Sold a Ridgeline to buy a Tikka

[Ram94]

Am I crazy? I've had the CA Ridgeline in 7mm Mag for 3 years and got some great use out of it but never quite liked the action as much as a Tikka. Way more clunky and sloppy bolt throw than a T3. So when a good deal on a 7mm Mag Tikka T3 came up, I jumped on it and before long had a Nightforce 3-10 SHV ordered up with Talley lightweight low rings and a Mesa Precision Altitude stock. I'm planning on getting the bolt fluted and the trigger has been lightened up a touch to right around 2lbs. The Ridgeline wore a 50mm Zeiss that weighed nearly 2lbs bringing the setup in around 9.3 lbs after the dbm conversion and cheek riser. The Tikka will be around 7.3 lbs fully loaded with a shorter and narrower barrel. The 26" barrel on the Ridgeline was far from handy when busting brush and traversing slide rock and I never saw a practical advantage of the carbon barrel for a hunting rifle. The sale of the Ridgeline covered the setup of the Tikka so that is a wash to me. I'll put this out to you fine folks who know a thing or two, am I crazy?

 

[Lawnboi]

I traded a Mesa for a ctr. Zero regrets

 

[JeffRaines]

Depends on your intended use.

The twist on the Ridgeline is a little better for bigger bullets, wish theyd go ahead and make it an 8. Also I like the fact that the Ridgeline and CA stuff is 700 based so aftermarket is huge for them... but tikkas coming up on that as well. You’re also losing the scaled action size as well - I know tikkas are less than ideal for magnum and long action cartridges.

However the average hunter isn’t going to see that big of a difference.

 

[Ram94]

Is anyone really mod-ing their Ridgleline though? I hear you about the action length, though I've really only seen an issue with the magazine length. For me, I am off handloading now and just shooting factory ammo so its a moot point. For others, it's a deal breaker. The twist rate on the 7mm Ridgeline is 1 : 9 and the Tikka is 1 : 9.5 so not huge difference there.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

If you like it better and it works better for you, thats all that really matters. I have a t3x superlite in 6.5 creed and I'm about to get a t3x lite in 30-06. Its hard to argue with the accuracy of those tikkas. I have other rifles I like better but for out of the box, all weather accuracy they are hard to beat.

The only thing I'd change about your new setup is the rings. Talleys are great and I use them on several rifles but for a tikka, its pretty darn hard to beat the sportsmatch rings that mount straight to the rail.

I have a buddy who just started hunting, last year around now he got a t3x in 308 and put an SWFA 6x on it, he practiced all summer with that gun, probably at least 1500 rounds and ended up getting a great sheep at 360yds and he says it was an "Easy" shot. With practice, there isnt much those tikkas can't do well.

 

[Okhotnik]

Nope, love the tikka actions and working a few builds now based on Tikka actions.

 

[derekbeaudry]

I built a 6.5 prc off a tikka action and the stock, trigger, and mags are all stock the gun is a fantastic shooter.

just got an 8 twist 22-250 tikka as well and am seriously considering get rid of a 700 308 for another tikka. They become kind of addicting.

 

[JeffRaines]

If you like it better and it works better for you, thats all that really matters.

This.

I can give you my opinion on the rifle, as can everyone else on the site but at the end of the day you know what works for you, and if it fills your needs better and does what you need it to do, then that’s all that matters.

 

[16Bore]

It’s yo money.....

 

[elkguide]

If that is what makes you happy then it was a good move.

Tikkas are known for being very accurate. Issues with their choice in rifling and magazine lengths. Tikkas don't feel good in my hands so I have traded or sold all that have been in my possession. Maybe just because I have been using the 700 style action for a lot of years and the stocks that go with them are just what works for me. As to barrel length.... that's why you "NEED" to have multiple rifles, one (or two) for each hunting situation.

Enjoy your new rifle.

 

[Desk Jockey]

My quick thoughts. No real CA experience to speak of but I bought a tikka around the same time two buddies were rifle shopping. I went tikka. One went kimber Adirondack and the other browning Xbolt hell’s canyon. Tikka is not as light as the kimber and fit and finish are not as nice as either of them. It feels “cheap” we all say. It shoots better than the browning and about as good as the kimber. The browning was almost 2x the price and the kimber was more. I don’t feel like I need to baby it like my buddies do to there guns.

IMO - Tikka is the glock of hunting rifles. Cheap and ugly but they just plain shoot.

 

[Ram94]

There definitely is a "cool factor" with the carbon fiber barrel. Guess i'll just have to dress in matching camo and call all my gear a "system" to make up for it.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

I’d highly reccomend replacing the factory trigger spring as well.

 

[Bomberodevil]

IMO - Tikka is the glock of hunting rifles. Cheap and ugly but they just plain shoot.

This might be the most perfect sentence I’ve read regarding Tikkas! As a multiple Glock owner, I couldn’t agree more!

 

[Muttly]

Been there done that, some dirtbag stole the t shirt..
Had the Ridgeline in 30-06, and the Tikka in 7 Mag. Didn't want to like the Tikka as well as I did, but like it I did. Ridgeline went down the road.

 

[AK Troutbum]

No experience with the Ridgeline, but I did have a Mesa in 6.5cm and also picked up a Tikka in the same cal. The Mesa felt great in the hands and was a pleasure to look at, but it didn’t hold a candle to the Tikka accuracy, and they both weighed about the same, give or take a couple ozs. Sent the Mesa packing and the Tikka, fitted with a new B&C stock, now has a place in the safe, I’m sure my daughter will be very happy with her first rifle.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[16Bore]

Tikka is the glock of hunting rifles. Cheap and ugly but they just plain shoot.

Bingo...

 

[Ram94]

I’d highly reccomend replacing the factory trigger spring as well.

Is there a noticeable difference from pulling the factory spring out a turn or two? I was eyeing them up but as cheap as they are it just feels strange spending $20 on a pen spring. Probably breaks a little cleaner?

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Is there a noticeable difference from pulling the factory spring out a turn or two? I was eyeing them up but as cheap as they are it just feels strange spending $20 on a pen spring. Probably breaks a little cleaner?

Much cleaner. Very noticeable.

 

[TxxAgg]

I agree ^^^ on the replacement spring. Well worth it.