Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Tikka T3 vs. Sako A7 vs. Sako 85??

Im thinking about getting anoter gun and was wondering if its worth the extra money to buy the sako A7 or 85 over the Tikka T3? what are your thoughts?

I would buy a Ruger and very good scope for the cost of a Sako.

Of the options you mentioned I'd go A7

Dober

You know it brother!.. Sakos suck!!

You can get a Ruger and a good scope for $565?

Tell me where please.

That's what a A7 costs these days.

idaho,
I'd stick with the Tikka T3. I don't care for the two piece A7 and Sako safety and the two step magazine removal. The A7's around here are $775 and very few have been sold when the Tikka T3 SS is $600.
Good luck.

GB has stainless A7's for the price I quoted.

For the same price as the T3 I'd surely take the A7.

Yep, the A7's on GB are $565 for 30-06 and 270. The 270 WSM and 300 WSM are less than $600.

is their anything that the A7 and 85 have that the Tikka doesnt that makes them better?

i have several sakos ( but more remingtons) ,they are worth what i paid for them. buy a good gun they last a long long time

That's like putting expensive tires on a Yugo.

I'm a pretty big Tikka T3 fan - have run a few - and they are crazy accurate with most everything (least finicky rifle I've ever messed with), light, well balanced with good beef in the barrel, slick action, superb Sako trigger adjustable for weight with an allen wrench without even removing the stock (and no creep - break like glass), barrels are Sako also - and accuracy shows it. They're cheap and they just shoot.

A7 features that Tikka doesn't have:
1. A lever release for unloading while on safety;
2. A magazine release that requires the magazine be depressed before it will release - to prevent "magazine AD"...grin.
3. A true short action rather than a LA with a bolt stop like the T3.
4. A7 has most all the Tikka features above except the proven accuracy - although they look very promising so far.

Both have some plastic and have tupperware stocks (but the T3's and A7' I've run/heard of still shoot like they have been glass and pillar bedded into a trued action with a custom barrel screwed on by the best in the business).

Right now, I'd gamble on an A7 over a T3 if I can buy it in stainless for the $565 + incidentals...

DJ

They share barrels but the A7 comes in 2 different action sizes whereas the the T3 has only 1 action size. The A7 has a metal bolt shroud whereas the T3 has a plastic one. The A7 has metal feed lips on the magazine whereas the T3 has plastic.
The T3 has a very stiff action because of the small ejection port which can be both a good thing and a bad thing.
Given the prices of the A7 and the T3 I think the A7 is a better value.

DJ beat me by 48 seconds and he provided some info I didn't know about.

I just paid $594.00 for a new Sako A7 in 300 WSM.

I absolutely love the rifle. Unlike the Tikka you can feed it from the top.

The safety system is the best. You can lock the bolt up if you want.

The rifle is lightweight and has to hell and back durability.

Superior to the Tikka in every way.

Comes with a 5 shot moa guarantee from the factory.

It IS my go to elk rifle.

All good - you filled some gaps I left, as well.

Maybe between us, we pretty well covered it.

I will add that I've run an A7 in 243 and it has shot everything like a Tikka so far (which is a high praise, indeed!)

Have yet to see a report of an A7 that wouldn't shoot...but I'm not sure I've ever seen a report of a T3 that wouldn't shoot, either - and there's a bazillion Tikkas out there. The A7's are still the new kid, so we'll see.

I do kinda like having "Sako" on the barrel, though, even if it's just a poor man's version...grin.

DJ

No doubts about the T3's shooting but the A7 is no new kid on the block either. It's a SAKO 75 that's been around longer than the T3.

Never heard of a Sako that didn't shoot and don't see any other manufactures that will
guarantee 5 shots moa.

With buys like the one I got I'll never own another Remington in the sporter class and I'm a Remslut.

Sure wish they made the A7 in a LH version!

They are smokin' deals right now. It's really tempting me to buy another rifle I don't need, but since when has that stopped me? Grin...

I thought the action on the A7 was a little different than the 75? Or is it just like it and a little different from the 85?

Good point though - the Tikka and A7 both sport a lot of the best parts of the proven old Sako 75.

DJ

You right handers piss me off!

Does save me a ton of cash at the gunstore and gunshows though!