Thinking of a Tikka T3 Lite Stainless

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Richard Cranium

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I'm fairly new to all this gun stuff and I'm building my collection as fast as my wife will let me (or more accurately I slip as much past her as I can)

I'm unlikely to ever hunt anything (other than zombies maybe) so I'm considering getting a T3 lite in .223 rather than going heavier because I also have a 7615 and will be getting a Mini as well (I like the reletively cheap cost off ammo).

Am I crazy to get it in .223? Should I go heavier?
 
The T3 is one of the most overrated guns available- little different than a Remington 710 when you boil it down. Yea... Sure, it's smooth, because the bolt's riding on plastic. Just check out the thread on replacing parts that's in this forum regarding the T3. Guys are replacing the bolt shroud with something actually made of metal, the bolt handle, are looking at replacing the bottom metal, magazine, stock and goodness knows what else. When the new Model 70 is available, granted not in .223 but why buy three guns in the same chambering, or the Ruger 77 there is no reason to buy a T3. It's a gun that's designed to be cheap, and it shows. Sure it's smooth, usually accurate, but it's not like a real hunting rifle ala Model 70 isn't.
 
Son-in-law bought one in .300 WSM several years ago.

Terrible gun!

Damn thing shoots sub-1" groups with cheap factory ammo like Fusion. Absolutely no class at all!

And the bolt works so smoothly you can hardly even feel what it's doing!

Feeds those darned finicky WSM bullets slick as a baby's butt...but I just know it's gonna screw up and jam for sure one of these days.

And don't even get me started on the trigger! Damn thing breaks like glass at about 3 lbs right out of the box! Everybody knows that the first thing you gotta do when you get a new rifle is fix the stupid trigger...or better yet, even replace it for a hundred bucks or more...so it works half ass decent! Where's the fun in that, I asks ya!!!

:)

IMHO, one helluva rifle, especially for the money. People spend twice as much and more on more "popular" makes, and only hope they will shoot and function nearly as well.
 
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Ardent said:
The T3 is one of the most overrated guns available- little different than a Remington 710 when you boil it down. Yea... Sure, it's smooth, because the bolt's riding on plastic. Just check out the thread on replacing parts that's in this forum regarding the T3. Guys are replacing the bolt shroud with something actually made of metal, the bolt handle, are looking at replacing the bottom metal, magazine, stock and goodness knows what else. When the new Model 70 is available, granted not in .223 but why buy three guns in the same chambering, or the Ruger 77 there is no reason to buy a T3. It's a gun that's designed to be cheap, and it shows. Sure it's smooth, usually accurate, but it's not like a real hunting rifle ala Model 70 isn't.
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Ignore Ardent, I think it's his time of the month, he just goes from thread, to thread, to thread ragging on Tikka's whenever possible. I've heard he has an
"I Hate Tikka" tattoo on his a$$. :p I'd rag on Ruger just to bug him, but I actually like Ruger's quite a bit; I'd also rag on Winchester, but I'm just happy that
Browning did such an excellent job of resurrecting what was once an outstanding manufacturer.

From what I understand the .223 is a great cartridge (I don't actually own one), but three of them, what's the point? Why not get yourself one really good one,
then explore some of the other fine cartridges available - lord knows there are enough to choose from. But ultimately the choice is yours and you can
enjoy the sport however you see fit.
 
Tikkas are the smoothest and most accurate factory rifles you can buy, right out of the box, at least for the money. I have a couple including a .223 Varmint 1:8 twist that I use for long range with 80gr amax. It shoots 1/4 MOA groups with a tuned load.

The .223 is cheap to shoot, barrels last forever, and the recoil won't beat you up or teach you to flinch.

If you think you want a Tikka, I'm sure you'll ever regret buying one. Put a nice scope on it and go have fun.
 
Problem is I know guns, and damn well. I evolved to have such a dislike for the 700, and T3- I'm not a crusty old fart who only likes CRF in walnut and blued. Any guns that parts regularly break and/or fall off of, I will never warm up to. This applies to both the 700 and of course, the T3.

358BLR is razzing me, but in reality I think I have perhaps three or four posts, and if I'm forgetting anything (which I'm apt to) the count isn't likely go off one hand, denigrating the T3. That's because this is a relatively new position of mine, the T3 is the Glock of hunting rifles except it is missing the Glock durability and build quality. Accurate? So's a Savage (and a Winchester, and a Ruger, and a Browning, and a TC...). Smooth? And an FN M70 isn't! The much praised, curiously, trigger I wasn't taken aback by and frankly it's not as good as the new M70 trigger either. It comes down to build quality for me, in function yep a T3 works, no question. I refuse to buy a gun that won't be as good a century from now as it is today. I don't trust a T3 mag, or bolt shroud, for even a decade of the amount of use I put on a hunting rifle. We all have our own standards, and people get sensitive defending their choices and I'm no different. Pretty hard to put down an M70 at the expense of a T3 though, and that's telling.

Call me out, call me a know nothing, tell me I don't use my rifles or I'm a fudd- then let's compare hunt pics, rifle builds, match results, any factor you feel makes for a good judge of a rifle and I'll justify and back up my claims.
 
Richard Cranium said:
I'm unlikely to ever hunt anything (other than zombies maybe) so I'm considering getting a T3 lite in .223 rather than going heavier because I also have a 7615 and will be getting a Mini as well (I like the reletively cheap cost off ammo).
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Since you're not going to be hunting with these guns and only plinking/targets will be in it's future, why not sell the 7615 and Mini and buy a high quality target gun and scope combo in 223 and take up precision loading?

A good target rifle in 22LR would be another VG alternative and nice addition to your collection.

.
 
SuperCub said:
Since you're not going to be hunting with these guns and only plinking/targets will be in it's future, why not sell the 7615 and Mini and buy a high quality target gun and scope combo in 223 and take up precision loading?

A good target rifle in 22LR would be another VG alternative and nice addition to your collection.

.
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I'm keeping the 7615 because it's kinda cool especially with the AR mags. I haven't bought the Mini yet but figure it's a staple for a collection.

I may go higher in calibre for a "nicer" rifle but I also don't want to go broke on ammo costs and I figure it's also convenient to have 1 type of ammo for several guns.

My buddy wants me to skip the Tikka and get a Sako but that's one gun for the price of 2......
 
Richard Cranium said:
I'm keeping the 7615 because it's kinda cool especially with the AR mags.
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Why not buy an AR? It would be cooler.

Richard Cranium said:
I haven't bought the Mini yet but figure it's a staple for a collection.
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What makes a Mini a "staple for a collection"? They kinda suk actually. They don't have much of a reputation for accuracy and are not cheap to buy. If you just want to blast away, an SKS is a much better alternative ala cheap rifles & ammo.

.
 
Ardent said:
The T3 is one of the most overrated guns available- little different than a Remington 710 when you boil it down. Yea... Sure, it's smooth, because the bolt's riding on plastic. Just check out the thread on replacing parts that's in this forum regarding the T3. Guys are replacing the bolt shroud with something actually made of metal, the bolt handle, are looking at replacing the bottom metal, magazine, stock and goodness knows what else. When the new Model 70 is available, granted not in .223 but why buy three guns in the same chambering, or the Ruger 77 there is no reason to buy a T3. It's a gun that's designed to be cheap, and it shows. Sure it's smooth, usually accurate, but it's not like a real hunting rifle ala Model 70 isn't.
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WOW!!! I haven't read a more biased, mostly false, missleading paragraph since the HST good for YOU, good for ME, good for BC crap being spouted by the LIABLE party of BC right now.
Tell me were you bitten by a dog named TIKKA when you were a kid?!?!?!
THAT'LL TEACH YOU FOR SPREDDING PEANUT BUTTER THERE!!!:eek:
 
The T3 bolt doesn't ride on plastic. Your talking bs. :bsFlag:

Ardent said:
The T3 is one of the most overrated guns available- little different than a Remington 710 when you boil it down. Yea... Sure, it's smooth, because the bolt's riding on plastic. Just check out the thread on replacing parts that's in this forum regarding the T3. Guys are replacing the bolt shroud with something actually made of metal, the bolt handle, are looking at replacing the bottom metal, magazine, stock and goodness knows what else. When the new Model 70 is available, granted not in .223 but why buy three guns in the same chambering, or the Ruger 77 there is no reason to buy a T3. It's a gun that's designed to be cheap, and it shows. Sure it's smooth, usually accurate, but it's not like a real hunting rifle ala Model 70 isn't.
Click to expand...
 
SuperCub has good points. A high quality .22LR with some good glass is likely going to give you more smile factor for the same $ as your contemplated purchase here. The Sako you mention is a very good idea and essentially the tikka build quality issues are resolved, you pay for what you get. It's three times the gun for twice the money to put it in that language.

The Mini, well there are two stories there. Older minis are stupid reliable and tough, and not the best in accuracy though serviceable for most things people do with them. I personally avoid the older minis, though they are the most nicely finished. The new minis, 580+ series, are a whole new breed. I bought one as a truck carbine for when I'm on the acreage, and it's truthfully blown all the Mini stereotypes on accuracy out of the water. Check for a bulge in front of the gas block on the barrel they added to improve barrel harmonics, on test of the 6.8 SPC mini, the only test I read, found theirs shot MOA IIRC. A staple of a collection? I don't feel it is, but a great, tough, handy little carbine that is now quite accurate indeed it is. Good value at about $850 for a stainless semi carbine too, in fact, a bargain.

Sigh... T3's. I would love to find info on high quality custom builders that use the T3 action. Empire Rifles will build you a custom on all the usual actions, even Rem 700's, but refuse to work on the T3 and it's not because they can't machine for it.
 
I had a T3 lite stainless in 308 and thought it was a great gun. I ended up selling it after I bought a Saka A7 in 300WSM. The trigger and accuracy was superb. The plastic mag, trigger guard and bolt shroud caused me no problem. I have heard of problems with broken shrouds, but not experience it myself. I'm not sure of the cause where people have broken them.
 
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