The Tikka scope rings that come with the rifles look plain cheap to me but, I have absolutely no experience with them. Are they fairly strong?

Do you Tikka owners use the Tikka rings or toss them and install some quality aftermarket rings?

I just bought a T3 lite and Leupie VX3 4.5-14x40 and was thinking of installing either Burris DD bases and rings, Talley lightweights, or the Warne rings. Which do you prefer?

Thanks,

Reloader

They are probably more then satisfactory with most if not all calibers. Not sure I would use them with a 338 or 300 win mag since they are a straight dovetail design.

Reloader, this is probably predictable coming from me, but I would go to Talleys for sure, if the lightweights are your cup of tea, they will work great. I just go with the standard stuff, but that small bit of add'l. weight doesn't bother me...

I would choose Burris Signature rings; their offset inserts are an ingenious solution to correct any possible alignement problems.

You guys in the USA get free rings where here in Canada we don't. I dont think the free rings are Optilocks. I personally like the Sako/Tikka Optilock Rings & BAses for my Sako and Tikka T3 rifles.

I used them on my 300win, I have about 50 rounds through the rifle and so far they seem to be holding. I asked the same question 3 months ago when I got the rifle.

I have used them in my 30-06, no problem so far!

Not that I've had extensive experience with mine, but mine have survived a couple deer seasons, a trip up the mountains elk hunting, and countles miles in a soft-sided gun case tossed in the bed of a pickup down south dakota gravel roads with nary a shift in POA/POI. Granted, that is only a .270, but them's my experiences.

They seem to work ok but the screws are easy to strip. I'd spend a little extra cash and get the talley L.W.'s, then you will have the best set-up

Pulled them from both mine and replaced with Burris bases and Signature rings.

They make an otherwise fine looking rifle look "dime storish". Just my opinion

Thanks for the input guys.

I ordered dual dovetail bases and rings.

Have a Good One

Reloader

This is an old topic, but I just had to change my Tikka rings for Talleys. I have a T-3 Lite (synthetic/bled) in .300 Win Mag, and the scope would just move around due ot the recoil - and the screws did strip as I tried to tighten them to preven the scope slippage. There was even a silver line on the scope where the rings slipped. I just shot the rifle after changing the mounts and rings, and got a 3/8-inch group. Now I am a happy camper!

Proper ring fastening is NO accident !. Even the Cheapest sets of rings are usually MORE than adequate to hold a scope , provided the BASE is secure .

I don't know gunsmithing nor do I pretend to . I was how ever fortunate to have seen several GOOD ones work from time to time and the small little tricks to secure Bases , Rings Scopes to each other ; so they don't move !.

Poor ring fit is fixed by lapping or removal of upper foot screw base material . So they sandwich more securely . Removable type Locktite screws let set good to go on several continents !. One small drop of removable type locktite in the center of the bottom portion of the rings prevents ANY SLIPPAGE what so ever . Even on Brutal 50 Cal.

To each their own , How ever I prefer Quality rings as well as bases so it becomes unnecessary to concern ones self with the afore mentioned fixes .

Shoot Straight Know Your Target . ...

I too thought the Tikka rings were less than desirable even tho they have a recoil lug on the front ring, I thought the cheap screws were a poor choice, those that came on my SS T3 Lite 338 WinMag looked cadmium coated. I opted for lapped low Tally lightweight combo rings.

I went to Talley steel bases and rings on my T3. No regrets. I think it uses the same bases as a Knight muzzleloader but call Talley to confirm.

Tikka rings are made by millet, and they are horrible IMO, I threw mine away after getting an inconsistent zero, changed to WARNE, MOA rifle.

I'm not questioning anyones choices for scope rings , scopes , base mounts or rifle choices either . Each to their own .

I would like to ask why so many of you feel the Aluminum rings or less expensive rings are inferior to steel rings ?. As the scopes themselves are " Most Always " Aluminum tubes .

I'm simply curious as to why everyone seems to feel they're " Inferior " ?. Thanks

Shoot Straight Know Your Target . ...

I don't have a problem with aluminum rings in general, but the screws on the Tikka rings are chinsy, I've read a bunch of complaints on the hex heads wallowing out after just once being removed. Those on my SS T3 look like bright cadmium coated cheap hardware screws. Good ring mfrs now use torx head screws and they should too, certainly it couldn't have cost them but a few cents more per rifle.

And that's not addressing the alignment issues I've read about them when I researched the Tikka.

quote:

Originally posted by wrongtarget:
I don't have a problem with aluminum rings in general, but the screws on the Tikka rings are chinsy, I've read a bunch of complaints on the hex heads wallowing out after just once being removed. Those on my SS T3 look like bright cadmium coated cheap hardware screws. Good ring mfrs now use torx head screws and they should too, certainly it couldn't have cost them but a few cents more per rifle.

Yep, the screws are junk on those rings. They wallered out on me and they had to be drilled out and replaced. The rings themselves are OK.

I know we've got a lot of Talley fans here. And honestly I've never heard anything bad about them. I don't have experience with them though so I can't comment further.

The Sako Optilock rings that fit the Tikka are a very serious upgrade. The rings that come with the Tikka are not Optilocks no matter what you read some internet moron spouting. They aren't the same thing period.

I got the original rings with the gun then upgraded to the Optilocks and I am very pleased I did. The Optilocks are made well, seriously solid and I don't wonder about them.

They have worked fine for me. They are just ugly as hell. Guess, free is what ugly gets or visa-versa.

Ok thanks ; It's the screws that the rings come with that are junk . Does anyone know what the Thread size or MM pitch if metric they are on the Tikka's ?.

I have a " Collection " of Rings .
I mean almost every manufacturer that ever made them . ( The long story super short ) A gunshop owner ( A friend ) bought out another shop and two gunsmiths inventory . Many many years ago . I purchased almost every base & ring set he got .

I also purchased in excess of 7K's 7 MM projectiles from Euro as well as USA made manufactures 110 - 180 Grain . I got it all for a C note . One of my better purchases !.

Shoot Straight Know Your Target . ...

Here's a pic of the SS rings. I dunno the thread pitch or size, they do appear to be metric, I compared them to torx heads I had and the thread pitch is different, thought about a trip to the hardware store tho, but that's as far as I went with it.

Wrongtarget,

Are your Talley Lightweights the Low or Medium on that 40mm scope in the pic?

Thanks,

Reloader

They're low, the only problem was the power ring touched the rear edge of the rear base, but a little touch with the dremel and some BC Aluminum Black and problem solved. The ring spacing is perfect for the Nikon Omega scope, like it was made for it.

http://www.swfa.com/pc-5224-943-talley-lightweight-aluminum-1-scopemount.aspx

http://www.talleyrings.com/lightweight.php

Thanks Wrongtarget.

I bought a lightweight T3 in 300WM that I was considering taking on a big elk hunt next fall. During load testing and breakin the tikka rings held the Leuipie VX3 4.5-14x40 just fine, but I have my doubts and don't want to risk anything on a big bull. The Talley LWs look like just the ticket.

Have a Good One

Reloader

quote:

Originally posted by wrongtarget:
They're low, the only problem was the power ring touched the rear edge of the rear base, but a little touch with the dremel and some BC Aluminum Black and problem solved. The ring spacing is perfect for the Nikon Omega scope, like it was made for it.

Just curious, is there any reason other than aesthetics you could not have simply turned the rear ring around?

quote:

Originally posted by TheBigGuy:

quote:

Originally posted by wrongtarget:
They're low, the only problem was the power ring touched the rear edge of the rear base, but a little touch with the dremel and some BC Aluminum Black and problem solved. The ring spacing is perfect for the Nikon Omega scope, like it was made for it.

Just curious, is there any reason other than aesthetics you could not have simply turned the rear ring around?

Ummm yeah, the tube is too short! I could turn both of em around, but then I'd loose the advantage of the 5" of eye relief which I think I should take every advantage of on a 338 WinMag in a 7lb4oz rifle & Scope!!

My older Tikka's had metric screws in the rings.
Here in Canada its alot easier to get metric items than in US I guess.
I replaced mine with Hex heads (they were orig. slotted..ugh) no problems since.

I have seen people using OptiLocks even in 338 LM without problems. I think they are the best system that exists. I don't know what are "Tikka rings" that came with your rifle, but if you changed OptiLocks to some aftermarket crap, send me all those rings, I pay few dollars per each, heh.

Tikka Rings use 4mm X .7 pitch hex head screws now least wise. My single biggest complaint is that , I prefer 4 scope cap screws per ring as opposed to 2 per cap . It just makes me feel better when using Aluminum scope rings .

Steel rings are just fine with 2 screws per cap being off set is better in my opinion .

My question is who makes Aluminum Med rings that fit Tikka with four cap screws per ring ?.

The Tikka rings them selfs are quite sturdy enough
if they had 4 screws per cap I'd purr !.

Shoot Straight Know Your Target . ...

quote:

Originally posted by Dr.K:

My question is who makes Aluminum Med rings that fit Tikka with four cap screws per ring ?.

Talley, see the pic above.

http://www.talleyrings.com/lightweight.php

Thanks ; WrongTarget !. You were right on target this time .

Shoot Straight Know your Target . ...

my tikka rings work fine on my 270win t3 ,i just used black srcews with them.