I'am in the market for left hand rifles. I been considering a Tikka T3 lite weight. None of the local dealers or gun shows have any for me to look at. There web site has been helpful.

I would like to know the good and bad.

They're accurate rifles. They have good triggers that are easy to adjust. They have plastic parts where others use metal, like mag boxes.

Good:
Accurate out of the box
Great trigger
Very accurate out of the box
Smooth action

Bad:
Stock is a bit slippery, I put some grip tape on mine.
Scope mount screws are kind of cheap but so far mine haven't failed.

Considered bad by loonies:
One size action for long, short and .223 sized. Bolt stop limits travel appropriately but the extra and wasted .4" of action length makes it worthless and downright heretical.
Nothing to change - no need to spend twice the cost of the rifle on aftermarket parts to make it shoot straight or be reliable or improve it*. No barrel to replace or action to true, just take it out of the box, mount a scope and go shooting - i.e. boring.


* doesn't mean one can't spend twice the cost of the rifle replacing things, just no need.

Good

Accurate
Smooth action
Reliable feeding in every case I've seen
Excellent trigger

Bad

Flimsy bottom metal where the action screws engage. Benefits immensely from pillars being installed in the stock.
Plastic bolt shroud and bottom metal/magazine
One-size-fits-all action length
Not much aftermarket support (because it doesn't need much), which is disappointing for tinkerers.

Unless you buy a .308 as a donor (for $300), throw in a $65 bolt stop kit, and build an azz kicking .284 Long Action.

Or a .270 as a donor (for $400), and build an azz kicking 7MM-08 with heavy bullets seated out, without having to change anything.

The one size all argument is a dead subject. It doesn't make any sense. There are several benefits if you think about it.

1) Not flimsy, supported inside with steel.
2) Reinforced polymer, show me either one you have personally broken.
3) Discussed above.
4) All you'll ever need...http://www.tikkaperformance.com/

The are accurate to a degree way out of proportion with their price.

The pisser is there's nothing to do to enhance that. Maybe aftermarket scope rings, but I've never had a prob with the issued ones

kd

That's what's so boring about Tikkas, you don't get to pluck with em to get em to shoot. No bedding issues, trigger jobs/replacements, finicky load development, just feed ....point.....and shoot. Most loonies can't live with that!

Great rifles and one of the best buys in a LH Rifle.

What everyone else said about the good. It's not fancy grade walnut and all milled steel, nothing you'd look at twice but for the money and the way it shoots I can't think of anything bad.

Mine's a 1-10 twist 223 I got back in December. I've had my share of 223s but never had one shoot bullet weights from 40 to 63 gr as well. These were five different, already assembled loads. They were left overs from previous 223s I've owned. Those rifles had been bedded, floated or pressure bedded, trigger jobs, load development, etc. As others said, the Tikka did it right out of the box.

Good - You don't have to buy a Kimber at twice the price and perform the 10 Kimber correctional steps to make it shoot decently - the Tikka does so right out of the box for half the money.

Bad - Kinda fugly looking. Imagine how many they would sell if they put them in a sleek mountain rifle type stock.

Received a T3 in 25-06 at X mas. Put some Talleys lows on it and a VX-1 3-9-40mm. Have some 115 Partitions and 115 NBT test loads to try this spring. I think it's a fine rifle for the price.

Gonna use it this fall is my plan. I'm stoked to try it. Will do a full range report once some trigger time is accumulated.

Add a Bell & Carlson stock if you want to jazz it up!!!

1) I've personally bent that flimsy, thin steel by torquing my action screws to 55 in-lbs, which is why I pillar-bedded the rifle and bottom metal
2) I can't because I replaced the bolt shroud with an aluminum replacement before it had a chance to break It was more for the tinkering factor, than anything
3) It can be a pro or a con, depending on what you're doing and how you look at it

They'll outperform your custom rifles costing much more, which is maddening! lol.

Eric

I'm a southpaw shooter, have all Rem 700's, older ones other than the CDL .223


if I needed a lh rifle, Tikka would be what I'd buy.

got the oldest boy one on his 16th birthday.

can't begin to describe how impressed I am with it.

let him shoulder everything available in this town and was certainly prepared to shell out the coin for a Kimber which I thought he'd want


he liked the fit and feel of the action better on the Tikka, so that's what he got


chambered in boring old '06


they had a lh version of the same rifle at the LGS where we bought his for awhile and I gave serious consideration to buying one for myself, but then what would I do with my 7 mag and .338?


too many memories in both of those rifles to get rid of them

as others have stated, it's a heckuva value in a rifle in my view.

and I like the plastic mags, bought the boy 4 extra ones just in case.

hunting normally only carry two, one with 150 grainers for sheep or bou, one with 180 gr. for walking in and out with hopefully a bloody pack


if it fits you, I think you'd be happy with one.

My Left Hand T-3 Tikka in 223 . I ditched the factory supplied rings, and used Steel Burris Picatinny Bases, and Steel Weaver QD Rings, replace the Bolt Handle with Machined Tactical , and replaced the Bolt Cover on the back of the Bolt with Metal. I also changed out the recoil lug from Aluminium to Steel. Scope is a Vortex Viper 3x9 with Bullet Drop Ret.

That is too much torque. Drop it back to 40lbs.

I prefer a bit more than 40 on all my rifles, and if they can't take it from the factory, I modify them until they can, but regardless, a rifle shouldn't bend or get damaged because of 15 extra in-lbs...

The "steel"-reinforced polymer where it contacts the action screws is very flimsy, and is certainly a weak link in the rifle system.

Crank an extra 15lbs on your scope rings and see what happens. Tikka does not recommened 55lbs, neither do any real gunsmiths.

While the stock may not be purty, though I don't know many plastic stocks that are, you'd be hard pressed to make it any sleeker. Chit it only weighs 28oz.

Not to mention I cannot believe how stiff they are for a factory plastic stock.

I wish they offered more selection in calibers. I know they offer all the standards but I'd like to see one in 260, 6mm and some other less frequently used calibers.

You are right Cub, it is nice for a plastic stock but I just don't really care for the ergonomics of it.

Pretty much impossible to beat a Tikka dollar for dollar - or for any amount of money for that matter.

Be nice if they offered it in a pretty wood stock.

I have seen photos of cracked plastic bolt shrouds somewhere. No personal experience with them however.
Where would the aluminum replacements be available?

Holy Crap Jordan!!! Factory specs are 35 inch pounds on wood, and 35-40 inch pounds on synthetic.

Does McMillen make a stock that fits a Tikka? If so, what style?

With a Tikka and a McMillen you'd have about $1000 tied up in a rifle that would perform as well as many customs.

That's like apples and watermelons.

Yup, sako classic, sako hunter, and the A5 off the top of my head. I have the classic and it's been a great carry rifle. Member MISTEM has quite a collection of McMillan laced Tikkas.

That's like complaining your engine blew up when it redlines at 5000 RPM but you "prefer" to run it at 8000 RPM...

No it's not. Torque specs are given for a reason. I've over-torqued ring caps per manufacturers specs, and had to drill out twisted off screws. My fault completely.

Jordan WAY over torqued the action screws, per manufacturers specs and ruined a part. What's the difference?

A5, A3, Game Scout, A3 Sporter, Sako Varmint, Sako Classic, Sako Hunter. I might have missed one.

There isn't anything wrong with Tikkas. They are, hands down, the best factory rifle out there. No maintenance or adjustments required.

The triggers are a thing of beauty - light and no creep. Barrels are superb - Sako and Tikka barrels are made in the same place and end up being screwed onto either.

No off the shelf rifle can come close at any price. They are truly "Point and Shoot." It's too bad the other companies haven't been paying attention.

I got a T-3 Lite in .243 through a deal that my brother got as a smith at a Beretta service center - I got it below dealer cost. Darn if the thing didn't shoot half-inch 3-shot groups at 100 yards with virtually any load. I was so impressed that when he was offered the same deal later on, I got an identical T-3 Lite but in .300 Win. On that one, I did have to put Talleys on it as the factory rings tended to come loose under recoil...and I added a pre-fit Limbsaver pad becuase the .300 does jump in such a light rifle. It shoots under an inch, but not as tight as the .243. Then again, that is probably just me shooting a .300 mag in a light rifle.

As others have said - they shoot extremely well out of thebox, great triggers and both of mine are very tightly bedded intothe stock. The plastic mags don't bother my any more than the plastic mags for my 10/22, ARs or Mini-14.

dang I'm glad the rifle is the boy's and not mine


otherwise I'd have to be sending you a bill bea175


talk about taking a nice rifle and making it nicer!


me likey! well done sir

Sorry, I thought the difference was obvious when on the one hand you're compressing a thin-walled aluminum tube with intricate mechanisms inside vs on the other, a thick hunk of plastic.

Not to mention that 15 extra pounds of torque on scope rings is around 80% higher than manufacturer's specs, while 15 lbs on action screws is closer to 35% higher.

LOL, this thread is hilarious!

Someone please show me any other rifle/bottom metal that would be ruined by applying a measly 55 in-lbs of torque (4.5 ft-lbs)?!

And for the record, I love the T3 as an off-the-shelf solution. Add a pillar-bedded McMillan, and you're there. But to blindly overlook the T3's weaknesses and flaws is to choose to be ignorant. The Sako Finnlight costs a lot more than the T3, but there's a reason.

I got mine from a local source, but they used to be available from Australia on eBay, as well.

Exactly. It's like saying the top half of the ring would collapse from applying 20 in-lbs, when the spec is 15.

I read here that they have slow barrels.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth...93611/all/Do_Tikka_rifles_cause_velocity

Only thing I don't like about the Tikklers is the lack of gas baffles/venting. And would prefer less plastic but this would add cost and weight.

Had 5 Tikklers. All are gone now. Great rifles but don't miss them one bit and don't plan on buying any more.

It sure sounds like Tikka's to a rifle looney are boring, they don't need much of anything.

One question are the barrels screwed into the action, just encase I would like a different caliber other than what is available in left hand guns ?

What gunsmiths would do the work ?

Thanks CW

Yes, the barrels are easily replaceable. However, most Tikkas shoot lights out. Hopefully, you can choose a cartridge you like from Tikka.

You have several good choices....
30-06
270 Winchester
308
25-06
7mm Rem Mag
270 WSM
300 WSM
243

They are a wet dream for the turd polishers, only to be rivaled by salvage.

Actually, that's very few choices.

Other than the 30-06 and the .243, you don't need anything else.

Since when was this about "need"?

.204
.223
.22-250

They make them in all kinds of interesting calibers that they sell in Europe and Canada, but they don't offer them here for some reason.

Plus
300 Win
338 Win
6.5 Swede
7-08 Remmy
338 Federal
9.3- 62
8- 57
7- 64

Fairly decent offerings

Haha. Yep.

I really dislike the cocking indicator, safety setup, detachable magazines, and port design.

Accuracy is only a small part of the equation.

Add 260 to that list. I ordered mine from cove creek and its waiting at my FFL to be picked up in the morning. Seems they might be starting to trickle in to the US.

Nice good score I really like the 260. Waiting for better weather to try my 25-06. Can't wait. Look forward to a 260 range report.

Jordan,

You'd be one of the last people I'd expect to torque screws to what YOU expect, rather than what the factory suggests. But everybody has their preconceptions.

Tikkas work as designed. Get over it

There's always Kimber.....



Sorry, couldn't resist I own three Montana's.

John,

Yes they do. They work as long as you don't bend the little piece of sheet metal, as designed

At the time that this particular incidence took place, I was unaware of the factory-suggested torque spec, but I still don't think a rifle should be ruined by applying 15 in-lbs over spec.

There's nothing to get over. I really don't have a problem with the T3. I'm just simply not prepared to let these guys jump on me because they insist on defending a poor design. For the price you pay for a T3, they are a great rifle, but they are not without weakness. The aluminum recoil lug, sheet metal BM, etc, are things that can be improved upon. Every rifle in that price range has things that can be improved upon, why would the T3 be any different? I can personally attest to the fact that 55 in-lbs doesn't destroy the BM of Ruger, Remington, Mauser, Husky, Savage, Sako, Kimber, Winchester, or Marlin rifles. I'm sure I left some out. Because the thin steel on the T3 bottom metal has nothing on the backside to give it support, it is susceptible to bending/collapsing. It's just a weak design, that's all. Pillar bedding the stock to give the BM some support is a quick and easy fix.

I'm surprised that theres hardly been a mention of the floating, aluminum recoil lug. Yes I have seen many tikkas shoot lights out. however they have been primarily in milder recoiling calibers. I have seen more then a couple tikkas chambered in higher recoiling calibers not do so great. If they'd slap a normal steel lug between the barrel and action I feel that it would drastically improve the design.

Not to hijack the thread, but maybe a few words on torque specs would be appropriate:

Torque specifications aren't set to protect the parts being held together from excessive compression. Torque specs are designed to prevent exceeding the elastic limit of the material the threaded fasteners are made of. It's the elasticity in the steel of the screws, bolts, lugs, whatever, that provides the tension that keeps things tight. If, by over torqueing, you apply sufficient tensile stress to exceed the elastic limit of the fastener material (not hard to do if you calculate the mechanical advantage derived from screw threads) there is nothing to hold the fastener tight except friction.

Jordan, you make some good points and present them logically. Sometimes that is rare here, but well done! I might even start listening better when you talk about bullets, since I am not too old to learn something new!

So, the elastic limit of the steel in Tikka screws/actions is significantly less than the elastic limit of steel in other brands?

And I have seen a 300 WM Tikka (mine) shoot the hottest 200 gr l�ads into an inch at 200 yards. Also one of my hunting partners 338WM tikka shoot like a 1.5" group at 300 yards with hot 250 gr Partition loads. Shooting the harder recoiling magnum T3's is no fun and i gather that many guys can't help but develop a flinch after a few shots. That stock is not recoil friendly!

HOT loading any rifle will make it not recoil friendly. You don't need HOT loads to kill stuff.

Thanks for the valuable tip!....grin

I am also a leftie and preferred the Rem 700 platform to build what was not offered unless going through the custom shop. Had been on the hunt for a few years for a stainless synthetic standard cal in a 700. If I did find one it was priced more than I was willing to pay.

Last fall I bought a used Tikka T3 lite stainless, used but as new in 270. All I can say is, WHAT the heck took me so long to try one?!!! Shoots every thing I feed it in little groups, excellent factory trigger. Is it perfect? No, but nothing comes close for the price and I can easily live with whatever few minor flaws it has.

Followed it up with another stainless in 243 if that tells you anything. By the way I did not use the supplied rings, went with Leupold there.

Don't know. It depends, primarily, on the coefficient of elasticity of the particular alloy used and the cross-sectional area of the fasteners. They seem well enough engineered that there must be a certain rhyme and reason for the specifications given. Usually (not always) a good idea to not second guess the people who engineered something. I guess, in this case, the first question I'd ask is "Have we experienced any problems torqueing the screws to factory specs?"

In most cases, yes I would agree. I ran a high-performance automotive shop for 8 years, so I'm no stranger to torque specs and their application, but I would add that torque specs are set to prevent damage to the weakest link in a given system. This is why you see different torque specs for different stock types, to prevent compression or damage of the BM/stock material. Having worked with enough screws similar is thread size and length to the action screws on the T3, I can tell you that 4.5 ft-lbs is nowhere near the limits of the fasteners' elasticity. A similar screw would commonly see 18 ft-lbs in many automotive applications.

I've seen wheel lugs, axle flange bolts, transmission mounts, etc, and yes even rifle action screws work loose over time, even when torqued to factory spec. So John is right that I do have some pre-conceived ideas about torque specs.

Regarding that aluminum recoil lug, I've seen it get indented and permanently compressed in spots from use in a .25-06, let alone the much harder recoiling cartridges. They typically shoot lights out, but that recoil lug is a wear item, and being made of steel would inspire a bit more confidence.

Jordan said it better than I could. "We have experienced problems torqueing the screws above factory specs."

The problem wasn't with the screws, however. Which leads me to believe the torque specs are in fact based on the compressive strength of the parts being compressed, which is the limiting factor.

Contrary to your first post above.

It's not, I was just repeating something I read once, here on the 'fire.


But I WILL say, I have found MY personal niche, as far as calibers are concerned. Altho I have over a dozen Tikkas in the safe, I'm only building 708's and .284's anymore.

With the excellent bullets available in 7MM, there's nothing I can't kill with them.

Well, maybe a brown bear in AK...but then I'll just borrow Alaska Cub's Tikka while he's behind me yelling, "SHOOT AL!!!"


For the lug haters, try this. Reciever face squared off, and my custom designed/CNC built lug installed and double pinned to the action. When I bed the barreled action, I use the slot under the receiver as a secondary bedding surface. There you have it, my secret is out...along with pictures.




This is the only thing I tweak on my Tikkas, but I do it to all of them. I'm starting to perfect pillar bedding with the factory lug...just for something to do. I agree, a steel replacement might be a good option.


As to the original posters question as to the bad? Not the rifle, but the rings. The factory rings, and the way they attach, are junk. I have a bagful of them.

I bought a steel lug off of ebay for $23 IIRC. The factory did have a tiny compression indent after several hundred rounds, but it sure didn't seem to hurt anything.
The steel lug was just an impulse buy. It is working just fine.

factory rings work fine . i replaced the screws with black one because i thought the zinc color didn't match the gun at all.

your local ace hardware carries the screws.only thing i dislike about my tikka is its not american made.

Funny you say that because that buddy with the 338 and I took both of them to the Peninsula for brown bear, hence the heavier loads we were using. Unfortunately other than shooting in the sand at 60 yards to stop a very large and eager sow with two year olds, they shed no blood!....grin

I'm not sure what people think they are accomplishing by cranking the piss out of action screws? Either the action is sitting flat and snug, or it isn't. I torque my Tikka screws to 40 inch lbs, and use a drop of blue locktight. The screws aren't supposed to do anything other than attach a handle. The lug is what keeps it from moving.

If the components were built to take a reasonable amount of torque, you wouldn't (and shouldn't) need any Locktite on those action screws

I agree, they should put a label on the tikka action that says "Forget everything you know about bolt action rifles and don't touch a [bleep] thing! Add ammo and shoot!

Excellent post! Thanks, Al!

And BTW, I'm groovin' on your cartridge choices. Seems a 7-08 is the new .30-06

7-08's are dogs...

Oh no I didn't!

If you are able to find a M695 tikka in good condition I would seriously consider it. I have one called the whitetail hunter which was discontinued and then the T3 came out. It is quite possibly the most accurate rifle I own. With my Sako A7 coming in second. Absolutely love it.

[URL=http://s174.photobucket.com/user/pharmseller/media/200yardAccubond7mm-08_zps221db0fb.jpg.html][/URL


Not bad for 200 yards.


P

only bad is i can't find one in 6.5x55sw lefthand

Did somebody say Tikka at 200 yards?????

I've handled only one, a .308 Win. That the bolt can't run it's full length did seem to have a benefit: It had little if any bolt binding at full stroke, unlike the other bolt actions I tried that day.

I have two of them, both left handed.

.300 win Mag T-3. Have hunted this rifle hard. shot a elk 3 years ago in -23F. and it worked just fine. Accurate feeds perfectly and light. Plastic has held up just fine, and the stock fits me well. I did add sims recoil pad and threw away the factory mounts and replaced them with Talley light weights.

The other one is a wood stocked .243. shot great but I just rebarreled it with a #4 Kerieger in .260 Rem. Thinking about a aftermarket prone type stock.

the recoil lugs look a little fugly but I have shot the .300 quite a bit and nothing has moved and it holds zero just fine.

The triggers on both rifles easily adjusted down to 2# with no creep.

I like em.

Lefty C

I have over 1000rounds of .300 Win, mostly with 180 gr handloads and can see no damage or movement and the rifle is accurate.

BTW it cleans up nicely w/o excessive fouling.

Lefty C

Jordan,

I guess nothing is "bubba proof"

Lefty C

Cub,

The Sims pad made a huge difference on my .300

Lefty

Hah! Most rifles are impervious to a few in-lbs over factory spec, but you're right- the T3 is not bubba proof

Amen brother!, I have a left hand Tikka T3 in 270WSM and the stock impresses me for a factory plastic stock. Very stout. Ive been very impressed with the T3 SS lite.

Tikkas are to boring to me. I have a tinkering disease

Then buy a Salvage.

I'd rather own a Tikka than a Model 700. No worries, it will "OUT SHOOT" you...

I was considering a NULA, almost bought a Forbes a few weeks ago, but I've finally realized a Sportsman's Whorehouse T3 Superlite in 308 will be my next adoption.

My last outing with my Tikka. If the weather cooperates this weekend I am hoping to stretch it out to 600+.

Then get a Sako A7. And as "Big Stick" would say, "thank me later".