stack62

Had a T3. Traded it for a stainless A-Bolt. Never looked back. I hate all the plastic especially the clip. Just feels like a cheap gun. Always heard the accuracy was good though. Personally I would pick a good ruger.

MinnFinn

First, I want to make it clear that I'm talking about Tikka model T3. This is nearly completely remodeled firearm. What some of you are describing might have been some characteristics some years ago, but they don't resemble the T3.

As I said before "plastic" is what they make tupperware and little toys out of. Tikka's aren't made of "plastic".

Some parts on Tikka are synethic and/or composite. TheUS militaryincorporates many synethic and compositeparts in many weapons systems.Composites and synthetic can and usuallyare made as strong as or stronger by weight than metal. Synthetics can be madeto resist solvents. Synthetics don't rust or corrode. They take significant rough useshowingless where than their traditional counterpartsSo, please spare those cheap shots about Tikka's T3 made out of material that won't stand up.

I can't say why the fellow with the pics had trouble getting good groups with what he "says is hisTikka.

I don't know what kind of scope he had on it. If it wasn’t a good quality or not properly mounted, you can't get any rifle to shoot tight groups. Also, not all standard factory ammo shoots the same out of every rifle.Don’t know the conditions, he was shooting under.

I have Nikon Monarchs on both my Tikkas .300 WM and .30-06. With Premium Winchester ammo I've shot consistently 1 MOA and less at both 100 and 200 yards with mine. That’s what they test shoot Tikka T3 at the factory to insure they’re capable of doing going out the door, provided the operator is capable of it.

They are a very popular a rifle in the U.S. for many reason. One of the most important is that they ARE accurate.

herman

First off I wasn't knocking tikka or anything else,I have many rifles in winchester,remington,browning and savage.Some shoot very good out of the box some didn't.I was referring to the tikka I bought.
I have tried it with many loads that I reloaded myself,I very seldom even shoot factory loads.The tikka has been tried with different scopes like Burris signature,nikon,and lepould.The group in the pic wasn't the best group I have shot with it,it was the group I shot at the same time as I did the ruger.But the best group wasn't as good as I wanted it.
For mr. minnfinn I am very capable of shooting tiny groups,if the rifle will shoot them.Maybe I can get you to come down and give me some lessons.I usually shoot one to three days aweek.
This is not the first tikka that I have shot,a fellow at the range let me shoot his tikka varmit in 308 a couple weeks ago and I shot four 3-shot groups at 100 yds and all four were one holers.He has 2 sakos and 2 tikkas in 300 wsm I have never shot the sakos or the tikkas much but have shot a couple one holers with his 300wsm tikkas,they shot better than his sakos.
Seriously I would like to get the tikka to shoot good,I like the feel and how it handles.But to me they are no better than the remingtons,brownings,and savage that I have.
Below is the first group shot after the scope was zeroed in with a out of the box browning useing factory ammo.

Todd1700

Sorry to hear you are having trouble getting yours to group well Herman. All I can tell you is that your experience is the exception that I have encountered and not the rule. Most people I know who own one report much better out of the box accuracy on average than they get with a Ruger, Winchester or Remington. Not saying that you don't sometimes get a good shooter with them or that they can't be made to shoot well but it's been my experience that it's much more hit or miss these days. And you very often have to work on their guns to make them shoot well. I have a Tikka in 25-06 and it will shoot 117 grain Hornady ammo amazingly well for a straight factory firearm. Three shots will generally land as below. And allmy friends and family that own a T-3 have all foundtheirs to be just as accurate.

MinnFinn

Can't tell you Herman why you're having problems. The target you were shooting seemed rather odd. Where's the aiming point reference, grid, etc.?

All I say is don't judge Tikkas as a whole by your one experience.

For those who were asking about examples of Tikka's T3 accuracy by objective testers. The F&S article tester shot "average group size was .880 inch; the smallest went into .330 inch".
Here are a few. The one article also speaks to what some of the synethic parts are made of.
Excerpts from F&S article: http://www.ozarkguns.com/rifles/tikka/tikka_FS_review.htm
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BQY/is_4_50/ai_113853244

Google Tikka T3 and you'll find many more.

oldelkhunter

I don't care what the parts are made of they aren't steel and no convincing on your part is going to make people that don't like that feature buy them. Have you ever heard of a steelbolt shroud or "bolt cover" break on a conventional rifle ? I'll bet not but I know of at least 2 people that have had that happen. One used to post here and there is a thread on 24hourcampfire talking about this same problem. A lot of people don't buy glocks because they are plastic/polymer and I don't like them for that same reason as well.

Todd1700

Polymer parts haven't been an issue in 3 seasons of hunting for me. No one else I personally know has had a problem either. I did read the guys post at 24 campfire but he got some type of bore cleaning solvent on his that caused it to become brittle. I disassemble my rifles for cleaning and can't imagine that happening. Hell, most of that stuffs bad news for almost any type surface except the one it's intended for. Honestly for 99 percent of the people in this country I doubt seriously that they would ever have a problem with a Tikka part.

oldelkhunter

No dispute on that whatsoever..they have excellent barrels,excellent synthetic stock and are put together the right way.

saladin

Tikka for me, no contest. purely on quality control issues. Ruger still seem to be suffering from a dodgy reputation with regards to getting a lemon. some are great, some are not. most need trigger work. the skinny polymer stocks don't feel right ( for me, that is. but i note with interest that a Hogues stocked ruger is now available in australia, which may solve my stock reservations). it's a shame, because i want something in a classic cartridge - either 257 roberts, or 7mm x 57 - and bill's mob are the only ones who chamber those rounds in reasonably priced rigs. but i just don't feel like the odds of getting a keeper are high enough. if they can regain the reputation for accuracy, i'll spend the money. ( anecdote: early this year, a lad at our local range purchased a new Ruger No1, only to discover that the chamber was out-of-round! the damn thing was oval! it was rectified by the importer - dare i suggest that they probably just reamed it out, creating an oversize problem -, but those sorts of happenings destroy reputations in a field where precision is everything ).

tikka's biggest advantage is that they can truthfully claim to use Sako's know-how and quality processes, in a "budget" priced setup. sure, you get polymer where steel would be preferable, but they still largely shoot great. I have a Tikka T3 Varmint in 22/250, and it shoots 5 into 1/2 MOA regularly with handloads with no mods to the rifle at all.

of course, all things are relative. if leo is about to chewmy arm off, andi need guaranteed extraction ofmy 458 lott, the ruger ( or even better, the CZ) suddenly seems more appealing. pick your usage, then pick your rifle.

PS - to all those who posted Ruger, coz they're american made, i'm still pissing myself laughing. the rest of the world is still out here, you know. cheers .

ShatoDavis

[quote]ORIGINAL: oldelkhunter

Cliff actually. Get your facts straight man. It was Cliff Claven.[8D]