Been looking at a Tikka T3 and while it is different in my opinion, I like it. So is it worth adding one to my collection?

Have one in 308 stainless syntetic. Bushnell 3-9x40 scope and it gets me deer - each shot goes where it's meant to. A great rifle!
And good value.........

I've got one in 270 win

Don't think I'll ever buy another brand. The gun shoots where you point it every time. Hard to beat for the money.

I have two in the LS models...love them...both are 270WSM...and are SHOOTERS. Personally I do not care for the T3 Lite as I dont like the hollow sound of the synthetic stock compared to a Sako m75 ss stock.

I also have one in 270 Win and it's a tack driver. Wasn't nuts about the look and feel at first but after hearing so many good things about them I decided for the price to give it a try and I'm glad I did.

Kinda like Savages: I hear some complaints about looks and feel but never about accuracy.

Thousands of them in Australia.
Never (or rarely) hear bad things about them.
Always seem to be great shooters.

My advice - stick a pre fit Limbsaver recoil pad on it if you buy one. They work wonders and overcome the lightness of the gun / bad recoil pad that comes with it.

I just picked up a .300 Win Mag on gunbroker this summer and I love it. Had it at the range several times and it's a shooter. The stainless synthetic is just what I needed for some of my nasty weather hunting. Going to break it in next week on a black bear hunt.

That said aesthetically it might be an acquired taste. It has a very modern Scandinavian feel think of it as an IKEA style rifle. I love it but purists might not.

I like the Battue Lite, I just wish they'd make them in 7mm-08.

I have two, both the T3 lite. First is a 6.5x55 I liked so much that I tried another in 7RM. I can say the action was a bit odd looking at first but after a bit of loading/shooting I don't see them as odd, only outstanding rifles. I will also say they are both long throated and might be a bit finickier with factory loads, I dunno since it's been years since I've shot factory stuff in anything.

Got a 270WSM and a 6.5 X 55 in T3 lite stainless.Great rifles!!!!

I'd say buy it! I have a T3 light in 270WSM. It's a darn accurate rifle!

Thanks guys I may put it on my short list. Wish it was a .270 instead of a 25-06 she has though.

Tikka Rifles

I got one in 243 for my son to hunt with, even he can shoot descent groups with it. I find the trigger to be one of the best I've ever shot, including Accu-triggers, X-triggers and timneys. I polished my bolt to smoothen it up some, but it really wasn't nessesary. The detachable magazine is easy to use and STAYS PUT (unlike big green DM's). SAKO extractor and integral scope base, they even come with sling swivels and rings. MHO the Tikka T3 is the best and most underated buy in the gun market today.

My only complaint is the plastic parts, like the bolt shroud and the magazine. The mag is a good design and works wonderfully, but I wish it were steel.

i have 3 tikkas--7mm-08, .30-06, .300 win mag.

they are excellent rifles for the money, quite accurate without modification, and reliable. the .300 has been to africa twice and canada once.

i really love my 7mm-08.
i even like how they look!!!

I guess I do have a couple of complaints about my T3...

1. The stock scope mount(the rear one)shattered about a week before hunting season a couple years ago. I replaced them with nice units from Warne and got the gun dialed back in within 48 hours. Might have been a bad unit that failed but I will still buy Tikka, just dump the stock mounts.

2. The magazine broke when I left it on top of my car and drove away. a steel mag might have survived but whatever, my bad for sure.

I like how they look too. I also like that my .270 is about 7LBS with the scope.

I have 3 T3`s
243 win S/S
222 stainless camo
3006 blued lamited
good right of the box

The scope mounts supplied with Tikkas in the U.S. are the rifles' weakest point, and easily replaced. I just wish they made the T3 in long and short actions.

I have 2 T3s, a 338 Fed and 300 Win Mag. Didn't care for the supplied rings, so installed Leupie DDs on the 338 and Talley LWs on the 300. Good feel, light, and a good trigger, but having accuracy issues with the 300. The 338 will barely do MOA with handloads, but the 300 is around 1.5 with many diff combos. I've owned a couple Rem 700 300s and a Savage 300 and all would easily out shoot the t3. Going to try a few more combos in the 300 and probably some premium factory rounds as well. If it doesn't get any better, I'm going to see how good their CS is.

my 270 shot the heck out of Federal factory ammo. Blue box or premium, the groups where tight. The results with Remington ammo where not as good.

What I've found with reloading for that rifle is that if I want it to group tight, I have to back off what I feel is the max load by about .5 grains. This goes for Nosler AB or Barnes TSX. There is a sweet spot and anything above that it starts to spread the groups a little.

Hard to say what the issue is with you rifle...just a thought.

I have a T3 Lite in 270 wsm and a Browning A-Bolt in 300wsm........... wish I had bought another Tikka

Had a LH T3 Lite in 270WSM that was sent down the road.
Super slow velocities, subpar accuracy, expensive parts and accessories, cheap feel, and too much plastic were the things that made me happy to sell it.
I paid $400 for it brand new and even that low price wasn't enough to make me like it.

What mounts are the T3's supplied with in the US?

I have a T3 Varmint Stainless in 300wsm and have no complaints about its accuracy or durability

I have seen and held several T3s, and lots of good things are being said about them. When helping a young fellow sight in his new rifle, I got to shoot one in 7 mag, and it was very accurate.

I recently bought a M695 in 280 with synthetic stock, and another one in 338 WM with walnut stock. I think this model preceded the T3.

I have never had the opportunity to remove the barreled action from a T3, as I have with the 695, and inspect the recoil lug area.

Would someone please post a picture of the T3 underside of the receiver, where the front guard screw attaches, and a picture of the inside of the stock too?

I want to see the way they did it on the T3 compared to the 695.

Here are spme pictures of the recoil lug area of the receiver and stocks from the 695.

The first three pictures are of the 338 with the walnut stock.






These next pictures are of the 280 with the synthetic stock. Note the different set-up.







KB

quote:

Originally posted by DJM:
What mounts are the T3's supplied with in the US?

I have a T3 Varmint Stainless in 300wsm and have no complaints about its accuracy or durability

They are aluminum mounts and not super thick aluminum either. When I replaced them after they failed, the guy I bought the warne mounts from said he'd seen it a couple time in the last couple years. I don't think it rampant but having it happen personally, I'll be replacing them on any new Tikka I get. $40 extra is not going to keep me from buying another Tikka. It's a simple upgrade and most rifles require you to purchase mounts anyway.

Tikka's factory rings are dime-store quality. I once used a pair of Warne - great way to put ring marks in a scope.

The one-piece DNZ anodized aluminum shown here are the shizzle - they *never* scratch a scope and due to the thick top ring halves they hold a scope VERY securely without extreme torking of the ring screws.
The included screws are of very good quality. Used with a bit of blue locktite I have extreme confidence in this mount.

Here's my 6.5 x 55 Hunter with DNZ's then. Shoots 130gr AB's into 3/4 MOA at 2800 fps with very light recoil

How different is the shape of the Tikka 695 to a T3 ?

Is the recoil lug in a different position ?

.

The recoil "lug" on a T3 is an integral part of the stock. It is molded or inletted into the stock and only a small slot is milled into the underside of the receiver. The actual surface area of this "lug" bearing on the receiver is miniscule. Any aftermarket stock will need to be made with this "lug" molded into the stock. McMillan makes a stock for the T3 with the "lug" molded in.

I found the stock Tikka mounts to be more than adequate once the very soft screws are replaced with hardened button head cap screws from the hardware store. Once I replaced the screws they could be tightened so they won't slip.

Mine never slipped but the rear mount shattered on the bench. I literally was firing my last 3 shots to verify it zeroed in for the season and it all went sideways. I went from dead center on the two previous shots to almost off the paper. When I checked things over, that's when I saw what had happened to the rear mount. Almost like the aluminum was torn more than shattered.

They had been great up until that point...2 years old. Knowing that I'm not the only person who's had the issue, It seems wise to replace them with steel mounts. I'd hate to risk having that happen 10 miles back in the middle of the season.

I have a T3 300 win mag and really like the optilock rings I purchased. They are a bit pricey, but they are very solid. I am very happy with the gun itself and would definitely buy another (hopefully soon if the budget allows). My suggestion would be to buy one.

The one-piece DNZ anodized aluminum shown here are the shizzle

[/QUOTE]yes I did this to my T3 lite in 7mm - 08 and I don't worry about anything zero my zeiss scope and I am good at MOA of deer out to 300 yards

I have a T3 Lite .308 LH. Love it. Used a set of Talley mounts right from the get go based on someone else's recommendation. Glad I did. No complaints.

I have a .243 Hunter and a 7mm-08 Lite. Both very accurate with all brands of bullets. I load the .243 a little around book max + or- depending on the bullet. I load the 7-08 below max by 1 or 2 gr. Both shoot very well and the least finicky of any rifles I've ever loaded for.

The plastic doesn't turn me off; it's good plastic. Merg

I like the synthetic stock too...I think the rifle is sharp looking. It's durable, that's for sure. I ride my mountain bike in the dark into a lot of my hunting spots. I had it mounted on the handlebars when I first started with the bike thing. I whacked it pretty hard on a tree that I didn't see. Sent me to the ground. Thought for sure it was messed up based on the impact. Nada, nothing, straight and sighted in just as was prior to the accident. I've since changed the mounting to the trailer I tow behind the bike.

It shoots as good or better than anything I've shot past or present.

My only complaint is the stock mounts...not an issue, just buy and aftermarket set if that sort of stuff worries you...like it worries me.