Tikka build questions

[GKPrice]

Hate to poo poo on a fellas build, but think about what you actually "gain" for your hard earned money. I can't see doing anything to a Tikka except shooting it.

Save the dough for plane tickets.

I agree ! the T3x is pretty darn huntable/shootable off the shelf - IMHO $500-600 for another stock is good money wasted

 

[GKPrice]

Just get the Sako Finnlight and be done with it. IMO. If you handload they are a big plus. There are picatinny rail options amongst others. I do admit, getting the mounting system figured out on these can be a PIA. But when they are done, it's done. No problemo. I also hate plastic on working parts on a gun, minus the stock. All in all I think they kick ass!

quite a bit more money but I'd have to agree with you mostly - the scope base thing is a MAJOR PIA - what have you found for an alloy rail for them ? I came up empty

 

[16Bore]

Guy shouldn't tinker with his Tikka in public. Edge stock, $600. Basically $100/oz in weight savings IIRC. $600 worth of ultralight gear would shave pounds.

Just saying.

BTDT, have fun.......

 

[GKPrice]

Bourney from PDI here (i'm the engineer and the inhouse guy that actually takes our stuff out hunting), couldn't help notice the traffic to our site from this forum thread, Interesting to read observations from the US. Thanks for thinking of us and I'll happily answer any questions (how in the world did you even hear about us in the first place??).

I am personally bringing some stocks across (mainly F Class) in January as we are also technology partners with NK (Kestrel) and will be at their booth at Shot show. If anyone wants to save a bundle on shipping, let me know and I can bring featherweights as well and figure out a within US shipping method. They are our second best selling stock style (we only make 4 though haha) and the weight includes everything, recoil pad etc. Costs are our main killer to exports and we generally don't export unless like with the F Class stocks a rifle club orders/group buys 6. I can probably arrange to leave a Featherweight with family or friends stateside to facilitate people having a play with one and giving us some feedback. We are new so are always looking for feedback, positive and negative.

There has been a flurry of stock manufacturers starting up lately and while we started out as an aside of an aircraft propeller business that got asked to make lightweight target stocks, there is also stateside companies like AG composites and a few others which are veteran run so deserve your consideration. They also machine their inlets rather than mould them in so they are more versatile in what actions they can inlet for (just like us).

The difference between us and others seems to be based on our history in aviation and my personal history with wind turbines so we are high end material focused, hence we use 2 different core materials in each stock, they are completely filled not hollow, 100% carbon and hunting stocks have our own baked on textured finish. So they do cost a bit! But especially our F Class stocks, these are up around $1340USD!! but they are massive and only weigh 28ish ounces (in their lightest config) all due to the carbon we use for skins and the core materials.

Just a final word on pricing, it is $900AUD = about $670USD, our stocks come with a limbsaver recoil pad supplied and installed (screwed on not glued), pillars, decent action screws and a titanium recoil lug. We also coat the whole thing with a textured finish, we don't prime them, we just paste it on and bake it which also serves as a post cure for the carbon (all the cloth we use is carbon). We get compared a LOT to wildcat fibreglass stocks and I will personally say they make great stocks, I used to own one (they are still our main competition it seems for true featherweight stocks) and they are great value at about $460USD (with a limbsaver) and without discussing pro's and cons of different core materials, ours are more expensive due to the 2 different core materials, using only carbon fibre for the skins and they have the baked on finish.

Cheers from Aus, hope I haven't overstepped, just wanted to put the information out there and offer to answer any questions as I keep an eye on a lot of forums due to being only 18months - ish old now, it pays to listen to feedback/concerns!

Regards,
Bourney

Thank you for jumping in Bourney !!

 

[Muley Buck]

quite a bit more money but I'd have to agree with you mostly - the scope base thing is a MAJOR PIA - what have you found for an alloy rail for them ? I came up empty

Sako, Sauer, Savage

SAKO Scope Mounts – TRG42.COM

This is the only places I could find, on the actual near mfg website they used to be on there. But I don't see them anymore. The hard and deep researched reviews on them were good but I didn't go that route due to scope height issues. I already knew the numbers would work nice with the optilocks.

 

[Bourney]

Sako, Sauer, Savage

SAKO Scope Mounts – TRG42.COM

This is the only places I could find, on the actual near mfg website they used to be on there. But I don't see them anymore. The hard and deep researched reviews on them were good but I didn't go that route due to scope height issues. I already knew the numbers would work nice with the optilocks.

We have stocked a few sako 75 and 85 actions (but we mainly just do tikka's as they are the most popular bolt guns in Australia by far) for Sambar long range hunters here in Australia (thick bush up into Alpine). On all of them except 1 we installed the Roedale rails. They ship globally and are fantastic rails so may be worth consideration,

Roedale Sako Rail

To further add some Australian perspective, the main reason people restock tikka's here is not to save weight it is to get rid of that flexible forend!

The main requests we had before building the featherweights was they wanted to improve recoil characteristics, have a stiffer stronger stock (especially the forend), improve the bedding of the action and generally have a forend rail mounted for long range or quick release bipod and don't make it any heavier than the plastic version.

Our take on this was the featherweight stock and we have seen a surge in orders destined for superlights (fluted barrel, synthetic stainless) as guys start to stretch these super thin barrels out to 500m/550yards and beyond. These guns end up the same weight they started with the tupperware stock, they just shoot better, this is the gun we built to show off the stock which may give some inspiration for a t3 build;

260 mountain rifle

 

[Muley Buck]

We have stocked a few sako 75 and 85 actions (but we mainly just do tikka's as they are the most popular bolt guns in Australia by far) for Sambar long range hunters here in Australia (thick bush up into Alpine). On all of them except 1 we installed the Roedale rails. They ship globally and are fantastic rails so may be worth consideration,

Roedale Sako Rail

To further add some Australian perspective, the main reason people restock tikka's here is not to save weight it is to get rid of that flexible forend!

The main requests we had before building the featherweights was they wanted to improve recoil characteristics, have a stiffer stronger stock (especially the forend), improve the bedding of the action and generally have a forend rail mounted for long range or quick release bipod and don't make it any heavier than the plastic version.

Our take on this was the featherweight stock and we have seen a surge in orders destined for superlights (fluted barrel, synthetic stainless) as guys start to stretch these super thin barrels out to 500m/550yards and beyond. These guns end up the same weight they started with the tupperware stock, they just shoot better, this is the gun we built to show off the stock which may give some inspiration for a t3 build;

260 mountain rifle

There's a rail I haven't found. Cool!

That's a sweet rig you got going there, I went through almost the same experience with my Sako. I was trying to attain the same goal as you. Starting out with a light rifle knowing I would be adding weight, so in the end I would have a manageable long range shooter. Good deal bro.