Tikka T3 - reason for popularity

Canada tail said:
T3 was cheap and accurate. T3x, not so much.
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Give the t3x a bit of time to be over stocked and go on sale....

The T3 did have deficiencies that the X has corrected. Does it make it a a sako A7?? Likely not. Is it a damn good gun for several hundred dollars less that a sako 85?? Yup. Just my opinion.

Fun to talk about.....

GGG
 
Some rifles apparently don't feed WSMs very well. Not a problem with the T3, smooth as butter every time.

One can spend twice as much on a rifle, and hope it shoots as good as a Tikka. Very lean and mean, no frills, all business, IMHO.
 
sir_springer said:
Some rifles apparently don't feed WSMs very well. Not a problem with the T3, smooth as butter every time.

One can spend twice as much on a rifle, and hope it shoots as good as a Tikka. Very lean and mean, no frills, all business, IMHO.
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Second that. I cycled a bunch of rounds through my cousin's 300WSM the other day - fed flawlessly.
 
Finally got around to shoot my 260Rem CTR last week. First 5 shot group was .4 MOA, next two group had 4/5 shots in .5 MOA plus flyer pushing to .8MOA (my fault).

Can't beat the smooth bolt (OK, the TRG is better but different class) with crisp trigger, what's not to like.
 
The T3 is an awesome rifle. They are inherently accurate and well put together. There are some short cuts on the rifle which makes it attractive for price but they don't sacrifice on the accuracy and quality. I've owned a few of them and they have all been good shooters and all have been able to achieve sub-MOA with my handloads.
 
The tikka:

1) Sure-thing quality: It's happened, but the odds of getting a lemon are lower than with nearly any other brand.

2) Accuracy: Nobody complains about the accuracy of Tikka's, even if they hate Tikkas.

3) Low Weight: They are only a little way off being an ultralight rifle.


I like Tikkas, but if the Kimber Hunter (now available in long action calibers!) stays only $50 more expensive, and is as good as recent Montanas...
 
Bartledan said:
The tikka:

2) Accuracy: Nobody complains about the accuracy of Tikka's, even if they hate Tikkas.
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I'm not overly happy with the accuracy of mine. I would bet dollars to doughnuts a salvage would shoot more consistent. For my tikka to shoot good groups the barrel has to be cold. In the summer if you shoot a good group from cold and 10 min later try another it will be large. Not so bad in the winter as it gets cold faster.
 
hometownhero said:
I'm not overly happy with the accuracy of mine. I would bet dollars to doughnuts a salvage would shoot more consistent. For my tikka to shoot good groups the barrel has to be cold. In the summer if you shoot a good group from cold and 10 min later try another it will be large. Not so bad in the winter as it gets cold faster.
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Sounds like you could have a barrel channel clearance issue? Try sliding a $5 bill (can't do it with a loonie, inflation!) along the barrel channel when it is cold and then try it again after its warmed up. Wood stock or synthetic?
 
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My main reason for loving the tikka is as a lightweight varmint rifle (22-250). Contrary to a lot of posts here, It is NOT the best, or strongest action, but they are smooth. The tikka action lacks the asthetics to me of a classic Remington, but it was designed to be more easily manufactured (cheaper). It does get a lot better set in the classic lines of a McMillan edge though.

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Bought my first tikka - A t3x battue lite - a few months ago. Its light, handy, and very well balanced. Took it to the range, And once I got used to the sights I was shooting 3 shots touching on the zero. Now I'm not that great a rifle shot - I know nothing about long range precision shooting. But the trigger on this thing is awesome. Light (But not silly light), no creep. And call me crazy but I like the polymer mags. Easy in / out, very positive retention, easy to load. I'm a believer.
 
Gunneegoogoo said:
Give the t3x a bit of time to be over stocked and go on sale....

The T3 did have deficiencies that the X has corrected. Does it make it a a sako A7?? Likely not. Is it a damn good gun for several hundred dollars less that a sako 85?? Yup. Just my opinion.

Fun to talk about.....

GGG
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I hope you are right about the price coming down in time.
That said I have read somewhere that the A7 can have magazine issues, feeding I think..so if this is true I hope the T3 never becomes an A7.
Even a T3x is more than a "few hundred" less than an 85 but I have both and there really is no comparison, the Sako 85 is at another level in quality. Not a slight on the T3, I like them but they are no 85...

And as for me buying another T3, well it seems I couldn't make the leap with the current price point and decided on a stainless Vanguard that was on sale. Haven't had one of them yet so regret might enter the picture yet, but maybe not.
 
I hope so too.

I fully recognize the jump to an 85 is a big one, but worth it if your into a beauty hunting gun. If I hunted 4 months a year I'd have a carbonlight (or a custom from insite)....
 
hometownhero said:
I have a t3. Got it pretty cheap but for the same price these days you can get a model 70. The m70 looks and feels a lot better to me. The imam shoots ok buy my m$0's shoot better and more consistently. So if I was to do it over I would just buy a rifle worth the $1000 instead of a $500 rifle selling for a grand
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Totally agree, the M70 is a better deal now. I have a tikka T3 Hunter in 30-06 it is a great gun but I paid around $800 for it, now at over a grand I would not even hesitate to go for a M70 Featherweight.

The only way I would buy a Tikka over a M70 is if you buy a clearance one for $699 from PGT, or you just have to have a euro cambering; the M70 only comes in pretty standard chambers.
 
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Loving the CTR models these are at 300yds made the 300yd challenge with both the 308 (ripped up target in pic) and my 260 while doing load development. I've tried many bullet/powder combos and all have been at or under MOA at 100 yds. Above targets were shot off bipod and rear bag so the plastic stock doesn't flex much , just about wish it did so I could justify a GSR stock
 
rocklobster said:
Totally agree, the M70 is a better deal now. I have a tikka T3 Hunter in 30-06 it is a great gun but I paid around $800 for it, now at over a grand I would not even hesitate to go for a M70 Featherweight.

The only way I would buy a Tikka over a M70 is if you buy a clearance one for $699 from PGT, or you just have to have a euro cambering; the M70 only comes in pretty standard chambers.
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Got my first new m70 fwt 5 years ago ish and paid $750 for it. Bought a tikka last year and paid $675 for it.
 
I have a stainless T3 lite in .308. It is a great hunting rifle, well balanced, smooth action and I am very pleased with the accuracy using affordable factory ammo. Would definitely recommend. With the arrival of the T3x, there is some good sales around on the T3s right now too.
 
I bought my first T-3 Varmint because I like the triggers, and they tend to be quite accurate. Having owned three T-3 varmints, all three will shoot five shot groups under 1/2moa at 100 yards.
 
T3 hunter in 30-06, trigger spring from 'yodave', $200 scope from Chinamart (Bushnell trophy 4-12x40), cheapo factory federal ammo (150gr)..... 1" group @ 300m = 1/3 moa 'nuff said?
 
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