Why I won’t buy a Tikka

[Big_wals]

I didn’t expect the bolt stop to be the deal breaker. Lol

Oh, bolt slop! Lol that’s different. I should read more closely.

Lol, I got thru the whole post and was thinking the exact same thing. Didn’t realize I’d misread till I saw your comment.

 

[PC356]

The bolt slop. I can’t stand that wiggly rattle bolt slip that feels horribly cheap. I know they’re great rifles, I know the trigger is great, I know the accuracy is unmatched in consistency for factory rifles, etc etc.

But I just can’t stand the bolt slop. If you’ve handled a prewar W70 or W54 you know the feeling of having a cartridge firmly but smoothly guided into place. With no slop.

Let’s see a video of this alleged Tikka “bolt slop” in action pls….

 

[coyotekilla]

Well, here's my 2 cents on the dead horse...

So, why did winchester quit making their action after what 40 years of being the premier American bolt action? Why did they re-tool their entire product line? Cause what they were making was not selling. I'll wager that a rifle of the pre64 win design and quality would out cost and under shoot 90% of the factory & semi customs out today. You know who is still making the same rifle they did in 1964... savage.
Americans be quite thrifty on the whole. We like cheap crap, then we like to complain about it. Admit it, most of us hate the coarse action of the savage & ruger american's... but 8 outa 10 of us have 1 in the collection.

Btw, i just went to the range yesterday with my tikka, the 140 eldm's shot well. Grouped .500 again, but some new federal premium shoot .300... I keep my tikka.

 

[Kimber7man]

Where does one locate one of these $10 springs? Got a new 6.5 creed I could use it in. Thx.

 

[StupidLightweight]

Yo Dave made the spring I bought, but there may be better ones

 

[Hnthrdr]

Where does one locate one of these $10 springs? Got a new 6.5 creed I could use it in. Thx.

Yodave, mt tactical, just search tikka trigger spring on google, that swap is completely worth it

 

[ElkArcher918]

Jeremy, your opinion is heard but you make it sound like Tikka rifles are POS. I'll take the Tikka "perceived" bolt slop along with the smooth action, reliability, out of the box accuracy, and functional value over alot of high priced custom rifles. I do not the need an overpriced "perfect" custom rifle just a reliable one that puts elk, deer, and antelope on the ground and in my freezer. My humble 2 cents, carry on.

 

[jjjjeremy]

Jeremy, your opinion is heard but you make it sound like Tikka rifles are POS.

Really? Because that is the exact opposite of what I actually said.

 

[ElkArcher918]

Really? Because that is the exact opposite of what I actually said.

Exactly the point is that is Your opinion.

 

[jjjjeremy]

Exactly the point is that is Your opinion.

You’re jumping past the important bits. Here is my “opinion” on Tikka rifles

I know they’re great rifles, I know the trigger is great, I know the accuracy is unmatched in consistency for factory rifles, etc etc.

For whatever reason this is what you concluded:

Jeremy, your opinion is heard but you make it sound like Tikka rifles are POS.

Where did I say that Tikka rifles were POS? I stated a personal preference, not an opinion, and why they’re not my choice, but spent more words praising them than pointing out one minor issue that turns me off.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Don’t forget a one-size-fits-all action length. How great would a short-action and micro-length action Tikka T3x be? The .223-length action would be called the “T-wee-x.”

That and the heavy bolt lift are my only gripes. For double the money, they’re impossible to beat.

The OP must be joking or trolling about bolt slop. Come on.

I’ve never been shooting my tikkas and thought “this would be so much better if the action was a different size).

 

[PC356]

Really just kind of $hit stirring post
Goal accomplished lol

 

[jjjjeremy]

I’ve never been shooting my tikkas and thought “this would be so much better if the action was a different size).

One of the biggest selling points for me before I moved on from my theoretical Tikka build (and I did have two deals set up that fell apart) was the one size fits all actually length and prefit shouldered barrels. But when I did the math and really thought it through, the cost savings after considering buying the tools, barrels, ammo and time to verify, getting a stock/chassis I like, etc, it didn’t outweigh the benefit and convenience of just having multiple barreled actions in the R700 footprint.

 

[jjjjeremy]

Really just kind of $hit stirring post
Goa accomplished lol

What else do you expect on a Friday night?

 

[thinhorn_AK]

One of the biggest selling points for me before I moved on from my theoretical Tikka build (and I did have to deals set up that fell apart) was the one size fits all actually length and prefit shouldered barrels. But when I did the math and really thought it through, the cost savings after considering buying the tools, barrels, ammo and time to verify, getting a stock/chassis I like, etc, it didn’t outweigh the benefit and convenience of just having multiple barreled actions in the R700 footprint.

The beauty of it all is that we can pretty much have whatever we want. I’ve got some semi customs and some high dollar rifles and lately I’ve just been reaching for my tikka 30-06 that got the barrel cut for my silencer. It just shoots well and does what I need it to. I have. Lot of other guns that have been in the save since I got a few tikkas back a few years ago.

 

[jjjjeremy]

The beauty of it all is that we can pretty much have whatever we want. I’ve got some semi customs and some high dollar rifles and lately I’ve just been reaching for my tikka 30-06 that got the barrel cut for my silencer. It just shoots well and does what I need it to. I have. Lot of other guns that have been in the save since I got a few tikkas back a few years ago.

This isn't the time for reasonableness.....

I'd probably be team Finland if it wasn't for the loose feeling bolt, shape of the trigger, short safety throw, bolt lock on safe, and stock. Once I fix those the things I can, and come to terms with the things I can't, I've spent a lot more than I would buying something that I like better.

 

[Antares]

shape of the trigger, short safety throw

 

[jjjjeremy]

I like a wide flat trigger, and I don’t like that the safety only moves a little to go on/off. Just another little issue that adds to the others, like the unavailability of a hinged floorplate, only getting three rounds unless I want a magazine that protrudes from the stock, the fact that I can’t top load it, or having to choose between proprietary magazines or a $200 bottom metal.

 

[StupidLightweight]

I’ve never been shooting my tikkas and thought “this would be so much better if the action was a different size).

Fair point. Action length is obviously not an issue when shooting. I also understand there are many advantages to the one-size-fits-all action length, especially for aftermarket stocks and chassis.

However, for a 223-length case, it’s physically larger than necessary. That’s all I’m saying. As an example, compare a Tikka to a Sako A1/L461 or CZ 527. Big difference.

 

[Turkeytider]

All I can say is do not try a Savage if you think Tikka's have sloppy bolts.

Either I don’t know the true meaning of the term “bolt slop” (entirely possible ) or neither my Tikka Super Varmint or Savage Model 12 LRPV has much if any. Then again neither are lower cost “budget” rifles like the Savage Axis line. And the Tikka Super Varmint certainly doesn’t have a “ Rubbermaid cheap-ass stock “ either.