Tikka T3

i would compare my tikkas to my henry 22, not the axis. quality control and price optimized to put it up there with more expensive rifles. both have "cheap"design features and great performance. i doubt if the new recoil lug and the port are any better on the tikka in fact im pretty sure they are worse, tikka design ethos is being compromised. although i couldnt say a stock design that fits more people and a better recoil pad is a bad thing.
 
If you're buying a Tikka, you're getting a great barrel/trigger. Everything else is throw away as far as I am concerned and make sure you buy it on sale. A T3 Lite may not be worth 1k but neither are most Remingtons and they do not have anywhere near the QC that Tikka/Sako do and their barrels are hit & miss, literally!. Last fall I picked up a new T3 Compact 308 on sale for $650, a McMillan Edge Hunter NIB for $650 and a new VX3 for $500, thats $1800 for a damn fine rifle package, but you have to look around. T3's have also been around long enough now that there is great aftermarket support which used to be the best argument for buying a 700 that may have been a little rough around the edges. Fact is, all guns right now are greatly overpriced and as Canadians our purchasing power has been reduced significantly, if I had $1k to spend I would want the best barrel/trigger combo because in the end thats where all of the accuracy comes from.

Patrick
 
Gunneegoogoo said:
You go ahead and keep on thinking that.

They inevitably go on sale a couple time a year, and then it's a steal. Then you can afford a real scope, like a NF or S&B.....

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You can buy a t3 stainless right now for $800 at cabelas.

I bought mine 7 years ago with a bushnell 3200 3x9 for $1150 (with gun case and sling). It's not an heirloom piece. Nor is it pretty to look at, but I have dragged (sometimes literally) it around the bush for more miles than I can calculate. Although I'm careful with it it's still full of scratches. I realize the magazine is plastic, but I have dropped it several times and it still clips in reliably every time and it's very easy to load even with cold fingers. I don't care that the stock "feels" cheap because it doesn't twist or make contact with the barrel. So I guess I couldn't care less if its the Axis of Europe of if you compare it Baikal MP 153 of Russia. It's been dead nutz reliable and I'll have it for many years. And if the plastic bolt shroud breaks of falls off one day I'll get it fixed and go shoot more game with it.

It's odd how the vast majority of people who own them are very happy with them and those who don't own them seem to be put off by that. Finding room for improvement on an $800 rifle is pretty easy to do.
 
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The T3 is bare bones, perhaps a bit Spartan one might say. However it has a silky smooth action, great trigger, and a great barrel.

Savage Axis has only 1/3 of the aforementioned virtues.

Yes the T3 stock is cheesey, Yes, the recoil lugs could be fitted better, but the money was spent on getting the basic rifle PERFECT.

To call it an Axis is totally incorrect.

But it does represent the best value in the Tikka lineup.
 
Got Juice? said:
The T3 is bare bones, perhaps a bit Spartan one might say. However it has a silky smooth action, great trigger, and a great barrel.

Savage Axis has only 1/3 of the aforementioned virtues.

Yes the T3 stock is cheesey, Yes, the recoil lugs could be fitted better, but the money was spent on getting the basic rifle PERFECT.

To call it an Axis is totally incorrect.

But it does represent the best value in the Tikka lineup.
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The stock is the best of the synthetics I've seen. Everything else is great. I wouldn't want a metal trigger after how satisfied I've been with the polymer units... they take a sh!t kicking and keep working as intended. These aren't heirloom rifles, but they will likely never fail you.
 
The Kurgan said:
The stock is the best of the synthetics I've seen. Everything else is great. I wouldn't want a metal trigger after how satisfied I've been with the polymer units... they take a sh!t kicking and keep working as intended. These aren't heirloom rifles, but they will likely never fail you.
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what bugs me is savage has a better synthetic stock. yes, I have both rifles :)
 
Just saw wholesale sports are discounting tikka t3's by 20% at the edmonton, south common branch in case anyone is after one. The sale goes on until the 23rd. May just have to jump on that nearer the date.
 
Those that compare an Axis to a Tikka T3 are either trolling or don't own a Tikka T3 or are completely clueless, or any combination of the above. :)
There's no comparison, get over it.
 
Nestor said:
I'm going to wait for the new Tikka T3 rifles. They look more interesting than the old ones. On the plus side there will be some sales running on the old stock T3s soon.
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Cabelas and prairie gun trader made a special.

Buy my tikka t3 lite at gun traders, good service fast shipping. Ill buy again from Darren
 
Anyone else notice that the published weights on the upcoming t3x are heavier than the t3 lites? 2.7-2.9kg in current model to 3-3.1 in the t3x
Sources:
http://cdn1.tikka.fi/sites/default/files/Lite.pdf
http://cdn1.tikka.fi/sites/default/files/technicalspecs_t3x_lite_0.pdf

300g is a pretty significant jump; to me it definitely doesn't outweigh (pardon the pun) the supposed upgrades and probable price jump. I'm actually quite surprised, as the t3 lite is one of the lightest rifles currently available under 1K and probably the lightest anywhere for some calibers (e.g., 6.5x55). That's a pretty significant detraction from the appeal of this rifle.

Methinks it's a good time to jump on one of the deals floating out there on a current t3.
 
Nothing blued will rust with a quick wipe with an oily rag every once in a while. Stainless is not much to look at, especially the sandblasted finishes you see today.

+2 on the Battue.
 
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