Should I be concerned with Tikka T3 Lite's plastic parts?
- Thread starter AirPower
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I would not worry about it in my lifetime. Not saying that it has not happened, but I have never heard of anyone saying anything about having one of the pieces break. The plastic does not concern me on my Tikka's, it's the idea of spending "more money than it should be" for a magazine if you want an extra one or replacement.
MIL-DOT
member
I researched about everything out there before getting one, I wouldn't worry.
atblis
Member
Nope, I wouldn't worry. I've beat the crap out of mine, and it is fine.
rbernie
Contributing Member
I was on a local deer hunt about 3-4 years ago when a guy dropped his T3 down into a small gully. The impact smashed the trigger guard and boogered up the trigger; he had to complete the hunt with a spare rifle. It was not a huge deal; he just hiked back to the camp to swap rifles and continued the hunt.
That impact/consequence was no doubt a fluke occurance, and I'm not sure that a sintered aluminum trigger guard would have fared any better. But it certainly taught me the wisdom of steel trigger guards and other such bits when on a once-in-a-lifetime hunt far from camp.
In the interest of full disclosure, I have a T3 that I use for varmintin' and other rifles that I reserve for more serious work.
That impact/consequence was no doubt a fluke occurance, and I'm not sure that a sintered aluminum trigger guard would have fared any better. But it certainly taught me the wisdom of steel trigger guards and other such bits when on a once-in-a-lifetime hunt far from camp.
In the interest of full disclosure, I have a T3 that I use for varmintin' and other rifles that I reserve for more serious work.
skinewmexico
Member
How many plastic parts are on your car, and do you worry enough about them to post?
Float Pilot
Member
That is the one thing that bugs me about the Tikkas. There are areas up here that become much colder than normal during the winter caribou hunts.
Plastic tends to become brittle at very low temps. Why we Alaskans have lots of broken plastic parts on our cars.
I kinda like old solid steel. There is nothing like knowing that your rifle has already lasted darn near a hundred years (or more) without breaking. No sun fading on plastic parts, no becoming brittle with age.
But maybe the Tikkas will handle it, they are made in Finnland... I need to get one to torture test.
Plastic tends to become brittle at very low temps. Why we Alaskans have lots of broken plastic parts on our cars.
I kinda like old solid steel. There is nothing like knowing that your rifle has already lasted darn near a hundred years (or more) without breaking. No sun fading on plastic parts, no becoming brittle with age.
But maybe the Tikkas will handle it, they are made in Finnland... I need to get one to torture test.
I have four Tikkas', with the oldest being seven years old) and have never had a concern or problem with the polymer (plastic) parts. They are designed to endure heat and cold and will definitely not rust.
With respect to the box magazine: I dropped one in the dark in our camp parking area (SB2 limestone fill) and my hunting buddy ran over it with his car before I could pick it up. It did not bend, break, nor showed any signs of distress other than surface scrathing and minor indentations from the limestone fill. It fit into the rifle perfecty and functioned as good as new. If it had been metal, it would have had a better chance of being bent.
The only negative I see is the price Tikka/Beretta are asking for a spare. The over $60.00 price is too much regardless of the material of construction. I have not been tempted to pay that price, which may some day bite me in the butt for need of a spare, so I take extra care to not lose one.
Again, I have not had problems and would not hesitate to purchase any Tikka.
With respect to the box magazine: I dropped one in the dark in our camp parking area (SB2 limestone fill) and my hunting buddy ran over it with his car before I could pick it up. It did not bend, break, nor showed any signs of distress other than surface scrathing and minor indentations from the limestone fill. It fit into the rifle perfecty and functioned as good as new. If it had been metal, it would have had a better chance of being bent.
The only negative I see is the price Tikka/Beretta are asking for a spare. The over $60.00 price is too much regardless of the material of construction. I have not been tempted to pay that price, which may some day bite me in the butt for need of a spare, so I take extra care to not lose one.
Again, I have not had problems and would not hesitate to purchase any Tikka.
porterdog
Member
Colder than Finland*? Probably not much.
*Home of Tikka.
rbernie
Contributing Member
If any these plastic bits have the ability to make the car fail, perhaps in rush hour traffic on the freeway, then yes - I would. Fortunately, the Tikka plastic seems to be about equal, if not superior, to most other 'lightweight' rifle bits.
The purpose of my prior post was not to bash Tikka (since I have one) but to remind folk that casual or non-critical use rifles have different design and material demands than does the serious-use hunting rifle.
You won't see many folk hunting DG with a Tikka T3. But then again, most folk don't hunt DG. For those folk, the Tikka is about as solid as any other choice.
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I have a Tikka T3 stainless in .308 and love it. It is the most accurate non custom rifle I have ever owned. And it is within 3/16" of matching some $3,000 customs I have owned.
I put a Zeiss Conquest 3-9x40 in Talley light weight rings on it and it shoots great.
I have owned 3 of the new Ruger Hawkeye's and several 700's and none of them were as accurate, smooth or had a comparable trigger.
The enclosed target is 3 rounds into 1/2" @ 100 yards of Factory Hornady 168 AMAX after bore sighting.
I put a Zeiss Conquest 3-9x40 in Talley light weight rings on it and it shoots great.
I have owned 3 of the new Ruger Hawkeye's and several 700's and none of them were as accurate, smooth or had a comparable trigger.
The enclosed target is 3 rounds into 1/2" @ 100 yards of Factory Hornady 168 AMAX after bore sighting.
Mildot,
I have the exact rifle/scope combo except mine is 30-06 with factory rings. I also have a wood/blue version in .308. The barrel on yours looks a bit shorter than mine. Have you had it shortened or is it just the angle of the picture.
I have the exact rifle/scope combo except mine is 30-06 with factory rings. I also have a wood/blue version in .308. The barrel on yours looks a bit shorter than mine. Have you had it shortened or is it just the angle of the picture.
Will Fennell
Member
My second T3
I'm setting up my second T3 now.....first one shot great, I just wasn't a fan of the chambering. New one is in 6.5x55.....it posted a .53" 3 shot group yesterday with my handload using 130 gr accubonds and Lapua brass. I couldn't be happier. Actually the slick feeding detachable single column mag is one of my favorite features.
I'm setting up my second T3 now.....first one shot great, I just wasn't a fan of the chambering. New one is in 6.5x55.....it posted a .53" 3 shot group yesterday with my handload using 130 gr accubonds and Lapua brass. I couldn't be happier. Actually the slick feeding detachable single column mag is one of my favorite features.
Todd1700
Member
("Should I be concerned with Tikka T3 Lite's plastic parts?")
Only if you plan to hold it by the barrel end and beat stuff to death with the buttstock. Otherwise I doubt it will ever be an issue. I've had one for about 5 years and never had a problem with any of them. Most accurate non-custom rifle I own. Shoots Hornady factory ammo amazingly well.
Only if you plan to hold it by the barrel end and beat stuff to death with the buttstock. Otherwise I doubt it will ever be an issue. I've had one for about 5 years and never had a problem with any of them. Most accurate non-custom rifle I own. Shoots Hornady factory ammo amazingly well.
countryrebel
Member
I do not worry about the plastic on mine.
stormspotter
Member
The one "plastic", really I believe its nylon, piece I had trouble with was the plug screws in the receiver. I wanted to use a different mounting set up for a scope and when I tried to take out the plug screws two were in so tight that the slot stripped out and I had to "carefully" dirll a hole in them and pick out the remains.
I like the 1 in 8 twist, of my T3 Lite 223, as it will shoot the 77 grain Sierra match bullets and not keyhole.
I like the 1 in 8 twist, of my T3 Lite 223, as it will shoot the 77 grain Sierra match bullets and not keyhole.
I don't foresee any problem, assuming you take reasonable care of the rifle. Certainly the plastic parts will break if abused. But then, blued steel will corrode if it is abused; wooden stocks can dent or split if abused; etc.
If you like the easy-care and low cost of polyester clothes, you'll probably enjoy the same benefits offered by Tikka rifles. If you prefer natural fibres next to your skin, probably you will lean towards traditional rust-blueing and walnut stocks. You pays your money and you makes your choice.
Mr. McGuire: "I want to say one word to you. Just one word."
Benjamin: "Yes, sir."
Mr. McGuire: "Are you listening?"
Benjamin: "Yes, I am."
Mr. McGuire: "Plastics."
If you like the easy-care and low cost of polyester clothes, you'll probably enjoy the same benefits offered by Tikka rifles. If you prefer natural fibres next to your skin, probably you will lean towards traditional rust-blueing and walnut stocks. You pays your money and you makes your choice.
Reminds me of The Graduate:
Mr. McGuire: "I want to say one word to you. Just one word."
Benjamin: "Yes, sir."
Mr. McGuire: "Are you listening?"
Benjamin: "Yes, I am."
Mr. McGuire: "Plastics."
Yeah. Seems a lot of people here have never driven something built by the Big 3 in the 1970s.
Damn right I'd worry about the inappropriate use of materials to cut costs and save weight. That's part of what engineering is about: using the right things in the right ways in the right places.
So the Tikka fans who just "bite back" and ridicule the concern are simply WRONG. It's a completely legitimate concern.
It's a good question to ask. Tikka uses a lot of plastic. Do they use it appropriately?
If the answer is "yes" then someone can buy with confidence. But the question is legitimate.
rbernie brings up a great point here. People just feel better about metal. That doesn't mean it's always better, or even as good, as some high-tech polymers. It's not like the Space Shuttle is made of nothing but metal. OTOH two of them did not exactly perform up to standards...
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