Anyone else have a Tikka model 55 deluxe in .243 ?

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Pete G

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I just bought one of these in .243. I think it is an older model ...pre Sako I am pretty sure.
It has a 3 round steel magazine, oil finish, rosewood forend piece and rosewood pistol grip cap.Barrel is a little over 22 inches.
I have it roughly sighted in for coyotes with 80 grain blue box Federals.I say roughly because weather and shooting position were not ideal.
With all this in consideration, it seems to be a pretty good shooter.
I am wondering whether any other gun nut has one and how it has worked out for other shooters.
Is it possible that these pre Sako models were built to compete directly with Sako........put another way.....was a Sako obviously a way better product than these model 55/65 Tikka rifles ??
 
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I got M55 sporter in 308. So, not exactly the same as yours, but close enough to know that you have a gem in your hands. No plastic parts, good trigger, great shooter. They were manufactured till mid -80's I believe, and evolved (some would argue "devolved") into M595, then eventually to T3. They are still popular and sought after in Europe, and parts are available from gunsmiths in Finland. The iron sights are excellent, so M55 is a great platform for quick-detach scope mounts. Don't lose the magazine, though - finding a replacement will be tough.
 
I have an M65 Deluxe with rounded rosewood foreend. It is a solid, smooth functioning rifle with excellent build quality. Mine came with a 22" barrel, nice iron sights, and Tikka quick detach mounts. The only thing I would change out is the detachable magazine for a drop floorplate. In my model, I can't just push in the magazine and have it lock in place; instead, I have to pull back the magazine release to insert the magazine.

I've posted this picture before, but I always thought it was cool to see the "ratchet" style rifling the older Tikka barrels. I know at least the 7mm and 30cal bores had it:

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Enjoy your rifle! I'd love to get a heavy barreled variant in one of the varmint calibers.
 
I have two of both an M65 and M55 all of which lock the mag in simply by pushing the magazine in till it clicks.
One M65 ( a 6.5X55 ) is the only Tikka of that model I have ever seen with a factory fluted barrel and its only 20.5 ".
 
It sounds like a few gun nutz have these old model rifles......glad to hear that everyone thinks highly of these 55/65 models.I think I am going to like mine as well.Will know better after a couple of coyote hunts!!!
Woodbeef....my forend is more square than rounded I would say.
 
Pete G said:
It sounds like a few gun nutz have these old model rifles......glad to hear that everyone thinks highly of these 55/65 models.I think I am going to like mine as well.Will know better after a couple of coyote hunts!!!
Woodbeef....my forend is more square than rounded I would say.
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I'd say it's pure Tikkakoski then.
 
I have not yet learned how to post photos here, so I am unable to show you model 55 guys my new rifle.
I will try to spend some time to understand how to do this.
 
TAP375........

When you bought your 55, you likely had the option to buy a Sako.
Back then, was there the same sort of price/quality difference between Tikka/Sako that we see today?
I am wondering whether the 55/65 Tikka rifles were built to compete directly with Sako back then.....??
 
Kevan said:
I have two of both an M65 and M55 all of which lock the mag in simply by pushing the magazine in till it clicks.
One M65 ( a 6.5X55 ) is the only Tikka of that model I have ever seen with a factory fluted barrel and its only 20.5 ".
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Thanks for the heads up about the magazines, Kevan. I pulled out my m65 last night and, sure enough, the magazine can be inserted without manipulating the release. The problem I'd mentioned was user error. All my other detachable magazine rifles (military surplus) require a tilt-and-rock to insert the magazine. When I do that with the Tikka mag, it won't insert without pulling back the release. If I insert the Tikka mag with it level front-to-back, it goes in and locks without any other operation. So I just needed to familiarize myself better with it.

To anyone who has thought about buying an m55/65, don't hesitate! I've contemplated selling mine as part of a general downsizing, but whenever I take the m65 out of the safe, manipulate the bolt, and shoulder it, I end up cleaning it and putting it back in the safe with a smile on my face. They are a beautifully made rifle, and in my case, hold and point wonderfully. Although a heavy rifle by Remington 700 standards, the iron sights and shorter barrel make it a real handy package.

I'm going moose hunting next year in northern BC, so I think it's time to do some load development on my m65 and take it out for a whirl. Should be a perfect rifle for the job.
 
The Tikka M series were/are nice rifles. Looking at older catalogues they were always priced below the Sako and on par with Remingtons etc. ( not infrequently discounted below M700's). Their price varied according to wood - deluxe was the same rifle as the standard but different wood - the LSA's (as Ithaca labelled them) seem to have plainer wood and were priced to be competitive.

The Sako's of the same period came in different grades ... but not only was the wood nicer with excellent skip line checkering on deluxe Sakos but the steel was polished to a much brighter finish and they enjoyed nice engraving on the floorplate; there was also a Sako Finnsport that had the high polish steel of the deluxe but non engraved floorplate. The Sako's I think earned the higher sticker price by virtue of their receivers that were one piece flat bedded with an integral machined recoil lug and their cocking piece shroud said to eliminate gases in the shooters face if a case let go.

The Sako also had (has) tapered dovetails that allowed scope mounts to tighten under recoil inlike the parallel grooves on a Tikka. On the Sako the one piece bottom metal was also convenient as were the 3 action lengths (each well suited to the "group" of cartridges it served). The triggers on the Sako's of that period were extraordinary and one never heard of a Sako that didnt group within a MOA. After all Sako was the same company that produced the single shot varmint weight 6mm PPC (and 22 PPC) considered by many to be the most accurate factory center fire produced.

Sako's promoted their "diamond" lapped barrels and except for the heavier weight in some models - it was unusual to hear of anything but positive comments on the Sako. My Sako's of that era all came with 24 inch barrels while my LSA and Tikka rifles are a few inchs shorter. Most Sakos of the same period also have steel inserts (pillars) in the stock bolt holes and their recoil lug abuts a steel recoil crossbolt that significantly strengthens the stock and eliminates the need for further bedding in most rifles (imo). In heavier calibres Sako also put a second recoil lug/stock reinforcement behind the action - my 338 Finnsport has this crossbolt also -- but Sako cleverly covered it with a plug of the stock wood and checkered over the plugs

The Tikka has a thinner floorplate, seperate trigger guard and no pillars or crossbolts. The trigger housing is not as substantial as Sako (which may be irrelevant) etc .

Having said all of this .. I like Tikka's from the M series and the x95 series (and the later ones as well) they represent good value if not unreasonably priced and they provide good service if you dont mind the weight. I am happy to purchase Tikka's in decent shape for a fair price. But given the choice between a Sako and a Tikka in the same shape for the same money ... I'll buy Sako thank you
 
Pete G said:
TAP375........

When you bought your 55, you likely had the option to buy a Sako.
Back then, was there the same sort of price/quality difference between Tikka/Sako that we see today?
I am wondering whether the 55/65 Tikka rifles were built to compete directly with Sako back then.....??
Click to expand...

I was 20 years old with a new, crisp FAC in my pocket. I walked into a gun store, and the M55 was the right size, caliber and price. I recall that Sakos were generally more expensive, and money was a factor. But I did not want a run-of-the-mill rifle, so most other makes were out of the question. Ergo, I walked out of the store with my M55 - and have never regretted it.

In Finland, Tikkas used to be regarded as "plainer," but not of any lesser quality compared to Sako. AP has an interesting treatise above, and I trust that the details are correct. However, because I don't have a Sako, I cannot comment or compare the two. If I was offered a Sako and a Tikka from the same era (70's or 80's,) I'd compromise and buy them both!
 
stickhunter said:
I'm going moose hunting next year in northern BC, so I think it's time to do some load development on my m65 and take it out for a whirl. Should be a perfect rifle for the job.
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When you are on your way up to northern BC for your Moose hunt you could always drop off that 505 and I'll babysit it for you.. HINT HINT !! LOL !
 
If I insert the Tikka mag with it level front-to-back, it goes in and locks without any other operation. So I just needed to familiarize myself better with it.
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Still be VERY cautious and double check that the magazine is secured......there is a reason why there are a lot of folks looking (often unsuccessfully) for spare mags for these rifles. And I have seen at least two Tikka "M's" offered for sale without magazines - I am reasonably certain they left the factory with mags.
 
AP said:
Still be VERY cautious and double check that the magazine is secured......there is a reason why there are a lot of folks looking (often unsuccessfully) for spare mags for these rifles. And I have seen at least two Tikka "M's" offered for sale without magazines - I am reasonably certain they left the factory with mags.
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This is a very wise post and should / could apply to all detachable mag hunting rifles.
We met a chap last Fall who lost the one and only Kwik-Klip for his Remington out in the middle of nowhere...
 
AP said:
Still be VERY cautious and double check that the magazine is secured......there is a reason why there are a lot of folks looking (often unsuccessfully) for spare mags for these rifles. And I have seen at least two Tikka "M's" offered for sale without magazines - I am reasonably certain they left the factory with mags.
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Good advice, AP, and thanks for your detailed post about the Sako/Tikka differences. I'm kicking myself for not picking up the spare 25-06 magazine that Epps was selling shortly after I bought my 30-06 --- I imagine it could have been made to work. I'm also kicking myself for not picking up the other m65 deluxes that were also for sale at the same place/time that I bought mine --- these were near new condition in 7x64 and 25-06.
 
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