A lot of love for Tikka around here.

Ralphie

WKR
Joined
Feb 18, 2019
Messages
340
LMAO......You'll have better luck pole vaulting 20ft in the next Olympics than seeing any such video.
That may be because I don’t own the 308 tikka or any tikkas and they are not in my possession. The 308 tikka that I mentioned would jam frequently was borrowed for my kids to use and we haven’t used it in 5-6 years. My kids have grown up and use my rifle now.

I did like the idea of the 308 youth tikka for a smaller kid. And accuracy wise it was fine.

On my October 2022 elk hunt when my friend‘s tikka jammed, twice, me and the other friend were too busy trying to glass the bull and hold horses to be doing any filming.

You can LMAO all you want. I haven’t made a single part of this up. Not too sure why the tikka sports take this so personal. Just relating some experience with them.

Have at them. It doesn’t impact my hunting at all.

It is a little interesting that my comments on tikkas jamming are LMAO at when there are videos on YouTube on how to fix tikkas jamming. I didn’t even know that until they were mentioned in this thread.

I also watched a Ruger American jam twice this summer in the hands of a long time govt hunter Trying to shoot a coyote. We might as well get that discussion going too.
 

mxgsfmdpx

WKR
Joined
Oct 22, 2019
Messages
4,183
Location
Central Arizona
Why should he need to send in any videos? Just to have about 20 guys pile on and tell him he’s doing something wrong?
Shit, just believe the guy and let it go. Life’s too short…..
I believe him and would like to see it is all. Nothing more to it than that from my side. Life’s too short…..
 

Rob5589

WKR
Joined
Sep 6, 2014
Messages
6,243
Location
N CA
3 so far for me. The latest a SL in 7/08, which hasn't impressed me with the accuracy. But it's new and have tried only one load, which shoots very well in my other 7/08. Time will tell.

Vertical grips are a must do for me, everything else is a want to do.
 

PNWGATOR

WKR
Joined
Oct 14, 2014
Messages
2,612
Location
USA
That may be because I don’t own the 308 tikka or any tikkas and they are not in my possession. The 308 tikka that I mentioned would jam frequently was borrowed for my kids to use and we haven’t used it in 5-6 years. My kids have grown up and use my rifle now.

I did like the idea of the 308 youth tikka for a smaller kid. And accuracy wise it was fine.

On my October 2022 elk hunt when my friend‘s tikka jammed, twice, me and the other friend were too busy trying to glass the bull and hold horses to be doing any filming.

You can LMAO all you want. I haven’t made a single part of this up. Not too sure why the tikka sports take this so personal. Just relating some experience with them.

Have at them. It doesn’t impact my hunting at all.

It is a little interesting that my comments on tikkas jamming are LMAO at when there are videos on YouTube on how to fix tikkas jamming. I didn’t even know that until they were mentioned in this thread.

I also watched a Ruger American jam twice this summer in the hands of a long time govt hunter Trying to shoot a coyote. We might as well get that discussion going too.
Why did they jam?

Sincerely.

I honestly want to know how this mechanical failure happened and why.

Root cause?
 

Spoonbill

WKR
Joined
Jan 15, 2020
Messages
689
Pull the bolt back all the way, push the bolt forward all the way--> Bullet gets chambered. If you get nervous and get a hitch in this process, yes, you can have an issue with a jam. Controlled round feeds take care of this issue and are considered more of a dangerous game action for this reason. Outside of those who are new shooters, I have never seen problems with cycling a sako/tikka.

Regarding 300WSMs, they are known to have feed issues in a number of guns, and slight adjustments in mags/feed lips sometimes need to be made. With this said, I have a 300 wsm in a Tikka and have not had issues with shells loaded to various COALs with different bullets/manufactures. It is a fantastic cartridge. I have a couple Tikkas and love them. Accurate, good stock ergonomics, great trigger, good aftermarket support. Wish they had a 3 position safety, but I have not found a perfect gun outside of a custom. I will likely purchase more in the future.
I have no clue if these safeties actually work or the quality of them but, someone is making a 3 position Tikka safety.
 

Trevor96

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Aug 27, 2020
Messages
152
Location
Wi
I jammed my tikka Sunday. My fingers habitually reached up to grab the ejecting case, thus deflecting the it back into the action while I was doing forms hunting drill. Complete operator error, and could have happened with any rifle. But it is possible to jam one - if you cycle the gun like a moron.
I did the same a few days ago but it was while shooting at a coyote. I missed the first shot and of course by the time I got it cleared out the coyote was long gone
 

Antares

WKR
Joined
Jan 13, 2021
Messages
1,724
Location
Alaska
Why should he need to send in any videos? Just to have about 20 guys pile on and tell him he’s doing something wrong?
Shit, just believe the guy and let it go. Life’s too short…..

He said it happened “almost every time.” I thought if the issue presented so consistently, it would be easy for him to video and interesting to see.
 
Joined
Nov 14, 2020
Messages
1,002
I got the impression it was a 300 WSM? Also that this cartridge can experince feeding issues? Asking a question, not poking at the 300 WSM.

BTW I have a T3x in 30-06 and an Xbolt in .243 Win. Love them both. I also have a very early R700 that I don’t use any more but love for sentimental reasons.
 
Joined
May 28, 2013
Messages
1,373
Location
Littleton, CO
There’s a used one in store up the road for cheap. Taking every once of me not to go buy it and auction it here to highest bidder ;).

Seriously I’ve been stalking it for two weeks now. Take out shipping/FFL costs to transfer it would be a great deal for someone.
Tell the masses where it's at so they can clear it from your mind
 
Joined
Dec 30, 2014
Messages
8,175
All my tikka, xbolt, and m700 “jams” with short mags were caused by ejected brass hitting the scope and bouncing back into chamber. I recognize that historically there has been issues with these cases and feeding but they seem pretty rare now on factory rifles. My m700 uses single stack center feed bdl because the smith said staggered often feeds like garbage with SAUMs. I’ll say my tikka HCA mags will jam with shorter (sub 3” COAL) SAUM rounds too.
 

Macintosh

WKR
Joined
Feb 17, 2018
Messages
1,934
...You can LMAO all you want. I haven’t made a single part of this up. Not too sure why the tikka sports take this so personal. Just relating some experience with them...

It is a little interesting that my comments on tikkas jamming are LMAO at when there are videos on YouTube on how to fix tikkas jamming. I didn’t even know that until they were mentioned in this thread...
I have no doubt, it just raises eyebrows because one person has 2 out of 2 tikkas that consistently jam, and literally no one else I'm aware of has ever seen a standard plastic tikka mag jam like that. It's just the odds, and yes, people are too emotionally invested in their rifle so they pile on. I have owned tikkas for a number of years, initially specifically because I had a problem with another rifle jamming. They aren't perfect and I have no problem saying people give them more credit than they perhaps deserve. However, based on my experience and the COPIOUS spray about tikkas on this and other forums, I'm still skeptical that a consistent jamming issue across multiple rifles isnt user-error...not that it cant happen, it's just odd for lighting to strike twice in the same place so I think it's to be expected that people want to know more or are skeptical. I have or have had other rifles that are prone to jam (multiple kimbers where round hangs up below feed ramp preventing bolt from closing and necessitating removing round by hand), and while some people never see this it's an easy thing to determine is pretty normal (see previous comment in this very thread!), but have never seen or heard of this issue with a tikka before, not once. Not saying it cant happen, but am truly curious to know more, what exactly was the issue (FTF, FTeject, round jams under feed ramp, etc), and what was the cause. For instance I could see if someone torqued action screws too tight it could push the mag up into the bolt and cause a problem, or if they had it in an aftermarket stock where pillar size was too high or low, if action wasnt seated on the lug, or if someone consistently short-pulled the bolt, something like those things might manifest across several rifles for one person. It's just unlikely that one person winds up with not one, but multiple rifles that jam frequently, on a model known for pretty darn good reliability.

The mags that have something of a reputation are the CTR mags--that's a different magazine and bottom metal system altogether, and easily fixed if you get one like that. Once fixed I've found them exceptionally smooth as well as reliable. If you google "tikka ctr magazine fix" you'll get a bunch of videos showing this. A quick example: https://www.snipershide.com/shootin...tr-mag-problem-and-not-the-usual-one.6877106/
 
Last edited:

vonb

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jan 2, 2020
Messages
217
Tikka fan here. Solid feeding like the rifle has eyes is what sold me. Positive extraction, great trigger and stellar accuracy sealed the deal.

If you want janky feeding, Savage is where it’s at. Savage ain’t svelte. Tikka is.

I’m still a Remington fan too but won’t be buying anymore.
 

RW2013

FNG
Joined
Jan 3, 2023
Messages
12
I love Tikka rifles. I’m up to my 4th one now and have sold several friends on them. Never had a Jam or problem what so ever. Everyone of those shoots great. Tried going to more expensive rifles but came right back to a Tikka.
 

Jon C

FNG
Joined
May 17, 2017
Messages
60
Location
Wisconsin
3 so far for me. The latest a SL in 7/08, which hasn't impressed me with the accuracy. But it's new and have tried only one load, which shoots very well in my other 7/08. Time will tell.

Vertical grips are a must do for me, everything else is a want to do.
Had a right hand tikka 7mm-08 that was the most accurate rifle I’ve ever seen shooting factory Winchester 140 gr fail safes and ballistic tips. Not terrible but not great with Federal Premium. Traded it on a lh 308 that loves 180gr PowerPoints. Trying to get to all lh guns but did just pick up a x bolt in 6.5 prc that I haven’t shot yet. Have an early a bolt in 7 mag I like better than the tikka but accuracy wise the tikka’s I’ve owned have been better.
 
Joined
Aug 18, 2015
Messages
914
Location
Harrisburg, Oregon
Tikkas came out about the time I was started switching over to buying short action rifles. I am still amazed that Tikka doesn't produce a short action receiver. My safes remain Tikka-less. If they produced a rifle with short action receiver and the safety top center of tang where God intended and every sane person wants the safety, I'd buy one and try it out.

I’ve heard this criticism before. I don’t understand it. What’s the difference in overall length between a SA and a LA? Half an inch, maybe? So a half-inch longer bolt travel makes enough difference that you’ll avoid trying one?

Help me understand.
 
Joined
Aug 23, 2014
Messages
4,974
Location
oregon coast
LMAO......You'll have better luck pole vaulting 20ft in the next Olympics than seeing any such video.
I heard that’s how saddle hunters were getting into the tree now? I think they call it “1 sticking”

As per tikka, I have never had a single issue with any of mine and always circle back to them. They aren’t very exciting, but I have come to appreciate that about them.

Had some occasional ejection problems with my sako a7 roughtec pro, which is more tikka than sako, but it wasn’t a big issue, and I think when it did happen, it was my fault.

Tikka has a good stock trigger, excellent action, reliable, and i have not personally seen one that didn’t shoot great. I can’t say I have seen a picky one even. The Toyota Tacoma of rifles
 

KenLee

WKR
Joined
Jun 9, 2021
Messages
1,715
Location
South Carolina
Had a right hand tikka 7mm-08 that was the most accurate rifle I’ve ever seen shooting factory Winchester 140 gr fail safes and ballistic tips. Not terrible but not great with Federal Premium. Traded it on a lh 308 that loves 180gr PowerPoints. Trying to get to all lh guns but did just pick up a x bolt in 6.5 prc that I haven’t shot yet. Have an early a bolt in 7 mag I like better than the tikka but accuracy wise the tikka’s I’ve owned have been better.
To me nothing handles as well as an old a-bolt. They point just like my arm and hand.
 
Joined
Dec 30, 2014
Messages
8,175
I’ve heard this criticism before. I don’t understand it. What’s the difference in overall length between a SA and a LA? Half an inch, maybe? So a half-inch longer bolt travel makes enough difference that you’ll avoid trying one?

Help me understand.
The bolt doesn’t even travel any further than a true short action because they use different bolt stops..

If Tikka made a short action, it'd offer consumers the following benefits:
  1. Shave maybe 4-5 ounces of weight.
  2. The overall rifle length would be something like 0.6" shorter.
That stuff is inconsequential to me and I like the flexibility to have a single footprint for aftermarket stocks/chassis, bottom metal, bolts that feed at short and long action lengths with the swap of a bolt stop and magazine, simple to extend the COAL possibilities of short action cartridges, etc.
 

Macintosh

WKR
Joined
Feb 17, 2018
Messages
1,934
Having one action is tikka’s greatest asset. Its what keeps the price as low as it is. Its what allows it to have as much aftermarket availability as it does. Its a valid point that it is “less perfect” as a result of this—and I’m ocd enough to appreciate that sort of thing sometimes—but it wouldnt be half as successful as it is if all that cost, tooling, spare and aftermarket parts, etc werent standardized around one action size. Two sides of the same coin.
 
Top