Buying my first Tikka, what to upgrade first?

[Pharmseller]

Shoot the damn thing first.




P

 

[sndmn11]

Looking at Leupold VX-5HD 3-15x44 or VX-3HD 4.5-14x40. not sure on rings yet.. heard good things about the DNZ Game reaper mounts.

And I'll keep that in mind on the trigger spring!

Upgrade your scope

 

[UPThunderbolt]

You should be thinking of if the opposite. If one random sample fails, that’s a better test than a larger sample all passing (unless you grow the sample size astronomically).

I understand what you are getting at, but I think differently on that issue. While it is nice to be aware of that experience, there are simply too many variables that can impact a one-off test for it to be a reliable indicator of product quality.

That’s not to say one shouldn’t do their homework before making the purchase. They should. In this case, I read several product reviews and spoke to multiple people who own, and are very happy with, Tract Toric scopes. The review above is the first and only negative comments I’ve encountered. I truly appreciate having the additional information. That said, in 50 years of carrying a rifle, I don’t think I’ve ever dropped one (admittedly I’ve not hunted Skre fields in the mountains). The company offers a straightforward lifetime warranty.

For what it is worth, there are also concerns expressed above regarding Leupold. I’ve got a VX3 that I purchased in approximately 1976 that has served me well for over 45 years.

 

[MattB]

Good morning!

I'm buying my first Tikka in 6.5cm within the next month or so. This will be my dedicated mountain deer rifle so keep that in mind. I think I have my scope picked out and I already started buying a few boxes of ammo to see what the gun likes.

My question is, what are the first upgrades you would do to this rifle? Limbsaver pad? Bottom metal? Save for an aftermarket stock?

Let me know what you think! I can't wait to get my hands on this gun and start sending rounds down range.

Limbsaver pad and steel recoil lug, and then spend the rest on rings/optics and then ammo.

 

[Gila]

If i want to stay around $1k for the optic, what do you recommend? I just did a quick search and found the nightforce SHV-4-14x56. other options?

if you put a pic rail on it you will probably need a cheek riser for that scope. If you back pack it up you may want to keep it down to a lightweight 44mm bell for balance. Personally I wouldn’t put a heavy scope on it unless dropping the action into a chassis.

 

[nobody]

if you put a pic rail on it you will probably need a cheek riser for that scope. If you back pack it up you may want to keep it down to a lightweight 44mm bell for balance. Personally I wouldn’t put a heavy scope on it unless dropping the action into a chassis.

Not necessarily true, and totally backwards way of going about this. A lightweight scope does zero good if it doesn’t perform and hold zero or track properly. Scopes like Swaro, Leupold, Vortex, Burris, etc. have shown time and time again, through Rokslide’s drop tests as well as reports from actual use, that they perform inferiorly as aiming devices. Wandering zeroes between range trips, losing zero from being torqued anywhere above 18 inch lbs, being killed by riding on a washboard road for a couple days, the reports are out there and they aren’t isolated.

A Leupold vx5hd 3-15x44 weighs 19.7 oz, call it 20. The SWFA 3-15x42 weighs 24 oz. One has a questionable track record but has every buzzword known to man tied to it: ultralight, HD glass, zero lock system. But it fails often at a scope’s one job: steer bullet to target. The SWFA is old (mid nineties design) and isn’t the sexy option, but by packing the extra 4 ounces (better eat your wheaties), the user enjoys a scope that works as a scope.

The nightforce SHV 4-14 is about 30 oz. It’s 10 oz heavier than the Leupold, but it’s the same price and has drastically improved functionality and performance. Sometimes ultralight makes sense, like with a tent or stove or pack. But with your weapon system, pack whatever weight is necessary to ensure proper function.

 

[JGRaider]

Been shooting Tikkas since 1998. Forget the pic rail and go straight to Tikka's integral rail with Sportsmatch or Sako OptiLock. They're bulletproof. As mentioned, add the limbsaver and vertical grip and you're set. I've killed thousands of inches of mule deer with Leupy Vari X, VX, and VX6. That being said, I really like the LRHS, Arken, and Athlon dialers.

 

[Macintosh]

... steel recoil lug...

T3x's come with a steel recoil lug. The original t3's had an aluminum one, but it's been many years (2016?) since a tikka left the factory with an aluminum lug.

 

[General RE LEE]

I would shoot it first but if you want to do upgrade something, replace the trigger spring with a Mountain Tactical spring.

BTW I have several Leupold VX5HDs and they are excellent scopes. Rokslide has a lot of group think against them. Be wary of buying a FFP scope without trying one first. They typically suck at low power and youll have to rely on either illumination or some guess work.

 

[MattB]

T3x's come with a steel recoil lug. The original t3's had an aluminum one, but it's been many years (2016?) since a tikka left the factory with an aluminum lug.

Thx, good to know. The only Tikkas I have experience with are T3's.

 

[KenLee]

I might have the contrary opinion here, but why not get the rifle and shoot it plenty as it is with different ammo and see if you need a ton of aftermarket stuff. I realize it’s exciting to buy a lot of things to modify the gun. I also realize that a lot of people add completely unnecessary items to a rifle .

The perceived recoil will tell you if you need an aftermarket stock, recoil pad and/or suppressor. The perceived weight may also push you to decide to change things or not. I think you need to get familiar with this stock rifle first and foremost.

I have a bone stock Tikka Super Light in 7MM-08 and it is as accurate as most folks will need with zero mods.

Great advice.

 

[awildswanger]

vertical grip, grind off the contact points in the stock, recoil pad (depending on cartridge).

I have trigger springs in most of mine but i wouldn't argue for a second that they are necessary. Would probably argue to the contrary that we shouldn't be relying on a super light trigger to aid us in breaking good shoots.

Is there a deeper detailed post on grinding contact off the stock?

 

[Antares]

Is there a deeper detailed post on grinding contact off the stock?

There’s two contact “bumps” on one of the webs in the forend. If you have a sharp chisel, you can shave them off in about 15 seconds. I would follow up by free floating the whole barrel channel with sandpaper.

 

[Antares]

Is there a deeper detailed post on grinding contact off the stock?

There’s two contact “bumps” on one of the webs in the forend. If you have a sharp chisel, you can shave them off in about 15 seconds. I would follow up by free floating the whole barrel channel with sandpaper.

https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/the-perfect-tikka-stock-for-100.293846/

 

[Unckebob]

Trijicon Credo 2.5-15, but it's only second focal plane. It's about a grand.
SWFA 3-15x42. Backordered currently, but if you can be patient, they're solid and worth the weight. About $600-ish
SWFA 3-9HD. Also backordered, but by all accounts, the best 700 and in hunting riflescope on the market for the money period.

For a hunting gun, a SFP is an advantage. Why worry about a reticle that changes size as magnification changes?

 

[Unckebob]

if you put a pic rail on it you will probably need a cheek riser for that scope. If you back pack it up you may want to keep it down to a lightweight 44mm bell for balance. Personally I wouldn’t put a heavy scope on it unless dropping the action into a chassis.

I made the mistake of buying a big Meopta scope for my current rifle and couldn't get a good cheek weld because of the huge bell and ring height. It was also heavy and bulky. Good scope, but it is getting replaced.

For a lightweight mountain gun, people sure are recommending him some heavy scopes.

 

[keystone112]

The factory trigger on my T3x Lite breaks perfectly at three pounds. I wouldn’t change anything about the trigger.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I run tikkas. Here are a few thoughts:

- limbsaver - worth it on my 300. Meh on my 6.5.
- I like the factory vertical grip
- I need a bit of a cheek riser - mountain tactical worked great.
- sports match rings work great And are not super $$$

apart from that, I have upgraded stocks, swapped bottom metal and trigger springs and not really seen or felt an improvement. If you want to tinker, go for it, but those things shoot pretty well out of the box so it really isn’t necessary, as many have stated.

 

[Gila]

I made the mistake of buying a big Meopta scope for my current rifle and couldn't get a good cheek weld because of the huge bell and ring height. It was also heavy and bulky. Good scope, but it is getting replaced.

For a lightweight mountain gun, people sure are recommending him some heavy scopes.

I agree. I put a 3x18x50 with a 34mm tube on my 300 with tactical rings, but at a cost of weight and I needed some sort of cheek riser. The Triad Tactical stock pack is quite comfortable. The only problem with that is dang Velcro gets hung up on my back pack sometimes.

On my new build I am going with a 30mm scope and low profile rings attached to the action’s rail. The scope weighs in at about 23 oz, which is sill heavy for a back pack rifle. i like 2nd focal plane for most of my hunting. The reticle is always right there and the same no matter what the range.

 

[ElPollo]

I am cautious about buying a gun with the expectation of upgrading unless you are buying it as a donor action for a full custom gun. If that is not the case, consider the following.

Before you buy anything beyond a scope and rings, take the action out of the stock, adjust the trigger all the way down, then torque the action bolts back to 65 inch pounds and go shoot it. Tikkas have one of, if not the, best factory triggers made. The trigger should be at 2-2.5# when you adjust it and will break like glass. I say shoot it before you spend any additional money on it to make sure you have a keeper and to develop a baseline. If the gun shoots well, then consider mods based on your needs. I have added the vertical grip and that’ll cut and threaded the barrel for a suppressor on one.

If you think the trigger isn’t adequate, then consider a Yo Dave trigger spring. But I haven’t found that to be needed or advisable for my Tikkas and my use. Cutting and threading for a suppressor is a real game changer, and I highly recommend. The limbsaver pad suggestion is a holdover from the old T3 version which had a rock-hard recoil pad. The new ones on the T3x are soft and perfectly adequate. The steel component replacements of the recoil lug and bolt shroud are also a hold over from the T3 that had an aluminum lug and plastic bolt shroud. The T3x remedied that although the originals worked fine. Some people replace the plastic bottom ‘metal’ with a steel or aluminum version. I think this adds weight and addresses a durability question that really isn’t an issue. I’ve never known anyone to break a Tikka trigger guard, and if they do they will likely break a whole lot more. Changing the bottom metal also often changes the magazine. Tikkas actually have one of or the best factory magazines available, so I have not.

Stocks are a very personal thing, but I’ll say this. Tikka stocks are very light and stiff. Any of the available aftermarket options will add a significant amount of weight to the gun and cost quite a bit of money. If the original doesn’t have the right amount of drop for you, consider an aftermarket comb riser or a stock pack.

Personally, I find guns more satisfying to shoot than to work on and I prefer to put my money in ammo if I have the choice.