Tikka T-3 Lite

[Encoreman]

Hi I am looking at an entry level .223 prairie dog gun. I found a Tikka T-3 lite for around $500 and am considering it. I know it doesn't have a bull barrel, but I will be shooting other guns. Tell me what you know about these guns, good or bad?? Thanks Mac

 

[PT1911]

Very good. IMO... I have given some thought to the Tikka t-3 lite in .243 but just cannot justify it to myself when I already own .223's and a .270. I am not sure what place it would take or what role it would serve.

 

[viking499]

They are good shooting guns. Light and accurate. Some will chime in soon about the plastic parts and cost of magazines. That part doesn't bother me much. My concern is about their customer service over the long haul. It is terrible and if you needed parts, order and wait and wait and wait..........

 

[stork]

Tikka

From personal experience I only own one. 223 T-3 SS. Out of the box it shot under 3/4" with my short line high power loads with 69 Sierra's. As it's purchase was for short range Coyote work (<300 yds), I didn't bother with any other load development. Two of my close reloading friends have them in 7-08 that shoot a ragged hole at 100 yds.

I work part time in a local sporting goods store. The T-3 is one of, if not the best sellers we have. I have yet to see one brought back because it didn't live up to the 1" guarantee. And that's out of close to a thousand I've seen go out in the last 3 1/2 yrs.

FWIW
Stork

 

[Uncle Mike]

I work part time in a local sporting goods store. The T-3 is one of, if not the best sellers we have. I have yet to see one brought back because it didn't live up to the 1" guarantee.

Best seller.....one of anyway. Let's see, they are cheap, shoot descent, are cheap, don't look all that bad, cheap, offered in all the popular calibers and, did I mention that they are cheap!

Just because your moving a lot of them, does in no way, attribute to their worth.
I mean, when it comes down to money, cheap moves a LOT more than expensive!

So, you have a cheaply built rifle, with too many, plastic parts, expensive, plastic magazines and almost non-existent parts service from a company with crap customer service......wow, I'd get up real early to buy one of those!

The Tikkas are ok for the money...we sell quite a few of them also but not to folks looking for a accurate, well built rifle...people looking for.... for a rifle!

I have yet to see one brought back because it didn't live up to the 1" guarantee.

Does your store honor the '1" Guarantee' that Tikka makes? Do you guys take back any rifle(Tikka) sporting a accuracy guarantee on the customers word that the rifle itself is bad and will not preform up its guarantee?

 

[timbertoes]

Sounds like there is a niche market for metal magazines, for some machinist out there.

 

[Will Fennell]

Tikka t3's

I currently own 1 T3, and have helped friends/students setup and sight in 3 more. All have easily met the 1" guarantee. Mine[6.5swede] and one other[.270 WSM] have with little load development shot under .5 ". The others we have just shot factory loads through.

Yup, the mags are pricey- $69.95 RETAIL[ I just checked, the Browning Abolt mag is $69.95, and the Xbolt mag is $49.95], but they work really well. One comes with the gun, buy an extra one and your done. They are readily available on the net.

If you want parts, simply go to www.brownells.com as they are the distributor for Tikka/Sako/Beretta parts.

OK, so they have plastic parts, so do Glocks. If you just can't stand plastic parts in your rifle, then this is not the gun for you. I suggest buying up rifles now, because plastic is here to stay.

The T3 shoots very well, is, in my experience very reliable, and has a great trigger out of the box. IMHO.

 

[Uncle Mike]

I suggest buying up rifles now, because plastic is here to stay.

Sadly, I think that way also. But maybe not!

The Glock, as with many plastic handguns, was designed this way, to be a plastic handgun...not simply a cost cutting measure employed to further profit.

If Tikkas were offered with all metal parts as opposed to plastic parts, for the same price, I wonder how many of the tupperware part rifles would sell? lol hehehehe

 

[stork]

Guarantee

"Does your store honor the '1" Guarantee' that Tikka makes? Do you guys take back any rifle(Tikka) sporting a accuracy guarantee on the customers word that the rifle itself is bad and will not preform up its guarantee?"

#1. Its Tikka's guarantee.
#2. If a firearm is returned within 30 days of purchase, for any reason, a full refund is offered or a return to the manufacturer, at the stores expense.
#3. If we feel it's warranted (possible flinchitis) we will do a range test and confirm.

Stork

 

[Uncle Mike]

So, your store is NOT honoring the guarantee, but doing the leg work for Tikka...
we do the same....IF, and only IF, there is some kind of manufactured defect we can establish.
Even IF the rifle will shoot 1" on our range, often, or I should say all the time the customer wants a different rifle, and the majority of the time they will choose a different manufacturer!

If we can achieve the minimum performance, as dictated by the manufacturers warranty, then it is the customers responsibility to return the rifle...unless of course, they want us to do it, but it cost the customer at that point!

 

[ArmedBear]

Sadly, I think that way also. But maybe not!

The growing new Hawkeye line from Ruger, and the resurrected and improved Model 70 from Winchester have not a bit of plastic on them unless you choose get them in a synthetic stock. Neither of these (at least in their more basic models) are high-priced bolt guns.

I'm not sure I see any trend towards using more plastic in the action, from any company but Sako/Tikka, in "serious" bolt rifles. Even the "$399 Weatherby" has plastic only in the stock.

 

[Fumbler]

The T3 obviously isn't for everyone.

It's a trade off like most things.
So what do you want?

If you get a T3 you get a rifle that:
-has great machining/tolerances/parts fit
-is very accurate even with factory ammo
-feels and operates smoother than guns in higher price classes
-has a pretty darn good trigger
-is lighter than all common models in it's price class by a full pound
-has a fairly short bolt lift

Or you could have a rifle that:
-has bottom metal
-has a large aftermarket
-has an action as smooth as dragging a cinder block down a road
-is just as accurate as a T3...as long as you spend the time in developing a handload
-has a nice hefty feeling stock...that's still just as flexible as the T3's
-has a cheap stamped spring steel extractor (if you get a 700)

I have a T3 Lite in 308Win and I love it. It shoots sub MOA with 3 of 5 different factory loads I've tried. It's easy getting sub MOA with handloads. Yes, it has a plastic trigger guard and mag, but I like detachable mags. The T3 mag works perfectly and makes it easy to unload a gun.

I don't understand why people say they're cheap. They may feel cheap just because they're so light, but take a close look.
They money you spend on a T3 goes into quality machining that you won't find in another gun at that price.
You really just have to ask yourself what attributes you want your money to go towards in a rifle.

^What part of the action on a T3 is plastic?
The only part of the actual action that's plastic is the rear bolt cover but you're doing something seriously wrong if you ever broke that.

 

[ArmedBear]

After reading all the posts here about how great the Tikkas are, I checked them out. Not sure what's so exciting.

I did buy a rifle recently. Not a Tikka. Not a 700.

 

[Horsemany]

Yup, the mags are pricey- $69.95 RETAIL[ I just checked, the Browning Abolt mag is $69.95, and the Xbolt mag is $49.95], but they work really well. One comes with the gun, buy an extra one and your done. They are readily available on the net.

Not sure where you got the prices on the Browning magazines but they're typically half the cost of the T3. The 2 gunshops I frequent are $30 and $35 for new X-Bolt magazines. A google search for xbolt magazine brings up a whole bunch available for $30.

I don't have any problem with the polymer parts of the T3. It's a great package. Lightweight, great shooting Sako barrels, very smooth precise action, and one of the best factory triggers available. Sako actually switched to the this trigger after they started producing the Tikka design. Great guns. I prefer my T3 to my Sako 85. Lighter, shoots better, smoother, and more precise feeling action.

 

[atblis]

You should be able to get into a Savage Varmint model for around that much.

 

[All4eyes]

I love my Tikka T3, if you want wood buy the Hunter. Look at the weight of the T3, and change some of that plastic to metal, and you add back the weight they shed by using the plastic. I bought it because it is accurate, and light, which means nice handling hunting rig. I have Remingtons and Rugars that sit at home, because all that metal gets heavy during a hunt.

 

[ArmedBear]

I have Remingtons and Rugars that sit at home, because all that metal gets heavy during a hunt.

Funny, but it doesn't get so heavy on a Winchester.

 

[TexasEd]

Armed Bear....What did you buy?...you left us hanging brother! As far as the Tikka goes I have an older 595 Whitetail hunter and it's great. I think there solid rifle at a reasonable price point. It's not for everyone. If you want one go for it.

 

[ArmedBear]

What did you buy?...you left us hanging brother!

I put up a whole range report post about it. Not my fault if you don't look!

(I think it got bumped down because everyone posted a lot after Christmas.)

Here it is: http://thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=496173&highlight=Model+70

BTW the 22" .30-06 with a scope mounted on it, and a regular sporter contour barrel, comes in at 7.5 lbs. total. Ruger and Remington may make heavier-than-necessary rifles, but Tikka isn't the only company that doesn't. And you don't have to buy plastic.

 

[Horsemany]

I used to think like you about plastic parts Armed Bear. I've been collecting pre 64's for years and can appreciate the quality of the past. But I've gotta tell you when it's go time the Tikka comes out before the older guns. It's so simple, lightweight, shoots great, and the trigger is as crisp as my $225 Jewell on my competition gun.

 

[Uncle Mike]

-has great machining/tolerances/parts fit

I don't understand why people say they're cheap. They may feel cheap just because they're so light, but take a close look.

Seriously....have you ever worked on one of these things, have you taken a barrel off....
If you like them...great! But they are a cheap, inexpressibly built rifle!
Doesn't mean they are bad, we are just talking here!

They money you spend on a T3 goes into quality machining that you won't find in another gun at that price

Exactly, where would this quality machining be?

^

What part of the action on a T3 is plastic?
The only part of the actual action that's plastic is the rear bolt cover but you're doing something seriously wrong if you ever broke that.

Not many...shroud, trigger guard, trigger bushings(older models).
Not that the plastic is bad or anything, just that some people prefer metal to plastic.
But as someone said, if plastic is a problem for you, buy something else!

The slick bolt is a result of the chrome plated head. Some like that, others hate chrome in a bolt gun...

we sell a lot of them, that's for sure!

 

[ArmedBear]

Horsemany- Pre-64s are heavy and their stock geometry poor for a scope. I would probably grab the Tikka first, too, if I had to pick one. But again, those aren't the only two choices in the world, and I don't have to pick one.

My dad was a plastics engineer, a pioneer in some areas. I grew up around all sorts plastics, and machine shops, and I have nothing against the use of the right materials for the right job.

I don't have a one-dimensional view of polymer materials. I am just not nearly as impressed with the Tikka as some people are, and I do like what FN has done with the Model 70 action, all told -- and it's AT LEAST as slick to cycle it as a Tikka, despite the Model 70 action being a device with more complex function.

Not many...shroud, trigger guard, trigger bushings(older models).
Not that the plastic is bad or anything, just that some people prefer metal to plastic.

That wasn't entirely what I was responding to, either. You don't HAVE to go with all that plastic to get a gun that doesn't weigh 9 lbs. with a scope on it.

And why, exactly, does one need a rear bolt cover? How ugly is what's under there, anyway?

 

[Uncle Mike]

How ugly is what's under there, anyway?

It has mentally scared some....yet others became instantly insane, often biting off their tongs......

I wont describe it.....there may be children viewing this forum! lol hehehehe

 

[dougwx12]

I don't care if Tikkas are cheap, "cheap", or ugly. They just plain work, I don't cry if they get scratched, and the damn things hunt out of the box like no other I've seen for that price point. I have quite a few rifles, but the Tikka's see all the time in the field these days.

 

[Snow Dog]

My friends box stock T3 Varmint in 6.5x55, good glass and carefull handloads produced this nice 5 shot group. You need to decide what you want a rifle to do for you. If you want a rifle to hunt and shoot with and that gives you impressive results, then the Tikkas deserve a close look. If you want a rifle that's visually impressive then you might want to look elsewhere.