Ruger Gen 2 American VS Tikka

[Kyle Wheeler]

My ruger go wild shoots lights out. My best groups have been with it which leaves me scratching my head. I cannot believe how accurate it is for the cheap stock. It feeds decently well too. Ruger also has good customer service for a budget rifle they really aren’t bad at all but I had a friend get one that would not shoot but Ruger will work on them. Basically I think there is a decent amount of variance between them. Replacing trigger spring is also a must for me as I didn’t want to put a lot of money into it as it felt like I was missing the point of a budget rifle.

 

[Hnthrdr]

No reason for anyone to “flame” you, like you said, it’s your money to spend.

The difference to me personally, put a stock and a cheap bolt knob on a tikka and you have a super smooth rifle with an excellent trigger

Put a stock on a RA and you still have a RA with better shooting ergonomics, and it’s easier for me to invest in a tikka

When the savage UL came out a few years ago I had to have one, seemed like a good value, but I ended up putting in a 1300$ chassis, and it does shoot really well, but I would rather have a nice smooth running tikka with a good trigger, and if I sold that setup, I would take a big hit… if it was a tikka, I would be able to get most of my money back…

I personally would rather have a couple nice rifles I like a lot than a bunch of rifles I don’t really like. We all look at things a little different

The 6arc got me thinking for a second, would be a good option for my kid, but I would rather rebarrel one of my tikkas and spend the money that way rather than keep that tikka and buy a RA separately… I know me, and I know I would regret getting an American for my daughter, and would rather be down a rifle in the short term

I’ll probably keep the tikka as is and get her an 8 twist 243 for now, but if I didn’t want to do that, I would rebarrel my 308 rather than buying a RA in 6arc

Different strokes

Yep, have a savage 16 ul and have a really hard time dumping the kind of money a chassis and proof barrel vs doing that with a tikka action, would love to know the former poster what his issue was with his tikka? No dumb brand loyalty from me, I own tikkas, CAs, ruger, savage, sako

 

[Pilsner]

I appreciate ruger for offering a short/ shorter barrel that comes threaded and cerakoted and some of the calibers that it is coming ie 6cm, 6arc and 22 arc that is the biggest pro in my opinion. Now they are a decent value, but the fit and finish is not their when comparing to a tikka. I have a gen 1 ruger American predator and it is a decent rifle for what it is, but it feels like junk compared to a tikka as mentioned feeding, bolt smoothness, trigger, barrel and even stock heavily favor tikka. Plus with a tikka i would have no qualms throwing an aftermarket stock on or rebarreling to create a semi custom rifle, purchasing aftermarket components for a ruger is akin to putting lip stick on a pig…

I've got a Ruger American Predator that I picked up for a song.
Already had a Magpul stock, AISC magazine conversion and timminey trigger installed as well as a muzzle brake (which i promptly through away and replaced with a can).
Shot it today at 100y and got repeat 5 shots groups in the 0.6" range using factory eld-M's.
What's not to like for the $600 I paid for it?

Would I ever spend MY $ on those upgrades?
F no.
Will I take advantage of them when someone else.alrradynspent the $ on 'em?
Every damned day.

 

[Wacko]

No reason for anyone to “flame” you, like you said, it’s your money to spend.

The difference to me personally, put a stock and a cheap bolt knob on a tikka and you have a super smooth rifle with an excellent trigger

Put a stock on a RA and you still have a RA with better shooting ergonomics, and it’s easier for me to invest in a tikka

When the savage UL came out a few years ago I had to have one, seemed like a good value, but I ended up putting in a 1300$ chassis, and it does shoot really well, but I would rather have a nice smooth running tikka with a good trigger, and if I sold that setup, I would take a big hit… if it was a tikka, I would be able to get most of my money back…

I personally would rather have a couple nice rifles I like a lot than a bunch of rifles I don’t really like. We all look at things a little different

The 6arc got me thinking for a second, would be a good option for my kid, but I would rather rebarrel one of my tikkas and spend the money that way rather than keep that tikka and buy a RA separately… I know me, and I know I would regret getting an American for my daughter, and would rather be down a rifle in the short term

I’ll probably keep the tikka as is and get her an 8 twist 243 for now, but if I didn’t want to do that, I would rebarrel my 308 rather than buying a RA in 6arc

Different strokes

I understand completely.

My ruger american predator is easily as fast and smooth as my tikkas. I have no issue with feeding, firing, ejecting. I don't think of them as a budget rifle at all.

Full disclosure I went around back and fired the tikka 6.5 creed to "test" it. It did enough to give them a stay of execution for now. Of course I had to mount it in a Bravo, new scope, new rings, new rail, different kinds of ammo, and I cleaned the barrel and action.....$$$ keeps adding up. I find it interesting the ammo it preferred the first time I "fixed" it shot the worst group. Different ammo shot well now. Leads me to think they are very sensitive to action screw torque and or contact with the stock / bedding. Doesn't give me a warm fuzzy, but it shot well enough for me to investigate more.

If you don't mind reloading the 8 twist 243 is the ticket for a daughter. Heck doesn't matter the twist a 243 is the right answer. I'd still take it over the ARC personally. I'm not certain everyone has the feeding and function of the ARC case down pat. If they do, I think it could be good as well.

Happy hunting....and shooting

 

[redneckbmxer24]

What did you replace the Tikkas with?

Custom actions and high end AR’s

 

[5811]

Backfire says Tikka should be shaking in its boots.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

Backfire says Tikka should be shaking in its boots.

Well if they'll feed 223 rounds 100%, and the ejector springs don't crap out every 1K rounds (or if they do don't cost $100 for a full ejector and extractor kit since Tikka won't sell just springs or won't just send you one), and shoot sub MOA they probably should be.

Tikkas aren't the worst factory rifles but people act like they're the holy grail and have no shortcomings when they absolutely do. The fact hardly any come threaded and the ones that do have heavy ass barrels, or long barrels, or longer than spec thread and the ones that don't you're stuck having to shorten the barrel and can't run 5/8-24 unless you want to run some wonky adaptor is pretty annoying. Having to deal with Beretta CS on any issues (basically non existent) is just icing on the cake.

I've owned dozens of Tikkas and got convinced again recently and then sold off all of those and I don't plan to ever buy one again. I'm seriously considering giving one of these a try though, just don't know what I'd buy it in.

 

[Long Cut]

What’s the purpose of the rifle?
What’s the overall budget?

For the “average” dude with a ~$1.5k all-in budget, the Ruger with an SWFA/Trijicon is a very, very competitive option.

Is a Tikka T3X 1.5x the rifle of the Ruger American?
-Not sure, no experience with the new Ruger

 

[Fatcamp]

This is all just gear obsession. Nothing wrong with it but the Ruger and a 10X SWFA will kill anything. Now if you want to pile cash up to have some fancy riflegun do so, but it's completely unnecessary to hunt.

 

[Macintosh]

Well if they'll feed 223 rounds 100%, and the ejector springs don't crap out every 1K rounds (or if they do don't cost $100 for a full ejector and extractor kit since Tikka won't sell just springs or won't just send you one), and shoot sub MOA they probably should be.

Tikkas aren't the worst factory rifles but people act like they're the holy grail and have no shortcomings when they absolutely do. The fact hardly any come threaded and the ones that do have heavy ass barrels, or long barrels, or longer than spec thread and the ones that don't you're stuck having to shorten the barrel and can't run 5/8-24 unless you want to run some wonky adaptor is pretty annoying. Having to deal with Beretta CS on any issues (basically non existent) is just icing on the cake.

I've owned dozens of Tikkas and got convinced again recently and then sold off all of those and I don't plan to ever buy one again. I'm seriously considering giving one of these a try though, just don't know what I'd buy it in.

Dozens, as in 24-36+ different tikkas? What the heck do you do that you even have time to shoot that many rifles, let alone afford them?? In several thousand rounds (4-5kish) across my three Ive never had an ejector problem, nor have I ever seen one in friends tikkas. Aside from not making the footprint you want, what is the problem you are having with all of these tikkas that youd swear off of them?

Have not seen one of these ruger rifles. Have never been really impressed with most of rugers recent rifles, but would be great if they gave tikka and browning and everyone else a run for their money—thats good.

 

[BCD]

The Tikka performs well but is the ugliest firearm ever made in my opinion. The design of the safety is a head scratcher as you have to operate the firearm to the fire position to cycle the bolt and eject shells. Terrible design.

 

[grfox92]

The Tikka performs well but is the ugliest firearm ever made in my opinion. The design of the safety is a head scratcher as you have to operate the firearm to the fire position to cycle the bolt and eject shells. Terrible design.

Can you explain why having to remove the safety to operate the bolt is a bad thing?

Sent from my SM-G990U2 using Tapatalk

 

[redneckbmxer24]

Dozens, as in 24-36+ different tikkas? What the heck do you do that you even have time to shoot that many rifles, let alone afford them?? In several thousand rounds (4-5kish) across my three Ive never had an ejector problem, nor have I ever seen one in friends tikkas. Aside from not making the footprint you want, what is the problem you are having with all of these tikkas that youd swear off of them?

Have not seen one of these ruger rifles. Have never been really impressed with most of rugers recent rifles, but would be great if they gave tikka and browning and everyone else a run for their money—thats good.

At least 20 of them. At the time I had most of them I lived on a farm with a 600 yard range off the porch behind my loading room and shot every day.

There’s many reasons I dumped the last few I had. They shot alright for factory rifles, but the the factory forms suck, aftermarket support isn’t great and could rarely find what I wanted and was still settling on stuff, resale on aftermarket Tikka stuff you end up not liking is bad and a tough sale, I had another ejector spring in one of those crap out that required another $100 kit to get the spring, the safety having to be disengaged to run the bolt annoyed me yet again, and the barrels were ridiculously slow. My Seekins 18” gas gun gets 50-60fps more velocity with the same lots of ammo as my T3X SS 223 did with the factory 22” barrel.

 

[kswaterfowl]

All my bolt guns I own are Tikka, but I would have a hard time going with them at the current price point.

 

[lhbackcountry]

I’ve owned two rugers and two Tikkas. My ruger m77 Hawkeye is on the best shooting rifles i own. However they are now hard to find

 

[Bama67]

I'm buying a 6.5PRC this year, so I'm shopping these.
The Ruger comes with a threaded 20" barrel, Tikka will have to be cut and threaded.
Both have crappy plastic stocks.
Both shoot lights out.
Ruger has excellent customer service, Tikka does not.
Ruger is $550, equivalent Tikka after C&T will be $1500 or so.
Thats a big difference for a blue collar dude like me for a rifle that's not likley to shoot better, and possibly even worse.
I'm not paying $1000 to say my rifle is "smoother"
I'm a function over form guy and I have no one to impress either.
But that's just me.
I have 4 original Americans and their accuracy for the $300 I paid is absolutely incredible. All shoot sub moa easily and have even done half-moa.

 

[PaPete90]

Any idea on known barrel length for the chamberings coming out Q12024???

Will they still be 20”?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Fatcamp]

I'm buying a 6.5PRC this year, so I'm shopping these.
The Ruger comes with a threaded 20" barrel, Tikka will have to be cut and threaded.
Both have crappy plastic stocks.
Both shoot lights out.
Ruger has excellent customer service, Tikka does not.
Ruger is $550, equivalent Tikka after C&T will be $1500 or so.
Thats a big difference for a blue collar dude like me for a rifle that's not likley to shoot better, and possibly even worse.
I'm not paying $1000 to say my rifle is "smoother"
I'm a function over form guy and I have no one to impress either.
But that's just me.
I have 4 original Americans and their accuracy for the $300 I paid is absolutely incredible. All shoot sub moa easily and have even done half-moa.

What's C&T?

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

At least 20 of them. At the time I had most of them I lived on a farm with a 600 yard range off the porch behind my loading room and shot every day.

There’s many reasons I dumped the last few I had. They shot alright for factory rifles, but the the factory forms suck, aftermarket support isn’t great and could rarely find what I wanted and was still settling on stuff, resale on aftermarket Tikka stuff you end up not liking is bad and a tough sale, I had another ejector spring in one of those crap out that required another $100 kit to get the spring, the safety having to be disengaged to run the bolt annoyed me yet again, and the barrels were ridiculously slow. My Seekins 18” gas gun gets 50-60fps more velocity with the same lots of ammo as my T3X SS 223 did with the factory 22” barrel.

I've also owned 24+Tikkas and Sakos (DoZeNs!), to the tune of well over 500,000 rounds fired between them, many of them with multiple re-barrels...

Not a single one has had any issues with ejector springs.

The safety having to be disengaged to run the bolt does not affect performance in any way, and you likely need to re-train yourself on safe firearm operation practices if this "annoys you".

The barrels are not picky in the slightest on ammo and easily last 2 or 3 times as long as any Ruger or custom barrel I've ever owned. Twist rates are slower and per barrel inch they tend to be on slow side... but I'll take a properly designed, cold hammer forged, properly stress relieved, properly torqued to the action barrel with a slow twist rate any day of the week over any Ruger or Seekins barrel.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

I'm buying a 6.5PRC this year, so I'm shopping these.
The Ruger comes with a threaded 20" barrel, Tikka will have to be cut and threaded.
Both have crappy plastic stocks.
Both shoot lights out.
Ruger has excellent customer service, Tikka does not.
Ruger is $550, equivalent Tikka after C&T will be $1500 or so.
Thats a big difference for a blue collar dude like me for a rifle that's not likley to shoot better, and possibly even worse.
I'm not paying $1000 to say my rifle is "smoother"
I'm a function over form guy and I have no one to impress either.
But that's just me.
I have 4 original Americans and their accuracy for the $300 I paid is absolutely incredible. All shoot sub moa easily and have even done half-moa.

Having owned multiple of both brands... If you are truly a "function over form" guy than buy a Tikka and forget about the Ruger.