.204 Savage 25 or Tikka t3 Lite ????

saskdude99

saskdude99

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I have my choices dwindled sown to Savage Mod 25 thumbhole varminter or a tikka t3/Lite /Stainless in a .204. I would like to get opinions based on experience with these rifles in this caliber.
Ultimately I want accuracy potential of 1/2" with tuned handloads. I don't keep any rifle that doesn't shot a consistent 1/2 moa.
 
I cannot speak for the Tikka however I have handloaded and shot the Savage Model 25. I am not a huge fan of Savage rifles however this rifle consistently shot 5 shot groups at 100 m that averaged under .5 inches usually closer to .33 in .204 Ruger. I was very impressed with this particular rifle.
 
I have a model 25 as well.

With hand loads -I have been able to easily get four and five round groups into .5

Best three round group with h335 and 32 gr came in at around .3

they are a little finicky with 40 gr rounds, think I have found a winner using imr4064 though. Further testing req.


I will track down some of my groups maybe and take some pictures.

Factory rounds, by hornady have crept into the sub moa as well.

One thing, it seems difficult to match factory round velocities with handloads.
 
I have a Tikka t3 in 204 and love it. Much nicer to carry than the Rem 700V i had, not quite as accurate but still very good. .5-.75 depending on the load and bullet. If i was buying a Salvage it wouldn`t be the model 25.
 
my Tikka T3 HB shoots factory 55fmj ammo at just under 2" when I made some handloads I was getting .381 MOA with 55gr. vmax & FGMM primers, 26gr of Varget
I'm still working on this project. no matter what the Tikka has bullet jump & I still get good groups.
 
Brocolt said:
my Tikka T3 HB shoots factory 55fmj ammo at just under 2" when I made some handloads I was getting .381 MOA with 55gr. vmax & FGMM primers, 26gr of Varget
I'm still working on this project. no matter what the Tikka has bullet jump & I still get good groups.
Click to expand...

I'm guessing .223 and not .204. ;)
 
I load for 2 t3's in 204 and both are easy to get 3/4inch groups honestly. I have not worked any harder than that but have shot mine to closer to half inch. My friend owns a savage in 223 and neither of US like some of the features like the detachable mag.
 
I'm not impressed with the magazines for my Model 25. Of the three I have, only the original doesn't bow out in the center when loaded with more than one round. This causes the rounds to tip up, which results in the bolt not stripping the round without help from my finger through the ejection port. The gun doesn't seem popular enough for anyone to make metal replacements, either. It shoots well, though.
 
I have shot both and hands down the tikka wins. I shoot 39gr sierras over 25.5gr of benchmark and get sub 1/2 moa groups, those are my coyote killers. I also shoot 39gr Speer TNT with 24.7gr of benchmark and also getting sub moa. It's a light and slower load but the gophers don't seem to mind lol. Tikkas are awesome guns and worth every penny. Also it's a nice light gun for carrying through 2 ft of snow when I'm calling coyotes in January.
 
I was just gonna post the same question ..good thing I looked.

I handled the Model 25 in Saskatoon Cabelas and its a very nice little gun, really liked the laminate stock, the action actually fits the cartridge and the accu-trigger IMO is very nice.
I had a Tikka T3 Varmint in .204 and never did shoot under 1" and I loaded everything in 32, and 39 gr. Bullets and powder combos. 40 gr. bullets would key hole. Tikka mags are very short and I never could play with the OAL much. Im also not a fan of having the one action fits all rifle. That being said every other Tikka I have owned has been a good shooter.
Id be willing to try another Tikka but all over the net guys rave about the accuracy of Savages and for this particular rifle I'm looking for a good price/tack driver, doesnt need to be pretty.
 
Never been a big fan of training wheels nor this trigger thing-a-ma-jiggy-giggy.
I managed to shoot a couple rounds out of a fellow Nutzs and as highly as they
are accepted, it did nothing for me other than to say nothing.
I wouldn't own one.
I would prefer creep on a trigger and get used to it than this unFuddly thing.
My opinion folks.
 
The barrel on the Savage 25 is pinned into the action so there is no way you can change them. The bolt of the model 25 looks like a modified rimfire bolt. It is so small you cannot get a standard bore guide in the action to clean it properly.

In my opinion, they are junk.

tikkas are great guns but remember if you are going to buy a gun that you want to shoot more than a couple of rounds in a sitting, you will really want a heavy barrel. Hunting rifles like the t3 will heat up pretty quick. That round (i love it by the way) is overbore and will erode the throat pretty quick if you overheat them frequently.
 
Well went with the Tikka and I shoot .22 to.4 with Sierra 32 and40gr Blitz king with IMR BR8208. 9fps extreme spread ..great powder That i now use exclusively in 204 223 22250.
 
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