"Tikka's just don't shoot good" - Gunwerks podcast

[freediver111]

I own 3 tikkas. A .270 win, a .223, and a .338 win. Also, I am currently building a 6.5 PRC off of a tikka action. All 3 of my factory guns shoot sub MOA with all the factory loads I’ve put through them and under 1/2 MOA with my hand loads I’ve worked up. The stocks on them arnt the best but no gun for $600 will have a great stock. The other downside to them for guys who like to shoot hamdloads is the max coal of the mags. But other than those 2 things there isn’t a gun I’d rather hunt with for under $1000. Also, they’re crazy cheap to build off of if you don’t end up liking the gun. You can buy prefit barrels for $350-$400 and most gunsmiths (at least here in se Idaho) charge $150 to take off the barrel and screw on a new one. Triggers are great so you don’t need to buy a custom trigger and there’s plwnty of stock options now. Hard to beat that for a finished “custom” gun.

PM sent Re: loads for the .338 win. I bought a barreled action T3 stainless in .338 and had it braked. It’s shooting 210 Hammer Hunters amazingly well at 2970 FPS. More than enough to handle moose, bear, and elk, which is the main hunting I do with a rifle.

Just curious what bullets/powder you’re using. I didn’t have any luck with 230 ELD-X and tinkered very briefly with 225 Accubonds. I have a few Swift Scirocco’s in 210 to try and might try some Barnes 210 TTSX, or just say screw it and keep running the hammer hunters. With the velocity and groups I’m getting with those it may be worth a little extra cost to keep running those.

As far as Tikkas, this is my first one. I like it a lot, but I couldn’t leave it stock! Just too many options out there to tinker with. I added a Sterk handle, mtn Tactical recoil lug, and replaced the plastic bolt shroud. It’s in a T3X stock with limbsaver pad as well. I had Ross Schuler thread it and add his 4 port brake. It’s now pretty much set, but all of those mods came at a bit of a cost. Although most stuff I picked up used so it wasn’t crazy $$ to make the upgrades. The trigger is sweet, but I also added a Yo Dave spring to set it at 1.5 lbs.

I had a SWFA 3-9 on it with Sportsmatch rings but the empty brass would hit the windage knob and go right back into the chamber. That wasn’t acceptable for moose hunting in grizz country. I bought a Bushnell LRTS to try since it has a slightly smaller windage knob, but brass is still hitting it and going back in the chamber. So now I’m trying a MTN Tactical 20 moa rail and Seekins low rings. Rings are here, and should get the rail Monday. Hope that raises the scope just enough to clear empty brass.

With guns, seems like I’m always tinkering with them. So while I’ll never pay $6-10g’s for a rifle, I have gutted some guns and ended up with a full custom for under 2k. They all shoot amazing, but it wasn’t cheap. That being said I think 99% of folks can do extremely well with a gun at half the cost of many customs and have enough funds left over for more hunting. That’s my take anyway. Rather have a few grand in my pocket to go moose hunt rather than dump it all in a gun.


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[Ross]

just like any product you can get a lemon.....tikkas do the job at a reasonable and will shoot better than most trigger pullers.been my only hunting rifle since 2003 and still shoots very well

 

[WeiserBucks]

In todays day and age there are a ton of sub $1,000 rifles and a good number of sub $600 rifles that shoot as good if not better I bet than 90% of the "custom" guns out there. Even more so if you hand loaded for them. If you have the money go for it and spend $8,000-$10,000 on a gun. Thats a lot of load development and gas to make up the cost. If you don't get a custom Will you get the cool guy camo or tactical bolt knob, probably not.

If you're willing to bet that a good number of $600 rifles will outshoot a custom, you need to take a hard look at where you're getting your custom work done .

Factory rifles, Tikka all day. Everything I own is custom but several friends shoot Tikka and they're worth every penny.

 

[eLightfoot]

The 3 I’ve had all shot so well that I bought a 4th even though I abolutely do not need it lol. They custom out real easy. No action truing, $8 trigger spring, shrouds and bolt handles are an easy swap. Just pick out a new stock and slap on a new barrel for that custom build you always wanted.

 

[Fatcamp]

Can't carry anything on a Cabela's pack frame either. And wool doesn't work anymore. And if the value of your loaded day hunting backpack is any less than $10,000 you need to reevaluate your life choices.

All these conversations are driven by marketing. Hunting is big business these days and telling people they can get by with reasonable equipment doesn't sell high end stuff.

 

[Rob5589]

They aren't "perfect" in stock form. Perfect being subjective. I have T3's, which I wasn't a fan of grip wise. I just picked up a used X stock and added the vertical grip; much better. I added steel recoil lugs; my 7 mags was peened pretty good. I believe they are now steel. I also added a MT bottom metal and metal shroud, although my daughter's 7/08 still runs the plastic without issue. The one negative is the slower twist rates if you're looking to run long bullets.

 

[Broz]

I believe that was said by Broz and what he was saying is not every tikka will shoot great. Some do but there is always a chance of getting one that doesn’t. Most of that podcast was discussing the cost of a Gunwerks build, other custom builds, and a semi custom build. After factoring in load development, gas to and from range, time, etc of a semi custom build sometimes it’s almost more cost effective to do a full custom. We have two T3X’s that shoot amazing but buying a production gun there is a risk it might not. Hope that helps

This is what I said ^^^^^^^^^^^ The op is spreading fake news. LOL

 

[TxxAgg]

I sold a couple Tikkas recently. I'm fresh out. Lean towards Howas and Weatherbys lately. Makes me want to buy another Tikka, though. I sure do like some of the customs I've seen! I guess I just like guns.

 

[silasbowhunter]

Just order one in 270 and if you don’t like it, sell it on Rokslide lol Tikkas here dont last long.


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[Murphy]

My tikka 270 shoots way better than I ever could. Every critter I have shot at so far from sheep to elk has taken a ride in my pack. I'm sure custom guns shoot more accurately but I'm a simple man and just like to hunt. My tikka feels right to me so I'm keeping it.

 

[Team4LongGun]

This.....again?!?

 

[208backcountry]

I have a tikka t3 in 7 RM. No complaints here.

 

[mtnwrunner]

Dang tikkas...……….

Randy

 

[Fonkie]

They are complete junk & anybody that owns one should sell them immediately for pennies on the dollar.......... to me!.

All seriousness they are a great budget rifle that are very accurate with a nice action & trigger. Great platform to build a kickass semi-custom for minimal money

 

[DangerRanger]

Hard to believe this forum isn’t owned by Beretta holding sometimes

 

[macabra11]

I've had my stainless Tikka with laminated wood stock in 300WSM for 15 years and it has never failed me, nor missed an animal. I am NOT a great shot, but it does everything I could ever ask of it. Last year I put a muzzle brake on it and my groupings at the range got way better (not that it was bad before).

 

[Varminterror]

If you're willing to bet that a good number of $600 rifles will outshoot a custom, you need to take a hard look at where you're getting your custom work done.

^ This...

Something is terribly wrong if a custom rifle isn’t shooting smaller and running smoother than a sub-$1000 factory rifle.

Equally, it’s just silly when guys talk about sub-$1000 rifles and $8,000-10,000 rifles, it’s nothing but misleading. Custom rifles, in the same state as these sub-$1000 rifles, don’t cost $8,000-10,000. Anyone can add up the costs to build a custom rifle - you’ll almost always end up $2500-4,000 for the rifle (can be less than $2500 VERY easily). These $8,000-15,000 KITS aren’t bare rifles, so comparing them to a bare $900 Tikka isn’t sensical.

I can say, observationally, we don’t see Tikka’s at the top level of any precision competition, and we don’t see Tikka’s dominating any production class in any type of competition either (as an example, CZ’s effectively owning Rimfire production classes in multiple disciplines). I know a couple of guys who have used Tikka actions in PRS for a few years, but both converted over to custom actions, and wouldn’t go back. The Tikka’s I have owned and shot have typically shot small, nothing wrong with the rifles, but also nothing which makes me consider them the equal to custom actions like Panda, Bat, Defiance, Impact, Stiller, etc. It’s misleading to tell folks a Tikka is equal to a custom rifle simply because you enjoy your rifle and it meets your hunting needs. Honda’s will get to work just the same as a Bentley, but doing so certainly doesn’t make them equals.

Tikka’s are good hunting rifles, standing above many other common factory options, but let’s not let ourselves get too carried away.

 

[JeffRaines]

^ This...

Something is terribly wrong if a custom rifle isn’t shooting smaller and running smoother than a sub-$1000 factory rifle.

Equally, it’s just silly when guys talk about sub-$1000 rifles and $8,000-10,000 rifles, it’s nothing but misleading. Custom rifles, in the same state as these sub-$1000 rifles, don’t cost $8,000-10,000. Anyone can add up the costs to build a custom rifle - you’ll almost always end up $2500-4,000 for the rifle (can be less than $2500 VERY easily). These $8,000-15,000 KITS aren’t bare rifles, so comparing them to a bare $900 Tikka isn’t sensical.

I can say, observationally, we don’t see Tikka’s at the top level of any precision competition, and we don’t see Tikka’s dominating any production class in any type of competition either (as an example, CZ’s effectively owning Rimfire production classes in multiple disciplines). I know a couple of guys who have used Tikka actions in PRS for a few years, but both converted over to custom actions, and wouldn’t go back. The Tikka’s I have owned and shot have typically shot small, nothing wrong with the rifles, but also nothing which makes me consider them the equal to custom actions like Panda, Bat, Defiance, Impact, Stiller, etc. It’s misleading to tell folks a Tikka is equal to a custom rifle simply because you enjoy your rifle and it meets your hunting needs. Honda’s will get to work just the same as a Bentley, but doing so certainly doesn’t make them equals.

Tikka’s are good hunting rifles, standing above many other common factory options, but let’s not let ourselves get too carried away.

These damn apples don’t taste like oranges!

Great write up.

 

[JimCraig]

Worrying about what someone promoting $6k rifles says about a $700 rifle is pretty pointless. I could care less what the CEO of Ferrari says about Toyota.

 

[Formidilosus]

I’ll go agaisnt the grain here, as usual. I’m bored. Sigh.

I can say, observationally, we don’t see Tikka’s at the top level of any precision competition, and we don’t see Tikka’s dominating any production class in any type of competition either (as an example, CZ’s effectively owning Rimfire production classes in multiple disciplines).

First off this is perception. People are told Tikkas are “budget rifles” so they think they are. And they are...... To Europeans who have a much higher expectations of rifle performance. There is not one American made custom action that shooters from Scandinavia or multiple European countries will use for field shooting. They reason has nothing to do with country of origin, or bias. It’s because Americans do not shoot bolt actions fast, and consequently our products feed rough, and bolt binds are far more frequent than with almost all Scandinavian/European actions.

Next, there are very few competitions anymore where conditions are stressing reliability or function. PRS has turned field matches into tripod and barricade benchrest with 20+ pound 6mm BR based cartridges. The closest thing that resembles backpack hunting in mixed weather is true sniper matches. International foreign military and some civilian sniper matches are not usually clean PRS matches. Problems with reliability with US built customs are common.

As for precision, you can not lump AI, SAKO, Sauer, or Blaser barrels in with US factory barrels. They’re not even close. There’s nothing magical about a Tikka barrel , it’s a straight, clean chambered, durable steel barrel. Every manufacturer will produce a bum barrel eventually. I’ve personally seen a bad Brux, Bartlien, Shilen, and Krieger off the top of my head. But I’ve also seen and used dozen of barrels from those companies that are excellent. The worst Sako barrel I’ve personally seen in several dozen was a 30/06 (IIRC) that was a 1.6-1.8 MOA rifle for 10 round groups. Tikka replaced the barrel. The second worse is one of my current 6.5 creedmoors. It’s consistently 1.2-1.4 MOA for 10 rounds with factory match ammo. All of the heavy Sako barrels will consistently go 1moa or less for 10 round groups. The rest of the light barrels have been between 1 MOA and 1.2 MOA for ten rounds. These are on demand 10 round groups, not cherry picked 3 shot “groups”.

I know a couple of guys who have used Tikka actions in PRS for a few years, but both converted over to custom actions, and wouldn’t go back. The Tikka’s I have owned and shot have typically shot small, nothing wrong with the rifles, but also nothing which makes me consider them the equal to custom actions like Panda, Bat, Defiance, Impact, Stiller, etc.

I and my teammates have won, or tied every major field sniper match we’ve shot using factory Tikka actions. We switched after having repeat failures of extractors, ejectors, triggers, bolt stops, and feeding with full done up Remingtons, Surgeons, Stiller’s, GAP’s, Defiance, etc. I watched in a major sniper match as multiple people in our squad had malfunctions due to blowing talcum like sand that caused havoc on several custom actions. In between stages they started breaking the rifles down and cleaning them. My partner was using a custom too. He had a bolt stop break, ejector bind up, and failure of the trigger to fire a couple of times during this three day match. Two people in our squad had no malfunctions- an AI and a Tikka. A week after this match he had a a match rifle being built on a T3. A month later he added an AI.


I’m not a fan of anything. I can and do shoot what I want. I solely care about function and performance under all conditions- specifically ice/snow, dust and sand. Under those pretenses three brands or lines continually out perform nearly everything made in the US. Accuracy International (AI), Sako TRG, and Tikka. The T3 line is literally a hunter’ized version of the Sako TRG- one of the most reliable and durable sniper weapon systems in the world. All three have something in common; they were all designed to function in ice and sand. I can’t think of a single American custom action that was designed and truly tested for function in those environments.

Additionally, any action that uses a 700 based trigger, will suffer more failures in snow/sand than those three. As well the only 700 based trigger that has ever passed USSOCOM’s drop fire test is the Geissele Two Stage. AI, Barrett MRAD, Sako, and consequently T3 triggers do as well. The G trigger is good, but it too can be locked up with a bit of rain that freezes.


Which gun do you think had a total and complete failure to fire until it was warmed up by a fire....



It is ridiculous that no US company has addressed this. But until someone breaks away from the R700 attachment and designs from the ground up an action and trigger system to work in sand and snow, and not bind when ran at speed, than we will keep having rifles that stop working with a handful of snow.