Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Tikka negatives

I know people love Tikkas, but I'm curious what people don't like about them. I mean, besides the usual complaints about the appearance and the plastic parts. Are there any inherent flaws in the action? I never hear about them needing service, but I'm assuming they do break sometimes. When they do, what breaks? The flaw I can think of off the top of my head is poor twist rates. I'm sure there are more.

I own 4 Tikkas....

T3 6.5x55
T3 260 (have not shot this one yet)
T3X 270
T3X 6.5 Creedmoor

These are the things I don't like about Tikkas:

1. Plastic bolt stop
2. Plastic trigger guard
3. Poor factory scope rings

The twists for my rifles is perfectly fine. ALL of them so far shoot very well

Haters gonna hate. Think Glock, circa 1989.....

I get that, and I'm not looking for this to be a rehash of the normal criticisms and complaints. But no rifle is perfect, right? What are the imperfections of a Tikka?

I don’t own more than 2 is the biggest problem.





I’ve had a T 3 Lite SS 270 since 2003.........Not ary a Problem.

Nuff said.


Jerry

Better check your Tikkas. The bolt stops aren’t plastic.




P

I have a bunch of Tikkas.

1 1-10” .223
2 1-8” .223
2 7mm-08, one Superlite, one straight stainless
1 .30-06
1 7mm Rem Mag

My brother has 5, my dad has 2. Ain’t nothing I don’t like about them.

I wish I could find a stainless 1-8” T3 Varmint in .223.




P

The only negative that I have with Tikka's is that when they first hit the market, I could get a T3 Lite SS for about $400. Now, you can't touch one for less than $600.

My complaints are minor. I have a T3 Superlite 223, a T3x Superlite/EDGE in 7mm-08, and a T3x Hunter 270. I wish the bottom “metal” was metal, so I replaced one with parts from High Desert Rifle Works and am happy, so I’ll eventually replace them all. I really dislike the plastic studs they put in the scope screw holes. I used to think they were screws, now I just punch them out. I wish the magazines had a little more room, but the current limitations don’t seem to effect accuracy. I do have some M+ magazines on the way for the 7mm-08. I also wish they fit flush. Still not a real big deal. Still haven’t shot the 270. Not sure why I bought it.

1:10 twist in the 243 is the only negative I can come up with.

I wish they made more stainless 24in CTR's.

The T3 recoil pads are not very good!
Here's why, when you unscrew the pad from the stock you will discover a hard plastic hollow base.This is covered with very thin (about 1/8" thick) rubber veneer to make the plastic area appear as a thick rubber pad.

For me the only real downside is the detachable magazine, which can be annoying in a hunting rifle if it gets lost while you're packing it in, etc. Otherwise...they real good.

No 7-08 CTR is a negative.

I only have the T1X's in .22lr and 17hmr as of now.
Will be fixing that next year.

Plastic magazine and detachable magazine.
Plastic trigger guard.
Tupperware stock on majority of models.
Upgrade your stocks, trigger guards and magazines Tikka! Take a fair price increase to cover additional cost. But Beretta won't allow them to, because it would destroy Sako sales.

I see this mentioned all the time, but I’m wondering how many guys have actually lost mags while carrying theirs. I’ve carried a few different tikka lites a good distance on foot, in an UTV, and a lot in a ranch pickup. never had a mag accidentally drop. And unloading/reloading the rifle is easier than with a floor plate, and much easier than any blind mag.

Other than that OP, as mentioned some twist rates aren’t great. Mainly 243 with a 10”. And of course the one size fits all action with short or long bolt stops bothers some guys. Functionally it’s a non issue. But I understand if one doesn’t want a “.223 in an ‘06 length action”

The only negative I can come up with, and I own several Tikka rifles, is Beretta only imports certain models for LH hunters & shooters. It would be much better if they brought the entire Tikka line into the US.

This.....I would like to have a "LEFTY" T3X in 6MM Creed.

LOL , glad you said it .

Their "Tupperware" stock is the absolute best synthetic stock I have seen on a rifle. LIttle or no Flex and correct design.