Anyone have or ever here of one? All I have seen so far is that they are great. Surely there must be one bad one.

no bad ones here,i have a 270win stainless/synthetic and love it.
one of my hunting buddies has a stainless/grey laminted in 308,he says his is the best rifle he ever owned.

With Tikka's quality control, you're going to have to search far and wide to find a bad one. Good luck with that!

And you can go back through the years and different models, and still find no bad ones.

Yes, my retailer had a bad one - can't remember the cartridge. They sent it back and Beretta sent a replacement. That was it, after hundreds of Tikkas over the years. American manufacturers should take notice, including my favorite, Kimber.
I just can't warm up to some of its features.

Both of mine are bug hole capable.

T3's that is

I have a 695 that will shoot 1/2" with about anything you care to suff in it. Caliber is 280 by the way.

Contrary to popular belief the U.S. does not own the rights to quality craftsmanship. T3's bolt cycle and trigger is like a swiss watch compared to most other rifles. I have custom 700's that aren't as smooth, don't have as crisp of trigger, and don't shoot as well as a $500 Tikka. Almost laughable.

i had a bad one. it was a LA for a SA cart and the stock was a flimsey piece of trash. the bolt was too loose in the reciver for my taste and the barrel was 2" too long.

I had a bad one... (in comparison to the others).... it was a 243 and I could only get it to shoot about 7/8 inch groups.... all the others I own easily shot 1/2 inch groups....

Thought this may be a good place to look for advice. I recently bought a tikka t3 ss 7mm08. factory rings and a bushnell elite 3x9. The action and finish is great. I do plan to go with a deadnutz mount when I have time. First trip to range 140 gr rem corelok shot a box cleaning between shots best group about 8" figured It was breaking in 2nd box no better time to change ammo By the way I do not reload Fed 140 paritions no better, 140 fed BT no better so I have about80 rounds down the barrel I'm at a loss as what to try when I hear everybody else shooting 1' groups. Now I'm no marksman but even my 06 I can shoot 2"oups and would be happy with that for deer. So Do I need to shoot more to bring the barrel around ? suggestions on ammo or take to my dealer Thanx Guys DWG

Amazing that even with the long action you had a 6lb 3oz rifle isn't it? The stock isn't a McMillan tactical stock but they are not too flimsy for hunting applications. In fact thousands of these things are successfully taking game every year without drooping between shooters fingers like a wet noodle.

Get out of here! You can't be serious..... anything plastic is sure to fail, not feel right, explode in your hands, or melt and whither away in your clutches.

DWG7,

My first thought is you have a scope or mounting issue. Next might be an action that is not tight in the stock. Dunno!

Same thoughts here.

I heard someone complain about the accuracy of a 338 Federal on here. Could be a 6# 338 is not for everyone, but it could have been the gun too.

I'd pull it from the stock and make sure the floating recoil lug is properly seating in the bottom of the receiver....

Can you explain this job for me Kinda new here thanx DWG

T3's use a plate mortised into the stock as the recoil lug. The receiver has a groove machined into it that mates to the top of the plate. When putting the barreled action into the stock it's easy to not get things seated properly.

I have 2 T3s and I'm not overly impressed with either.

One is a blued/syn version chambered in 338 Federal wearing a Vari-X II in Leupie DDs. It's the only rifle I've shot that dramatically improved accuracy wise after approx 50 rounds down the pipe. The first few groups fired after break in were over 2"(factory 200grn fusions for the brass and break-in). Chalked that one up to it just not liking that ammo. After a bit of load development, I was able to get it to consistently barely shoot under MOA with 200 HDYs and 200 NBTs over various powders at 2450-2550fps MV. The reason for me stating it shot better with wear is that I shot some groups with the same lot of Fusions that went under MOA months later. Can't really argue about it now as it is quite consistent, but not on the same playing field accuracy wise as the majority of my bolt rifles. It is a joy to carry and quite handy for short range big game. A 200 NBT at 2600 is no slouch. I had to move to a LA Bolt stop and mag to gain enough capacity to get anywhere near 2600 with the longer NBTs. That's another gripe, the short mag length not allowing anything near the lands. The LA stop and mag solved that problem.

The 2nd is a Stainless/syn in 300WM with a Leupie VXIII 4.5-14x40 in Talley LW lows. Never fired factory ammo in it as I hardly ever fire a factory round, but it does just under MOA with a few pet handloads. I settled on a compressed load of 7828 under 180 NPTs that shoots around 2-2.5" at 200(avg MV of 2950) which was suitable for my needs at the time, but again, nothing comparable to most of my hunting rigs. The problems I have with it are the factory drilled and tapped mount holes are off center requiring some hefty lapping with Talley LWs, so-so accuracy, and again mag length too short to reach the lands. I'm not giving up on it despite trying several pills and powders. Next on the list is 168TTSXs.

IME a quality rifle whether factory or custom should consistently shoot .5-.8 MOA with a variety of loads.

No more Tikkas for me, if I want another cheap knock around rig, it will be a A7, 700, xbolt, or 70.

I don't doubt most Tikkas are superbly accurate rigs out of the box, but the two I purchased from different sources were not so and left a sour taste....

Have a Good One,

Loder

I have a Varmint in .223 and a T3 in .270 and have been very pleased with both. I have no problems with the plastic bottom or the magazines. My only complaint is being able to get a magazine and there is no way it should be a $60 item. Make them $30 and easy to find and I think Tikka sales would jump.

I traded for a lightly used T3 tactical last year chambered in 308, it has a 20" tube.
It shoots 165 Sierra SBTs and 168/175 SMKs into itty bitty groups at 100, my best 200 yd. group so far is just a squeek over .5. Granted, this is not your go-to rifle for mountain hunting but it isn't much heavier than the Rem 700 DBM that I used last season either.
I don't own any other Tikkas but I sure wouldn't be affraid to try out another, like others have said about the trigger and smooth action-all true.

In the early 1970's a buddy had a Tikka LSA .308 imported by Ithaca that was poorly bedded and wouldn't group. That is the only one I've seen or heard of that had any problems.

I've been wanting a T3 Lite SS in 308 for my go-to backpack hunting rifle.

Where would be the best place to get one?
I'm in TX.

I traded for my T3 .223 in Amarillo at the hated Gander Mountain store. The Gander stores can get guns from any other store in the chain. They found mine in Texarcana and got it shipped here with little problem.

Thanks. I've never been impressed with the prices on Gander's long guns. Guess I could go take a look.

After finally breaking in my new POS Tikka and making final adjustmenrs on my Conquest at 100yrds I only achieved a group measuring slightly under 0.5" using Core-Lokts.

Can you get aftermarket stocks for them?

There are some guys starting to make them now. One of them is Manners and I can't remember the other two. The other two were smaller operations than Manners IIRC.

As JM1159's target shows, most people who've put a caliper to a Tikka target like Tikkas.

Got a T3 in '06 this year and was looking at shaking my Savage which is heavier. The savage would easily shoot MOA with just about anything down her and I would definitely give it the accuracy advantage over the Tikka.

However, I may need to go out and shoot it some more since you mention groups shrinking after ~50 rds.

Since when is it popular belief that ANYTHING produced in the US is "quality" or "craftsmanship"???

I own or have owned Ruger, Remingtons, Winchesters, and an assortment of other firearms brands, and until I started buying Blaser and Sauer rifles, I had never held a truly well "crafted" gun. Fit, finish, and accuracy is second to none.

You are saying your complaint is getting an extra magazine? I will assume a magazine comes with the rifle?

Thanks...

Seriously considering a Tikka T3 Lite in .243 for the GF...

So you bought a gun you handled I'm assuming, bolt was loose at that point, and you say "for your taste" but mention nothing of it not functioning. It was a LA when you bought it, it didn't grow. The stock I can't comment on. And the barrel also grew 2 inches after you took it home.

Of course if it was the end of the evening and you had no others to take home and woke up with that one, then I can understand.

Greg, they come with a magazine. Beretta is pretty proud of them. Sako mags are around $100,robbery!


Dumb question but can you guys load T3's from the top or is there not enough room?

No the single stack magazine needs the cartridges slid in angling down as they go in. The small ejection port adds ridgidity and you can still pop em in one at a time.

Oh okay, thanks.


You can load the single stack mag(the top flexs enough to pop rounds down) on the A7 through the top but it has an open port.

Thanks, ya'll.

Looks like most have had very good luck with their Tikkas. I just bought a Kimber Pro-varmit in .223 and if it wont shoot well, back to the store it goes and I'll come out with a Tikka.

Yeah, time hasn't been in my favor here lately so it ain't been shot but my day's coming.

This Tikka thing may take some getting use to Sam...

My last .270 Tikka shot wonderful with handloads. Okay with factory. The problem I had with it was the plastic bolt shroud. After the second one broke.....it went down the road.......

Shots numbering 6, 7 &8 from a never fired Tikka M65 that was 29 years old when I got it. Break-in was a real bear, huh?



The smallest squares are 1/2". Three shots inside a 1/2" square outside to outside. Hmmmmm! It's a keeper.

My Tikka experiences have been good...

Plastic mags & trigger gaurds are fine...

Have spare mags for T3s & 595s...

Easy to load for....not really fussy...

This Swede usually does better...

Looks like you got a winner there, Bro. Oh, it ain't one of them thirty-naught-six things, is it?

Sho 'nuff is a thirdy oh six.

That looks suspiciously like, my inexpensive rife does not shoot less than 1" so the next inexpensive rifle will be the essentially the same rife in another stock at twice more, or one that's 1/2 again more, or another that cost twice more.

I'm with Rost on this one. Did you shoot it? I'm just saying....

Loose bolt, "flimsey piece of trash" stock is all yada yada if it shoots.

Sorta like the other guy saying he'll buy a Sako A7, which has the same barrel, but for twice the money.

I just don't get this.

You sure got hosed on that one for sure. It is as good as your ithaka tikka, so quit complaining...hahaha

My T3 shoots well, I'll have to get you to shoot it so I have a bragging target. The best I can do is sub 1" and we know that is good for me. I really like the tikka 30-06 I own.

your kid brother

I have a 595 in 223. Shoots bug holes with about anything you put in it. Mags are overpriced and have a square opening in the back as a spacer verticaly that has a tendency to have emptys and loaded rounds fall base first into if you do not put some type of filler in it. The extractor spring in mine needs replaced but it has seen alot of rounds. Have knowledge of 1 595 that had a continuing missfire problem even after being returned. Russ

I have T3's in 243, 25-06, 7-08, 6.5x55 and 30-06. The LEAST accurate is the 7-08 which averages around 1 to 1.5" with handloads. It is also the only one that I haven't "developed" loads for and just used some handloads I have from a previous gun.
Guess you could say that I like 'em.

I have owned a two T3s in 30-06 and both were very accurate but I sold them cause I wanted one in a lefty 308 (which is now my main hunting rifle).

I also owned a 695 in 300 win mag. that was probably the most accurate rifle I ever owned. It would shoot everything into tiny little groups. I ended up selling that rifle because it was very heavy, kicked like a mule, and was not the best choice of rifle for hunting in the swamps of eastern Canada.

The Tikkas are wonderful rifles. I had my 308 T3 cut down to 20 inches for thick cover hunting and it shoots a variety of loads and bullet weights very well, even at ranges out to 300 yards and longer.

Anyone know how short the adjustable LOP goes?

Only rifle I'm willing to trade away for a T3 is my Rem 700 LVSF in 223... and I'm not so sure I should let that rifle walk away.

Question: Are the T3 triggers adjustable or are you stuck with whatever pull weight comes standard?

Yes you can adjust yourself from 2-5lbs.

With only removing the magazine also. T3 triggers are as good as they get IMO.

Thanks guys....might have to start looking for one after Christmas.