(This is a reader-submitted review as part of our gun review contest. See details here.)
By Scott Cobun
At the get go, I’ll say I’m biased. Guilty as charged. However, I’m not just biased towards liking this particular gun. I like all guns. I’m an addict. If you asked me which gun you should buy my answer is always the same. All of them. I’m biased towards buying everything. Should you buy this rifle? Yes. That rifle? Yes. What about this pistol? Yes. Do I really need a belt fed 1919a6? Stupid question. Of course you do.
In all seriousness, I’ve been a gun owner literally – and I’m using that word correctly – since the day I was born. Partially as a result of owning a little of everything, I’m not a fanboy of anything. If it works well, I like it. I shoot competitively, I collect, I hand load (a wonderful time filler for someone with mild OCD and a chronograph) and guns are more than just a hobby for me. When I’m not shooting, I’m on the internet arguing with people over how to best shrink that group by a quarter inch at 200 yards…for no practical purpose whatsoever.
I’m floored the Tikka T3 has yet to be reviewed on TTAG. I think it’s the best value in bolt action hunting rifles today. That’s a bold statement. I’ll explain why I think it’s true.
The Rifle
Every gun I buy fills a particular role…which in reality is the perfect excuse to buy another gun. I perhaps don’t need a rifle that will shoot well on a balmy day in New Mexico while pursuing a Yeti. Everybody wants to own that one rifle that will do it all. The Tikka T3 Hunter in 6.5×55 is my “if you could only have one hunting rifle” submission to fill that role.
What makes for a good hunting rifle? I think many would correctly say it is caliber above all else, and the 6.5×55 is probably my all-time favorite all-around caliber. Since fighting over calibers is about as productive as discussing who’s the most beautiful woman on Earth (which is also lots of fun, especially with pictures), we’ll have to stick to the rifle.
Once we step away from the caliber wars, you’ll get my attention in a hunting rifle when talking weight and accuracy. The T3 bests the competition in both areas.
One of the biggest positives of the T3 is the rifle makes the caliber debate on .260 Remington, 6.5 Creedmoor and 6.5×55 a non-issue. The advantages of a short action rifle don’t materialize in the T3. Why? In order to keep down costs, those crafty Finns build each T3 on the exact same length action.
As a result, the .308 Winchester T3 will weigh the same as a .300 Win Mag. The only difference between long and short action calibers, aside from the chamber, is the magazine (available in short and long internal dimensions) and where the bolt stop is located on the bolt release assembly. Since there is only one action size, the whole long action vs. short action debate isn’t worth having. Don’t fret, this being the internet and all, I’m sure we’ll find something else to argue about.
Every T3 has the same profile barrel regardless of caliber, so the larger the caliber, the lighter the rifle. Every T3 weighs 3 to 3.1 kilos, which translated to American is approximately 6.6 to 6.8 pounds. That’s plenty light for a wood-stocked hunting rifle, hovering around a full three quarters of a pound lighter than a comparable Remington 700 CDL.
The action itself is a push feed bolt action with a Sako-style extractor and plunger ejector. The Sako extractor is larger, grabbing more of the case rim and as a result, giving greater reliability with a wider array of cartridges. This type extractor is a desirable modification often done by custom shops on push feed rifles. It does indeed eject the cartridges with much more enthusiasm than the competitors. With the Tikka, you don’t need to shell out the extra couple Benjamins for the machining work and parts, the improvements come standard.
The bolt throw is smooth and quick thanks in large part to the 70 degree bolt throw. The shorter throw is noticeably faster and feels more natural.
The strong two locking lug bolt handles cartridges from .204 Ruger all the way up to the brown-bear capable .338 Winchester Magnum. The bolt glides in the well-machined receiver without any grit or hesitation.
The two position safety will be very familiar to most shooters. Pushed to the rear in safe, it locks the action and immobilizes the trigger. It is quiet, positive, and intuitive. In addition, the bolt has a cocking indicator so that you don’t wind up pulling a dead trigger when it counts.
Townsend Whelen famously said “Only accurate rifles are interesting.” Let me tell you, he’d have hovered over the Tikka with drool descending from his stiff upper lip.
Tikka cold hammer forges the T3 barrel on the same machinery as that of their parent company, Sako. Sako rifles are universally extremely accurate and range from somewhat expensive to incredibly expensive. My dad, the biggest hunter in the family, used nothing but a Sako L691 in .300 Weatherby for a long time. Enough Pronghorn, Moose, Bears, Deer, Caribou, Coyotes, Elk and other fuzzy creatures have been felled by that Sako that I’d expect PETA probably has issued a fatwa on that particular rifle.
When he needed something more accurate – for reasons unrelated to anything practical – he stepped up to a custom rifle built by Rifles, Inc. If you feel the need more accuracy than provided by the Tikka, you’ll need to pay for it out the nose. The cold hammer forging of the barrel additionally ensures that accuracy lasts longer than a tour on the SS Minnow.
As the saying goes, the proof is in the pudding…unless you shoot paper targets instead of pudding. I’ve found paper a less satisfying but more scientific approach to accuracy evaluation. Pudding is much better suited for studying terminal performance. Maybe.
At the range this 6.5×55 Hunter consistently shoots 5 shot groups at around an inch off sandbags. My OCD and hand loads can get it down to a about half to three quarter MOA and that’s without locking the rifle into a mechanical rest. Keep in mind that this is a hunting rifle weighing in at 6.65 pounds delivering performance that will run with many factory heavy barreled precision rifles. One half MOA five shot groups is not a realistic or necessary expectation of a light hunting rifle costing around $700, yet here we are.
This is a pretty average group for the factory free floated 1 in 8 twist barrel. Discounting the 1st cold bore shot out of an oiled barrel (we all have our excuses), the group measures a respectable .606 inches. Including that first shot explodes the group to an enormous 1.031.
Using an overall length gauge, the throat on the barrel is insanely long. If you hand load you’ll need to set your OAL to comically long numbers to get within the .01 of the lands that rifles often love. The polymer 3 round single stack detachable box magazine has no trouble holding rounds seated to extremely long lengths. Unlike an H&K, the magazine works best when rounds are put in facing forward.
Strangely, the rifle defies conventional internet wisdom and doesn’t seem to care a great deal about OAL in my ongoing accuracy tests. The engineers at Tikka need to get with the program and comply with the rule that everything you read on the internet is gospel. In reality, the long throat of the 6.5×55 exists to accommodate the moose slaying 6.5mm 160 grain bullets used in Scandinavian countries every hunting season since Benjamin Harrison was President. Should you not remember wild success of the Harrison administration, you’re forgiven since he’s been out of office since 1893.
Know why there are no aftermarket triggers for the T3? They aren’t needed. Every T3, from the bargain T3 Lite to the expensive T3 TAC, comes with the same excellent single stage adjustable trigger. There is no take up, no grit, a glass-rod like break and no perceptible over-travel. I can’t figure out a way to improve the trigger, and apparently neither can the aftermarket trigger manufacturers.
Disassembly involves pushing a button, pulling out the bolt and cleaning the bore. If you’ve survived childhood you can disassemble this rifle. If you’re the type who still isn’t sure if scratching your nose with a running drill is a bad idea…you still pack the required intellect to strip and maintain this rifle. It’s stupid easy. Should you need to remove the action from the stock, you’ll find Torx head screws joining the two, a nice modern touch.
While not a penny is spared on the trigger or barrel, Tikka found a way to simultaneously save money and weight. You will find polymer in the magazine, trigger guard assembly and bolt shroud. This does nothing to make the rifle look or feel cheap.
The Tikka blends classic feel with modern technology and pulls it off nicely. My standard T3 Hunter came with a beautiful walnut stock with lots of figure. This isn’t the kind of rifle you can plink with at hub caps in your Bud Light T-Shirt in and feel good about doing it. Don’t get me wrong, you can still do that. You just will feel like you’re listening to Opera at NASCAR. This is a classy rifle.
What are the drawbacks to the T3 line as a whole? If dangerous game appears on the agenda, the T3 wouldn’t be the optimal choice. I hold true to traditionalist opinion that the controlled round feed is still probably preferable for dangerous game. In addition, the abbreviated three round capacity is a drawback. Will three rounds do the job? Probably. Are more rounds better? ‘Murica. There is a five round magazine available, but the $45 retail price is steep for a polymer magazine. Should you disagree and feel the need to take on things that can maim you back, the T3 is available in heavy hitting calibers that will do the job. Some won’t like the two piece bolt, but I’ve yet to encounter an issue. Honestly, all this is just being picky in order to justify the purchase of some future rifle.
The T3 Hunter model itself isn’t perfect and might not be the best of the T3 line. The polymer stock of the T3 Lite shaves a few ounces off the weight of the Hunter. The checkering on the rifle isn’t as aggressive or classic in appearance as one might like. The recoil pad is not as firm as the steel of an original Swedish Mauser but it could be improved. In heavy calibers the aluminum recoil lug might be an issue. Some don’t like the polymer bolt shroud or factory aluminum rings. I’ve got no major qualms about any of this, but those changes are ones that might make a near-perfect hunting rifle even better.
Obviously Tikka listens to their customers. Responding to these few minor complaints, they recently came out with the T3x. The T3x addresses the feedback while keeping the outstanding barrel, action and trigger the same. I’ll be putting my money where my mouth (or keyboard) is and picking up a T3x in the future.
Unlike the Democrats picking Hillary Clinton as their nominee, you’ll want to buy the Tikka T3 Hunter intentionally on its own merits and without need for collusion, threat or secret deals brokered in meetings on private planes. There are cheaper rifles and there are better rifles, but there aren’t lighter and more accurate rifles out there at anywhere near this price point. I don’t know what more you could realistically expect.
If you’re in the market for a new bolt action hunting rifle, you’d be doing yourself a disservice to fail to take a long look at the Tikka T3 line.
SPECIFICATIONS: Tikka T3 Hunter
Caliber: 6.5×55
Barrel: 24” barrel with 1:8 twist
Weight: 6.7 lbs.
Operation: Push feed bolt action
Finish: Blued
Capacity: 3
Price: $700 street
Ratings (out of five stars):
Accuracy: * * * * *
At this price point you’d be nuts to expect a more accurate rifle than the Tikka. At double the price point I doubt you’d notice a difference in your group sizes. I decided not to replace the factory scope rings and many small groups later don’t see a need to.
Ergonomics: * * * *
The stock is very generic and designed to fit everybody, so as a result it doesn’t fit anybody perfectly. I would love to see a right hand palm swell and softer recoil pad, but overall, the rifle feels great.
Ergonomics Firing: * * * * *
It’s all about the trigger. Pick it up and try it out. That’s all I can say. The 70 degree bolt throw is a noticeable improvement over the competition.
Reliability: * * * * *
No issues here. It would take a Department of Defense design by committee approach to screw up the simple stupid reliability of a bolt action rifle and a couple hundred bucks to bring the ejection of your Remington or Savage up to the same level.
Customization: * * * *
Unlike other bolt guns, you don’t need to do much. It comes with a very nice set of scope rings and sling mounts, all you have to do is fill both. There are plenty parts available out there from stocks to scope bases that fit the T3….but no triggers…because the T3 trigger is perfect.
Overall: * * * * *
Lighter than a comparable Remington or Savage and more accurate as well. If you’re looking for a serious hunting rifle, the T3 should fill the bill.
Honestly, I’m still a big fan of 7.62x54R and .30-06 for my bolt guns. The former is cheap and relatively plentiful, while still being good enough for medium range shots. The latter has the ability to reach out to 600 yards (the longest range in driving distance of me) with excellent precision.
I never got into the entire ultra-long range thing. For one, I don’t have a place where I can DO it, for another, it requires far more cash than I am willing to spend on a tool I will never use to its full potential.
For staying inside 600 yards, there is nothing wrong with sticking to .30-06, if you don’t mind the recoil (it seems you don’t).
Don’t let the haters win.
I actually normally only like milsurp rifles, but you’re making me curious about this little wonder………..
When I see Tikka or Sako, I think Finland. When I think Finland, I think of the best Mosins ever. Why don’t I have one of those yet? Oh wait, today is my birthday. *cheeky grin* There’s always time for an M39 : D
Those Tikkas are incredible little rifles, and the 6.5×55 is an equally cool round to shoot in one.
What Vortex scope is that? Is it one of the new Razor HD lite hunter models? If so how do you like it?
It’s a Diamondback HP 3-12×42 with their BDC reticle. It’s really clear and the BDC works well, although you have to dope it because the 6.5×55 is a little flatter shooting so it isn’t dead on at the advertised ranges. I’ve become a fan of Vortex optics. I scooped this one up at Cabelas for $180 and am happy enough that I doubt I’ll remove it in favor of something else any time soon.
Awesome, thanks! I too am a huge vortex fanboy.
Every firearm with optics on it in my safe currently is wearing something from Vortex.
I’ve had a T3 Lite SS in .270 for the last 7 years and it is hands down the best bolt action for the money. My dad’s also got a T3 Lite in .25-06 and a T3 Laminate in .300WSM they all shoot MOA with factory ballistic tip hunting loads and we’re not even that amazing of shooters. One hunting buddy has already bought one after shooting mine and another buddy is saving up. Since the rifle is so light we put Limbsaver’s on them which is nice for the medium calibers and very welcome on Magnums. Scott’s right the trigger is amazing and the bolt is so smooth and buttery that every other rifle I pick up in the gun stores feels terrible. I will say that the Lite models have a polymer stock that some traditionalists don’t like, very light and they say plastic feeling so they should get the wood stocked Hunter reviewed here. I haven’t had one problem with mine and the only mod I’ve done is make a cheek riser that straps on to get that perfect and repeatable shooting position every time.
That .25-06 is another caliber that I’ve long thought of picking up. I’m a caliber weirdo. What has your dad used it on?
spectacular antelope round
He uses it for Deer and Antelope, he took an nice Antelope at 380yds with it out in Wyoming. It would be good for coyote’s and other similar sized game as well. It’s a little harder to find locally but if you’re handloading you’re set plus I think there’s quite a bit of room for tinkering with it over factory loads.
Just picked up the T3 LIte in 25-06 for West TX deer hunt. Great rifle and great round. Although my shot was less than 100 yards I was comfortable enough with it to go to 300. Have a Nikon Prostaff 4-12×40 BDC on it. Dropped a nice 9 point in his tracks. Will be looking at another one soon. The Limbsaver would be a nice addition. You wont regret buying one.
Tikka’s are really nice and the actions are really smooth, and at this weight it would be really nice to carry. I have the Savage lightweight hunter but this Tikka is probably a little better.
In my non professional opinion, for the handloader, there isn’t a need to spend the money on some of the more expensive Sako’s, unless you really want that silky smooth action. Buy the cheapest savage or rem 700 you can get. Add $300 custom barrel (which length and threading you could specify), $400-$600 on a nice stock or chassis and you have an extremely ergonomic, 3/4 MOA gun.
The barrels all come off the same machinery for both the Tikka and Sako line so I’d agree that there isn’t a great deal of gain in accuracy for the exponential jump in price. However, with a cheap thrashed 700 ($350), barrel and install ($450), Sako extractor ($150), new stock ($300)…you can break the $1,000 mark really quick. If you buy a stock T3 Lite from your local Bass Pro for $600 OTD, you’ve got a sub MOA rifle out of the box. I know it sounds like a sales pitch, but after spending a lot of my own money doing just what you recommended, I think the Tikka is just as good if not better and at a lower cost. I’d really give them a try. Nothing wrong with a nice custom 700, but if money is a big part of the equation a 700 is like the house from the movie The Burbs. Always something new to spend money on. 🙂
The Tikka T3x CTR in .260 is my next purchase. I sold my Remington 700 and my Cooper 52 is surplus to my needs and wants. I’ll probably still get a Ruger Precision Rifle…well…because everyone else has one.
[Scott Cobun says: I’ll probably still get a Ruger Precision Rifle…well…because everyone else has one.]
Really enjoyed the article and you articulated for me a lot of what I feel about the Tikka T3 Forest in .308 Win. I just purchased. With a Leupold VX-2 CDS Scope, 3-9 x 50 on it and a spiffy leather sling with a little bling work (just because this rifle feels fancy), she is a dandy. My other rifles are tactical and synthetic and black but then there is this sweet thing. Took it to the range and it was love at first group. Love the lightness, the look, the shape of it, the trigger (which I backed down to just over 2 lbs.) and overall performance of this rifle. I saved over $300 bucks by getting the T3 rather than the TX3. The so-called “improvements” the TX3 offers, just don’t seem important to me and especially after having one in my hands. The TX3 offers a larger port for “easier hand feeding” but there is something very wrong with you if you need anything to be easier than the T3. Seriously! Set a round in and the bolt puts it in the breech smooth as butter. Why would you would need a larger port is beyond me. Oh, and the T3X Forest has a metal shroud over the read of the bolt too. For $300 bucks, I promise I do not care. Honestly, for the $548 plus $10 shipping I paid and the way it feels, looks and, above all, shoots, this rifle is too good a deal to pass up. I did look hard and long at the 6.5×55 but went with .308 for the ease of procuring rounds for it. This is my deer rifle replacing my .458 SOCOM as my companion in the trees.
Now my only question is, why would you invest your money in a Ruger Precision Rifle when you can have the Tikka TX3 TAC A1 for a few hundred more. I own the TAC rifle also and that was $1,580 well-spent dollars also. (purchase from Whittaker Guns – the actual store) I got that one in 6.5 CRD and it is a 1/2 MOA rifle. (I just looked and the TAC is now just over $1700 online… not sure how I got it at that price but not complaining). I’ve read reviews by guys who own $10,000 precision rifles and they say they are no more accurate than their TAC. IMHO, Tikka = high value
Hmmm. Even what you describe may be overkill for the kind of accuracy you are talking about.
I’ve got a Rem 700 bought for about $350 in the early 90’s. About $45 for a Rem certified trigger job and a homespun barrel floating + glass bedding of the recoil lug in the factory wooden stock.
It’s got an el cheapo ($70 new in early 90’s) scope on it.
With handloads, it routinely turns out 1/2 MOA groups when I do my part (I call and log shots immediately after shooting, before looking at target), carefully and often tested at 300 yards. It scores consistent hits on 4″ x 8″ steel targets at 500 yards, and misses are easily attributable to my errors in wind doping.
So, one does not need to spend tons of $$ to get 3/4 MOA. In my opinion, the secret is in establishing some basics (good trigger, floated barrel, etc) and providing GOOD ammo (via handloads in my case…admittedly, that rifle tends to hate factory ammo of every variety I’ve tried).
Half your accuracy is in your round.
One of the best reviews, including my own, that I’ve read in a long time. Great job.
On the rifle, if you want to see what can be done well and cheap, the Tikka is the line to look toward. And the caliber is perfect for the rifle.
Thanks for the compliment, it is appreciated. I am glad you enjoyed it.
6.5 is the master race. Deal with it.
AND!!!
You can get an MDT light chassis for it!
Howa vs. Tikka
What do you guys think?
You really can’t lose either way,though I lean toward the Tikkas.
I shot one of these in 22-250 this weekend at the range (my buddy’s gun). All I can say is that it was a tack driver and a pleasure to shoot.
Great review. I’m also surprised TTAG hadn’t already reviewed it.
I want it. ???
I’m very happy with my Browning Medallion II in 30-06, and piles of meat banked in the freezer attest to its accuracy (or rather my abilities with this particular rifle), so I don’t have to measure holes in paper. But DANG you’ve got me interested in this rifle. Simple and beautiful. Even less expensive (but far less attractive) shooters can be found in the Savage bolt actions. I’m very happy with the performance of my Savage in .300 wsm, but not so much the round. I’m looking at consolidating calibers and .300 wsm probably won’t make the final cut. I was going to go with the Savage in .308, but you just gave me pause. Excellent review, informative and witty.
Your mention of Savage reminded me of something that bugs me about bolt guns, whether they are cheap or not, although obviously expensive ones are more confounding. I know the armed intelligentsia does not truck with magazine reviews but American Rifleman has a well defined protocol. That protocol is
that if a gun has lousy groups we’ll gloss over it in the textthe average of 5, 5 shot groups. In fairness to AR that is pretty rigorous compared to the best “3 shot group and don’t count that one ’cause it’s a flyer” that most people/magazines (not clips) go by. The current American Rifleman has a perfect example: the Ruger American has a best group/average of 0.74/1.28 while the admittedly more expensive POF AR has a worst group/average of 1.29/1.11 with an overall of 2.05 vs. 0.91. For dangerous game guns the delta is even larger. I don’t have the reviews handy but I think it is safe to say that a thumper AR in .50 Beowulf is considerably more accurate than a lever gun in a similar loading. I am not an AR fanboi, and I don’t operate operationally, but I don’t see why a bolt gun or lever is superior to a semi platform in the same chambering.Good point. I never was one to obsess over MOA, if i can consistently put shots where i need them to go that’s close enough for rock ‘n roll for me. The deer drop. That said, the Browning shoots better than i do and when i sight it in every year i get holes touching. The Savage is right there, but again i’m not in love with the caliber and do have some buyer’s remorse on going with .300 wsm. I may keep it in case i ever have the opportunity for a Western hunt, but it’s just a bit of overkill in my neck of the woods, “woods” being the operative term. Plus it kicks so damn hard it loosened the scope mounts, so i had to go with Talleys (which proved effective). But my AR10 in .308 is consistently accurate to my capabilities and i’ve come to really like the caliber, hence my thoughts of ditching the .300 wsm and moving to another .308. I’ve yet to take a deer with .308, but so far I’ve been impressed.
Great review, thanks. This looks like the upgrade to the old trusty Win70-270.
Dunno WHY I need an upgrade, exactly…;)
Uh…ok, scanning the catalog- TACTICOOL!
http://www.tikka.fi/en-us/rifles/tikka-t3x/t3x-compact-tactical-rifle
Gorgeous gun and a really great review. Definitely top 5 for the competition. Funny and informative.
Really well written and very enjoyable to read! I was surprised at how good it was and your understanding of the technical aspects of the Tikka was excellent.
You get my vote.
Today from dad to dad a TIKKA T3 HUNTER in 260 rem. Fitting a zeiss HD5 5×25 x50 bar it 85 reticle scope , could be a wining combination
This has been my deer hunting rifle for the past 4 years. Accurate, light (even with wood stock) and smooth to operate. Great gun in a great caliber. Factory ammo is limited but 140 grain Accubonds and 4350 work great.
I had wanted a Tikka for several years and finally bought my Tikka T3 Hunter this year. I thought it had a real wood stock, and found out it the walnut stock is actually synthetic,,,,,and the recoil was tremendous. I should have known based on the weight of the rifle. I bought the Limb Saver and it made a world of difference. Do you know if there is an actual wood stock out there that you can purchase for Tikka rifles?
I truly enjoyed the article! A great read filled with useful information for seasoned and novice alike. Thanks for putting the effort into presenting such useful well written insight.
Great review ..thanks I’ve been looking for a new/used bolt action Remington or Winchester when I was at my gun dealer he handed me a Tikka, I got to say I loved the smooth action I’m getting ready to order mine in a few weeks I’m still figurout the caliper I want, leaning toward the 7mm mag
The barrel on my 6.5 Swede T3 Hunter is listed at 22 and 7/16 inches long, not 24.
Love my rifle, wish the wood to barrel gap on the stock was a bit tighter.
Picked up a Tx3 in 270 recently. Topped her with a DNZ Game Reaper and Vortex DB HP4016x42. Took her out twice to the local 100y range and shot about 40 rounds each. First outing was with miscellaneous factory rounds (I have other 270’s) just to get on the paper and beyond the bore sighting. On the second trip I brought some Nosler 140gn Accubonds that I cooked up in various sequential charge weights in order to find “The Load”…. – Didn’t happen. The best the thing would product off the sandbags was 2″@ 100yds. (minus the fliers) which occurred at a rate of 1-2 per five rounds, quite consistently. I concluded that this is most likely due to the fact that the barrel is not fully floated. I ran the old dollar bill down the barrel-stock gap and it stopped 3.5” shy of the receiver.
Second to none, 3 MOA Guarantee or otherwise…Don’t believe the Hype. This is not the gun to take ethical shots on game at 200 yards. As much as Tikka goes on and on about their new but not so great innovations and accuracy, they also state that they will charge $70 to validate a customer issue. If found to be true they will refund the fee. But they also state that they rarely do and suggest that most of their complaints are unfounded. This alone says all you need to know about a brand.
To be fair, Tikka has the best trigger I have ever pulled on a stock gun. I was equally impressed with the silky smooth bolt. Ironically, despite the bolt and the trigger, the thing sprays at 100yds and should not be taken at all seriously as a hunting rifle. Therefore, In the given circumstances I cannot recommend Tikka at all to anyone unless Tikka can prove to me that this is a fluke and they are willing to stand behind their product and not my $70.
Fletch Jr- I cannot comment on your particular rifle. My Tikka T3 Forrest is chambered in 6.5×55 Swede. I handloaded 46 gr of RL-22 with a Nosler 140 grain Partition in new Lapua Brass, and at 100 yards- I put 3 shots in a dime. My Tikka is topped with a Zeiss Conquest Z800 scope.
Fletch,
I’m going through the same thing. We bought a .25-06 T3x and the best it’ll do is 1.5 MOA every now and then. It mostly does 2+ MOA.
I’ve tried 4 types of ammo from Hornady, Federal, Remington and Winchester in 3 weights (100gr, 117gr and 115gr). I’ve tried 2 scopes and 2 different mounts. 3 people have tried to shoot it and all 3 got the exact same results.
All shooting was done from a bench.
I bought a in-lbs torque wrench to check the action screws and bought some Hoppe’s Copper bore cleaner to make sure it wasn’t copper fouling.
Still can’t get it to shoot worth a d##n.
My first call to Beretta, they wanted me to pay for shipping, plus $75 and return shipping if they didn’t find any issues (which they never do).
I called a second time and spoke to someone different and they agreed to pay for shipping.
I just found out today, though, that they were somehow able to get .5 MOA out of it and are sending it back with no changes. They are going to list out exactly which mounts, scopes and ammo they used.
So, even if you believe them (I don’t), this rifle is only accurate if I use a certain scope with a certain mount with a certain weight of a certain manufacturer’s ammo using just the right bullet.
F##k this company and I’m never buying another Beretta/Tikka/Sako/Franchi/Benelli/Whatever again.
I had been looking at getting a Franchi bolt action in either 6.5 Creedmoor or .30-06, but not now.
I can get 1 MOA out of my old Model 70 from Walmart with basic core-lokts. I can get 1 MOA out of my old Handi-Rifles.
But the one time I decide to spend $800 on something nice, I get junk in return.
I have both aT3 lite in .308 with a Bushnell 3-9×40 and a T3x in .308 with a Nightforce SHV 4-14×56 MOAR. Both shoot very nice groups at 100 yards averaging in the 1 MOA size, but where the T3x excels is 200 plus (zero is 200) and I can usually average 1-1 1/2 MOA out to 400 yards (shoot from bench with bipod and rear bag).
Anyone who’s yet to shoot a Tikka needs too or better yet just purchase one and enjoy.
To dan zimmeran–I was all set to buy this gun until i held one in person.The stock is LAMINATE or VENERR WALNUT.Does Tikka make ANY solid walnut stocks? I could care less about weight.What makes this worse i had called beretta and they said the hunter model is SOLID WALNUT as did a popular aftermarket parts co. for Tikka.As good a article that You wrote…..it was INCOMPLETE.As ronald reagan said ”Trust but Verify”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
To dan zimmeran- I had the SAME concerns.I did my homework and was VERY let down when i got to the TRUTH of the stock material.Berreta LIED to me about.Finally a salesman at the sportsman’s where house told me the truth! I am now going to look at the weatherby vanguard sporter and deluxe models.It is PURE PRINCIPALS to me!!!
Is the stock neutral or does it have a cast? I shoot left handed, prefer a right handed rifle but need a neutral stock to make it work. Thanks in advance.
I had a Tikka T3 lite in .270 for 4 years til it got stolen. Now I have a Tikka T3x Forest rifle in .30-06 and what a wonderful rifle. It is extremely accurate! I am retired military and I have shot many rifles and this is by far the most accurate rifle I have ever shot. I put a Leupold VX-2 4-12x40mm AO scope on it with a Matte LR Duplex. I hit whatever I aim at. The .30-06 gives me a lot of bullet weights to play with which is fun. The .270 only had 2 or 3 weights, boring. I love the Walnut. The Forest has many improvements over the Lite. I paid $1100+ on this rifle and it is worth every penny. I highly recommend any Tikka and or Sako rifle, you will not be disappointed. It comes with a certificate of accuracy from the Finland government. Smooth as butter baby.
I have a Tikka T3 Forest in .243. With factory loads, especially 95 grain Federal Fusion, and 100 grain Hornady American Whitetail, it will shoot almost one ragged hole at 100 yards consistently. It’s my coyote rifle, and my deer rifle. It was worth every penny, and I plan on adding a .270 Win to the collection for black bears.
Collecting Mosin Nagants is what got me started on Finnish built rifles. It’s a country that prides itself on precision and quality. I don’t think the Finns could ever put out a terrible product. Heck, they used to take Russian built Mosin Nagants are completely rebuild them in the field into more accurate and reliable rifles!
What I really like about these rifles, and it’s clearly stated in the manual, is that their wood stocks are nearly weatherproof. It seems every aspect of hunting was considered when building these rifles.
Got a Tikka T3x in another 6.5 caliber and it met the accuracy guarantee with 2 loads of factory Hornady ammo, no problem. Out of the box though, if I had not torn it down I doubt it would have shot a 4 in group. The stock screws were barely snug. I do not get the trigger comments. Yes the trigger is set lighter than most from the factory and can be adjusted lighter. The Tikka trigger however has no adjustment for take up (sear engagement) and none for overtravel. I have experience with 6 Tikka T3 recently and all were about the same. The trigger geometry is good and pull is fairly crisp but the overtravel is huge compared to a really good trigger. I have several Rem 700s of recent production and Kimbers that have much better trigger designs. The Kimber is just about perfect from the factory. The Remington is heavy from the factory but adjusts to a 3 – 3.5 lb pull easily. The design has adjustment for sear engagement and overtravel and factory settings have been excellent. If I shoot the Tikka after a session with one of the 700s or the Kimbers I notice the difference immediately. The Tikka trigger is good but not great. I was really disappointed after I got the Tikka and had a chance to check out the trigger especially considering all the great reviews (best factory trigger ever?). I guess a light trigger is now considered a great trigger. The Tikka trigger reminds me of another average overrated trigger, the Savage accutrigger.
I bought a brand new Tikka T3x Hunter in .30-06. Good looking rifle with the Walnut stock and the SS fluted barrel. I paid GOOD, BIG money for this rifle. Right out the gate, the rifle had problems. At the range sighting in, the bolt was hard to close with a cartridge in the chamber. The action was smooth and easy if there was nothing in the chamber, but, difficult to close with a cartridge in the chamber. I contacted Tikka/Beretta, and I`m not only not impressed with their customer service, I`m extremely disappointed with it. They were rude, condescending, and hard to deal with. Rather than return a rifle I paid over $1000 for back to the factory, that had been so rude to me, I had my gunsmith resolve the issue. He was able to do so, without me having to send my rifle either to the factory, who bumbled the manufacture of the rifle from the beginning, or to one of their “factory authorized service centers”, and miss the Indiana firearms season. The rifle seems to be fairly accurate, but at this point, Tikka/Beretta couldn`t buy my loyalty or confidence back if they gave me the rifle for nothing. The manufacturing quality was critically lacking right out of the gate, their factory personnel were rude and mostly indifferent, and for the money and all the hype, the rifle hardly measures up to what it`s supposed to be.
I have a T3 lite with the stainless barrel and black synthetic stock in 30-06. Hands down the best shooting rifle I own. Why some have an attitude about the synthetic stock is beyond me. I have had this outfit in some horrible weather conditions and Never had any issues.
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