Tikka Blued Vs Stainless.... Is it all stainless?

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Superchunk

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Question about the Tikka T3X Stainless versions.

According to a few dealers I contacted today, the action on a Tikka T3X stainless is not stainless, just the barrel, but Tikka advertises the metal components as stainless.

Does anyone know(not internet guessing), if the T3X Stainless series actually is stainless through and through?

Any info greatly appreciated.
 
Your kidding me? I sold my blued tikka lite so I could eventually get a stainless varmint rifle. I’ve also read that tikka receivers are cast metal. If they actually are I ain’t buying one again. Wonder how I can find out for sure. So what did they do? Take silver paint to the receiver to trick people??
 
Prior to posting this, I'd just got off the phone with the Tikka "Expert" at Al Flaherty's, and another at Cabellas, .... They both said the receivers were all the same, only the barrels were stainless.

Then I spoke with a Tikka rep, and the gunsmith at Ellwood Epps, who both assured me the Stainless was in fact, a stainless Receiver, Barrel, & Bolt.

I'll never again drink the salesman's kool aid.
 
I have had stainless T3's since several years and have plenty T3's going through our workshop. One thing is for sure the 3-4 stainless actions I have at the moment are not painted steel actions. The Stainless used on T3 barrels and actions are not 100% rustproof like all stainless barrels. 416? But rust very little if ever. We hunt in mostly wet conditions going through bogs etc. My Lothar Walther steel barrel on my Mauser produces a brown patch after one day in the rain. Never had any rust issues on my T3 stainless actions or barrels. This year I had a chat with the Sako product manager exactly about this, his emphasis was about the high quality steel used in their blued actions & barrels. He said the difference between stainless and blued in regards to corrosion resistance would not be huge.
Other Brands like Mauser or Sauer would have silver painted stainless "look" rifles. I have handled them.
edi
 
So blued tikkas have very high quality steels? Don’t make me buy a blued one instead now lol. Wanted to get a stainless one. Seen a rust spot on a brand new stainless Sako in the store.
 
Far as I know all companys steel and stainless are very similar to each other. Steel will rust and pit faster than a stainless model. Stainless and rust and even pit if ignored. Sometimes a new gun will seem to get surface rust very easy, oil seems to disappear in a matter of a few days and surface rust forms. The metal seems to soak up oil then this stops. I've seen this on steel and stainless guns I believe it's got something to do with the end finish on the metal as some do it, and some dont.

Stainless uses in barrels is 400 series. It does rust. 300 series wouldn't but is not suitable for barrels. Actions I assume are made of the same materials. For my use stainless is better.
 
Had lots of Tikka rifles over the years, pretty much an even split between stainless and non stainless actions/barrels. Never had an issue with rust on any of them. Seems like we might be picking fly $h1t out of the pepper here.
 
The big problem is the bore not the outside where one will notice rust right away, Cerakote outside is useless to protect the bore. I still think the difference between stainless and blued is huge and prefer stainless by far. Only thing is I find stainless look a bit boring on a rifle and some of my rifles are just bead blasted then duracoated. I also noticed a new stainless barrel/action might have the odd rust spot but once seasoned and oiled a couple times no more rust.
edi
 
The actions are stainless, generally, a painted or plated receiver stands out quite a bit (doesn't look like stainless steel). Probably the guys working at Cabela's and Ellwood Epps are confused by it being magnetic. Non-ferrous alloys such as stainless steel are not magnetic. However, 416 which is what is used in guns is magnetic. It has a very small amount of carbon to offset work hardening and make it more workable (machining and forming processes are easier.) If you have ever worked with a 300 series stainless, you will know once that stainless has turned blue its hardened beyond the point of further working. Tikka is a high quality rifle so no problems there. As for the cast reciever comment, that I have no idea on, although it wouldn't make sense as Tikka hammer forges some, if not all of their barrels so they would have the capabilities.
 
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