# Anyone have experience with Tikka



## ras1219como (Jan 15, 2013)

I have been looking into a new hunting rifle (for whitetail hunting). During my search I handled a Tikka at Dicks Sporting Goods. It had a very smooth bolt, much smoother than some others I've had. Also had good reviews from what i researched. And it had the added bonus of coming in a ton of different calibers and finishes. So before I drop some precious cash I thought I would check and see if anyone here had any experience with this manufacturer. If you have please let me know your thoughts.


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

Tikka has a good reputation for being a very accurate rifle, I believe they even have a 3 shot 1" group guarantee. Their actions are very smooth and their triggers are pretty good (and can be made great). The only complaints I ever hear about Tikka involves the cost of their internal box magazines (for those models that have one) and that getting replacement parts can be a little tougher than American made rifles. Tikka is considered to be on par with Remington when it comes to bolt action rifles and a lot of people see them as superior.


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## camo2460 (Feb 10, 2013)

What are the price range of the Tikka?


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

I generally see them in the $500-$1500 range. Most of their standard models run $550-750.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

Tikka and Sako = Finnish rifles. 

They use to be considered "Excellent quality", but since Beretta bought Tikka the quality has gone from "Excellent" to "Very Good". Still a very fine rifle. I wouldn't hesitate to own one, ever.


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## hiwall (Jun 15, 2012)

The reason there is more than one brand of gun is because everyone likes something different. If you like it, buy it.


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## ras1219como (Jan 15, 2013)

Hiwall my point is that I don't want to purchase a piece of crap that's going to fall apart or be unreliable. I liked the action on this gun that is all I have never fired it. So if someone had experience with one personally I alway like to get that personal experience prior to buying. Otherwise I will purchase a rifle that I already know is reliable.


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## ras1219como (Jan 15, 2013)

LincTex said:


> Tikka and Sako = Finnish rifles.
> 
> They use to be considered "Excellent quality", but since Beretta bought Tikka the quality has gone from "Excellent" to "Very Good". Still a very fine rifle. I wouldn't hesitate to own one, ever.


I had heard that they went downhill abit after the Beretta purchase. That was part of my concern. Thanks for the input


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

In all fairness, Remington also went downhill after they were purchased by the Freedom Group. Ditto that for Bushmaster and Marlin. When a bigger company buys a small one they always want to do more for less and maximize profits.


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## hiwall (Jun 15, 2012)

There are many US made rifles that are excellent and many are fairly low-priced. In a choice I would buy American.


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## swjohnsey (Jan 21, 2013)

Tikka is owned by Sako. Sako makes quality firearms. I am a Remington fan but I would own a Tikka especially one of the varmit guns.


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## JSank80 (Apr 30, 2013)

I have a Tikka T3 lite in 308Win. I love it. It shoots sub MOA out of the box. I have the trigger set at 3.5lbs, and the bolt is as smooth as silk. I put a Harris bi-pod, Weaver rings and a BSA Tactical Optic. I want to upgrade the optic someday but out to 600m it's great, and besides who REALLY needs to shoot past that. It's not the guns fault it's that BSA gets hazy after about 600m, any ways back to topic. I shoot a modified Remington 700, M-24, at work and would say that the Tikka T3 is ever bit on par with that.


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## ras1219como (Jan 15, 2013)

JS thanks for your input. I think it's going to be my next purchase. I definitely don't need a .308 for hunting whitetail in Missouri. I need more of a medium range brush buster but I think I'm going to be purchasing a tikka with a nice optic. I'm practically drooling over the possibilities!


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## ras1219como (Jan 15, 2013)

Edited double post


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## cgebhard (Apr 3, 2013)

Tikka are great guns, decent triggers. Hunting buddy has one.

I went with the weatherby vanguard (version 1) instead. They are both comparable. The vanguard I bought at Cabelas on clearance when the version 2 came out. I have heard the triggers on the vanguard can be hit or miss. Mine is perfect for me. The vanguard are sub moa guns too. They include a target with each gun, mine had two touching and the third was about a 1/2" off. I told the guy he didn't need to bring any more out "i'll take that one".

Only negative on the vanguard is the plastic stock. I put good optics on it and can thread the needle with it. So the stock doesn't effect accuracy.

PS. The vanguard is built on a Howa action, so to call it an American made gun well.. is probably a stretch. On clearance about 18 months ago it was $350 new, I couldn't pass it up.


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## ras1219como (Jan 15, 2013)

I'm all for buying American made products but with firearms the fact is that sometimes better (depending on what you're looking for) weapons are made in other countries.
And often times like with everything else American companies outsource anyway.


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## tugboats (Feb 15, 2009)

I have several of the Tikka T3 rifles. I have won two of them at SCI (Safari Club International) fund raising dinners. I also bought one. Two of my kids have purchased the Tikka as well. My first reservation was the plasic magazines. I have hunted in temperatures a long way on the wrong side of zero (F) and have had no malfunctions with the mags in any way.

The guns are good, 1 moa or less, silky smooth actions and reliable. I have 2 of the T-3 lights and they are a dream to stalk with. Just purchase extra mags when you buy the gun. These are not usually carried by the average gun shop. Nothing ruins a hunts more than not having a mag unless it is no ammo.

I travel extensively to hunt and these are the two things that have ruined more hunts for more hunters than anything else. This has not happened to me but I have heard more than one sob story from more than one hunter.

Enjoy your rifle.

Tugs


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

ras1219como said:


> And often times like with everything else American companies outsource anyway.


Quality is relative, and you'll get this a LOT with the AR-15 snobs. They (M4Carbine.net) think any AR-15 that needs to be re-barreled before 25,000 rounds is complete trash. REALLY? I'll never shoot 5,000 rds through my AR-15 let alone 25,000 rounds. God help the poor soul that would dare to mention a Mini-14 being a "good gun", you'll get flamed to hell! I know an old farmer in North Dakota that has carried a Mini-14 as a ranch gun since the early 80's (maybe even late 70's). I know for a fact that he doesn't have 5,000 rounds through it and maybe never will, but he kills coyotes all the damn time with it. It is accurate and reliable for what he needs it to do. God forbid he takes it to Iraq, but he never will - - so it's a fine rifle, for him.

OK, rant off. The reason I say all this is a good Sako/Tikka will last *generations* and many, many 1000's of rounds. The alloy of steel and attention to detail made them nearly the best rifles ever made. Leading into.....



Sentry18 said:


> In all fairness, Remington also went downhill after they were purchased by the Freedom Group. Ditto that for Bushmaster and Marlin. When a bigger company buys a small one they always want to do more for less and maximize profits.


CORRECT. They aren't idiots, they look at their market and realize that in order to sell guns (why they exist) they need to priced attractively (under $500).
Also, they realize: "Why does the quality have to be THAT good?" They know the "average" deer rifle sees maybe 500 rounds in its lifetime. It's like the little emissions sticker found on all new weedeaters: "guaranteed to meet emissions for 50 hours". Does that mean new weedeaters will only run for 50 hours before the "factory-installed shrapnel" escapes? No, they will last longer than that if cared for - - but the "average" homeowner will throw that sucker in the trash before they get 50 hours of use out of it.

Rifle makers don't need to make perfect rifles, they only need to make useable rifles. Useable is cheaper than perfect..... and profitable. Sako and Tikka 30 years ago made perfect rifles. So did Remington. Now they are useable rifles.


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