Why was the Tikka T3 Varmint Stainless discontinued in the USA?
A local shop has one at a good price, but I was concerned that it may have been discontinued due to a bad batch of stainless steel Tikka and Sako had a few years ago.

It isnt

I talked to a Beretta help line today, but I only recieve a promise that someone would call back with the answer.

I may buy it, even if they are discontinued here. The gun looks and handles well, but I was concerned about the long action with only the 223. There was even a spacer in the magazine as it also uses a long action magazine. Can this cause any feeding problems or other issues to consider?

For those with this model, how do you like the gun and are you happy with the purchase?

I bought one of the last T3 Varmint SS 223s I knew of from a big distributor...8 twist...I have not yet found what it really wants to shoot...be advised the short mag length can be slightly modified.....but don't plan on shootin' 80 SMKs from the magazine...single feed yes...the 55 NBT will feed just fine...a great rifle with a super smooth trigger...I just haven't found what mine wants to shoot/burn yet...I have several other Tikka field weight rifles that shoot just fine...buy it and try it !

Are you saying that you're having trouble finding that a bullet thay shoots accurately or one feeds reliabily?

I own #2 T-3 SS Tikka's .223 and 7Rem Mag .

Both shoot exceptionally well for stock out of the box Rifles .

.224 bullet range 55 -77 grain should work very well in a 1:8 twist .

Mine shoots groups of 15 between .890 - .410 depending on bullet weight and design . Sierra 69 Gr. is

most accurate in mine .

7 Rem Mag is sub MOA most of the time with weight between 120-168 with the 168 being best at just over

.610 .

If your going to blast Varmint and are looking for lighter bullets too shoot , choose a slower twist

1:12 as opposed to the 1:8 . Rule of thumb Lighter weight bullets slower twist rate .

For " Box Rifles " I'll take it ANY TIME !. Mine have yet to malfunction or blow up !.

Is the faster twist rate (1:8) a problem with the 40-55 grain bullets?

The 8 twist isn't needed for the 40-55s...but is for the 69-80s...some 40s may spin the jackets off in the 8 twist...decide what the rifle is for...Savage 223s are 9 twist...my pre T3 Tikka 595 223 field weight rifle is a 12 twist....as for my T3 SS varmint 223....I just haven't spent enough time with it to figure what it wants to shoot...I favor 55 NBTs in my other 223s...including my Pac Nor 223 AI heavy p/dogger...not sure why Tikka builds an 8 twist 223...and puts a magazine too short to feed 75-80s on it...

I've never had decent results from less the 52 gr, bullets in my .223's but then again mine

are all 1:7 1:8 1:9 . A 1:12 twist should be preferable if the lighter 52 gr and down are going to

be used . Least that's my take on it . I use my .222 for lighter bullets as it

won't shoot anything heavier than 55 gr. and not all that well either ,It Prefers 45-53 grain .

I think I may have made a mistake buying the Tikka Varmint. Most of the ammunition on the shelf is 55 grain which sounds like it may be too light for the 1:8 twist.

I helped a hunting buddy that doesn't reload by working up a load and building 300 rounds for him.
The rifle is a Tikka T3 lite stainless in .22-250.
The load consisted of WW cases, 55 grain Hornady V-Max's, Varget and Remington 9 1/2 primers.
I was singularly impressed by the fact that the Tikka broke in very easily (yes, I'm one a them), cleaned like a dream after break in and is a solid half inch to sub-half inch 5 shot group rifle. Perhaps I got lucky because that combination of components has worked so well for me in several other .22-250's but That was the first combination I tried. I stared low and simply worked up till I had no pressure and 3,650ish fps going into 1/2 inch groups and quit. I don't know about the magazine on other calibers in that rifle but on the one I worked with I seated a 55 grain V-Max just off the lands and it still fit in the magazine fine and fed perfectly.
I do know it was real tough giving it back to him!
Not sure what the twist was but that was two years ago and I can't imagine they changed it from then to now.
Fine rifle, I was truly impressed. Oh, I self adjusted the trigger to a real slick break at a titch over two lbs.
that's my experience with the one and only Tikka I been around. I liked it a lot!!

Rammag, I just went to Tikka's on line catalog cause a 1 in 8 twist just doesn't make sense in a .22-250.
I copied just a bit of stuff off the technical page.

CALIBER / RATE OF TWIST

22-250 Rem 14”

I didn't think 1 in 8 made sense for that rifle.

It did have this on the .223 however and in a varmint .223 that doesn't make much sense to me either but I'm sure some would disagree totally if they like heavy bullets.

223 Rem 8”

I'll bet ya don't think ya made a mistake after you shoot it!!!