Tikka for hunting? Thoughts in general

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

What do people think of the current generation Tikka? T3/T3x.
Setting aside the CRF/Push feed debates etc, what do people think of Tikka for general hunting across the world?
I own a Rem 700 .223 Varmint, a CZ550 a Howa and I had a Parker Hale and Zastava in .308 as hunting rifles although I don’t hunt as often as I’d like.
My first Tikka was/is a brand new T3 stainless laminate in about 2012 i was doing a bit of shooting and bought something I had wanted for a bit.
I bought it online sent to my club armourer. I hadn’t really seen them close or handled them. I was disappointed when I found it was half plastic. Now I tinker with my firearms and have done some bedding etc trying to learn and enjoy my rifles, I found the recoil lug was back to front. I didn’t like that one bit! So it’s reverse to what I’ve seen on many other rifles as the lug sits in the stock and the action has a recess that locks on over the lug.
Well I stewed on it and wasn then happy about the plastic either, I looked at upgrades and thought some more. Then I realised that I a man smart enough to realise the Tikka designers and engineers are smarter than me. OK so the backwards recoiled lug works. I purchased a titanium lug and bedded the action in the stock. (Apparently the Aluminium can be impacted by repeated recoil.) T3x factory upgrades include a stell recoil lug.
The plastic, I later decided it must be a suitable quality and reduces weight.
I later bought a CTR version and it suits me, I like it. I bough this a .243 with a shot out Barrel my gunsmith set me up with a .22-250HB and varmint stock and it shoots well. I am thinking I might want one in .300wm or maybe 7mmRM after Africa?
I started a thread on 7mm rounds and people have me thinking about the 7x64, offered by Tikka but I’m not sure if it’s readily available in Australia.
What are your thoughts?

@CBH
Chris Tikka are well made and accurate straight out of the box.
A lot of people like them and I have friends that swear by them.
My gunsmith recommended to keep away from them in 243 and 22/250 as he has one in his workshop that was dismantled by a 243 round. The throat of the rifle was badly eroded. The 22/250 can have similar issues but this as a fault in a few other rifles as well.
On looking at one getting rebarreled there isn't much meat behind the locking lugs but as you said Tikka/Sako know what they are doing.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

My humble opinion, for what it is worth. Tikka is by far my favorite rifle. I went to SA this year for my first trip to Africa and shot 8 animals with a 7mm Rem Mag. and barnes 160 grain bullets. Kudu, Wildebeests (black and blue), Zebra, all with no problem. 1 shot kills although I did shoot the Wildebeests twice just because they hadn't fallen over yet.
I have 5 Tikkas and all shoot well. I am left handed and Tikka has a nice selection of left hand models. If you are thrown off by the plastic stock as I am, you can put a Bell and Carlson or a Stocky's laminated one. I have no idea what is available where you are. Also, the hunter line has wood stocks instead of plastic, but it is still a T3x model.
I hope this helps.

@Smitty
If'n your put off by the plastic stock get the wooden one.
A mate has a Tikka 30 ought six with a fluted stainless steel barrel and walnut stock. A beautiful rifle and for some stupid reason the walnut stock fits me but the plastic doesn't. I think he may have put a better recoil pad on it.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Wouldn't you know it?? I had a gunsmith pull one barrel, and he said he had to mill flat spots on the barrel to get a wrench on it. An entirely different gunsmith said he had to back cut the barrel up to the receiver in order to get it off. Just my luck.

@Smitty
My gunsmith has had them that you could hold in 2 hands and undo up to holy shite what book head tightened it up that bloody tight.
Bob

 

[shootist~]

And for practice, you can also get the Tikka T1X in 22 rimfire. Received this one on a trade with @Warpig602
yesterday, and did a quick trip to the range shortly after. Seems to shoot Federal Auto-match pretty well. Target pic is 50 Yards in a bit of a cross wind.

FWIW, the T1X need a standard Tikka recoil pad if you want 14" LOP like the T3X's (I had one). I also installed a 25 MOA rail (from DIP Products) so I can take it out to 300 Yards if desired.

 

[CBH Australia]

@Smitty
If'n your put off by the plastic stock get the wooden one.
A mate has a Tikka 30 ought six with a fluted stainless steel barrel and walnut stock. A beautiful rifle and for some stupid reason the walnut stock fits me but the plastic doesn't. I think he may have put a better recoil pad on it.
Bob

My first was a .308 laminated stock.
I recently put that bedded laminate stock on my .300wm with a Limbsaver as the standard Tikka pad on the Walnut stock it kicked the snot out of me over the bench.

The .308 has been residing in a factory synthetic for now but might go in the Walnut for regular use .

Tight barrels, I’ve seen my gunsmith undo a couple with no problem but I have heard of it happen in Rugers too.

The .243 thing, well Bob would be disgusted if I bought one. My .22-250 was bought as a burned out .243 and rebarreled with a secondhand
.22-250 barrel so I hope that was done right and there is no need for concern if it was done correctly as an after market.

 

[Divernhunter]

I have 3 Tikka T-3 Lite rifles--6.5X55/7-08 and 308)
I really like them for hunting and even just shooting.
The plastic does not bother me at all and I started hunting in the 1960's when everything was wood and steel.
They are super accurate, easy to carry---especially for this old man- and pleasant to shoot.
They are one of my 1st choices for a hunting rifle

 

[Philip Glass]

I’ve listened to several podcasts lately with custom gun makers commenting you can hardly do better than a Tikka even compared to some custom guns. Quite interesting they admit for the money you can not beat a Tikka. Something to think about.

 

[Hearties]

I own a Tikka T3 Laminated Stainless in .243 which is an attractive looking and very accurate rifle. Tikka’s tend to be pretty light though so I think they’re best suited to smaller calibre / lower recoiling rifles - I’ve heard many complaints about Tikkas recoiling fiercely in magnums! Also, the magazine length is a bit short to seat the heavy bullets out long in the 7mm Rem Mag and 300 Win Mag.

 

[Ironhorse375]

@Hearties
The newly acquired Tika from a famous hunter on this site is responsible for cleanly harvesting my mountain goat.
And yes the loads he worked up are extremely accurate and of course came with detailed information. " would you expect anything different from a retired engineer?
I'm shooting 10 inch steel plates at 600 yards.
I hear you about the magazine, my loads/ Phil's loads just clear the magazine.
So far so good. 165 grain ttsx have proven to be a go to round.
As far as recoil from the 300WM its there but not terrible.
With my suppressor its quite pleasant to shoot.
In a couple weeks it will be going elk hunting with me.
Please don't tell my 280 remington. I almost feel like I'm cheating on her now that I have a new hot girl in 300WM

 

[Ragman]

I own a Tikka T3 Laminated Stainless in .243 which is an attractive looking and very accurate rifle. Tikka’s tend to be pretty light though so I think they’re best suited to smaller calibre / lower recoiling rifles - I’ve heard many complaints about Tikkas recoiling fiercely in magnums! Also, the magazine length is a bit short to seat the heavy bullets out long in the 7mm Rem Mag and 300 Win Mag.

I’ve definitely noticed that my Tikka T3 in 7mm Rem Mag has a much sharper recoil than my old S&W 1500 in the same caliber. But I still love it!

 

[gordon kings langley]

My Tikka T3 heavy barrel .30-06 has taken some 300 animals in SA.
It cost £600 out of the box.
I have shoot Eland and Gaffes.

 

[CBH Australia]

My Tikka T3 heavy barrel .30-06 has taken some 300 animals in SA.
It cost £600 out of the box.
I have shoot Eland and Gaffes.

Well, that sums it up.

 

[CBH Australia]

I own a Tikka T3 Laminated Stainless in .243 which is an attractive looking and very accurate rifle. Tikka’s tend to be pretty light though so I think they’re best suited to smaller calibre / lower recoiling rifles - I’ve heard many complaints about Tikkas recoiling fiercely in magnums! Also, the magazine length is a bit short to seat the heavy bullets out long in the 7mm Rem Mag and 300 Win Mag.

So, a .280ai would be a nice fit for cartridge OAL?

 

[CBH Australia]

@Hearties
The newly acquired Tika from a famous hunter on this site is responsible for cleanly harvesting my mountain goat.
And yes the loads he worked up are extremely accurate and of course came with detailed information. " would you expect anything different from a retired engineer?
I'm shooting 10 inch steel plates at 600 yards.
I hear you about the magazine, my loads/ Phil's loads just clear the magazine.
So far so good. 165 grain ttsx have proven to be a go to round.
As far as recoil from the 300WM its there but not terrible.
With my suppressor its quite pleasant to shoot.
In a couple weeks it will be going elk hunting with me.
Please don't tell my 280 remington. I almost feel like I'm cheating on her now that I have a new hot girl in 300WM

Suppressor?, stop bragging!
Not an option here , we have it good but Lunacy dictates they are prohibited. You know to many movies about asassins and stuff.
Ridiclious as it sounds.
We are so hot on Work Health and Safety and Safe Work Practice But cannot have a simple price of Personal Protective Equipment that does not even have any restriction across the ditch in New Zealand.
They are quite expensive if you can get a permit to own I need Australia.

In SA it was just on the hire rifle when I started , only one I’m gonna use anytime soon.

I think we need some really smart people to take this further. Australia is constantly making new legislation for imigrants and the alphabet community , can’t we just treat them as citizens just like us?

 

[Dwight Beagle]

My gunsmith recommended to keep away from them in 243 and 22/250 as he has one in his workshop that was dismantled by a 243 round. The throat of the rifle was badly eroded. The 22/250 can have similar issues but this as a fault in a few other rifles as well.

Well, I don’t believe that’s a Tikka issue per se.

 

[Hearties]

So, a .280ai would be a nice fit for cartridge OAL?

Yes, should fit well. The 280ai is a cartridge that’s really intriguing - almost Rem Mag performance with much less powder and wallop at the blunt end!

 

[CBH Australia]

Yes, should fit well. The 280ai is a cartridge that’s really intriguing - almost Rem Mag performance with much less powder and wallop at the blunt end!

That’s what I wanted to hear. I’m seriously considering this as a build for a hunting rifle.

 

[shootist~]

So, a .280ai would be a nice fit for cartridge OAL?

Probably. Something to check with your gunsmith and/or barrel maker, however.

My Tikka 30-06 Magazines (guessing the 280s would use the same), worked with my initial 200 gr NPT load with a COL of 3.347". I think that was very close to MAX magazine length.

Final load was at 3.340" - or .030" off just touching the lands in the '06 factory barrel.

Edit to add: A top shooter at out club has a custom 280AI hunting rifle. Top of the line everything.
He has no problems whacking our longest steel at 925 Yards. Or the local Oryx at much more reasonable distances.

 

[CBH Australia]

It seems that the Australian ADI powders don’t seem to be the best options for .280ai. Their book velocities are way lower than what some other powders are said to produce better velocities. Hoping that equates to a flat shooting performance.
With the current carbon wrapped IBI barrels available to me I can only source 22” or 26”. 24/25 was about max preferred length for this project

 

[TOBY458]

I once had a T3 Stainless in 308 Win. Great, handy, accurate rifle. I foolishly traded it for something else. Now I have a T3X Stainless 30/06 on the way to replace it. I should have it Monday. Hopefully it shoots as well as the 308.