Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Tikka VS Kimber in 300WSM...your choice?

Well, I'm still thinking.... I like them both, and yet there are things about each that I dislike. The thought about purchasing an HS Precision was more tongue in cheek, but I have considered a few other guns. I have been looking for quite a while and have given serious consideration to the Sako. In fact, I would probably have purchased one but I can't find one in 300WSM. The only thing I don't like about the Sako is the stock. I'm not a fan of the gray rubber. Everything else however is really nice.

Thanks again for all the comments. Even the arguements were constructive to a certain extent. If I had to choose today, I have to say that I would probably chose the Tikka, despite it's misgivings. After speaking with a few local gunsmiths, they have seen too many Kimbers with issues lately, and that just makes me nervous. You see, I am a constant victim of Murphy's Law when it comes to purchasing lemons. You name it, I have had a lemon. TV's, Cars, even rental equipment has had to be returned because I somehow ended up with a peice of crap that didn't work. It's a curse, and it sucks. So far I have been lucky with guns. I'm afraid if I bought the Kimber, that might be like tempting fate. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

At any rate, I'll keep you posted and put up some pics when I finally get something.

Mucho truth here!

Poot, I absolutely never said Sako doesn't build a fine product so I'm not sure why you're disagreeing with me this 1% (grin).

The Sako is a finely built rifle but I'm too old and set in my ways to change my tastes and I'll never like Euro rifle styling or Monte Carlo's. At heart I'm a CRF man and my prejudice is that it's the only proper rifle action. I'm not saying it's rational, just when push comes to shove that's my honest gut-level opinion.

Does that mean I don't like people that don't share my admitted biases? Does that mean a PF isn't a serviceable action? Heck no!

Another prejudice (yeah, I've got a lot) is having "Made in Japan" stamped anywhere on a firearm. Truth is though, the Howa is a heck of a rifle for the money and I'd personally rather have the Howa than the T3 (or Sako).

Poot, Kimber redesigned the feed ramp on the latest 8400's to be shallower. Across the board they feed consistantly well now.

Two years ago my first nice gun I bought was a 270WSM in a Sako Finnlight. I did like the gun and no doubt it shot nice, usually around 3/4" @ 100 yards with factory ammo. No complaints there. I actually used the gun on a Saskatchewan deer hunt and it served me well there. Short after my return from my trip I learned of the Sako recall on the barrels and really had a tough time dealing with Sako's customer service. In short I was really put off. Later I did find out my gun was not in the bad lot (that was defective) but given the attitude I got and furthermore the confusion surrounding the whole situation I elected to return the gun. I really wasn't comfortable that this gun was alright and I didn't want to shoot it. Luckly my dealer let me return it and exchanged it even up for a Kimber Montana.

Here is how I would compare the two . . .

-I like the lower bolt throw of the Sako, much nicer for scope clearance issues.

-Blind magazine and CRF on the Kimber are pluses - I really only unload my gun once a day while hunting therefore I'd rather not risk loosing a clip.

-Kimber does fit me better, the recoil was much sharper on the Sako - same caliber and ammo.

-Sako probably shot a little better but I can still get an inch or under with my Kimber.

-I like the talley lightweights as a mounting system better then the Optilocks - my 3x9x40 Conquest was still around 1/2" above the barrel with the Opti's - too high in my opinion and these were with the lows.

-Both guns feed the same, very smooth.

-Stock is far superior on the Kimber compared to the Sako.

In the end they are both nice guns and would dollars permit I wouldn't mind owning both. I will say if I ever buy another Sako it would probably be in a non magnum caliber as the stock seems to whack me pretty good - but it does feel good to me when I shoulder it.

I view a blind magazine as a blessing,myself.

Especially with a S/S guard that ain't going anywhere............

Gotta say I agree with that. I've had only five or six rifles with blind magazines over the years and have pretty well decided I like them best. They're one more way to simplify things...

They offer alotta "tough" for their weight and I can like that.....................

BS ... what "real" stainless ADL style guard to you suggest for a rem700? Williams, I would suppose ... but are there others that are worth it to buy?

JoeShooter,

Good luck on your decision, I went through the same thing several months back and its tough. I can tell you that I am very happy with my decision to buy another Tikka. I have a good friend that I hunt with ,he has a M70 S/S that has had the trigger replaced, the action bedded not once but twice and replaced the stock,and a list of other things that he has done, over $1400 in between gun and gunsmithing(scope not included) and every time we go to the range , he gets so upset because he cant figure out how my gun shoots soo much better than his and I have done nothing to my Tikka, but put shells in it,adjust the trigger weight down(which took about 15 seconds) and shoot. He always says I should sell this piece of [bleep] and buy 3 Tikkas, but his pride wont allow him to do it. Do not allow these guys opinions to obscure your desire for a reliable and super accurate rifle.As lemons go it seems you find them far more often in American products that in European, maybe they dont leave work early on Fridays at Beer 30 in Europe, I dont know. If you want to avoid a Lemon, I suggest you take a closer look at the Tikka. How many accuracy issues have you read about? How many broken parts have you read about? Dont reinvent the wheel dude, I have a lot of guns in the safe made by all of the manufacturers this is not my only rifle make, and I grab the Tikkas' everytime, they are like an old friend, or old reliable. I still like my Winchesters, Savage, Weatherby, and Remingtons but the Tikkas are a dream come true. Whats the accuracy guarantee on a Kimber? Or do they even have one? I would say you have to have some confidence in a company that gurantees you 3 shots under 1" MOA. After all isn't that why we buy rifles, to kill [bleep]? Good Luck.

Cub


Oh I forgot to add that I will surely update you guys on how the Tikkas push feed actions work for killing Brown Bear as my 300 and my buddies 338 will surely be put to the test after 2 weeks on the Alaska Peninsula. I leave in 19 days.

You said earlier that your 300 shoots every factory ammo under a half inch. Right?

Well apparently accuracy is contagious. Check it out. Every gun owned by every man on every gunsite shoots under MOA. If I was a gun manufacturer I'd give every soul who bought my rifle a MOA guarentee and an internet connection. Works every time. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Will

Dont know where you got that from, as I never said it shoots all factoy ammo under a half inch, It will shoot one inch groups with what I have fed it so far. What you would do and what the Gun manufacturers are doing is two totally different things. $800 rifles deserve to have been made with precision machining and that price tag warrants some kind of quality. If you dont want $800 quality buy a $275 Stevens with no guarantees other than bullets will fly out one end of the barrell. But if you are going to spend upwards of $700-800 for a rifle they ought to stand behind their product with something other than we guarantee that you your check will be deposited and or that your card will be charged. Thats just my opinion. And as for [bleep] working everytime, your damn skippy it better, when you are talking about a rifle. Mr Brown bear is not going to wait for you to send your Kimber back to the factory for feeding problems to be corrected and then mailed back to you so you can shoot him. The internet and mechanical tools are not a relevant analogy, but it was a good effort. As for all my guns shooting moa, I have a couple that dont , they are still good guns but I have less of a tendancy to grab them, a couple were family heirlooms passed down, I'll never get rid of them for that reason, but they are not Tikkas. I have a beautiful M70 XTR 300 WM wood/blued that I shot a bear and several moose with about 8-9 years ago, got a little surface rust on it, cleaned it off and retired it to the gun safe, It has value to me but is not the tool I use most often. It wont shoot 1" MOA more like 2"-2 1/2" moa and when I suspect to be in wet conditions or taking longer shots, I dont use it. I am superstitous about some things!

Please don't speak for me! Tikkas stink! I'd rather be shot by a Kimber than that shoddy plastic Tikka.

Just one bear's opinion.

MBB

Thanks for all your input on the Tikka. I hope your upcoming bear trip is a long one and doesn't afford you internet access, we're tired of your rants.

That is tooooo funny Mr. Brown Bear.
Am I still allowed to buy Kimber and a Tikka or do I have to choose only one? It seems to me they are both decent guns with each having something desirable to the buyer (wheather its price, accuracy, quality, wood, steel, etc). I would hate to live in a world that would force me to like only one rifle.
<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Oh now I see, if you attempt to convey your opinion from a diverse experience background, then your ranting. So I'll just do what the others do which is of no use to anyone, and when someone asks should I buy a kimber or a Tikka , I'll just respond by saying, Kimbers SUCK!!!!! Is that more to your liking cfran? Jackass!

Meastro , what you purchse only matters to you, I am sure Kimber makes some good guns, in this particular post we all start by expressing our choice in the two and then the gloves come off and the opinionated arguments started. thats the nature of the beast. Unlike many I never said the Kimber was a piece of [bleep] (except to respond to "IDIOT", formerly known as cfran), which is the term that has been used to describe the Tikka more than once in this thread.

On a side note and this might give all something to chat about (besides their personal preferences).

How many of you like to hunt with MK"s??????

Sorry couldn't resist!

Mark D

You are a piece of work, and thank you for the kind words. I'm sure others will read this long thread and laugh at it. In the interim it would do both you and Mowzer some good to kick your feet up and take your high blood pressure medication so that big vein in your forehead goes away!

Post deleted by Mr Brown bear

CFRAN- Hey I know you don't know me from just reading my posts. But you cited me as having a blood pressure problem and getting hot over stuff. Truth be known, I never so much as get even a smidge riled by reading the stuff on this site. I take it all in stride and really just have a lot of fun here. I have noticed that some seem to take it mighty serious, but I just derive an awful lot of fun here, and learn a lot too. Much of the stuff I have come to find is really just opinion anyway nad have learned that alot of us are really emotionally tyed to our firearms and gun choices. We are all passionate about our sport and can't speak for others, but I enjoy the opinion threads alot. I have learned much from them and the people here too. Even Big Stick's style is alot of fun to read and indicative that he believs what he says-which like it or not is to be respected. Anybody that takes all this stuff too seriously, should prolly check themselves from time to time, to realize that after all, it's just people and opinions. Sometimes that evokes fireworks, but thats what makes it interesting too. When you drill down to the real deal, which usually lies somewhere between extremes you can glean alot of usefull info from these threads. And, if your mind is at all open, come away better for it.