Tikka Rifles
 

I was talking accurate rifles with the RO at the Bald Mountain shooting range this weekend. He indicated to me that of all the factory produced rifles that he has seen in the last three years that Tikka is by far producing the most accurate rifles that he sees out on the range. He says that he sees the same accuracy from the Tikka's as he sees from the Sako's with a lower cost of course.

He showed me some targets that were shot with a Tikka in 30-06 and the groups were very small I would say about 3/4" to 1". He claims that the bullets used were regular hunting ammo.

The RO that I was talking to was definetly an accuracy snob. He showed me some of his targets shot from one of those high accuracy rifles that look really strange and his groups measured just over the diamter of a bullet. Two and three shot groups consistently one ragged hole. He must have shown me over 30 of his targets. There was one where there was a little bit of spread, about a 1/2" group. I said what happen here. He said, I was just playing around. I laughed.

That kind of eye witness account means a lot to me. This is a guy who sees hundreds of rifles per week.

BTW - We got on the topic because there was a guy at the range with a brand new H-S Precision rifle in 300 WinMag with a super nice Swarovsky scope on it. He was barely able to hold a 1.5" group at 100 yards. Needless to say the guy was pissed.

Tom

RE: Tikka Rifles
 

Doesn't surprise me since Tikkas have the same barrel that Sakos do. I don't own a Tikka, but I do have a couple of Sakos and I've been very pleased with them. I handled a Tikka in a store once and the bolt was slicker than any I've ever handled.

I recall a particular day at the range a couple of years ago. There was this guy there shooting a Tikka Deluxe Whitetail Hunter in .300 Win Mag. He was shooting factory ammo and he showed me his targets. All groups were nice little 1/2 to 3/4 inch triangles. I was impressed to say the least.

RE: Tikka Rifles
 

I just got my T3, but during the initial load workup I used the ladder method and have a group ten 6 shots in one big hole that is just under 3/4 MOA, with 8 total right at 1 MOA.

I've had it to the range twice, but the last time I took it out to shoot refine the load that was in the "sweet spot" according to the ladder test, I got one really nice 3/4" group and then the accuracy went to hell but I couldn't at first figure out why. It would shoot them all over the paper and the best "group" was almost 3"! It wasn't until about 10 shots later that I realized that my scope rings were just loose enough that the scope had scooted forward under recoil until the turret assembly way touching the front ring. Guess I didn't get all the oil out of the threads before I locktited the screws down, and recoil did the rest! [:@]

At least it's not the rifles fault...I was worried that the stupid thing was going to turn out to be a crappy shooter and I'd have to send it back.

Mike

Here's a pic:

RE: Tikka Rifles
 

FYI:

The median load that shot the 6 shot group is a 180gr. Barnes TSX propelled by 67.7gr of RL-19, Federal 215M Gold Match primers, W-W nickel-brass. Cartridge is .300 WSM.

Mike

RE: Tikka Rifles
 

I have a laminated stainless tikka T3 in 338 WM. Its a very nice rifle, excellent trigger, very accurate and a joy to carry aorund at 7.5lbs with scope. It was fairly brutal to shoot off the bench before I have a muzzle break put on it though.

RE: Tikka Rifles
 

If you knew anything about these rifles you wouldn't bring this up since its evidently shooter error. YOu can 't buy accuracy.

RE: Tikka Rifles
 

Same Sako barrel and that is the extent of it.. one size fits all action..plastic magazine,floorplate and bolt shroud. Trigger a combo of aluminum and steel..just great 2 different metals with different expansion characteristics., Ok for the day hunter but no wilderness gun ..I like real steel.

RE: Tikka Rifles
 

OEH, those continentals and old Whitetails sure was nice however.

RE: Tikka Rifles
 

Nicer then the current T3 yes. I picked up a few the last few weeks and to say I am totally unimpressed would be an understatement. Spend the extra couple of hundred and buy a real gun Sako 75..at least no plastic except stock and dead reliable gun. Its 20 degreee below zero and your polycarbonate bolt shroud cracks on your Tikka what do you do next ?:D

RE: Tikka Rifles
 

I thought the older Tikka were nice, and I hate the T3.