"TIKKA" QUESTIONS?

[pablo45]

Hello ya'll,
I have some quick questions for some and hopefully you can help me out. I have never heard of this gun until today and was hoping to get some info about this rifle. I was talking to a buddy at work today and I asked him what he thought about the Remington 700 sps .308 win that i asked you all about. He said he would rather get a "TIKKA". I asked him what the hell is that? A 1,000.00 exotic sniper rifle or what? He told me that they are just as much as a Remington but alot better. I asked what makes them so much better? He said "The bolt action is so much more smoother and the accuraccy is far more supurb to the 700 SPS". At first i thought he was talking out of his but I looked them up and they do not seem to be misleading from what little I have seen.
Since I never make a judgement without consulting the high road group, I was hoping some of you could educate me on some of your personal experience with this rifle or tell me what you may have heard. I really want to make a good choice on my next hunting rifle and want some of your expertise to help me decide. Thanks again

 

[Afy]

I wish we could get a Tikka for that price... they retail for more than 2x that in Europe.

 

[YodaVader]

The heavy barrel SPS in .308 has potential for very good accuracy , here is a review over at snipercentral:
http://www.snipercentral.com/remspsv.htm

I looked at and handled some of the Tikka T3 variants. I thought of buying a T3 Hunter in .223 but later just went with a heavy barrel 700. The T3 are suppose to be good shooters though. The plastic magazines are incredibly expensive , about the only negative I ever hear about them. I would not mind trying out a T3 sporter.

 

[hoghunting]

I also have a T3 and highly recommend it. One of the reasons for the Tikka's accuracy is that the barrels for the Tikkas and Sakos are made in the same plant, on the same machinery, and by the same people. Tikka guarantees a 1" group or smaller at 100 yds.

The T3 has an excellent trigger and a very smooth bolt action. The Tikka is ready to go right out of the box. Fairly often people will have to do a trigger job and bed the action on a Remington for it to shoot as it should.

 

[Essex County]

About six years ago I purchased a Tikka Continental Varmiter chambered in .308. Outragouse wood and tremendous accuracy. I believe this model was discontinued a few years back. I honestly could'nt think of anyway to improve it. Sorry, they didn't come in tactical black. Essex

 

[CB900F]

Pablo45;

I've got a Tikka Whitetail in .338 Winchester magnum. Great gun, taking it on a spring bear hunt tomorrow.

I'm currently looking to buy a .223 walking varminter. The only thing is, am I going to buy another Tikka, or now that CZ's released the 527 in LHB, am i going to try one of them? Decisions, decisions.

900F

 

[spalit]

I have a Tikka T3 in .308 Win, grey SS barrel, laminate stock. With my 180gr handloads (43r varget), I can get 5 shot groups under .4 MOA @ 100 yds. This is a great, great rifle. I have not had to do any work on it. I did crown the barrel slightly for some protection for the rifling, but nothing else. The trigger is excellent, mine is set to break cleanly at around 2 lbs. The bolt action is sooo smooth . Every time I try out someone's Rem, or Savage, the action compares unfavorably.

I do agree that the $75 plastic magazines are a sore point on the gun. I have a second one as a backup, but it was the most annoying gun-related purchase I made.

If you want a great hunting weapon that delivers out of the box, then get a Tikka.

 

[bpsig]

Tikka

I recently traded into a tikka t3 in 223. I use and carry a styer sbs tactical heavy barrel in 308 with a cold forged barrel. This is great for accuracy and dependable. But that said its heavy with the bipod and 6x18x50 scope. Especially when pack and m-4 + a 226.
But the tikka is lighter and shoots unbelievable sub moa. 5 rds in 55 ball white box can cover with a extremely small dot. I still havent got to try match grade yet. but I think it will be even better. I traded a beretta 1201 for my tikka, came with a scope 4x12x40 shooters choice. Needs a better scope but is well worth the price. It was listed as $ 500.00 in shop. I found out the owner works there and traded it for a couple of custom pistols. He said loves light er grain rounds, Had only fired 100 rds thru it. spare magazine was 65.00 for 6 rds. costly but worth it, I still can't get any for my styer. I like remingtom also but my cdl fluted 30-06 700 is still unfired in safe. tikka is cheaper go with it, better quality on parts rem using a plastic magazine base.

 

[rust collector]

I can vouch for one 308 T3 lite stainless that is more accurate than I and does everything asked of it. I have no complaints with Remingtons, but haven't owned one since the mid 80s.

 

[darjo]

$1,000 for a Tikka? Wow...somebody is high on something. $1,000 is what I would expect to pay for a Sako, the high end sister gun of the Tikka. I got me a nice Tikka in .30-06 for $545 plus tax & DROS.

 

[Eightball]

Wow...somebody is high on something. $1,000 is what I would expect to pay for a Sako, the high end sister gun of the Tikka.

Yep. Personally, your friend is right on the money. Working in a gun store, and seeing the quality of remingtons as of late vs. the quality of the tikkas, I'm thinking about ordering one. Though, I can get a good deal on a Sako for the same price, so....yeah. But the Tikka is the way to go.

 

[Hokkmike]

I am a SAKO snob. Sorry!

 

[No_Brakes23]

I would take a Tikka over a Remington in a minute, and I am a Remington fan.

I did see a Tikka blow up, once though. The guy was a few benches over from me in the dog house, and some of the stock landed at my feet. He admitted he might have goofed with a reload. The Tikka action held the round, though. it was bulged and the stock grenaded, but it didn't kB so catastrophically that anyone was hurt.

The Tikkas I have handled were quite nice. The Sako goodness certainly rubs off.

 

[Hokkmike]

"The plural of anecdote is not data."

No Brakes_23, I like your quote. I would add, news correspondents interviewing other news correspondents is not news.

Certainly when a person's handloads are suspect we can not cast aspersions on rifle brands. (which I do not believe you did, by the way)

 

[IV Troop]

I am very much into precision rifles. For an out of the box rifle it is no contest. Buy the Tikka. I have sold numerous Remingtons and replaced them w/ Tikkas and Savages. I still have a couple of Lilja barreled Rem 700s but they have been significantly worked over.

I currently have 3 Tikka T3s. 2 are heavy bbls and 1 a sporter bbl. ALL are sub .5 moa with quality handloads. I am amazed with their accuracy for the modest price, and I am picky when it comes to rifles.

Since playing with mine, my dad (who is retired and spends a couple days a week at the rifle range now) bought 3 of his own. All 3 skinny bbls. All of his are serious shooters as well. His 6.5 Swede is shooting into the .3s for 3 shot groups loaded with Lapua Scenar match bullets. He takes his time and lets the barrels cool in between shots on the sporter barrels. He is like me as well and pulls out the calipers to measure the groups.

Frankly any Sporter bbl gun that can shoot into the .3s is flat AMAZING.

So in summary, BUY THE TIKKA.

 

[45crittergitter]

I have experience with multiple 700s (no SPSs) and T3 Lites. The Tikkas are nicer and slightly more accurate. Also, my experience with Remington's customer service was discouraging.