Tikka

[TradLife406]

I sold my Remmy clone build for this Unknown 6 UM tikka.
That Remmy wouldn't go bang sometimes while hunting. The tikka is supposed to be more reliable. Also I'm a trigger snob. The factory Tikka trigger is incredible.
Also this gun is way more accurate than my custom Remmy clone. That gun was about an inch an a half gun. This thing is shooting sub one inch with fire forming loads. Insane!


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[Bodycamp13]

It would be a 6.5PRC

I have the Lite Stainless - cut to 18" for can and it shoots factory LRX loads in .75" easily. I've only run half a box through it. I prefer my .308 (same gun cut to 17") only for the easy access to ammo...probably won't keep the PRC but it isn't because I don't like the gun or cartridge. I hunt VA/NC and shots are rare over 300 for our areas.

 

[kthomas]

They are a decent gun at a decent price. A really good value, arguably the best in their class. They definitely shoot well. Aftermarket support for them is growing everyday. Some gunsmiths are comfortable with making prefits for them, which suggests they have tight tolerances on their tennons, others aren't.

The downsides are the CS is ran by Beretta USA (which is poor), the barrels are slow (not a huge deal, IMO), being a European company they don't care about responding to US market needs, bolts have a tendency to break if you drop them, they certainly don't feel as refined as higher end actions, still limited aftermarket for certain Tikka accessories, such as triggers, etc.

Overall, quality guns at a great price. But Rokslide is hilariously dogmatic about them, you would think Tikka's are the second coming of Christ on here.

 

[atmat]

The only downside I can really think of it that the stocks aren’t great, replacement stocks are super expensive too so eventually you get to a point where to make any real difference with them you need to spend some serious $$$

Agree that the factory stocks aren’t great. But a $20 VG, a $20 cheek pads, and a dremel make them much better.

Also, the Stocky’s VG is great and can be had for <$400.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Agree that the factory stocks aren’t great. But a $20 VG, a $20 cheek pads, and a dremel make them much better.

Also, the Stocky’s VG is great and can be had for <$400.

For sure, I do the dremel, vertical grip thing on my tikkas and they are very usable. As for the stocks VG stock, yeah I’ve heard it’s decent. I sort of like a more traditional stock though for most of what I do. I know stocks makes a basic stock but I’ve read mixed reviews of it. The peak44 looks nice but $$$, and I don’t even know what’s up with McMillan these days, they seem to be about 3 times more expensive than they used to be and take about 3 times as long to get one. Wildcat is nice but apparently the whole teriff thing is making those tough to get ahold of. I would like to get a Rostock but I don’t think they are even in stock and havnt been for awhile.

 

[V00D00]

theyre smooth. theyre accurate. theyre trustworthy.
theres starting to be decent aftermarket support.
you can build a rifle with the action without having to get a smith to true the action like you would a 700
did i mention theyre smooth?

 

[Dave Thomas]

They just work. They're just plain working rifles without anything fancy about them but once you start shooting them you'll know exactly why they are liked so much.

 

[agohn155]

On this site they are "The way". Mainstream, not so much. I personally think they are the best off the shelf production rifle.

I would agree with you, on all counts. I went from an customer LH rifle to a Tikka 7mm mag and right out of the box I was cutting bullet holes at 100+ yards. Huge difference in price between the two firearms and the results told me everything I need to know.

 

[agohn155]

They just work. They're just plain working rifles without anything fancy about them but once you start shooting them you'll know exactly why they are liked so much.

I definitely agree. I went from a customer LH bolt action and the Tikka met all my requirements. I was surprised and that doesn't happen often.

 

[Marbles]

What’s the draw to Tikka ? I have never owned one or shot one. I am looking at getting another bolt gun. Is this the go-to now ? Just curious as to why everyone is talking about them.

Price for what you get. Though, prices have been climbing and that changes things.

Relatively smooth action, reliable, tend to shoot well out of the box, decent aftermarket support.

If I had unlimited money I would go with Sako 90s with custom wood stocks. A lego Tikka is about the next best thing.

 

[Vector32]

I went and looked at them. They are nice but I looked at the Seekins PH3. I am thinking that will be the next one.

 

[NSI]

I went and looked at them. They are nice but I looked at the Seekins PH3. I am thinking that will be the next one.

Seekins is a good company that makes a fine bolt action rifle, with a few concerns:

1) The stock geometry is decent, but not as optimal for recoil control during field shooting as the lighter weight options available for the Tikka (Bastion, Rokstok, CF Versa Echelon) ranging from 500-900 dollars.

2) The weight of the 3rd generation Seekins is artificially increased by the unnecessary m-lok and adjustable cheek pieces.

3) The Seekins uses a Remington 700 pattern trigger which has a higher likelihood of failure or slam fire ND in late season Colorado conditions.

In short, a Tikka in a Rokstok will cost less, weigh less, be safer in winter, and likely deliver equivalent accuracy to the PH3.

-J

 

[Ralphie]

Tikka fans will howl but the feeding is an issue. Even on this site there are all kinds of threads about it and guys even buying aftermarket mags for insane prices to make “reliable” tikkas feed. Mags might be a disposable item but it happens with brand new mags. The 4 rd ones are better than the 6 rd ones. Someone is 3d printing mag kits, you have to stretch out the springs, etc.

I’m a lukewarm fan, have a 223. Seen similar issues with a friends 308 and 300wsm.

Current prices make you think about them. But everything costs more too. Definitely look for a deal on one. I bought mine during a rebate and Scheels was giving a 100 gift card with a tikka purchase so 175 off effectively seemed like a decent deal.

There’s no doubt the smoothness of the action is nice.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

Tikka fans will howl but the feeding is an issue. Even on this site there are all kinds of threads about it and guys even buying aftermarket mags for insane prices to make “reliable” tikkas feed. Mags might be a disposable item but it happens with brand new mags. The 4 rd ones are better than the 6 rd ones. Someone is 3d printing mag kits, you have to stretch out the springs, etc.

I’m a lukewarm fan, have a 223. Seen similar issues with a friends 308 and 300wsm.

Current prices make you think about them. But everything costs more too. Definitely look for a deal on one. I bought mine during a rebate and Scheels was giving a 100 gift card with a tikka purchase so 175 off effectively seemed like a decent deal.

There’s no doubt the smoothness of the action is nice.

I haven’t had any issues with the OEM magazines feeding (only been using factory ammo). The only reports I have seen for feeding failures have been for certain non-OEM brands (e.g., MDT). Where are you seeing reports of the OEM magazines failing?

 

[NSI]

Tikka fans will howl but the feeding is an issue. Even on this site there are all kinds of threads about it and guys even buying aftermarket mags for insane prices to make “reliable” tikkas feed. Mags might be a disposable item but it happens with brand new mags. The 4 rd ones are better than the 6 rd ones. Someone is 3d printing mag kits, you have to stretch out the springs, etc.

I’m a lukewarm fan, have a 223. Seen similar issues with a friends 308 and 300wsm.

Current prices make you think about them. But everything costs more too. Definitely look for a deal on one. I bought mine during a rebate and Scheels was giving a 100 gift card with a tikka purchase so 175 off effectively seemed like a decent deal.

There’s no doubt the smoothness of the action is nice.

The 223 factory mags indeed have feeding problems.

The standard and magnum bolt face mags are some of the finest feeding mags in the industry. It is an issue primarily of cartridge head exposure to the bolt lug.

-J

 

[LongWayAround]

I haven’t had any issues with the OEM magazines feeding (only been using factory ammo). The only reports I have seen for feeding failures have been for certain non-OEM brands (e.g., MDT). Where are you seeing reports of the OEM magazines failing?

My six round .223 mag feeds horribly. Like total dog shit. My four round has been totally fine though.

I bought an aftermarket mag to get more capacity, not because there is anything wrong with the factory four round.

 

[Ralphie]

I haven’t had any issues with the OEM magazines feeding (only been using factory ammo). The only reports I have seen for feeding failures have been for certain non-OEM brands (e.g., MDT). Where are you seeing reports of the OEM magazines failing?

There are threads right here on rokslide.

 

[atmat]

There are threads right here on rokslide.

Can you point to them?

I see lots of problems with the .223 mags. That’s been known and talked about for ages. But I haven’t seen any issues with the other non-OEM tikka mags.

 

[Timjohnson11]

Seekins is a good company that makes a fine bolt action rifle, with a few concerns:

1) The stock geometry is decent, but not as optimal for recoil control during field shooting as the lighter weight options available for the Tikka (Bastion, Rokstok, CF Versa Echelon) ranging from 500-900 dollars.

2) The weight of the 3rd generation Seekins is artificially increased by the unnecessary m-lok and adjustable cheek pieces.

3) The Seekins uses a Remington 700 pattern trigger which has a higher likelihood of failure or slam fire ND in late season Colorado conditions.

In short, a Tikka in a Rokstok will cost less, weigh less, be safer in winter, and likely deliver equivalent accuracy to the PH3.

-J

I have a few of both and would frame their differences as such:

- Both of my Seekins (PH2 and Element M3 Slam) are better shooters than all of my Tikkas. My Tikkas aren’t bad shooters by any means but my Seekins will shot with custom guns 3x their price (including my beloved Gunwerks 6.5x284).

- The Tikka action is significantly smoother than my PH2 and still slightly smoother than my Element M3.

- as someone else noted above, I don’t love the Seekins stock. A Bastion or Mountain Tracker LR could be had for the Tikka for not much more than the price difference between the PH3 and Tikka..

- Tikkas have better aftermarket support, period. There is seemingly endless potential and a blank slate to build your dream gun on the Tikka platform

- Seekins have better customer support, period, and it’s not even close.

- Tikkas hold their value better on resale markets.

- the new vintage Seekins are more versatile for their cost and within the Seekins ecosystem of prefits, bolt heads, and mags... The new quick change barrel system in the PH3 and M3 is legit. I’ve removed and replaced my barrel a few times now with zero impact on accuracy/group size. Takes just a few minutes with no special tools required… For roughly $2,500 one could order a PH3 in 6mm Creed (for hunting) AND a 20” ARC barrel and ARC bolt head (for training), all via EuroOptic. Obviously you can get prefits for Tikkas as well but they are generally more money and require far more time and skill to install correctly in my experience.

- controversial perhaps but I believe the criticism around the 700 platform triggers to be a bit long in the tooth and overblown. As a former full time outfitter and guide in northern Utah, I’ve yet to witness conditions get the best of a quality 700 style trigger. I certainly wouldn’t blacklist a gun just because it ran a 700 style trigger such as certain vocal Rokslide voices. That said, the Tikka trigger is indeed good..

Sorry for long winded post but needed something to do as I lay in a tent during a downpour outside … It’s hard to go wrong with either and I find myself recommending Seekins to certain clients and Tikkas to certain others. If you value absolute and turnkey precision out of the box, versatility of a single platform/ecosystem, and customer service, get a PH3.. If you’re a hands on guy who enjoys making something your own over time, and/or someone who values absolute durability above all else, get the Tikka.

 

[Ralphie]

Can you point to them?

I see lots of problems with the .223 mags. That’s been known and talked about for ages. But I haven’t seen any issues with the other non-OEM tikka mags.

Thread 'Anybody Else Having Failure to Feed with Tikka mags?'

Feb 15, 2025

Checking to see if this is a known problem with the Rokslide crew, or I've just had some bad luck. I have 3 different 223 4-round mags, one came with the rifle and two were bought independently of one another (MidwayUSA and somewhere else.) All Tikka factory, all bought in 2024.

It happens when the action is cycled and the next round needs to be pushed up for the bolt to catch the rim. They get "stuck" and don't lift. So it's not a factor of the mags not being seated, or that the rifle is in a Rokstok. I've watched the round in the action eventually rise after a delay, otherwise...

• Kenny Hart
• Replies: 54
• Forum: Firearms

Thread 'Tikka 223 magazine feeding issues'

May 18, 2023

I have a MT 223 4rd magazine and a tikka plastic 6rd magazine and both occasionally fail to feed in my t3x. Any fixes? I've heard Waters magazines are the answer. How do I buy one of those? I am planning on shooting a NRL Hunter match or two in the near future with my rokslide special.

• Jimbee
• Replies: 89
• Forum: Firearms