New or Used Tikka Save a few hundred or buy new?

Ipscshooters

Ipscshooters

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Just a friendly discussion about New VS Used can someone set me straight?

Been scouting out Tikka rifles over the last 2 weeks on EE, dealer New/Used inventory and ####### as well

I've been going back and fourh over New VS Used....

I'm after either a Tikka Varmint Stainless. 223 or Tikka CTR .223

I'm finding Used TIkka Varmint Stainless for 1200$ to 1300$ plus shipping

I've found 1 Used CTR for 1400$ plus shipping

I've tried some trade offers with a few fellows and nothing has panned out, too much back and forth and most people aren't interested in the firearms I have to offer

I can get a brand New Tikka Varmint Stainless for $1575 plus 5% tax and free shipping = $1653.75 to my door

I can get a brand Tikka CTR for $1550 plus 5% tax and free shipping = $1627.50 to my door

I could save about $200 on the CTR and about $400 on the Varmint Stainless buying used, I will not be able to Inspect the Used rifles either ( which kinda scares me ) and will have to take the sellers word for it and just go off pictures before purchase.

What would you guys do? Buy new or used?
 
Personally, I would just buy new. $200 is worth it IMO so I know what I'm getting. $400 would make me think about it, but I'd still probably go new.
 
I would go new and I would go with the varmint stainless. CTR is just a pain tbh with the weird mags. Buy an NDR Shooting supplies mag for the varmint and away you go.

I believe the varmint are 5 shot group “guarantee” while the CTR is 3 (I think)

My stainless 6.5 Swede Barrel off a varmint rifle shoots better then my 6.5prc CTR hands down with factory.

B
 
I'm with the buy NEW camp...for a few hundred dollars savings, it isn't worth taking a chance.
JMHO though :)
 
Jon87 said:
Personally, I would just buy new. $200 is worth it IMO so I know what I'm getting. $400 would make me think about it, but I'd still probably go new.
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Thanks for the reply, I think I would need to see the rifle if person even to save 400$....... I was talking to a fellow about the stainless varmint for 1200$ , he said he was the second owner, I asked hows the bore? , he said he's never looked down it before, hmmmm, that turned me off immediately
 
bdb.hunting said:
I would go new and I would go with the varmint stainless. CTR is just a pain tbh with the weird mags. Buy an NDR Shooting supplies mag for the varmint and away you go.

I believe the varmint are 5 shot group “guarantee” while the CTR is 3 (I think)

My stainless 6.5 Swede Barrel off a varmint rifle shoots better then my 6.5prc CTR hands down with factory.

B
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I appreciate your insight on this!

I've been reading lots about the CTR vs Varmint and people say the CTR is a better bang for the buck as the barrel is threaded, comes with factory installed picatinny rail, and it is also chambered in 556.....

20 inch barrel on CTR VS 24 inch on the Varmint

There's lots to read about the comparison....

Thanks, that's 2 for buying NEW!

I'm going to see if there are any threads already going on CGN regarding CTR VS Varmint
 
hawk-i said:
I'm with the buy NEW camp...for a few hundred dollars savings, it isn't worth taking a chance.
JMHO though :)
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I agree with what you are saying, I'm leaning towards new after some of the answers I've been given by some sellers on the Used ones, thanks for the reply
 
Ipscshooters said:
I agree with what you are saying, I'm leaning towards new after some of the answers I've been given by some sellers on the Used ones, thanks for the reply
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OP, I think you've been around enough to know when a second hand rifle is good or bad.

I've bought at least a dozen Tikka T3 in differnt variant configurations and a half dozen different cartridge chamberings.

The worst shooter of the lot was a well used specimen chambered for the 300WSM. It still shot into an honest MOA if i did my part but to be honest, I flinched from the anticipated recoil so the groups weren't usually that good.

The others all shot into an moa or less.

I presently own three Tikkas, two T3 types and a T1. All were used when I bought them and all shoot better than I can hold.

If the throat hasn't been pushed forward from a few thoushand rounds, any Tikka T3 I've seen and shot do the job incredibly well and because their chambers are usually right on mean spec or slightly under, they shoot most off the shelf ammo well.

My T3 chambered for the 6.5x55 with a load utilizing IMR7828, over CCI 250 primers propels a 140 grain bullet just over 2800fps out of its 22 inch bbl.

It will cloverleaf three rounds and put ten rounds into less than an inch consistently.

The other two shoot just as well.

If the throat and leade look good and the price is right, go for it. You can use the extra couple of hundred saved to purchase a decent set of dies and components.

PM me for the load if you want it. I don't want to put it out here. The last time I did, some nimrod, even though he was warned used the load in his favorite M96 and set the lug recess back in his receiver. Lucky that's all that happened.
 
Ipscshooters said:
Just a friendly discussion about New VS Used can someone set me straight?

Been scouting out Tikka rifles over the last 2 weeks on EE, dealer New/Used inventory and ####### as well

I've been going back and fourh over New VS Used....

I'm after either a Tikka Varmint Stainless. 223 or Tikka CTR .223

I'm finding Used TIkka Varmint Stainless for 1200$ to 1300$ plus shipping

I've found 1 Used CTR for 1400$ plus shipping

I've tried some trade offers with a few fellows and nothing has panned out, too much back and forth and most people aren't interested in the firearms I have to offer

I can get a brand New Tikka Varmint Stainless for $1575 plus 5% tax and free shipping = $1653.75 to my door

I can get a brand Tikka CTR for $1550 plus 5% tax and free shipping = $1627.50 to my door

I could save about $200 on the CTR and about $400 on the Varmint Stainless buying used, I will not be able to Inspect the Used rifles either ( which kinda scares me ) and will have to take the sellers word for it and just go off pictures before purchase.

What would you guys do? Buy new or used?
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My humble opinion...get it new...the price difference is marginal at best and is not compelling enough for me to consider the used one.

BUT...another thing to factor in is the $200.00 price tag of the CTR mags (TACT A1 takes the same mags - I did not consider this aspect of the cost of ownership when I got mine).

If I was in your shoes contemplating between the choices, I'd take the new Varmint Stainless.
 
I would buy neither the new one, nor the used one that was only $200 less. If it were me, I would wait until I found a gently-used one, offered by a seller with a good trader rating and also well-described and pictured in the ad...for a price that would need to be considerably less than new, rather than just $200 less. The catch is that you need to watch the EE like a hawk, because deals like that disappear quickly and you may well miss them completely, or only see them after they are marked SOLD. But they do appear.

I am especially careful to read and then laugh at the ridiculous ads stating "brand new, less than 100 rounds fired" or "basically new" or...my personal favourite..."I just want to get my money back". You must also beware of terms like "rare", "ultra-rare", etc. especially when you see them applied to the same model that is also being offered in a half-dozen other similar ads on the same page of the EE.

And, finally...go with the Varmint. The CTR is a cool gun, but not cool enough to make it worth your while to find and pay for those goofy magazines.
 
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Man, I've had so many "surprises" buying used, I'm just not bothering anymore unless its someone I know/trust.

Save yourself any headaches and just buy new. Thats my take anyway. Its a couple more bucks for a lot of peace of mind.


As for the CTR? You can always convert it to regular TIkka mags with someone elses's bottom metal and that little retainer clip. Must be a lot of people who'd want the CTR mag.

Or buy some cheap mags from Mag3D.ca I just received one for the 223 because the Tikka factory mag is limited to 2.260". It feels pretty sturdy and it works. Def not the inletting of a Tikka factory mag but for $47 to my door I really dont mind. Feeds smooth.
 
Just a general comment
: I have sold a lot of guns on here and fbook back in the day.

I don't really entertain "how's it shoot" - depends on the shooter, "how's the bore" - depends on your subjective opinion. I always know when these questions and "why are you selling" are asked I'm about to get jerked around

Rarely if ever have I bought a new production hunting rifle that has seen much action. I've only had one 'surprise" but caveat emptor applies.

Pictures speak 1000 words...

then laugh at the ridiculous ads stating "brand new, less than 100 rounds fired" or "basically new" or...my personal favourite..."I just want to get my money back". You must also beware of terms like "rare", "ultra-rare", etc
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Don't forget "save the taxes!"
 
There’s some good deals to be had, I recently sold a Tikka CTR 6.5 PRC for around a thousand.
200 rounds down the pipe,
 
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