Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Tikka T3x vs. Savage 16/116 FCSS

Seems to be apples to apples. Price is what you pay, value is what you get.


Go....

I’ll bite....No less than five savage rifles have passed through my hands and maybe a few more Tikkas. The “worst” shooting Tikka would still out shoot any of the Savages. Even if accuracy just so happened to be the same, the Tikka wins in a landslide in other areas such as aesthetics, ergonomics and an excellent trigger.

The only thing Savage got right is the name-

I am in the minority here, but I like Savage 10/110 rifles. I love the floating bolt head, I love the ease of barrel swaps, they are modular and versitle. The shoot really well almost always. Yes there are flyers in manufacturing but from my experience a Savage is as accurate as every other large manufacturer. I will admit they are chunky in the receiver and they don't get all the aftermarket support but for all the positives, I still really like them. Heck, the accutrigger works great as a hunting trigger.

What they are not is sleek like a Sako or stylish like a Kimber. Some rifles are bought for beauty and some are tools like a cressent wrench. Some rifles are a mix. I find a Savage more similar to a set of box wrenches. They work, work well, and are tools to be used.

Micky

I'll agree with Micky's great post. Of the savages I've owned and shot, they have been more accurate than the Tikka's I've owned and shot. There are more savage rifles listed in the 1 moa all day long thread here at the fire than Tikka's. Time for the Tikka owners to step up to the plate and put their money where their mouth is...

I have both rifles, and while the Tikka action a lot smoother than the Savage, that's really where it ends for me. While I haven't played around with my Tikka a lot, it's accuracy is not near as good as that of the Savage rifles I own. I am going to swap out scopes on it so maybe that will change, but until then it remains to be seen.

That's strange. My Savage rifles all have butter smooth actions. I haven't even touched them either. They are on par with any Tikka I've handled and maybe a bit better than some of the more recent Tikka's I've seen at Sportsman's..

Let us know Hudge. I'm not dissing on Tikka's. I'm actually a fan of them, but I also have to be honest when I say the savage rifle's I've shot have been more accurate.. Now, my buddy has a 223 varmint Tikka that I've yet to see him shoot. That one should outshoot my Savage rifles, but like I said, I've yet to see it.

Are you serious or just 16bored?


Trigger: tikka by far
Stock: subjective, but I say tikka
Weight: tikka
Barrel: still say tikka
Magazine and feeding: tikka
Resale: tikka

Considering all that I say tikka is a better bang for the buck even at significantly more $

I own/owned 1 Tikka T3 and 3 savage (10, 16, 116) rifles. All of these rifles have been very accurate. The Tikka was the easiest to develop loads for (as have many others I have loaded for), but none of the Savage rifles were bad. I feel the Savage rifles fouled quicker. I like the T3 platform a lot more. Feeding has been a minor issue with every Savage rifle I've owned and I can't make a Tikka jam. I also like the Tikka trigger, once adjusted, better than any Savage trigger I've shot. Some of the non-accutrigger Savages I have shot are beyond horrid and I have replaced the trigger in two Savage rifles that I've kept. I do like the Savages that I've kept, but I really like the Tikka.

By apples to apples, I'm thinking fit and finish is similar, both DBM, both herald for accuracy, factory Tupperware seems a step about Rem, Ruger RAR, and Kimber Hunter. On second thought, maybe that should be in the mix too as its in that price range.

But I'd agree with your judgement on the Tikka......and a little bored too I reckon.

I like the Tikkas of old... back before the T 3 series...

Whereas I think Savages have improved...picked up an Axxis even on a price that was a give away...
found it while looking at a Tikka... just can't get past the action and access to the cartridges... stock didn't impress me and the trigger on the Axxis was actually a lot better....

best I can say for the T 3, is if it shoots as accurate at 300 yds as this Axxis, then Tikkas have a great barrel.

The Axxis was in a 243... and virtually HALF the price of the Tikka....

and as Mickey said above....kinda like a Crescent Wrench.. its a tool and works when ever you need it too.
Did wing the Tasco knock off style scope on top and mounted a Cabelas Covenant Scope on top....

Smooth actions.... the older Tikkas circa in the 1990s... were smoother than a Krag...

the savage lightweight hunter is a good one ... if you can find it for $400 on sale. nothing trumps a montana.

tikka shoots good, triggers good, but i cant like anything else about em.

Tikka T3 for me.

I simply cannot bring myself to own a Savage, I've shot a few and all performed admirably but i can't get over the look of them and I don't care for the trigger. I've owned a few Tikka T3s and while all have been MOA or better shooters only one, a T3 Forest in 6.5x55, was exceptionally accurate and also was the only one that didn't copper foul like crazy, I ended up selling it after picking up an x-bolt in the same caliber but with a 24" barrel. I do remember thinking that Tikka must really up there game when they make the swede as it was so much better performing

I have one Savage in 243, it sits in the safe hidden behind my Tikkas.....lol

I got my Tikka last year, I said Christmas in one post, but it was after Christmas so it was my birthday. I haven't had it to the range but three times to date, and have only shot two different types of factory ammo through it. My 22+ year old Savage 116 is pretty smooth, but the Tikka still beats it for smoothness. The Tikka is like butter. I bought a Savage 11 XP Trophy Hunter in .260 Rem. back in April, and I that action is not the smoothest for sure. It's not as rough as the Marlin XS7 I had, but it's not near as smooth as my old Savage for sure.

I've got a new Leupold VX3i 2.5-10 waiting to go on the Tikka (.300 WSM) when I get home next month. Getting it mounted and bore sighted will probably be as far as I get with it until I am home for good in late July/early August. I hope I draw a caribou or moose tag, and get to bloody the Tikka next Sept.

Ok, ok. Thought you might be stirring the pot more than seriously asking, which I guess is just fine anyway as opposed to another thread created just to provoke Bigstick.

Judging by the other posts here maybe my opinion on salvages being POS period, based on briefly owning 2, might be worth reconsidering. I still wouldn’t even consider one over at tikka and a few others but a model 16 SS might be worth a fondle should I come across one...but probably not

Just getting an itch for another rig....for whatever reason. I'm a Tikka fan too....but there's always others. I'm sure I'll hear Fieldcraft / 6xMQ before it's over. Very predictable and was playing puppet master. Pretty funny.

Anyhoo...

Go retro and get a m700 SS.

If I retro, it'll be a SS M70...

Good call.