Tikka’s market share on bolt actions

I’m still shocked that all those plastic cheap rifles sell so well. Of course I understand budget, but I also grew up in an era when guns were considered cherished tools, family heirlooms. Guns were something to be proud of. You saved up for them. Craftsmanship was to be admired. I’ve tried, and regardless of accuracy, I just can’t do it with a cheapo gun. Fit and finish and thoughtful craftsmanship matters to me.

Savages and Ruger Americans make me sad.
 
I’m still shocked that all those plastic cheap rifles sell so well. Of course I understand budget, but I also grew up in an era when guns were considered cherished tools, family heirlooms. Guns were something to be proud of. You saved up for them. Craftsmanship was to be admired. I’ve tried, and regardless of accuracy, I just can’t do it with a cheapo gun. Fit and finish and thoughtful craftsmanship matters to me.

Savages and Ruger Americans make me sad.
I’m curious if your tikka rifles are the plastic stock version? If they are, then they aren’t much different than the cheap rifles you are referring to.

I agree that the tikka is better in a few ways, but the tigers and savages just plain shoot!
 
I’m curious if your tikka rifles are the plastic stock version? If they are, then they aren’t much different than the cheap rifles you are referring to.

I agree that the tikka is better in a few ways, but the tigers and savages just plain shoot!
I do not own a Tikka. Several of my friends and family have them, and I set them all up. I’m quite familiar with them, but they don’t get me excited.
 
I do not own a Tikka. Several of my friends and family have them, and I set them all up. I’m quite familiar with them, but they don’t get me excited.
I got ya. I think they are great rifles, but I kinda understand and agree with your point.
 
I’m still shocked that all those plastic cheap rifles sell so well. Of course I understand budget, but I also grew up in an era when guns were considered cherished tools, family heirlooms. Guns were something to be proud of. You saved up for them. Craftsmanship was to be admired. I’ve tried, and regardless of accuracy, I just can’t do it with a cheapo gun. Fit and finish and thoughtful craftsmanship matters to me.

Savages and Ruger Americans make me sad.
Talking to some of the guys who hunt around here, they are all cheap. They won’t spend a little more to get something nicer. They also hunt in blinds or stands that are an easy walk from the truck. Reliability in harsh conditions are not something they even think about.
 
I personally wouldn’t say that anything less than a tikka is cheap. Maybe inexpensive but still a very good hunting rifle. I’ve got a Ruger American Gen 2 that I would trust to perform on any hunt, just the same as my tikka or any of the “nicer” options.
Of all the rifles I have, the one I use most often is one of my cheaper options. It gets beat up in the woods, in the Kubota, an it is used as a tool. But I have also killed more deer with it than any of my other rifles.
You can definitely get good function out of a “lesser” rifle.
 
Local gun stores around my area don't carry them. There is a Tikka dealer in my area, I went there looking for a 223 lite model and they only had the rough tech. They didn't offer to order one for me, I had asked specifically if they had a lite and they're listed as a dealer with Beretta.

There is another local gun store right down the road from the dealer he sells a lot of Savage and Ruger. I wanted a CTR that was already threaded. He didn't have one but offered to order one for me and I took him up on it. Said he loved his Tikka rifles. But usually doesn't sell them, I guess because he isn't a Tikka dealer.

Other couple of Tikka I have were ordered online, mostly from Eurooptic, and transferred to local gun shop. I have never seen another Tikka at the sportsmen's club. Many people know of Tikka by reputation though.

Tikka aren't nearly as ubiquitous as you think. I'm on Rokslide because people were talking about Tikka on here. I saw a post about modifying polymer MDT mags to fit CTR bottom metal. Then I knew I had found my kind of people.
 
I'd make my guess at 5% or less. I found an article that has Ruger at 18% of rifle sales, Savage is 10%. Ruger Americans and Savage Axis/110s outsell Tikka by a wide margin. To most people, $500 rifle is the going rate for a rifle, and $200 for a scope.
 
I had emailed s2delta who make a pretty intriguing affordable 700 chassis if they were inletting for Tikka in the future and they said no and they'd do savage and Ruger before they did Tikka.
 
I had emailed s2delta who make a pretty intriguing affordable 700 chassis if they were inletting for Tikka in the future and they said no and they'd do savage and Ruger before they did Tikka.
Funny, Ultradyne pretty much had the 700 chassis and Ruger chassis out for a couple of years, and they just now started listing Tikka, Howa, and CZ. Has to be due to market share, Id think? But at least now Im thinking about getting a Tikka, then their chassis, to match my 700 lol Ultradyne Chassis
 
News flash..... If Tikka's were made in America, they'd probably be priced the same as Ruger/ Savage/Howa or possibly even lower. They're not really a technological marvel in any way that's different than any other action being put together on a machined tube with a plastic stock. They just have better overall QC and machining, most times. When there is an issue, I've read multiple stories about their service being a nightmare. Honestly, on this forum, I kinda doubt that someone would come forward and say their Tikka rifle is a dog, like they do with other brands. They'd get tarred and feathered. LOL. And yes, I've owned Tikka's in the past.
 
Only thing I know is that it is growing.

I purchased my first Tikka in 2000. At that time, few gun stores in the area carried Tikka, and few people knew about their rifles. That changed right around 2000, when Beretta acquired Sako/Tikka and started importing. Appears their popularity has only grown.
 
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