Tikka t3x Replacing all MIM Parts? Which Upgrades?

[B Harrison]

Gun people are either ignorant or prey to savvy marketing; probably a bit of both.

MIM = bad
3D printing = Awesome

I would venture to say, the people that are hard enough or actually use their guns enough for MIM to MAYBE have an issue is very low.


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Competition guys, but they are replacing barrels every year, or more, so different category, and the gun media doesn’t bother those guys, because the real ones have the dope on a new cartridge before the gun writers do.


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[czgunner]

Whatever you do, don't drive a car. They are full of MIM.

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[vonb]

At the end of the day, it’s an economy rifle built to a certain price point. I like Tikka and have several. However, if I’m dropping bucks for custom, it’s gonna be a full custom. However, it’s your money and you should do what makes you happy. I’ve found no flies on them leaving them stock other than tuning the trigger.

 

[alexinc]

Whatever you do, don't drive a car. They are full of MIM.

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No wonder modern cars are POS

 

[czgunner]

No wonder modern cars are POS

LOL what's "modern"? Been that way since the '90's.

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[alexinc]

LOL what's "modern"? Been that way since the '90's.

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Yup

 

[Macintosh]

Maybe not insane, but certainly irrational. Sure, replace them all if it makes you feel better, but I doubt it will do anything beyond the feeling. Never heard of an issue with any of those t3x parts aside from people over-torquing the bottom plastic (if mim is metal that isnt the bottom plastic), and never had an issue with any of these other parts on the tikkas I’ve owned or been around. The very few issues Ive heard of like above involve high round count guns—like many, many thousand rounds, and even then uncommon.

Imo bottom plastic (and the stock) is the one part it makes sense to replace if you want to torque the action screws tighter. There are several options for that, I like the high desert bottom metal. But imo most of the aftermarket replacement parts exist because of the original t3 version, which have all been addressed. At this point it’s snake oil.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Mountain tactical mags and bottom metal a junk. The bottom metal doesn’t hold mags reliably. Facts

I prefer Lumley and high desert bottom metal. Those tikka mags they sell here on rokslide are nice too.

If you did break a bolt stop (I’ve never heard of that on a tikka, I’ve had it happen on Howa 1500 and Seekins though) it wouldn’t ruin a hunt, you’d just have to be careful.

 

[tx_shooter]

At the end of the day, it’s an economy rifle built to a certain price point. I like Tikka and have several. However, if I’m dropping bucks for custom, it’s gonna be a full custom. However, it’s your money and you should do what makes you happy. I’ve found no flies on them leaving them stock other than tuning the trigger.

Is Tikka really an "economy rifle" anymore when compared to the price point of entry level Savage or Ruger? I have never seen a deal at Academy for a Tikka with Vortex scope for $400.

 

[TradLife406]

Is Tikka really an "economy rifle" anymore when compared to the price point of entry level Savage or Ruger? I have never seen a deal at Academy for a Tikka with Vortex scope for $400.

At the S2HU the guy with the savage had problems on day one. Then watching him break it apart and reassemble it was a pain.

The tikka is just almost bomb proof.

 

[vonb]

Is Tikka really an "economy rifle" anymore when compared to the price point of entry level Savage or Ruger? I have never seen a deal at Academy for a Tikka with Vortex scope for $400.

May not be that price today, but it is an economy rifle. Supply has outpaced demand, hence the price. However, plastic trigger guard, one-size action, separate recoil lug, plastic magazine. It’s an economy rifle.

 

[tx_shooter]

At the S2HU the guy with the savage had problems on day one. Then watching him break it apart and reassemble it was a pain.

The tikka is just almost bomb proof.

And that is why I pay the extra for Tikkas.

 

[Macintosh]

Economy rifle=cheap, regardless of value
Value rifle=not necessarily cheap, but it maximizes performance per dollar.

Imo tikka is a value rifle, not an economy rifle. You’re getting among the best and most reliable widely-available factory barrel/action combos that exists. If folks want to replace a stock and a few parts you’re still money ahead in most cases.

 

[fatlander]

I’ve put upgrades to my tikka in shopping carts more times than I can count but I’ve yet to pull the trigger. The gun flat out shoots better than my ability as is with a cheap cheek riser/ammo sleeve kit, vertical grip, limb saver recoil pad, and bare muzzle. It’s silly how well the gun shoots when I even halfway do my part. Keep in mind, this is a gear focused forum with some folks that are absolute tack drivers at mind boggling distances. For the vast majority of us that are only hunters who want to be proficient to 400ish yards, I don’t think you really “need” anything more than a T3X in a moderately recoiling cartridge with solid glass on top.


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[homers]

Buy something else

 

[Salmon River Solutions]

The Titanium clamps on Nightforce rings are MIM molded.

That is all.

Ken

 

[BLJ]

The Titanium clamps on Nightforce rings are MIM molded.

That is all.

Ken

That’s kinda funny.

 

[tx_shooter]

Economy rifle=cheap, regardless of value
Value rifle=not necessarily cheap, but it maximizes performance per dollar.

Imo tikka is a value rifle, not an economy rifle. You’re getting among the best and most reliable widely-available factory barrel/action combos that exists. If folks want to replace a stock and a few parts you’re still money ahead in most cases.

One thing we tend to forget on forums like this is that the average rifle owner will never replace the parts we replace. Forums like this tend to make a small user group look like "every experience and opinion" because it is what we all post. The reality is that there are hundreds of thousands of owners that have never questioned the rifle and swear it is correct out of the box.

Example, I have a friend that is a typical Texas deer hunter. He was looking at Tikkas because of all the great reviews but asked me how I can stand that cheap hollow stock. I told him the stock is replaced with a KRG or MDT within days. That simple idea was not something he had considered because he had never seen a need for it. In my safe the only Tikka with a factory base model stock is the Tikka I do not shoot (bought it for the action for an upcoming build).

Off road forums make it look like every 4x4 needs front and rear lockers. Sports car forums make it look like a car is not fast unless it is pushing 1,000 rwhp. Specialist communities tend to need a bit of salt in their religion sometimes.

 

[tx_shooter]

The Titanium clamps on Nightforce rings are MIM molded.

That is all.

Ken

I believe a lot of the MIM hate comes from the late 90s when cheap and poorly made MIM parts were failing in different industries. The modern MIM process and quality control programs are a very different product than the old days where poorly cured parts were breaking apart under hand pressure. But Internet opinions are forever.

 

[Macintosh]

One thing we tend to forget on forums like this is that the average rifle owner will never replace the parts we replace. Forums like this tend to make a small user group look like "every experience and opinion" because it is what we all post. The reality is that there are hundreds of thousands of owners that have never questioned the rifle and swear it is correct out of the box.

Example, I have a friend that is a typical Texas deer hunter. He was looking at Tikkas because of all the great reviews but asked me how I can stand that cheap hollow stock. I told him the stock is replaced with a KRG or MDT within days. That simple idea was not something he had considered because he had never seen a need for it. In my safe the only Tikka with a factory base model stock is the Tikka I do not shoot (bought it for the action for an upcoming build).

Off road forums make it look like every 4x4 needs front and rear lockers. Sports car forums make it look like a car is not fast unless it is pushing 1,000 rwhp. Specialist communities tend to need a bit of salt in their religion sometimes.

100%. I make the distinction because I see that as a benefit, not as a knock.
Several other posts referred to it as an “economy gun” because it had plastic parts, or in the OP “MIM” parts, yet it carried a “more than the lowest available” price tag. Never mind that some of the most modern top of the line guns, as well as products in other industries, use plastic parts, and that whatever parts are MIM are decidedly not prone to failure in this case…the point was simply that tikkas are designed with some elements that are specifically to make them more affordable (single action size, plastic trigger guard and mags, etc), but while ALSO maintaining a pretty darn good barrel and action with tolerances good-enough that the actions really dont even need trued for shouldered prefits, etc. It’s not a custom gun, but its also only 1/3 or 1/5 or 1/10 the cost of a custom gun. But if a plastic trigger guard and mim bolt shroud or a plastic stock bugs your joie de vivres or your jus de vache or whatever, then you are a stock and a few bolt-on pretty inexpensive parts away from being 98% of the way to the functional equivalent of a custom gun. All I meant to say is that’s not “cheap”, that’s simply the cheapest way to get into a very good barrel and action.