The "Your Opinion On The Tikka T3" Thread to (hopefully) End All Tikka T3 Threads

bill c68

bill c68

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The "Your Opinion On The Tikka T3" Thread to (hopefully) End All Tikka T3 Threads

I have seen tons of Tikka T3 threads on here... some people love them and some people hate them.

BUT I wanted to start this thread to ONLY hear from guys that do/have owned a Tikka T3 AND have used it more than a couple of times.

What do you think?

Of all the negative comments I have seen, only a few were T3 owners and even fewer have ever used them. Please if you wish to make a comment and are not a Tikka owner, mention that in your post.

My opinion: Yes they are a simple gun in terms of finish, lot's of plastic (which makes them lighter) and cheap. But they shoot great, with no modifications, silky smooth action, nice crisp and light trigger. I far prefer my Tikka to any bolt gun I have ever owned regardless of price.
 
I have owned 4 Tikka T3's and used them quite a bit for hunting. All where very accurate and trouble free. I have no issues with the "plastic" mag or any of the other parts. They are a great gun. I don't own any of them anymore because I was "talked" out of them by family and friends. I plan on getting another one eventually...
 
I have owned and shot many T-3's... they are the best quality rifle for the money you spend bar none! You can get less expensive rifles and more expensive rifles but none are better bang for your buck.
If there is a factory rifle made that will shoot as accurately with just about any kind of ammo you choose... I have yet to find it! They are made to be light (hence the name) and they accomplish this by using very strong and light materials. Many people piss and moan about the plastic stock and plastic mag and would have you believe this makes the rifle cheap or less use-full in some way. I have stood on a T-3 magazine with the heel of my boot on a cement over a hundred times for customers who think they are not strong... I can't bend or break one and have never had one come back broken... ever! Same thing applies to the Stock and other synthetics used in the T-3's they are light and strong... if you don't want a light rifle don't buy one.
In this neck of the woods the T-3's are outselling the other brands... and not too many get traded in. I don't ever hear anyone complaining or regretting their decision to buy a T-3.
 
Got a Tikka 3 SS Lite in .300 Win mag ( not that stumpy excuse of a .300:jerkit:). And I love it! Light, easy to handle, nice trigger, super smooth bolt. My first time chambering a round I had to double check if the round even fed it was so smooth. The recoil is easily managed (my wife shot it many times this year). As far as all the plastic? I guess welcome to the new age, people still complain about synthetic stocks even though their main stream now so take it how it is I guess. With handloaded 165 Nosler partitions I've got it down to well under half inch groups if I do my job on the bench. I hunt allot of high country and the weight saveings over my other rifles makes it a hands down favorite to pack all day. Even broke it in on a Mule deer at 425 - 435 yards this year! (couldn't get an accurate distance with the range finder). So IMO the best deal going on a new rifle.
 
Got a T3 in 30-06.

Fantastic. Love the rifle.

It's bolt, like you said, is smooth and reliable. It surprises me still. No sand-in-the-bolt here!

Have not had one FTE/FTF with it. (Although that is expected.)

The stock is plastic. Which is a benefit IMO because it provides that lightness. It's a light freakin' rifle and thats very important to me. Easy to pack. I have a love/hate relationship with plastic stocks. I hated my savage one. The Tikka's is pretty durable and none of that flexing action my savage did.

It is also a pretty tough one. I haven't exactly babied it and it's come up great. You can improve the looks by painting it like I did.

The trigger? BEST factory trigger in that price range, by FAR! It beats the savage accutrigger easily. I highly doubt too many people replace the triggers in the Tikka. Not like remmys or rugers. (Haven't tried the new Ruger trigger yet)

It points perfectly. Balances great. A bit on the light side for the heavy calibers, but a good recoil pad should fix that.

DSC00184.jpg


Thats eight shots. It looks like seven but I'm pretty sure it was eight. Been so long ago I don't remember. They shoot better then I can.

Doesn't matter though, its a good group! & the first round out of a cold bbl is usually dead on. Thats important IMO.

Picked off tomato cans at 250 yards with this guy.

Probably a result of the Sako bbls they throw on.
IMG%5D
 
I have a SS T-3 Lite in 270 WSM that I've been using for the last 3 hunting seasons. Like the majority of comments, these rifles are a good value for a practical hunting rifle. Slick action, good adjustable trigger, accurate.... what's not to like? Usually the only complaints you hear about Tikka rifles is from guys who don't own them and don't like how they look or feel.

My only complaint about my T-3 is that the bolt shroud cracked when the rifle was new (3 years ago). A simple phone call to Stoeger Canada resolved my problem and they sent me a free replacement, which I received in the mail less than a week later.
 
I have two t3's. They're good guns, but's it's hard to get all weepy and emotional about them. On the plus side, the actions are very very smooth and the triggers are better than average. On the minus side, they do scream 'cheap.' Cheaply made, with lots of visible cost-cutting measures - such as the one size fits all action. Granted, lots of the cost-cutting 'features' aren't unique to Tikka, but it is noticeably more expensive than an SPS, or a model 70 (previous generation, when they still made them), or a Savage.

The Tikka 'tacticals' are probably the worst offender as far as gouging the consumer goes. Make no mistake - they're excellent guns and very very accurate. But c'mon - some bolt-on plastic bits and a threaded muzzle commands $600 premium over the regular varminter SS model?

Previous generations of Tikka's were worth every penny. But the t3? All they did was reduce the manufacturing costs over the last generation, while maintaining the price tag.

In the future, if I want a Finnish gun, my money will go towards a used Sako in the EE. They pop up in the $800 range often enough
 
Put another way:

If I had $800 to spend on a hunting rifle, these are my preferences, in order:

-used pre-model 75 Sako, or pre-t3 tikka
-Ruger 77
-Mauser 98-based sporter
-CZ/Brno
-Winchester 70 (any version, new or used)
-Used A-bolt OR used Weatherby MkV (tie)
-Savage 14 series OR tikka t3 OR weatherby Vanguard (tie)
-Remington 700

(I own or have owned one or more of most of these rifles)
 
I have two T3's right now and love them. My 6.5x55 Varmint has nearly 500 rounds through it and shoots tight groups if I do my part. No bedding, trigger tweaking or action tuning needed. I have no qualms about the plastic parts as they seem to be very durable - lightweight is the key word with the T3's. The stock is not the best but it works for most people. If you want a rifle you can put a decent scope on one and go - right out of the box then they offer great value for the money. If you like to tinker with your rifle then get a Savage or Remington as they offer much more aftermarket parts and support. Think of the T3's as entry level Sako's - once you get used to the accuracy the T3 offers you may want to upgrade to something with a bit better finish or nicer stock. Or you may find the T3 is all you really need in a hunting rifle.
 
bill c68 said:
I have seen tons of Tikka T3 threads on here... some people love them and some people hate them.

BUT I wanted to start this thread to ONLY hear from guys that do/have owned a Tikka T3 AND have used it more than a couple of times.

What do you think?

Of all the negative comments I have seen, only a few were T3 owners and even fewer have ever used them. Please if you wish to make a comment and are not a Tikka owner, mention that in your post.

My opinion: Yes they are a simple gun in terms of finish, lot's of plastic (which makes them lighter) and cheap. But they shoot great, with no modifications, silky smooth action, nice crisp and light trigger. I far prefer my Tikka to any bolt gun I have ever owned regardless of price.
Click to expand...


Bill:

You clear the air by shutting up all those negative comments. An effective way to do it!

I own both A-bolts & T3 and I like them both. I like the T3 so much; I drove north of Orillia and ordered a T3 Stainless in 308 yesterday. Got a great deal that I can't resist.

I was going to wait for the new X-bolt but Bowning Canada will take for ever to get them in. Maybe an X-bolt will be my next project at a later date.

Along with my 300 A-bolt this T3 will be my meat guns for the up coming season. :D
 
Danny Boy said:
Bill:

You clear the air by shutting up all those negative comments. An effective way to do it!

I own both A-bolts & T3 and I like them both. I like the T3 so much; I drove north of Orillia and ordered a T3 Stainless in 308 yesterday. Got a great deal that I can't resist.

I was going to wait for the new X-bolt but Bowning Canada will take for ever to get them in. Maybe an X-bolt will be my next project at a later date.

Along with my 300 A-bolt this T3 will be my meat guns for the up coming season. :D
Click to expand...

You noticed that too eh? 95% of the "don't buy a Tikka" comments are from guys who have never shot one.
 
prosper said:
But the corollary is that many of those who say "YOUSE TEH TIKKA!!!!!!" have never owned or used anything else
Click to expand...

I sold a browning 22-250 to buy a Tikka and I sold ruger M77 (after shooting 17 rounds) to buy a Tikka.
I also own an M70 and M71 (cooey), have owned a 700, a PH, a Stevens, a Savage.

Nothing compares IMO. For me I like the weight and the plastic and the fact that I had to do nothing to get them to shoot half MOA (ok handloads)
 
I presently have a SS T3 Lite in .223 and really like it, except for the way the plastic feels on my cheek. I have a Eagle stock pack on it and now it's pretty much perfect.
 
Nice steel wrapped in cheap klunky plastic. Ugly single stack and very expensive plastic mag with the inability to top load if and when needed.
Tikka would better serve the shooting public with a nicely grained wood stocked rifle equipped with a hinged floorplate.
Even a hinged floorplate on the plastic rifles would be a big improvement.....you asked.
 
T3

I own 1 Tikka T3 SS LH in 223. It'll do, till somebody gets around to making a LH M70 in 223, then it'll be out the door and down the road.

In my opinion, they are over priced for what they are. But then, 'out of the box' doesn't mean all that much to me. I like to tinker with my rifles and will sooner by a gun based on 'potential' than 'out of the box'.

And the super smooth bolt thing is not as big a deal as some would make it out to be. All my rifles are smooth enough to function flawlessly. Mine does have a nice trigger though.
 
T3

I've owned 2 T3's. One was a 330 win mag and the other a 7mm-08. They were both accurate rifles, especially the 300 win mag. Overall I found them to be a great rifle but they didn't fit me as well as remingtons so I went with Remington.
One down side to them was the hockey puck like pad on the butt of the stock.
 
I have a 308 varmint cut to 20" that I use for hunting and everything else.

Great rifle as I wanted the heavy barrel on a rilfe that was light everywhere else. The tikka is just that, slick action, great trigger, excellent feeding from the detachable mags and shoots like crazy.

Wouldn't trade it for anything in the price range.

P
 
303carbine said:
Nice steel wrapped in cheap klunky plastic. Ugly single stack and very expensive plastic mag with the inability to top load if and when needed.
Tikka would better serve the shooting public with a nicely grained wood stocked rifle equipped with a hinged floorplate.
Even a hinged floorplate on the plastic rifles would be a big improvement.....you asked.
Click to expand...

I do agree with you on the hockey puck but pad and I may change mine in the near future. The recoil is tame but I am looking to make an ultra tame shooter.
You can top load but definitely eaiser to pop out the mag and reinsert it. Which prefer, like the other day as I am coming home from a ahunt and there is miss Coyote standing in a field just up the road from my house. I slip in the mag and take an off hand shot, oops, then a running shot and she 's down, not the cleanest kill, so as I am walking over I slip out the mag (chamber still loaded) and proceed to slip in two more rounds.
 
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