Glock4ever
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Edmonton, AB
I personally would never trade an X-bolt for a T3 but that is just me as it is too much like trading down. The Tikka action is an "economy" model design albeit a very good one whereas the X-bolts are more a premium action.
As for safety, I am with Dennis - the Sako designs had some safety issues a while back but as I recall it was more for their tabbed extractor design and location relative to the shooter so to answer Medevaq's question the safest design is actually the Rem 700 as the extractor is within the bolt face area and there is not possibility of gases or debris flying rearward to the shooter's face (hence the three rings of steel that Remington is known for). The CRF design would likely be safer than a Sako style tabbed extractor because the extractor remains at right (or left if your a southpaw) and in the event of a kaboom should have the extractor blow out away from the shooter. That being said the CRF would have gases venting rearward to the shooter throught the ejector cut of the bolt face (assuming the case completely failed) so it isn't that much better as you could get small pieces of brass, debris and gas into your cheek/right eye area. The Sako style is supposed to be the worst as the tabbed extractor is indexed at 12 o'clock and potentially could fly backward and lodge into the shooter's eye/forehead. All of this is relative and very unlikely to occur so I am not sure if I would even factor this into equation unless you are a loader who wants to push the pressure limits of your rifle in which case you probably have it coming....
As for safety, I am with Dennis - the Sako designs had some safety issues a while back but as I recall it was more for their tabbed extractor design and location relative to the shooter so to answer Medevaq's question the safest design is actually the Rem 700 as the extractor is within the bolt face area and there is not possibility of gases or debris flying rearward to the shooter's face (hence the three rings of steel that Remington is known for). The CRF design would likely be safer than a Sako style tabbed extractor because the extractor remains at right (or left if your a southpaw) and in the event of a kaboom should have the extractor blow out away from the shooter. That being said the CRF would have gases venting rearward to the shooter throught the ejector cut of the bolt face (assuming the case completely failed) so it isn't that much better as you could get small pieces of brass, debris and gas into your cheek/right eye area. The Sako style is supposed to be the worst as the tabbed extractor is indexed at 12 o'clock and potentially could fly backward and lodge into the shooter's eye/forehead. All of this is relative and very unlikely to occur so I am not sure if I would even factor this into equation unless you are a loader who wants to push the pressure limits of your rifle in which case you probably have it coming....
