Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Who owns a Tikka T3 in 6.5X55?

If so, how long is the throat? Way over long? I just unloaded a Howa 6.5 that had a long throat and was very heavy for the caliber. I am wanting a T3 in 6.5, but only if the throat measurements are decent, and they shoot OK....

Thanks,

Tom

Tom as far as I know the Swedes the 7x64's and the 9.3x62's are not avaiable in the USA.

Perhaps somethin has changed though.

Mark D

SportSouth has the 6.5 listed

www.internetguncatalog.com


Mike

P.S
scroll to the bottom, do a super search for Tikka, and there is a green check mark by the 6.5X55 showing in stock.

Good reference site for specs and pics!


Mike

I have some located to buy - I was just wondering about the accuracy people had realized......I can get one OTD for $593.

This is the Hunter - blue w/ Walnut stock....

Tom

TOMINBOISE, what did you NOT like about the Howa rifle?? I have a friend in Emmett, who is thinking about buying one in .300 Win. Mag.

Thanks. L.W.

The rifle itself is fine. The 6.5X55, however, doesn't work in that package very well. It's a long action and the 6.5 is a medium length cartridge, so you have some extra metal there, and the throat is a mile long. I have no doubt that in a 300 Win mag, that it would be a fine shooting and handling rifle, but for me, for the 6.5, it was a bit too much....

Tom

I worked the last 3 years in retail gun shops, I sold somewhere around 50 of the T3's.

IMO they are one of the best rifles ever conceived. Light (which the Howa isn't), accurate (which the Howa is) and cost effective (which the Howa is also.

The only issue I've heard of is from 2 pretty hardy hunters. When the weather was cold and ugly they had issues with the safety and had difficulty's being able to fire the rifle.

I had one in a 22/250 and it was just scarry accurate!

Triggers as they come on the T3 is very good, the Howa is gonna warrent some time at the gun Dr's to make it right.

I really wanted one in 9.3x62, could not get them to ship one to me.

The next one I would like is called the Big Boar, basically it is a 19" in o6.

Have a great weekend

Mark D

I have two Tikka T-3's - one in 6.5x55 and one in 9.3x62. Both are very accurate and have given me no trouble what so ever. I have not gotten around to measuring the throat on the 6.5 but it does show a preference for the 120 gr weight bullets (see below) but will still put the 160 gr bullets into a group of about one inch or just a shade over.

You should be able to get you hands on any caliber that Tikka lists. It may require a special order and a long wait but if I could get them here in Canada then they should be available in the USA. My 9.3 (below) is also capable of one inch groups if I do my part but the recoil can get a bit stiff after half a dozen rounds or so - it is not a benchrest rifle! ;-)

Well, now I own one. I went ahead and bought it off gunbroker. I got it for $540. By the time I get it here thru my dealer, it should be about $585. So, we will see. I have plenty of 120 and 140 gr bullets on hand, so I will see what it will do......

Thanks,

Tom

Thanks, TomInBoise, I'll relay the information.

L.W.

Just a little info that is pertinent here.
The Sakos and Tikkas are chambered a little differently than any other rifles. These Finnish made rifles are chambered with a tapered leade which leads into the rifling making it a much smoother transition. This helps maintain bullet alignment and a 'not so violent' bump as the bullet enters the rifling. That is one of the reasons that these rifles tend to shoot really well with a lot of different bullets.

Another thing most aren't aware of is that these rifles in their "one action fits all" long action are lighter than most other manufacturers mountain rifles, and are also more user friendly.

I have been trying to figure that out too.I do know that when I loaded some 140gr Horny Amax's I made a dummy seated way out over specs.I tried the old trick of chambering and looking for rifleing marks.They were leaving impressions, but I never did find when it just touches.I'm going to drill and tap a brass and try to ease one in and see if that works.I may be playing with my self here as it shoots fine at book specs.The dummy round did load and feed fine so I don't see an issue with it being over COL data.
As far as shooting,yes they do.MOA or better every time.

Any 6.5X55 will have a long throat. The original military bullet was a 160 grain.
My Tikka T3 has a tight throat, so I seat the bullets, using a Stoney Point tool, just short of a slight resistance that I feel before the rifling stops the bullet's movement.
With either a 140gr Hornady SST, or a 129 Hornady Spire Point, mine makes three-shot groups even tighter than that pictured above. Five shot groups show the effect of moving the rifle to reload the three-shot magazine.