Tikka T3X -- Disappointed...

Ltbull01

Ltbull01

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I finally was able to handle the new Tikka T3X. First, I'll say I am a Tikka T3 fan. I have shot and owned them before and have been very satisfied with them overall. I have one now and it has brought home the game. Light, accurate, rugged (ss & comp stock) and adaptable (able to change out bolt stop and go to large mag to take advantage of the action length). Did I say accurate?!

But I have to say that I am quite disappointed in the newest version. It is $300 - $400 more, depending on where you look, and quite frankly, I don't see how the changes are worth that much: metal bolt shroud, wider ejection port, better stock mods and a real recoil pad. But the same key features are there - standard bolt & action length - which made the rifle competitive for its price. What this price change does is put the Tikka in the middle of the pack when it comes to $1300 rifles with not a whole lot of advantage over the others, but maybe accuracy. But everyone is giving those accuracy guarantees now. Before price point to accuracy & reliability made the rifle a first choice amongst many. I have always thought that I would 'but another Tikka' when the time came but now, based on what Tikka did with the T3X, I will be shopping the market. Maybe when more have flooded the market, the price will adjust but at the moment, it's a pass.
 
Following. I've been looking at getting my first hunting rifle but can't justify spending $1200. I'm leaning towards a $600 norinco m14.
 
Sorrowbcboy said:
Following. I've been looking at getting my first hunting rifle but can't justify spending $1200. I'm leaning towards a $600 norinco m14.
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For around $600 you would be far better served with a weatherby vanguard.


I like the direction that tikka has gone with the t3x. As far as price goes, I wonder if the ones you are comparing to are old stock, not at current exchange? Seems to be quite a range of t3 prices lately.
 
A tikka t3 with a proper metal bolt shroud, wider ejection port (all others in that price point have one), and a decent recoil pad is nowhere near a $1300 rifle, even by today's standards..... especially with a non tailored to size action....
 
Yeah, Tikka's pricing themselves out of the market. The T3 is a great platform. I have a T3 stainless lite...it's a great hunting gun. For target, you'd need to mount a heavy barrel as you'll get stringing once the pencil barrel starts heating up.
 
Looking around i didnt see much of a price premium on the t3x its still a sub 1000 dollar rifle. Where is the price jump to 1300 i havent seen it. I think the new ejection port and steel recoil lug are dumb ideas in reaction to peoples prejudice but a more versatile stock with recoil pad and a metal bolt shroud are good ideas.
 
porpoise said:
Looking around i didnt see much of a price premium on the t3x its still a sub 1000 dollar rifle. Where is the price jump to 1300 i havent seen it. I think the new ejection port and steel recoil lug are dumb ideas in reaction to peoples prejudice but a more versatile stock with recoil pad and a metal bolt shroud are good ideas.
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I agree with you on all except the ejection port....... I think semi closed ejection ports are a stupid idea..... guns fail to eject sometimes (not always the gun's fault, think weak but other throw, dirt etc)...... if I have to dig a round or a casing out of the chamber, I shouldn't have to break out the tweezers and play "operation".....
 
bollox said:
For around $600 you would be far better served with a weatherby vanguard.


I like the direction that tikka has gone with the t3x. As far as price goes, I wonder if the ones you are comparing to are old stock, not at current exchange? Seems to be quite a range of t3 prices lately.
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It's true that there may be some price variability around depending on where you look. Initially, I'm pretty non-committal to it.
 
Superbrad said:
I agree with you on all except the ejection port....... I think semi closed ejection ports are a stupid idea..... guns fail to eject sometimes (not always the gun's fault, think weak but other throw, dirt etc)...... if I have to dig a round or a casing out of the chamber, I shouldn't have to break out the tweezers and play "operation".....
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You had me thinking for a second here but then I thought you could just drop the magazine and clear the obstruction and put it back in. If you have a case that gets stuck in the chamber with any rifle, you're going to have to dig around with tweezers.
 
Clocked92 said:
You had me thinking for a second here but then I thought you could just drop the magazine and clear the obstruction and put it back in. If you have a case that gets stuck in the chamber with any rifle, you're going to have to dig around with tweezers.
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Sorry, you are correct....... scratch chamber and replace with breach..... my bad.....

Most common failure in my experience..... case gets pulled from chamber and doesn't eject from the rifle, stays sitting in the breach on top of the next round in the magazine.... easily cleared in most cases....
 
Hell a brand new model 70 is $995 if you look around and that is a heck of a lot better put together rife then a tikka could ever dream of. I think the last version was pushing it at $700.
 
I prefer buying a T3 and adding a quality aftermarket metal bolt shroud, titanium recoil lug and I don't care about a wider ejection port as it's DM. As far as recoil pads go, I don't notice the recoil on my wood stocked T3 Battue in 30-06, so I also don't care. My suggestion is to find a new old stock T3 for $550-600 and "upgrade" it when you have the time, money or inclination. Yes, T3x's are not worth $1300, but I can't find a $1300-2000 rifle that is!

While I am a huge T3 fan for many reasons, I must admit that Howa 1500's are bloody hard to beat for any price! Period.

If you buy a package, as Pete notes above, you have a fairly decent scope that you can use or put on another rifle. I use my Nikko Sterling on my Benjamin 1200 fps pellet rifle.
 
Sorrowbcboy said:
Following. I've been looking at getting my first hunting rifle but can't justify spending $1200. I'm leaning towards a $600 norinco m14.
Click to expand...

For $500.00 or even less, you could buy yourself a Mauser 98/ 96 in .30-06 or 6.5x55 Swede out of TradeEx ( on here) and have $ left over to get ammo with or a scope !!!
 
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