Tikka T3 or the Tikka Varmint??????

[Armed in Utah]

I have a few Tikka's...even two of the earlier 595 series in ss/syn 223 & 7-08...
my T3s are 223 Varmint SS 223...6.5x55 Swede in SS/lam & another Swede in walnut/SS...and of course a lam/SS 30-06...the 6.5x55 are my favorites....the 595s are a good one pound heavier...I would consider the T3 the best value in today's rifle market...the factory scope rings are junk....easily replaced with good steel bases from Leo and Signaure rings from Burris...oh did I say they were very accurate ?

[notrub]

Hey fellow LRHtr,

I like the reference to 6.5x55 for this rifle combination (especially for someone in the EU). It is an excellent and capable bullet for cxp2 (&cxp3) game due to its excellent bc and sectional density. I own a T3 Hunter in this calibre and can vouch for its mild recoil and tack driving performance. This rifle feels well balanced and I have carried it full days in the field as I have any slab sided Marlin lever gun. Its rich walnut stock feels warm and comforting especially on those days when it will not stop raining. With a mounted Bushnell Elite 3200 w/firefly reticle it allows me longrange possibilites in low light hunting situations. I think the availability of hotter European loads in 6.5 such as Norma or Sellier & Bellot in 120 gr. for deer and pronghorn, and 160 gr (156 gr) for larger deer species. The Tikka 1 in 8 twist manages this range of bullet weights well. Its ballistics speak for themselves and it can be put to good use for varmints as well.

The drawbacks I find with Tikka are the cost of replacement magazines, and its blued tube that after a daylong hunt in a downpour last fall left small rainmarks that when wiped had an ugly reddish hue to them. In less than one hour from the time the rifle entered the confines of cover, that tube began to be effected by dampness (rust). The blueing on new Tikkas, and other rifles as well, leave a lot to be desired. I see this on many rifle brands and through research have determined that there is little time spent polishing the metal before bluing which leaves more of a rough matte blue than a high gloss blue finish to repel water. I have older Remingtons and Savage rifles that can practically live underwater and come out unaffected. This might speak to SS as a resolution to this problem.

Anyway you cut it, IMHO for the price, and the calibre options and the performance of this rifle, you would be making a wise choice with Tikka T3.

Good Hunting!

[clivej]

I had narrowed it down to a T3 varmint stainless with the 20 inch barrel and was ready to place an order for one. BUT there were none available and at best a 6 month wait.

So after a lot of phoning around I have put my money down on a used
Sako 75 stainless steel in 308 with the flutted barrel. I think it's a varmint version.
It was the gunsmiths own gun and has the bolt lapped, new bolt knob, threaded 5/8", muzzel target crown, synthetic stock, new trigger as it had a set trigger but that was sold off and replaced. And the chance of a laminlated custom stock to replace the synthetic stock for a little extra.

Swears there's not more than 60 rounds gone throught it as he didn't get out to use it much in 3 years.

So all's well that end's well.

[mburner]

I bought my daughter a Tikka Lite in .243 and put a Nikon scope on it. Opening day deer season, she shot a really nice 8 pointer. Very, very accurate. I was thinking of buying one in 7MM remington magnum, but was wondering as lite as they are, how is the recoil on the .300?

[soren]

You may want to put a Limbsaver pad on the rifle if your going to shoot the larger calibers. I put one on a 300WSM.

[clivej]

I'll be putting an ASE S5 or the new ASE Ultr NightStar moderator/silencer on the 308 Sako 75. It will reduce the recoil by at least one third and makes for a very easy to fire gun.

[mburner]

Thanks for the advice. I really like this site.