300 WSM Tikka versus Savage!

[woods0824]

So, a factory Tikka T3 Lite blue/synthetic is good to go right out of the box with no mods? I don't want to HAVE to do anything to a factory hunting rifle for mid range (300 yds.) shooting except add a scope.

Just add Talley one piece light weight rings and go shoot!

 

[CoElkHunter]

Yes and so is the savage, ceh also look at the storm. I have it in 6.5x284.

Yes, my Savage 110 .25-06 24" barrel was ready to go right out of the box. I want a 22" barrel with the .308. The Savage 110 base models I've seen have 20" barrels. In .308, their Apex (Vortex) scope packaged 110 has a 20" barrel. Their Engage (Bushnell) packaged 110 has a 22" barrel. Same rifle with a different scope comes with a different barrel length? WTH! And it's not about those scopes, it's about the barrel lengths available. I'll check out their Storm model and see what the barrel length is, but I'm still leaning towards a Tikka. I just need to check out the LOP on those again.

 

[Flewis]

CEH, can’t go wrong either way. Good luck. Frank.

 

[Rimbaud]

I have Tikka in .300 WSM. Cut the barrel and stock to make a scout-like rifle. Took it to Namibia for plains game, and have hunted around the US. It is deadly accurate, and lethal. Nothing particularly fancy about the rifle, but it works very well. The barrel is the same as a Sako (I have an 85) and the Tikka shoots just as well.

 

[shootist~]

I just need to check out the LOP on those again.

Based on my two T3Xs (bought 3 or 4 years ago), they are 13.5" with two 1/4" fitted spacers that take it out to 14".

 

[BeeMaa]

@KevinM - I will make the assumption that you are looking at a varmint rifle because your first post mentioned both rifles in a varmint configuration.

Another turn key option for around $1K would be the Bergara B14 HMR.

 

[Flewis]

300wsm for varmits? Don’t think that was the idea. Either way I have the 300wsm in tikka and it’s taken elk and several deer. It’s been great for well over 20 years and the reason I have so many t3s.

 

[gillettehunter]

So the OP specified long range shooting. To me you need/want 3/4 MOA or better. Here's the way I see it. The Savage is less refined, but lately they seem to really shoot well. The Tikka has a trigger that I liked better. I'm not a fan of the Savage accu trigger, but that can be replaced. The Tikka's have a great track record.
IMHO if you want a off the shelf rifle that shoots 1/2 MOA your odds are better with a Savage. If 1 MOA works then I'd get the Tikka. By the way there are some long range shooting forums that might be a better place to ask that question.
Bruce

 

[Inline6]

So the OP specified long range shooting. To me you need/want 3/4 MOA or better. Here's the way I see it. The Savage is less refined, but lately they seem to really shoot well. The Tikka has a trigger that I liked better. I'm not a fan of the Savage accu trigger, but that can be replaced. The Tikka's have a great track record.
IMHO if you want a off the shelf rifle that shoots 1/2 MOA your odds are better with a Savage. If 1 MOA works then I'd get the Tikka. By the way there are some long range shooting forums that might be a better place to ask that question.
Bruce

I'm not sure the accuracy plays out like you have stated. I'm not saying you have not experienced those results. Just don't think they all play out that way.

The truth is, if you are serious about shooting long range 800 yards and further. You would be better served with getting an aftermarket barrel for either platform. Companies sell prefits for the Tikka and finished barrels for a Savage. Or like @BeeMaa suggested a B14, Bergara has been making barrels a long time, way before they started offering rifles. When shooting mid or long range, barrels are the key.

 

[Fryeguy]

Tikka gets my vote for sure. Triggers are way better, shoot great at least the 10 or so I’ve had. Go to a store and work both actions, pull the trigger. Savage triggers, well, it is what it is, and adjusting them a pain. Tikka, good out of the box, but adjusting them is very simple, they will go very light. I have mine down to 2# and they will go lighter.

 

[gillettehunter]

@Inline6 I agree that a custom barrel is for sure the way to go if someone is serious about over 800 yds. I've had a Tikka T3 and several friends have the Savages including my son. My opinion was based not just on that smaller sample but on spending a significant amount of reading time on 2 different long range shooting forums. Many of those members have a lot more experience than me.
Either company can turn out a fantastically accurate rifle or a turd. I like Tikka's. The one I had was less than a 1/2 MOA shooter until I had 10 rds down the barrel after I cleaned it. Then it became a 3 MOA rifle. New barrel on it and it now shoots 1/2 MOA groups if I do my part.
Based on my limited experience and reading I think Savage will produce a higher percentage of 1/2 MOA rifles than Tikka. Your experience may vary. Much of my info is hearsay from the other forums.
Bruce

 

[Inline6]

@Inline6 I agree that a custom barrel is for sure the way to go if someone is serious about over 800 yds. I've had a Tikka T3 and several friends have the Savages including my son. My opinion was based not just on that smaller sample but on spending a significant amount of reading time on 2 different long range shooting forums. Many of those members have a lot more experience than me.
Either company can turn out a fantastically accurate rifle or a turd. I like Tikka's. The one I had was less than a 1/2 MOA shooter until I had 10 rds down the barrel after I cleaned it. Then it became a 3 MOA rifle. New barrel on it and it now shoots 1/2 MOA groups if I do my part.
Based on my limited experience and reading I think Savage will produce a higher percentage of 1/2 MOA rifles than Tikka. Your experience may vary. Much of my info is hearsay from the other forums.
Bruce

Take what you read with a grain of salt. More 1/2 MOA rifles than their are 1/2 MOA shooters.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I am looking at purchasing a 300 WSM in either a Tikka Super Varmint or a Savage MOD 12 VLP. The Savage has a 26 inch barrel with the Tikka having a 24 inch barrel. I will be getting a grs stock. Main purpose being long range hunting. Which one is the better option? I have no experience with Tikka or Savage. Current rifles being BRNO and Winchester Mod 70....

@KevinM
I would go the Savage with the 26 inch barrel so I could get the most out of the 270. Plus I have never heard of sn inaccurate Savage. All my savages and my mates Steven 200 aka Savage 110 are all half inch rifles straight out of the box. My 35Whelen started life as a Savage 110 in 270 and used to group 0.3 inches with 110 Vmaxes and 1 inch at 200yds with acp 130gr monos.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Have both, I prefer tikka but that’s a personal choice. Both are great options and will shoot with the best out there.

@Flewis
I tried tikka but with my gorilla lenght arms it fits me like a g string on an elephant. The Savage one the other hand fits me like a custom rifle.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I don't know? I bought my first Savage (110) in .25-06 with a 24" barrel about 6 months ago. Very smooth action and dead nuts accurate. I'm leaning towards a Tikka T3 Lite for a .308 with a 22.4" barrel. However, I've never shot one and don't personally know anyone who owns one. I would prefer a 26" barrel in a fast magnum like my Browning A Bolt .338 or Remington 700 .300WM. To each their own, but I'm 6'2" with long arms, so I NEED a longer LOP and the 26" barrels feel more balanced to ME than a "whippy" 20 or 22" barrel? Guess I'm just a freak! LOL

@CoElkHunter
Fast 338WM, HA HA HA HA HA.
It's no faster than the 35 Whelen.
Now a 25 cal with a 100gn TTSX at 3,600fps is fast.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I like Tikkas, for the price they are great.
I have a GRS Bifrost and hoping to set up a Tikka in .260rem.

I'm sure Savage are good but with so many Aftermarket Tikka parts I just find I can swap accessories over several rifles of I want to reconfigure one.

@CoElkHunter my .280a.i. has a long length of pull on the Precision Defence industries Carbon Fibre featherweight .
It has a .26" IBI C/F wrapped barrel makes it feel front heavy but stable in the field. Probably just right for you.

@CBH Australia
Chris you can customise a Savage as well with different stocks and bolt handles. Hell you can even swap out the mag and change the bolt head to small, regular or magnum bolt head in 10 minutes. You can even change the barrel on a Savage and headspace it in 10 minutes. You could swap out a 25-06 to 458WM ON THE SAME ACTION. Try that with a Tikka, ain't gonna happen.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Yeah, the Tikkas have a longer LOP which I would need. A company here called High Desert Rifle Works makes aluminum bottom metal for $150us to replace the polycarbonate factory trigger guard/magazine bottom of the factory Tikka T3s. I'm not sure that's needed as my 12ga. Remington V3 semi auto shotgun (7.2lbs) has the polycarbonate trigger guard and it works just fine. They do it to reduce weight and Glocks build their pistols with it and none of mine have had an issue.

@CoElkHunter
I think you and Chris must be on the same medication. I'm 5 foot 18 inches and the Savage with a replacement limb saver magnum recoil pad fits me a lot better than that short arse skinny little Tikka stock. I have to hold it a few inches off my shoulder to get it the right lenght. It would need an inch of spacers and a 1 and a quarter inch recoil pad to fit me.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Tikka they are not in the same league.

@Inline6
You are 100% correct. They aren't in the same league. Look at the number of tikkas that have blown up compared to savages. When you take the barrel out of a tikka and have a look at the locking area there ain't much meat there. To me it's scary how little there is. The 2 common blow ups in the Tikka are the 22-250 and the 243. The issues are with throat erosion and longer bullets jamming in the erosion jamming causing pressure spikes. This happens in other brand of rifles and Winchester knows of the problem but the Savage seems to handle pressure better in my book.
Bob

 

[Stompbox]

I've owned several of each brand mentioned, Tikka hands down.

 

[CoElkHunter]

Looked at the Tikka T3x and Ultra Lite and Savage 110 models AGAIN today in .308. Nothing like beating a dead camel? LOL Anyway, I brought my tape measure with me and surprisingly, BOTH the Tikka models and Savages have 14" LOP? The Tikka recoil pad is now 1" thick from the thinner pad I have seen before in photos and read reviews about. The Savage has a newer forward magazine release with a spring loaded push button versus the hard plastic "claw" that is on my 110 model from just six months ago. I looked at Savage's 110 VSX model in .308. 20" fluted and threaded barrel. Barrel and action are cerakoted in a grayish SS look. Vortex Diamondback 4-12x40 mounted on a Picatinny rail. Camo synthetic stock which I'm not crazy about, but seems overall a great value at $819.00. The Tikka T3x blued at $750 or stainless at $880 with 22.4" unthreaded barrels or scope/mounts. The Ultra Lite seems "overly" light to me with regards to recoil and is $1019. Both the Savage and Tikka actions were very smooth with no binding or "sloppy" functioning of the bolt. Out of the blue, the older gentlemen sales guy told me he really liked the Tikka, but the chamber is "tight" and not ANY margin for bullets seated longer than factory OAL? Maybe not an issue, but I don't know? Remember, I'm looking for a 300 yd. MAX range rifle for hunting. I'm still debating the merits and value of both brands. That's all of the useless chatter I have on this for tonight. LOL