Tikka for me, no contest. purely on quality control issues. Ruger still seem to be suffering from a dodgy reputation with regards to getting a lemon. some are great, some are not. most need trigger work. the skinny polymer stocks don't feel right ( for me, that is. but i note with interest that a Hogues stocked ruger is now available in australia, which may solve my stock reservations). it's a shame, because i want something in a classic cartridge - either 257 roberts, or 7mm x 57 - and bill's mob are the only ones who chamber those rounds in reasonably priced rigs. but i just don't feel like the odds of getting a keeper are high enough. if they can regain the reputation for accuracy, i'll spend the money. ( anecdote: early this year, a lad at our local range purchased a new Ruger No1, only to discover that the chamber was out-of-round! the damn thing was oval! it was rectified by the importer - dare i suggest that they probably just reamed it out, creating an oversize problem -, but those sorts of happenings destroy reputations in a field where precision is everything ).

tikka's biggest advantage is that they can truthfully claim to use Sako's know-how and quality processes, in a "budget" priced setup. sure, you get polymer where steel would be preferable, but they still largely shoot great. I have a Tikka T3 Varmint in 22/250, and it shoots 5 into 1/2 MOA regularly with handloads with no mods to the rifle at all.

of course, all things are relative. if leo is about to chewmy arm off, andi need guaranteed extraction ofmy 458 lott, the ruger ( or even better, the CZ) suddenly seems more appealing. pick your usage, then pick your rifle.

PS - to all those who posted Ruger, coz they're american made, i'm still pissing myself laughing. the rest of the world is still out here, you know. cheers .