Tikka M695
- Thread starter Wolfe1
- Start date
I bought mine new in 1997.
Show's you how much I know!
Well you were half right at least. M695/595 were replaced by the T3 series in about 1993. Half right is above average on these boards.
Sometime in the '90s to 2002/3. Try google if you need a better answer.
thanks for the info guys tried doing a serial num search no luck did a google search as jethunter mentioned did find this article from guns magazine dated dec 2001
[/QUOTE]These smooth feeding, accurate and good looking rifles are a first rate bargain.
The Tikka 595 and 695 hunting rifles are well made, attractive and accurate. And they are also a remarkably good value. Their name derives from the city of Tikkakoski, Finland, where Tikka firearms were manufactured prior to 1989. For several years in the early '70s, Ithaca imported Tikka rifles, which were sold under the model names LSA 55 (short action) and LSA 65 (long action). Actions of current rifles are similar to those of the LSA models with just a few minor design details. Currently Tikka rifles are manufactured by Sako, in Riihimaki, Fin land.
Because of their association with Sako, Tikka rifles are sometimes described as less fancy, lower-priced versions of the highly regarded Sako rifles. This isn't quite accurate. The actions of the two rifles do have some similarities, but they also have significant differences. The current Sako 75 uses three locking lugs and a fixed, mechanical ejector. Whereas the Tikka is a two-lug action with a spring-loaded plunger ejector in the bolt face.
Actions and barrels of Tikka rifles are made of the same high-quality materials and with the workmanship for which Sako is renowned. The price savings on the Tikka rifles can be attributed to a few things: They make use of synthetics instead of steel in non-critical areas; they use plainer grades of wood and checkering patterns on the wooden-stocked models; and they offer fewer options in terms of action length and style of magazine. Tikka rifles also do not incorporate the Sako Key Concept, the individually keyed action lock that is standard on current Sako rifles.
Beretta U.S.A. is now the U.S. importer of Tikka rifles. Two action lengths are offered. The 595 is a short action for calibers from .17 Rem, to .308 Win. The standard-length 695 action is for the .30-'06 family of cartridges. The 695M is the same action length as the standard 695 but with a longer barrel and chambered for the .300 and .338 Win. Magnums, and the 7 mm Rem. Magnum.
The rifle on loan from Beretta was the Whitetail Hunter Stainless Synthetic model on the short action and chambered for the excellent 7 mm-08 Rem. cartridge. In terms of operating features, design, overall length, barrel length and weight, it is a fairly conventional rifle by today's standards. That is by no means intended to be a criticism. Designs become conventional because they are popular and because they work. The rifle balances and handles nicely. Bolt operation is as slick and smooth as any factory rifle you're ever likely to encounter. And you could likely include most custom rifles as well.
Bolts on Tikka rifles have twin locking lugs, a recessed bolt face, a spring-powered hook extractor and a plunger ejector. The bottom-right bolt lug is slotted to engage a guide rail in the receiver while the bolt is being moved back or forward. Winchester used this anti-bind feature in their 1968 revision of the post-' 64 model 70. It's a very effective way to reduce bolt play and wobble, and to provide smooth bolt cycling. The rear of the bolt is capped with a metal shroud to protect the shooter from escaping gas in the unlikely event of cartridge-case failure. A red indicator shows when the action is cocked.
The receiver itself is flat-bottomed. The left and right side rails are unusually deep and thick. Instead of a regular flat recoil lug, the stainless synthetic action has a round steel stud projecting from the bottom front of the receiver. The stud is drilled and tapped to accept the front action screw. When the barreled action is joined to the stock, this stud seats into a corresponding hole in a block that is imbedded in the injection-molded synthetic stock. Tightening the front action screw locks the two together.
The trigger housing is machined from a block of aluminum, with the trigger and sear components made of hardened steel, hand fitted for proper operation. Removing the stock allows access to an adjustment screw for weight of pull. As set at the factory, pull was rather heavy at five pounds. But overall trigger quality was very good, with minimal creep and overtravel. The two-position sliding safety on the right rear of the receiver operates conventionally (back for safe, forward for fire). When engaged, the safety both blocks the sear and locks the bolt closed.
The barrel, which is threaded into the action, is hammer-forged, stainless-steel, measures 60 cm (22 7/16 inches) and is nicely contoured. Barrels on all Tikka models are hand crowned and free floated. Rifling twist, of course, varies with caliber. For the 7 mm-08 caliber, Tikka uses a twist of one turn in 9.5 inches. On the stainless model, both the action and barrel have a matte finish, which is attractive and also less reflective than highly polished steel. Blued models carry a polished, low-luster finish.
The trigger guard and magazine well are synthetic, molded in one piece. A spring-loaded, synthetic magazine latch is located on the right side of the magazine well. The latch fits flush with a notch in the stock which protects it from being released inadvertently. Steel washers beneath the action screws and steel pillars in the stock keep the synthetic material from being compressed when the action screws are torqued into place.
The detachable magazine is made entirely of synthetics -- the box itself, the baseplate and follower -- all parts other than the magazine spring. On some earlier models, only the magazine baseplate and follower were synthetic while the magazine body was made of steel. The slim magazine holds three cartridges in a single column and fits flush with the stock when locked in position. Optional five-shot magazines are available but will extend below the line of the stock. The magazine release latch fits flush with the stock and is well protected.
Receivers of Tikka rifles are grooved to accept scope rings and are also drilled and tapped for other types of scope bases. Tikka's own Optilock rings fit these grooves. They are fitted with synthetic inserts that hold the scope firmly but allow for minor dimensional differences and protect the scope tube from scratches or ring marks. They're offered in various heights, in both blue and stainless steel, and in versions to fit either 1-inch or 30 mm scope tubes. A set of old-style Sako rings were on hand, and they were used to fit a Leupold 2.5-8X Vari-X III scope to the rifle for testing.
With scope, rings and four cartridges, the rifle weighs a whisker over eight pounds. The combination balanced and handled well and proved comfortable to handle and shoot from the bench and from various hunting positions. Stock length-of-pull is adjustable by removing or adding spacers (available from the importer) beneath the butt pad.
The most vivid impression one gets in handling the rifle is the amazing smoothness of the bolt. This feature alone will likely sell a lot of rifles. The straight-line feed of cartridges from the slick synthetic magazine results in an impressively smooth bolt cycle. All the testing was done by loading the magazine rather than feeding rounds singly into the chamber. The first time the action was cycled, I had to open the bolt and double check that a round had actually been chambered because the feeding was so smooth.
The ammunition on hand for testing included Winchester Power Point and Winchester Ballistic Silvertip, both with 140-grain bullets. The Tikka proved completely reliable; feeding, firing, extracting and ejecting were positive and smooth. Five, 5-shot groups were fired from 100 yards with each type of ammunition. Average group size with the Power Points was 1.35 inches. And for the Ballistic Silvertips the average was 1.15 inches. The smallest 5shot group was with the Silvertips at .90 inch, and the largest group was the Power Points at 1.75 inches.
There are a few things I don't care for about the Tikka, most of which are simply matters of personal taste. I don't care for detachable magazines, mainly because they have a way of getting left behind, Elmer Keith once commented that he liked revolvers because, "if you have any of it, you have all of it." I feel the same way about rifles with integral magazines. To be fair though, interchangeable magazines do make short work of changing loads in the field.
The pistol grip has a modest palm swell, a feature European shooters seem to like but which has never really caught on here. I could do without the Monte Carlo dip on the buttstock. And I have trouble with any rifle accepting plastic trigger guards. I know, "Swallow a camel and strain at a gnat." I don't know why I can accept synthetic stocks and then fret about the trigger guard material, but there it is. I'll take refuge behind Emerson, who said that "consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds,"
Allowing for personal foibles, the Tikka is a heck of a good rifle: Workmanship, fit and finish, accuracy and functioning are all excellent; the adjustable trigger is very good; the rifle looks good and handles well; and cycling the action is just about worth the price of admission all by itself. The current strength of the U.S. dollar against other currencies helps make the Tikka an excellent buy.
Currently, four versions of the Tikka are being imported. The Whitetail Hunter version has a blued, carbon-steel barrel and action in a wood stock. The Hunter Deluxe has a fancier wood stock with rollover cheekpiece, rosewood grip cap and forearm tip, and a high gloss wood finish. The Hunter Synthetic has the blued steel barrel and action in a synthetic stock. And the Hunter Stainless Synthetic has a stainless-steel barrel and action. Tikka offers other models as well, including a left-handed variant.
[/QUOTE]These smooth feeding, accurate and good looking rifles are a first rate bargain.
The Tikka 595 and 695 hunting rifles are well made, attractive and accurate. And they are also a remarkably good value. Their name derives from the city of Tikkakoski, Finland, where Tikka firearms were manufactured prior to 1989. For several years in the early '70s, Ithaca imported Tikka rifles, which were sold under the model names LSA 55 (short action) and LSA 65 (long action). Actions of current rifles are similar to those of the LSA models with just a few minor design details. Currently Tikka rifles are manufactured by Sako, in Riihimaki, Fin land.
Because of their association with Sako, Tikka rifles are sometimes described as less fancy, lower-priced versions of the highly regarded Sako rifles. This isn't quite accurate. The actions of the two rifles do have some similarities, but they also have significant differences. The current Sako 75 uses three locking lugs and a fixed, mechanical ejector. Whereas the Tikka is a two-lug action with a spring-loaded plunger ejector in the bolt face.
Actions and barrels of Tikka rifles are made of the same high-quality materials and with the workmanship for which Sako is renowned. The price savings on the Tikka rifles can be attributed to a few things: They make use of synthetics instead of steel in non-critical areas; they use plainer grades of wood and checkering patterns on the wooden-stocked models; and they offer fewer options in terms of action length and style of magazine. Tikka rifles also do not incorporate the Sako Key Concept, the individually keyed action lock that is standard on current Sako rifles.
Beretta U.S.A. is now the U.S. importer of Tikka rifles. Two action lengths are offered. The 595 is a short action for calibers from .17 Rem, to .308 Win. The standard-length 695 action is for the .30-'06 family of cartridges. The 695M is the same action length as the standard 695 but with a longer barrel and chambered for the .300 and .338 Win. Magnums, and the 7 mm Rem. Magnum.
The rifle on loan from Beretta was the Whitetail Hunter Stainless Synthetic model on the short action and chambered for the excellent 7 mm-08 Rem. cartridge. In terms of operating features, design, overall length, barrel length and weight, it is a fairly conventional rifle by today's standards. That is by no means intended to be a criticism. Designs become conventional because they are popular and because they work. The rifle balances and handles nicely. Bolt operation is as slick and smooth as any factory rifle you're ever likely to encounter. And you could likely include most custom rifles as well.
Bolts on Tikka rifles have twin locking lugs, a recessed bolt face, a spring-powered hook extractor and a plunger ejector. The bottom-right bolt lug is slotted to engage a guide rail in the receiver while the bolt is being moved back or forward. Winchester used this anti-bind feature in their 1968 revision of the post-' 64 model 70. It's a very effective way to reduce bolt play and wobble, and to provide smooth bolt cycling. The rear of the bolt is capped with a metal shroud to protect the shooter from escaping gas in the unlikely event of cartridge-case failure. A red indicator shows when the action is cocked.
The receiver itself is flat-bottomed. The left and right side rails are unusually deep and thick. Instead of a regular flat recoil lug, the stainless synthetic action has a round steel stud projecting from the bottom front of the receiver. The stud is drilled and tapped to accept the front action screw. When the barreled action is joined to the stock, this stud seats into a corresponding hole in a block that is imbedded in the injection-molded synthetic stock. Tightening the front action screw locks the two together.
The trigger housing is machined from a block of aluminum, with the trigger and sear components made of hardened steel, hand fitted for proper operation. Removing the stock allows access to an adjustment screw for weight of pull. As set at the factory, pull was rather heavy at five pounds. But overall trigger quality was very good, with minimal creep and overtravel. The two-position sliding safety on the right rear of the receiver operates conventionally (back for safe, forward for fire). When engaged, the safety both blocks the sear and locks the bolt closed.
The barrel, which is threaded into the action, is hammer-forged, stainless-steel, measures 60 cm (22 7/16 inches) and is nicely contoured. Barrels on all Tikka models are hand crowned and free floated. Rifling twist, of course, varies with caliber. For the 7 mm-08 caliber, Tikka uses a twist of one turn in 9.5 inches. On the stainless model, both the action and barrel have a matte finish, which is attractive and also less reflective than highly polished steel. Blued models carry a polished, low-luster finish.
The trigger guard and magazine well are synthetic, molded in one piece. A spring-loaded, synthetic magazine latch is located on the right side of the magazine well. The latch fits flush with a notch in the stock which protects it from being released inadvertently. Steel washers beneath the action screws and steel pillars in the stock keep the synthetic material from being compressed when the action screws are torqued into place.
The detachable magazine is made entirely of synthetics -- the box itself, the baseplate and follower -- all parts other than the magazine spring. On some earlier models, only the magazine baseplate and follower were synthetic while the magazine body was made of steel. The slim magazine holds three cartridges in a single column and fits flush with the stock when locked in position. Optional five-shot magazines are available but will extend below the line of the stock. The magazine release latch fits flush with the stock and is well protected.
Receivers of Tikka rifles are grooved to accept scope rings and are also drilled and tapped for other types of scope bases. Tikka's own Optilock rings fit these grooves. They are fitted with synthetic inserts that hold the scope firmly but allow for minor dimensional differences and protect the scope tube from scratches or ring marks. They're offered in various heights, in both blue and stainless steel, and in versions to fit either 1-inch or 30 mm scope tubes. A set of old-style Sako rings were on hand, and they were used to fit a Leupold 2.5-8X Vari-X III scope to the rifle for testing.
With scope, rings and four cartridges, the rifle weighs a whisker over eight pounds. The combination balanced and handled well and proved comfortable to handle and shoot from the bench and from various hunting positions. Stock length-of-pull is adjustable by removing or adding spacers (available from the importer) beneath the butt pad.
The most vivid impression one gets in handling the rifle is the amazing smoothness of the bolt. This feature alone will likely sell a lot of rifles. The straight-line feed of cartridges from the slick synthetic magazine results in an impressively smooth bolt cycle. All the testing was done by loading the magazine rather than feeding rounds singly into the chamber. The first time the action was cycled, I had to open the bolt and double check that a round had actually been chambered because the feeding was so smooth.
The ammunition on hand for testing included Winchester Power Point and Winchester Ballistic Silvertip, both with 140-grain bullets. The Tikka proved completely reliable; feeding, firing, extracting and ejecting were positive and smooth. Five, 5-shot groups were fired from 100 yards with each type of ammunition. Average group size with the Power Points was 1.35 inches. And for the Ballistic Silvertips the average was 1.15 inches. The smallest 5shot group was with the Silvertips at .90 inch, and the largest group was the Power Points at 1.75 inches.
There are a few things I don't care for about the Tikka, most of which are simply matters of personal taste. I don't care for detachable magazines, mainly because they have a way of getting left behind, Elmer Keith once commented that he liked revolvers because, "if you have any of it, you have all of it." I feel the same way about rifles with integral magazines. To be fair though, interchangeable magazines do make short work of changing loads in the field.
The pistol grip has a modest palm swell, a feature European shooters seem to like but which has never really caught on here. I could do without the Monte Carlo dip on the buttstock. And I have trouble with any rifle accepting plastic trigger guards. I know, "Swallow a camel and strain at a gnat." I don't know why I can accept synthetic stocks and then fret about the trigger guard material, but there it is. I'll take refuge behind Emerson, who said that "consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds,"
Allowing for personal foibles, the Tikka is a heck of a good rifle: Workmanship, fit and finish, accuracy and functioning are all excellent; the adjustable trigger is very good; the rifle looks good and handles well; and cycling the action is just about worth the price of admission all by itself. The current strength of the U.S. dollar against other currencies helps make the Tikka an excellent buy.
Currently, four versions of the Tikka are being imported. The Whitetail Hunter version has a blued, carbon-steel barrel and action in a wood stock. The Hunter Deluxe has a fancier wood stock with rollover cheekpiece, rosewood grip cap and forearm tip, and a high gloss wood finish. The Hunter Synthetic has the blued steel barrel and action in a synthetic stock. And the Hunter Stainless Synthetic has a stainless-steel barrel and action. Tikka offers other models as well, including a left-handed variant.
albertacoyotecaller
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Peace River, Alberta
I had a Tikka Continental Varmitter and I am trying desperately to find another one but have had my ad on here for a while and can't seem to find one.
Greg
Greg
