Rammer

I can vouche for Tikka here. I owned one for the better part of 4-5 years, put 3800+ rds down its tube (all hot handloads), and the rifle never skipped a beat. This was my truck gun, it was in my pickup I'd bet 320 days a year, it took an ass kicking. I finally did trade it off for a Browning A-Bolt 25WSSM. I wouldn't have gotten rid of it, but I have 2 other 243s, and I didn't feel like slapping down a big wad of cash at the gunshop, so I walked out to the pickup and grabbed that Tikka. I was planning on re-barreling it to 243 AI once the accuracy started to dwindle. I stopped back at the shop where I traded it, and it was already sold.

I will own another Tikka. I keep waiting for them to chamber one in 7mm WSM, and I'll bite on it in a heart beat. I don't think its ever going to happen, so I might get one in 270 or 300WSM.........

I did one a Tikka T3 Varmint in 223 for about 2 months. I couldn't get it to shoot anything how I wanted. That gun went down the road, and I brought home a *cough* *cough* Savage special run gun in 243, and its a mighty fine shooter. I haven't really shot it for groups, but off my bipod with my coyote load it will do 3 shots under 3/4".

crimedog

Face it, the days of 20 year employee's are over. That means the FNG at Savage, Browning, Remington or whoever built your gun. I expect every gun I buy is going to the smith, I'm almost regulated to buying pawnshop guns for the actions and redoing everything. Barrels are mass produced and the chambers are rough, the ream used to cut it was old and too much heat was built up, the chamber wasn't polished after, the chamber was too long for great accuracy, the crown is uneven, rifling is rough and uneven. Action lugs don't have even contact, action isn't square, feed rampis rough and beat up the nose of the bullet, bolt face is rough and uneven. Stocks have uneven contact.

oldelkhunter

WoW Double A that is all I can say






Ok that is enough FC,Double A and BigCountry you have officially put a damper on my Tikka buy.

The Famous Grouse

Guys, maybe it's just me, but I think it's a rare, rare gun out there that can consistently shoot anything even close to what it's capable of with factory ammo. The problem is that like everything else, there's variation in factory ammo that's way beyond what one gets is one is a careful and consistent handloader.

This point was brought home to me by a rifleman who really knew his way around the loading bench. He showed me a few things about how to customize bullet seating for an individual rifle. Wow! As in holy freaking cow, what a difference.

In addition to playing with the usual bullet and powder combinations, once I got the bullet seating down it was amazing. I could sort the loaded rounds into two groups after final measurements. Rounds that varied by more than a couple of thousandths from what he helped me determine was idea for that rifle would consistently produce groups that were on averageabout ana half inchor more larger. Rounds that wereright on the money as far as seating, shot groups that I'd never have thought possible with a factory rifle.

Of course there's going to be variation in every rifle, but just for kicks take some micrometer measurements of the total length of factory ammo from, say, 5 different boxes. I'm thinking the variation in the ammo is more of a factor than the inherent accuracy of the gun.

Grouse

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Briman

One of my friends who bought a T3 (in 270)complained said to me that he was having a hard time sighting it in because he was getting 5" groups with it. I took him to the range, and watched him shoot, sure enough, he was all over the target. I took 3 shots with it and was pretty concerned that the 2 of the shots were off target because I could only see one hole through the scope- you guessed it, the three shots were touching eachother.

Another friend bought a T3 in 30-06 a week later (we all work together and talk about guns together), it also shot sub-moa.

Sometimes (most of the time) the shooter is the limiting factor that determines how well a rifle will shoot.

From the context, I believe that FC was talking about a savage rifle, not a Tikka.

Todd1700

I now own two t-3's and both shoot pretty amazing groups even with factory ammo. After shooting my t-3'sthree of my friends were so impressed that they have now purchased one. I am happy to report that they are all thrilled with the accuracy they are getting as well. I guess a clunker is possible with anything but I have yet to personally encounter at-3 thatwas a poor shooter. Here is a group from my 25-06 t-3. For a gun in this price range they are hard to beat.

Todd1700

bigcountry

Briman, I had my experience with the rifle. I don't like it and feel its junk. I am glad you do. You ought to buy 10-20 more.

oldelkhunter

Todd have you ever had a chance to chronograph that 25-06 ?