Tikka vs. Savage

[bowhunthard88]

I was looking a the Tikka T3 Lite Stainless in 7mmRemMag. How is the Tikka's quality? And how does it compare to Savage? I've heard some good things about Tikka but never had any expirience or held one.

 

[Longshot38]

Tikka is easily the best factory rifle on the market right now. There is no other that compares to them in terms of fit and finish. Savages are nice because you can work on them yourself. But I really don't like the actions. They are really rough in my opinion. The Tikka on the other hand are smooth as silk without any extra work.

 

[Dust270WSM]

Longshot is right on the tikka being a really smooth actioned gun. Both are very good shooters. Savages are awesome rifles but there actions are a little loose, especially compared to the tikka. I never had a tikka but I have tried them at stores before and they do have an awesome action. I have a Sako A-7 which is just like the tikkas and its action is smooth as glass.

But if you ever wanted to make a barrel change the savage is the easiest and least expensive to trick out.

Both really good rifles. I have a couple Savages and love them. All shoot well under an inch groups.

Can't go wrong with either.

 

[bowhunthard88]

How are the triggers?

 

[Dust270WSM]

Both are really nice but both are totally different.

You have the Accu-Trigger that either you like it or ya don't. I have found with most people anyways. Nice clean pulling triger. Think it adjusts down to 1.5 pounds.

Then u have the Tikka which I figure it is simalar to the Sako and it is a very nice clean crisp trigger. Same as the Savage adjusts to 1.5 pounds.

Out of the two I like my Sakos trigger better than the Accu. But just a prefrence thing.

My advice, go to a local gun store and test them out yourself.

 

[Topshot]

My Son has a Savage Stevens rifle and just bought a new Tikka T3 Laminate in .338WM

I load for both and have developed some varry accurate loads for both rifles. The Tikka T3 was a shooter right out of the box with just about any ammo we put through it.

One word of warning on the Tikka T3. It has a very very short magazine. So if you intend to shoot long bullets out of that 7mm Rem mag. Then think again. You will have to seat them right down into the cartridge to fit in the mag and this way you will be a long way off the lands. Otherwise it is a single load rifle.

With the Tikka T3 .338WM I had to seat the standard 225gn Hornady soft point bullet deeper than the canlure to fit into the mag. This meant that I had to back off the powder charge and get reduced velocity in comparison to my Sako .338WM with a larger magazine. I was then way off the lands but it still shoots nice round 1 inch groups.

If you want to shoot long bullets, go for the Savage.

 

[bigngreen]

I fondled the exact Tikka your looking at in a plastic stock and I found it completely cheesy, I hated the small port size and the rock they call a butt pad. I thought the bolt had the same feel as my Savage, I didn't try the trigger in the store. I do know one guy you could't pry his Tikka's out of his dead hands so my first impression are probly a little off. I suffer from tinkeritis so Savage is the best way to go. Your best bet is to just fondle each and rock the one that works.

 

[corey006]

My Son has a Savage Stevens rifle and just bought a new Tikka T3 Laminate in .338WM

I load for both and have developed some varry accurate loads for both rifles. The Tikka T3 was a shooter right out of the box with just about any ammo we put through it.

One word of warning on the Tikka T3. It has a very very short magazine. So if you intend to shoot long bullets out of that 7mm Rem mag. Then think again. You will have to seat them right down into the cartridge to fit in the mag and this way you will be a long way off the lands. Otherwise it is a single load rifle.

With the Tikka T3 .338WM I had to seat the standard 225gn Hornady soft point bullet deeper than the canlure to fit into the mag. This meant that I had to back off the powder charge and get reduced velocity in comparison to my Sako .338WM with a larger magazine. I was then way off the lands but it still shoots nice round 1 inch groups.

If you want to shoot long bullets, go for the Savage.

The magazine length is VERY good info....I would shy away from that rifle.

 

[RicoFresh1]

I use my rifle for hunting. I'm pretty sure the animal could care less how beautiful your stock is, or how smooth the action was. All brands these days are pretty darn good. Some offering more options than most. But all that mattered to me was accuracy, and savage offers it at the best price. I recently purchased a 30-06 savage axis,dropped a 6x5 bull elk at 400 yards where it stood. I'm sure I could have done it with a tikka but my savage only cost me 280.00 bucks. All those other extras is personal preference. But I'm very happy with my savage.

 

[Rick Richard]

Maybe I got the only bad apple in the basket, but I would think twice about getting a Tikka. Bad experience with Tikka and Beretta Customer Service.

On the other hand, Savages may not be 'purdy', but they are the most accurate out of the box factory guns that I know of.

I had a LRH in 300 WSM that would shoot 3/4 to 1 inch groups at 300 yards all day long.

 

[bangflopdead]

Go out and handle both, choose the one that feels best in your hands. Either will more than likely be accurate, but with factory rifles (even models with good reputations) there's always that "luck of the draw" to deal with. The long action Tikkas are limited by magazine length, but regardless, the 3 rifles I've had experience with were all 1/4" to 1/2" guns @ 100 yards with their favorite loads.

 

[MachV]

I own a dozen or more Savages for shooting prairie dogs. The CZ 223 is my go to coyote gun, the Ruger 7mag has been my go to big game rifle. Bought a new Tikka T3 ultra light in 30-06 last winter that is lite and smooth as silk with a good trigger. The rings that came with the Tikka didn't stand up to the recoil and it is a little fussy about the load. There is plenty of room in the mag to go longer but it seams to like them at book length.
To me Savages are crude actions that are easy to work on but I hate the accutrigger...

 

[tikkat3270wsm]

I have both a Tikka t3 and a Savage 110. I would pick the Tikka every time. Action is the smoothest of any production rifle, crazy accurate out of the box. there are more and more aftermarket accessories for these great rifles. Factory trigger is fantastic. Crisp, light with no creep. Boyds, McMillian,Manners all make stocks for them. Action is very strong and tight. putting a new tube on is no more difficult than any other. Savages shoots 1.5 moa , Tikka .5 moa. apple to apples, Tikka wins in my opinion

 

[Unofficial Gun Addict (UGA)]

I òwn (4) tikkas and (4) savages. Everyone of my tikkas is a sub moa gun. (3) of my savages are sub moa guns. Would I spend $1400 plus on a savage... No. I did and would again on a tikka... got a t3 tactical and it is an amazing gun. Now... I really like the savages that I have... But wouldn't even dream of trading one of my tikkas for a savage. Not a chance. I'm sure some would say that they wouldn't trade their savage for a tikka.... But I own both... And the tikkas are just in a different category quality-wise to me... And when I buy or own a gun... what matters is how I feel about the rifle/pistol.

Savages are and can be excellent shooting guns... But I think the tikka IS an excellent gun.... Neither compares to some of the top tier guns... But for base models... The tikka t3 lite is a lot for the money.

Get your hands on both... Side by side... And see which feels right to you. You might end up with the savage... I have... And they fit their nitch in my gun closet, but I think it'll be hard to say that the savage feels like a higher quality gun than the tikka.

Just my opinion.