Why NOT a Tikka?

[Lawnboi]

None of my factory tikka barrels shoot like my custom ones. They shoot okay but they are not a bartlein cut by a good smith.

I still think tikka is the best $800 barreled action available.

 

[wind gypsy]

Why not? OK, since you asked... Plastic abounds! Stock, magazine and bottom metal. Works, but feels exactly like it is, cheap. One action length, long, again because... cheap. So if you want a .308 or Creed or similar short action round, tuff titties, you get to feed it though a long action receiver. Odd ball floating recoil lug too. Some like it, some don't. Makes working on them a bit tricky.

So you get a cost effective rifle that works reliably and is generally quite accurate out of the box. But, if you're one, like me, who appreciates the feel and fit and finish of good craftmanship, you're going to be disappointed. Seems you are probably aware of that though, and that costs more money.

The good news is, there are lots of aftermarket part to improve them. Stocks, and bottom metal and such. Of course, by the time you factor the cost of those upgrades in, you could've bought a nice rifle to begin with, so factor costly potential upgrades into future cost, if you're the type that likes nice chit.

If not, and you just want a basic tool that goes bang and hits what you aim at, rock on with a TIkka.

If'n I wanted a 308, I'd much rather have a tikka action with a 30/06 mag and LA bolt stop than a true short action limiting it to 2.87".

And I'll disagree about feelin cheap because the important parts (action and trigger) feel better than about any other common factory setup out there.

The one "feel" thing I don't like is the magazines not being completely flush.

 

[svivian]

LMAO the guys who try to compare a Tikka to a custom. Of course its not going to be as good! But you can get them damn close after you have had some time. Not everyone can drop $4k on a rifle day one but they want something nice to shoot in the meantime that they can upgrade over time if they WANT TO. The OP never asked if they were as good as custom... some guys crack me up on here.

For $1000 or less they are very hard to beat.

 

[ID_Matt]

LMAO the guys who try to compare a Tikka to a custom. Of course its not going to be as good! But you can get them damn close after you have had some time. Not everyone can drop $4k on a rifle day one but they want something nice to shoot in the meantime that they can upgrade over time if they WANT TO. The OP never asked if they were as good as custom... some guys crack me up on here.

For $1000 or less they are very hard to beat.

Ya they are nice but they ain't no titanium lone peak/carbon proof/manners!! Haha. Joking. I completely agree with you.

 

[bnsafe]

I personally prefer my bergara b14 hunter. obviously just my opinion which amounts to nothing, but it shoots lights out with literally everything Ive put thru it, bolt is smooth as butter, trigger is super light out of the box, and stock feels amazing, again, to me

 

[N2TRKYS]

Cause I don’t like the looks and feel of them. After handling and shooting a few, it’s an easy pass for me.

 

[JD Jones]

I think the actions are ugly is why I’d pass and just save a bit longer for a custom action

 

[Ryan Avery]

Tikka's come with a custom action.... and a trigger that always works. You can buy a tikka, replace the stock and be into less than most barreled custom actions.

So why NOT Tikka??

 

[mtnwrunner]

Why not, you ask???
Well, there is no why not.
Save yourself a ton of grief and just go do it. Alot of guys think about it, don't do it, go full circle and BLAM.....its tikka time.

Randy

 

[amassi]

Why not, you ask???
Well, there is no why not.
Save yourself a ton of grief and just go do it. Alot of guys think about it, don't do it, go full circle and BLAM.....its tikka time.

Randy

Guilty
I Kick myself for all the inexpensive rifles I passed up working for big gun store like clearance sweeds and 338 win mags for 299.97.
When the t3x came out we couldn't give away the T3 and had to hand out gift cards

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

 

[SDHNTR]

I get that, but on the other hand the "built to fit" can be a detriment in some platforms. Take for instance a 300 WSM or a 6.5 PRC on a rem 700 short action type (bergara,christensen, etc.) - pretty dang limited outside of factory ammo. If it was a tikka you have the option of running it short or spending $70 to run handloads and heavy bullets.

Defiance XM, Win M70, or a short remmy and a Wyatt’s box. Plenty of solutions for that issue, “built to fit”.

 

[Pacific_Fork]

Because they are mass produced fugly rifles with janky looking components.

That is my short sided, non experienced, biased towards my expensive custom opinion. So don’t take me seriously.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

One reason: it does not shoulder well for a specific person; otherwise it is purely arbitrary.

Assuming it shoulders well, grab a reliable scope and get hand-loads developed for it.

 

[MuleyFever]

If you are a tinkerer, chances are you will get tired of the way the stock “feels” and you will drop $$$ on a stock. While you are at it you will go with metal for the bottom metal because, why not. When it is all said and done, you will have $1500-1800 in your $800-1000 tikka and it want shoot any better because it started out shooting pretty damn good. So you will put a carbon barrel on it and push it close to $3k and it still will only shoot about as good as it did when you bought it for $800, which is pretty good but frustrating because you just blew $2k and it doesn’t shoot any better but at least it doesn’t feel cheap anymore.

or maybe that is just me. I am about half through that little journey and enjoying it.

I am on my 2nd and seem to end up at about $2k-$2500. My current one was $900 plus the $650 for a McGowan barrel and having them swap the barrel. Another $600 for a stock and maybe $150 for bottom metal.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

Only aftermarket modifications to my Tikkas are blood and custom pin-striping from trees, rocks, vehicles of all types, and the ground.

They’ll hang with the pretty rifles and also those costing a multiple.

 

[MuleyFever]

LMAO the guys who try to compare a Tikka to a custom. Of course its not going to be as good!

Why wont it be as good? I see people posting groups from their Tikka just as good as people report from a custom. Its a rifle not a sports car. You pull the trigger and it goes boom. If someone is shooting a similar group from a TIkka as from a custom how is it not just as good?

 

[JGRaider]

Been shooting Tikkas since 1999. Still have a Tikka 695, 2 T3's, 2 T3X, and a CTR. All stock, no mods, all are extremely accurate and durable with a fantastic trigger. Nothing comes close to their performance for the money.

 

[svivian]

Why wont it be as good? I see people posting groups from their Tikka just as good as people report from a custom. Its a rifle not a sports car. You pull the trigger and it goes boom. If someone is shooting a similar group from a TIkka as from a custom how is it not just as good?

You are right… and I doubt there is 1% on here who shoot well enough to notice the difference

 

[Bubblehide]

I bought my first Tikka (and still hunt with it regularly) before the vast majority knew what a Tikka was. They simply fit me, they have an ergonomically correct stock design. That so called "plastic" feel of the stock does not bother me one bit, as it functions perfectly (at least for me). The action is smooooooth, extremely nice bolt throw, especially for a factory rifle. Super trigger spring replacement (not at all a bad factory trigger). If you value function, there is nothing not to like.

Yes, I also own a few customs, but for the money, Tikka is where it's at.

 

[sbaker0029]

I would look into the Browning Xbolt. There's some pretty good deals on gunbroker. I picked one in 30-06 a few years ago for less than $600.
The .270 is losing popularity so you're more likely to find a deal on that caliber.
I own both tikka and Xbolt. I like the xbolt's shorter bolt throw and rounded magazine. It sits nicely in the hand.
The tikka vs xbolt weight, action, and trigger are very close.
The stainless tikka is cheaper than the xbolt but if looking for plain blue synthetic find the best deal on one or the other.