards even with the lowly .270 and 130 grain bullets. I'm also pretty good at ruining a one hole shot group on paper, just by shooting the second round! I'm pretty happy with accurate enough to fill a freezer anymore.

I had exactly this problem with a Sako A7 in 308. Failed day 2 of its first hunt. Traded it to n as soon as my hunt was over. Was really hoping the problem was fixed as I have been eyeing a Tikka T3X in 6.5CM.

Wow! You and your buddy must have had a really bad streak of luck. Every Tikka mag I've had is built like a damn tank




Trystan

I’m only at about 12,000 rounds through Tikka mags this year, so not much experience.... but, there isn’t a problem with their mags.