Tikka vs Christensen

[ljalberta]

The only people I've ever personally seen raise a concern about the Tikka's performance in cold weather are people who either have no experience with Tikkas in cold weather or who lack general cold weather experience overall. I think there's a lot of cold weather issues that get blown out of proportion by the the folk located in more tropical locations or who tend to prefer to only hunt when the weather is a little finer. I imagine this is no different than some hot weather related issues that us folk located more in the north might have exaggerated over the years. I've been using Tikkas for about a decade now in some real cold weather, with a fair bit of abuse (read, clumsiness due to cold fingers) with zero issues. I also don't know a single person in my hunting circle that would hesitate to use a Tikka for fear of cold-related issues.

No experience with CA, although I'm real tempted to try a Ridgeline.

 

[Formidilosus]

The only people I've ever personally seen raise a concern about the Tikka's performance in cold weather are people who either have no experience with Tikkas in cold weather or who lack general cold weather experience overall. I think there's a lot of cold weather issues that get blown out of proportion by the the folk located in more tropical locations or who tend to prefer to only hunt when the weather is a little finer.

Correct. I have yet to see or talk to someone that brings up “issues” with Tikkas in cold weather (or any other condition) that has actually experienced it. I spend 3+ months a year, every year in very cold, snowy environments around a bunch of different rifles. I’ll take a straight factory T3 over every custom, semi custom, or production M700 pattern, or any other domestically produced rifle/action/trigger for cold, wet, snowy conditions. They function better.

It didn’t make sense to me why legite rifles such as AI, Sako TRG, Blaser used plastic skins until I started spending so much time in winter shooting and carrying them. If I could get a KRG Bravo chassis that used factory mags, and a “plastic” trigger guard I would. Screw touching metal in the cold.

 

[JakeSCH]

The only people I've ever personally seen raise a concern about the Tikka's performance in cold weather are people who either have no experience with Tikkas in cold weather or who lack general cold weather experience overall. I think there's a lot of cold weather issues that get blown out of proportion by the the folk located in more tropical locations or who tend to prefer to only hunt when the weather is a little finer. I imagine this is no different than some hot weather related issues that us folk located more in the north might have exaggerated over the years. I've been using Tikkas for about a decade now in some real cold weather, with a fair bit of abuse (read, clumsiness due to cold fingers) with zero issues. I also don't know a single person in my hunting circle that would hesitate to use a Tikka for fear of cold-related issues.

No experience with CA, although I'm real tempted to try a Ridgeline.

My comments got blown out of proportion. People read "not ideal below 0 degrees" and interpret it as "tikkas will not work in cold weather". I cannot control how people interpret it, but given extreme temps in either hot or cold, I would rather have a carbon fiber stock hence "not ideal".

I like Tikka's and Christensen Arms. Each have their own benefits...been trying to be impartial in my responses.

 

[HighUintas]

I can attest to the lack of QC at Christensen even though I don't own and have never owned one.

I applied for a QC Mgr job there awhile back and they never contacted me.

 

[z987k]

Hmm I had always heard that the T3x used injection molded plastic, which typically are not fiber reinforced (aka carbon fiber). Out of all plastic stocks, I do think Tikka has the best ones. My comment on low temp was more general for all injection molded stocks in comparison to carbon fiber.

In regards to stiffness changes, it is more about the timing of barrel harmonics to how your body "receives" the recoil. Similar to when shooting off of bipod / rear shooting bag vs a shooting vice will give you different POI.

I can see Tikka has quite a bit of loyalty here, for good reason. It is a good rifle for a great price.

At the end of the day some shoot tikka, other will shoot CA, and when it matters I'll keep them both in my safe and take my custom's out. LOL

At @Oregonnewbie what scope(s) are you looking at? I would say if the difference between getting the scope you want vs a lower end scope is the difference between the rifles...you are better off with better glass. It will make more of a difference than between the rifles.

Fiber reinforced polymer usually does not mean carbon fiber. It's usually an injection molding process but the polymer has fiberglass embedded into it for stiffness and durability. It is not a layup process. A lot of the times it's a nylon. But there's PLA and ABS that plastic parts for all sorts of things are made from. Think of your cordless drill. That's made of multiple polymers, and the reason you can drop it and it doesn't shatter to pieces is because they chose a specific fiber reinforced polymer to be durable.

If you look at a tikka stock, and the tikka "bottom metal", they are clearly different plastics.

I'm not a big fan of their stocks, and have replaced mine. That said it doesn't shoot any better now than it did before. I did not replace the bottom metal with the aftermarket aluminum ones because a) they weigh more and b) aluminum is cold. Nothing about either being brittle in the cold ever crossed my mind, because both of them are not, but I'd wager the polymer will take a lot more abuse than the aluminum. Ti or Steel would be a different story, but then it could depend on the alloy of Al.

 

[RyanT26]

I would lean towards Tikka. I have two of them, and while they are no longer in their stock form that is mainly due to me wanting the latest and greatest and being a fool with my money at times.
The only Christensen arms I have time behind is a friends ridgeline, he is very happy with it.

People that express concern over polymer bottom metal or stocks cracking in the cold are probably the same ones that thought Glocks would melt in hot cars or a Glock frame will explode if you shoot it below freezing weather.

 

[TheArdentOutdoorsman]

I own both. The Mesa is not in the same class as the T3x lineup, in my opinion. Price and weight are my favorite perks to the Tikka, it's one of the best "bang for your buck" guns out there. That aside, the Mesa is superior in most categories, imo.

 

[Ram94]

I own both. The Mesa is not in the same class as the T3x lineup, in my opinion. Price and weight are my favorite perks to the Tikka, it's one of the best "bang for your buck" guns out there. That aside, the Mesa is superior in all other categories.

If Action Smoothness is a category, then the Tikka wins that. My Christensen was stupid clunky. T3x feels like it’s on ball bearings.

 

[snowcamoman]

I've run my Tikka's down below -40 and have never had any issues. If you Brake-Kleen all the oil and grease out of the bolt, it'll shoot every time.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

 

[LeftyWilbury]

I have two tikka T3s in 7 Mag. One stainless with synthetic stock, one blued in wood. Very accurate with HSM 168 Gr Berger Hunting VLD and reloads with that same bullet. Very accurate with barnes 139 LRX which is what I hunt with...In the cold in Montana. No complaints. I wouldn't buy a Christenson because I can buy a Tikka for less and I have yet to be disappointed by any of the five tikkas I have.

Also, interestingly enough, when I switched from my good ole Savage 110 in 30-06 to the Tikka 7 Mag, I felt the recoil to be less for me. Win Win. YMMV

 

[StinkyWapiti]

I've been in this boat as well but have been drawn back by some quality control issues with Christensen.

 

[Unkept]

There was a Tikka on the rack at my local gun retailer, and I vividly remember picking it up and thinking it felt and looked like a cheap piece of junk. You couldn't have given it to me. I have a Ruger American Ranch, and it's a tack driver, but it feels and looks cheap too. A rifle hitting where I aim is an inherent requirement, but it doesn't stop there for me. I like to have firearms that are also aesthetically pleasing and that feel right to me when I shoulder them, grip them, and pull the trigger. I was fortunate to grow up in a family business in the 1980s and 1990s where we were firearms dealers, so I handled, cleaned, and sold all makes and models you can think of. You can't help but form personal preferences when exposed to so many options.

Every Christensen I have owned has been a 1/4 moa rifle with my handloads. I personally love the Christensen stocks....they fit my palm and hand perfectly. I also love the triggers. I don't care for the triggers on any of the Sako made rifles....I hated the feel of the trigger on my Finnlight and gave it to a buddy.

There is a butt for every seat. I don't give a rip what other people spend their money on, and I also don't need them to like what I like, but I think much of the Christensen bad mouthing are people parroting what they heard or read, and not from actual experience.

I own a 300 prc ridgeline and am not impressed with it at all! ( i Guess it looks nice) I regret not getting a tikka I also owned a mesa 6.5 prc and sold it however the mesa was more consistent than the ridgeline

 

[RGARNER]

Both are great guns in my opinion