Tikka actions vs Custom Actions

[BigCountry82]

I have been following folks building off Tikka Actions. Is the Tikka action once you do all the upgrades really as good as a custom action or is the modularity of the action iswhat draws people to them. I have zero experience with a Tikka I have handled one in the LGS.

I have been thinking about buying one to see. I have defiance actions, bat vesper , lone peak and impact precision. Can anyone that has both Tikka action builds and custom action builds. Give some insight and honest opinion ?

 

[JohnJohnson]

Think this thread covers the different angles. @wind gypsy talks about his Lone Peak vs his Tikka in it I believe, or maybe that's another thread I'm thinking of.

Why pay for a "custom" action?

Like the title says, why would/did you go with a custom action over say a Tikka for example? Custom actions aren't actually custom since you're getting the exact same Remington clone everyone else ordered. They cost more than an entire Tikka. You have to add the cost of a trigger, bottom metal...

rokslide.com

 

[Wyo_hntr]

I don't know of any modifications that make them operate "better".

Me personally I would rather have a tikka than a "custom" 700 pattern action.

 

[sdupontjr]

I don't know of any modifications that make them operate "better".

Me personally I would rather have a tikka than a "custom" 700 pattern action.

Been there and done that. Not a "true" custom action but did have a SS Rem 700 action blue printed, shilen select match barrel, custom trigger, custom stock, bedded the whole show. Barrel threaded 5/8-24 for whatever my choosing. Guy offered me way more than I had in it so i sold it. Picked up an older T3 308 SS. In its stock form, I free floated the barrel, put a limbsaver pad on it, and replaced the trigger spring. The stock tikka's action was slicker than the 700 and it also shot just as good of groups or better that the custom build for 1/10 of the price. I'll never go full custom again. Take a Tikka action, several barrel manf make prefit shouldered barrels in carbon or SS, and also several different stocks for it.



Or you can even just take a stock Tikka (this is my CTR in a roughtech tikka stock with standard T3 bottom and mag), free float barrel, put a recoil pad (if you desire), trigger spring, Victor cheek riser or one of your liking and spend the money you would have spent on the gun, on ammo and go shoot shit. JMO though.

 

[ElPollo]

I have been following folks building off Tikka Actions. Is the Tikka action once you do all the upgrades really as good as a custom action or is the modularity of the action iswhat draws people to them. I have zero experience with a Tikka I have handled one in the LGS.

I have been thinking about buying one to see. I have defiance actions, bat vesper , lone peak and impact precision. Can anyone that has both Tikka action builds and custom action builds. Give some insight and honest opinion ?

What is your definition of good? Without any upgrades, a factory Tikka action feeds better, is more reliable, is smoother to cycle, and has a better and safer trigger design than any custom R700 clone. If aesthetics or action length matters to you and cost doesn’t, you can make an argument for a custom R700.

 

[Gila]

Unless you have a Tikka that you want to re-barrel, I see little advantage in buying a new Tikka rifle and just using the action for a custom build. If you reload and are building on a long action cartridge, probably better served staying with a custom action. The T3 action typically won’t accept as long of a cartridge as a standard 700 clone. May save a little bit using the stock Tikka Trigger but not much…The Tikka BM is just plastic anyway,

 

[sharps54]

UM has, or is working on, an extended magazine for the Tikka to allow you more cartridge length.

 

[Fever Buck]

Only issue with Tikka actions is they will be heavier than your custom R700 actions. If you are using a chassis, I believe it also makes it tougher to use some of the better mags.

 

[ElPollo]

Unless you have a Tikka that you want to re-barrel, I see little advantage in buying a new Tikka rifle and just using the action for a custom build. If you reload and are building on a long action cartridge, probably better served staying with a custom action. The T3 action typically won’t accept as long of a cartridge as a standard 700 clone. May save a little bit using the stock Tikka Trigger but not much…The Tikka BM is just plastic anyway,

What custom action and trigger are you going to get for the $800 purchase price of a T3x?

 

[JohnJohnson]

What custom action and trigger are you going to get for the $800 purchase price of a T3x?

I mean it's $900 but an ARC Coup De Grace action would fit that bill generally speaking. If you want action AND trigger, Aero Solus actions go on sale all the time on their site for like $650 which leaves plenty for a trigger.

 

[wind gypsy]

I have been following folks building off Tikka Actions. Is the Tikka action once you do all the upgrades really as good as a custom action or is the modularity of the action iswhat draws people to them. I have zero experience with a Tikka I have handled one in the LGS.

I have been thinking about buying one to see. I have defiance actions, bat vesper , lone peak and impact precision. Can anyone that has both Tikka action builds and custom action builds. Give some insight and honest opinion ?

IMO- there are not "upgrades" worth doing on a tikka action. Modifying them is a downgrade. That goes for the ones that come from the factory with fluted bolts too, i see no benefit.

The main thing I like from a well done custom is a lighter bolt lift and not all of them have that even. It does seem some of the beefy customs are less likely to have sticky bolt lift and extraction than a tikka - I.E. they hide pressure better. I'm not positive that's fact but it seems that way to me.

There are some other small upsides like a more robust bolt stop (i've never broken a tikka one), larger action faces work better with standard 1.2 - 1.25" barrel blank tennons without turning them down (not been an issue for any smith chambering a tikka barrel to turn the shank down though). Off the shelf prefit options may be slightly better but tikka options are pretty dang good.

I like some of the custom actions. I have not been able to convince myself to spend the $ on more custom actions over more tikka builds recently. There's something to be said for the whole trigger reliability benefits of tikkas too.

 

[5811]

Unless you have a Tikka that you want to re-barrel, I see little advantage in buying a new Tikka rifle and just using the action for a custom build. If you reload and are building on a long action cartridge, probably better served staying with a custom action. The T3 action typically won’t accept as long of a cartridge as a standard 700 clone. May save a little bit using the stock Tikka Trigger but not much…The Tikka BM is just plastic anyway,

You can buy a stainless lite t3x for $710-or so. Minus a 75 dollar rebate, selling the barrel and stock, you're well under 500 for the action, and you don't have to buy a trigger.

 

[wind gypsy]

Only issue with Tikka actions is they will be heavier than your custom R700 actions. If you are using a chassis, I believe it also makes it tougher to use some of the better mags.

Not enough to matter unless you're getting an anti or similar. 28 ounces is lighter than most m700 actions with integral rails.

What better mags? AW? Seems like a crap shoot with various m700 pattern actions too.

 

[wind gypsy]

If a guy wants a true long action or long action magnum, that is the main area where a custom is a better suited IMO. Short action and "medium" action applications, Tikka is a great option IMO.

 

[B_Reynolds_AK]

Has anyone had any experience with the cycling smoothness of a UM lightened and nitrided tikka yet?

 

[JohnJohnson]

What better mags? AW? Seems like a crap shoot with various m700 pattern actions too.

Think it's gotten a lot better now, especially with MDT's bottom metal and its adjustable mag latch. Or just adjustable mag latches in general. Not that it's particularly relevant for hunting anyway.

 

[plebe]

What is your definition of good? Without any upgrades, a factory Tikka action feeds better, is more reliable, is smoother to cycle, and has a better and safer trigger design than any custom R700 clone. If aesthetics or action length matters to you and cost doesn’t, you can make an argument for a custom R700.

Nope. Well, not with the 700 footprint anyway.

RS 700 - Strasser USA

Straight Pull Action in a Remington 700 Footprint

strasser-usa.com

 

[skipper907]

I think the big advantage to the tikka is the price and it can be used for a long or short action with the change of the bolt stop ( which is like $30 ). You can also get prefit barrels and they are pretty well supported.
custom action probably have smoother camming and more avaibility of prefit barrels

 

[gwak06]

I have a hard time spending the extra money if it's not a competition set up.

 

[BigCountry82]

I don't know of any modifications that make them operate "better".

Me personally I would rather have a tikka than a "custom" 700 pattern action.

Was referring to aftermarket bolt shrouds , bolt handles , ejection port being reworked and folks lighting them up by milling in certain areas.