Tikka rifles

[bob_dobalina]

The Tikka is a well made and accurate rifle. I have always been a Remington fan but there seems to be some real quality issues with Remington these days.

JD338

JD338 - I am a remington fan as well - what are the quality issues these days? (I'm not trying to argue or anything - is a completely honest question)

Bob, I like Remington rifles and I really like their CDL line of rifles. I have a 35 Whelen that is a tack driver and my son's 243 which is a M700 Youth ADL. It shoots very good also. I just recently sold a BRAND new CDL 25-06 that would not keep 3 shots on a 8.5x11 sheet of paper. It was scoped with a Leupold 2.5x8 in Dual Dovetail mounts. Pretty sharp rifle. I ended up having to put pillars in it and glad bed it in order for it to shoot. It did turn around and shoot decent with 100's and 115's. I was just mad as heck that an out of the box rifle, that cost as much as it did and wouldn't keep its shots within 12" of one another. I would post the targets, but they are horrible. Also, the firing pin fit was soooo sloppy it looked like everything I shot through it was going to blow primers. It cratered them something fierce. Not a huge deal, but it just wasn't right. My other CDL is a good shooter.

I have been hearing of a few folks on here that love their Remingtons, but have seen the finish is not really up to snuff, and they have had tons of issues with their rifles. Granted, there are alot of guys that bleed green, and I still like them, and think they build a very sharp looking rifle, but the worksmanship is kinda shoddy if you really look at them. Granted, there are issues with other rifles, just Remington has been hitting the big time lately. Another note, on my son's rifle, the Safe / Fire engraving is marked crooked? I know, picky, but still, is it really that hard to make sure the letters are engraved/punched straight? Sorry, this is just my take. I won't bash them horribly, but I had issues with a new shotgun and they basically had no remorse for me on it. Just don't think I should have to eat crow in order to shoot a good rifle. Scotty

scotty - sorry to hear about your luck. i have a 25-06 cdl that is a shooter and the finish looks great to me - but it is a few years old

 

[rjm158]

I'm a huge Tikka fan and currently own 12 of them ranging from .223 up to 300 Win Mag. In my opinion they represent one of the best bargains on the market today. They shoot well out of the box and the ones I have aren't too fussy about what loads they shoot well. I recently picked up a 270 WSM and plan on taking it to the range tomorrow. I've heard/read lots of good things about the Tikka's in this caliber so I'm anxious to give it a try.

I, too, used to be a 700 devotee but I work part time in a gun shop and the ones I've seen pass through there (new ones) seem to exhibit a lower degree of QC. The bolts fit sloppily, the triggers seem gritty, and this is a huge contrast to the older 700's I own. We recently had a .243 700 BDL come in that I researched and found it was made in 1967. The comparison to a recent model was disheartening to say the least. The '60's gun was decidedly more refined.

C. Smith, what caliber was your group shot with? I didn't see it mentioned.

Ron

 

[SJB358]

No sweat buddy. My Whelen was bought new in 2006 and shoots and looks great. This last CDL looked really nice also, but that is where it stopped. Could have been a one off bad rifle, but upon taking it apart, and the bad firing pin hole, it wasn't adding up to look good. Not totally down on Remington, as I REALLY like my Whelen, but they just aren't my idea of a well built rifle anymore. Again, it is my opinion on it, and I would never argue the Rem 700 is a bad rifle, cause guys make them into tack drivers much easier than any of the others. Scotty

 

[DrMike]

rjm158,

Welcome to the forum. It is good to see you aboard. I think you are correct, that the T3 is a solid bargain.

bob_dobalina,

The primary concern that I have witnessed and others have described with Remington has come about after Cerebus Capital Management acquired the firm. Cerebus is a vulture company that buys up companies in trouble to make them profitable. The changes mandated almost always entail trimming steps to make the product profitable. Consequently, the fit and finish on the current line of Remingtons can be somewhat disconcerting at times. Marlin was another firm acquired by Cerebus, and they went through quite a shakeout for a period. It may be that QC is again coming back into line with the expectations of the shooting fraternity. This being said, I think all of us want to see Remington turn the corner and once again turn out the quality product that has been associated with their name.

 

[C.Smith]

C. Smith, what caliber was your group shot with? I didn't see it mentioned.

Ron

I shot it with a 30-06 165 grain bullets. Can't even tell you what kind they were.

Corey

 

[JD338]

The Tikka is a well made and accurate rifle. I have always been a Remington fan but there seems to be some real quality issues with Remington these days.

JD338

JD338 - I am a remington fan as well - what are the quality issues these days? (I'm not trying to argue or anything - is a completely honest question)

Bob,

Valid question. Basically form, fit, and function. Scotty and DrMike have both given pretty god explainations.
My Remingtons are a few years old so I haven't had any issues with them.

JD338

 

[6mm Remington]

6mm Remington - When did Tikka put out a 325 WSM in the T-3 ? I thought it would eventually happen but hadn't heard

Tikka T-3's are awesome rifles BUT you might think twice before trying one in .338 Win Mag - the 270 WSM T-3 is "scary accurate" (with factory ammo !)

Oh backcountryhunter I spoke out of turn and I am sorry. I have been thinking about this because I hadn't actually saw my buddies rifle for about 3 years now although I still load for him. My work shooting it was finished when I got the loads worked up for him. I am wrong. I called him tonight because it was bothering me, and it is a Winchester Model 70 Stainelss with the synthetic stock. My mistake. For some reason I thought it was a Tikka. Anyway his Winchester shoots really well! Sorry.

How about this, I have read nothing but good about Tikka's and friends that do have them love them. They do chamber a couple of the WSM's, and I'm surprised that they don't chamber the 325. It's a sweetheart of a rifle.

 

[DrMike]

Anyway his Winchester shoots really well! Sorry

There is nothing to be sorry about because a Winchester shoots really well. We'd expect nothing less! :lol:

 

[SJB358]

Heck yeah, I would expect nothing less! Scotty

 

[backcountryhunter]

Tikka is a good company and the T-3 rifles are made one by one, start to finish by the same gunsmith - Aside from the aformentioned .338 WinMag that would not shoot no matter what I tried I have had stellar luck working with them and have hunted a bit with 2 that were very nice to carry as well (drop out magazines ? Better carry at least one extra, 2 might be smarter!)

I have never been a stalwart Remington "fan" so I am certainly not qualified to give a thumbs up nor down - I did used to spend quite a bit of time at a little gun shop out beyond Hillsboro and was present on 2 occasions when brand new, out of the box 700's encountered troubles - One was a 25/06 that the customer brought back in because it wouldn't shoot worth a darn ... bore checked ... owner stopped with a funny look and re-checked bore ... NO RIFLING, NONE, NADA - He checked every Remington that came into the shop after than and found another later on - THAT, my friends, is BAD QUALITY CONTROL ...
there has also been alot of press (never had a problem with the varmint rifles I used to shoot ALOT) about the trigger group being a faulty design and Remington's failure to properly address the issue (might be more anti gun hype than anything credible)

 

[DrMike]

The T3 can be very accurate. I was working up loads for a Tikka T3 chambered in 270 WSM today. Here are some of the results.

I'll take it. Believe it or not, the owner wants better results. No sweat, each trip to the range helps pay for my addiction (severe and incurable RADD).

 

[6mm Remington]

Doc I do not see how he could expect or want any more than that! Oh my gosh that is shooting great, I mean fabulous. I realize that none of us is probably ever happy and always tweaking, but I find one good load for my rifle and I stick with it. It it works don't break it! What you loaded for him works. In a hunting rifle Doc it doesn't get any better than the groups you shot. I'm happy clear down here in Montana and it's not even my rifle! :grin: :lol:

 

[DrMike]

David,

I often get people who work in the gas fields or the oil patch who have more money than than need. It has funded my RADD for some years now. I worked up a load for a 300 WSM this afternoon, as well.

This particular rifle had half a dozen loads that were MOA or better; this was one of the better groups. It was only with difficulty that I talked the owner out of spending more money to get tighter groups. I explained that since he hand loads, he could play with seating depth or adjust powder charge, but that this would work just fine for what he wanted. However, he has put on a new Huskemaw scope and wants to make certain that it will shoot to 1000 yards. I explained that I was not adverse to taking his money, but that he had a family and a business that would be better served with what he has. Besides, I have a swack of rifles waiting on me to work up loads.

 

[C.Smith]

"Swack"? Don't think I have heard that one before, I like it. I would be happy with those loads if it were me.

Corey

 

[DrMike]

The Tikka is a joy to shoot. I won't mind working on it. It shot any of a number of loads using either 140 ABs or 150 Berger VLDs to sub-MOA. These are the bullets to which I'm limited. The magazine is the limiting factor in seating depth, but it is obvious that the rifle shoots well. Consequently, other than the addition of a muzzle brake (surprisingly common on 270 WSMs I have shot), it is a stock rifle. I would say that people are not shooters, or their 270 WSMs wouldn't wear muzzle brakes. On the other hand, there is virtually no recoil and I can watch bullet impact with the lighter bullets.

 

[skinner313]

Thanks for all the input guys,but i just found a new weatherby vanguard sub m.o.a. .270 at my local gun shop for $500 out the door so a tikka might wait til this summer.

 

[SJB358]

Those Weatherby SMOA's are some great rifles for the money. Let us know how it shoots. Scotty

 

[DrMike]

That is a great price on the Vanguard. For sure, let us know how it shoots.

 

[BK]

Anyway his Winchester shoots really well! Sorry

There is nothing to be sorry about because a Winchester shoots really well. We'd expect nothing less! :lol:

Just keep working on me Mike, you'll have me buying Winchesters pretty soon!

 

[Gutpile]

I don't usually gush over rifles much. I have a bunch, some I love and some are just tools. But I absolutely LOVE my Tikka T3. I do a lot of coyote hunting and I'm alwasy looking for that perfect calling rifle. I bought a T3 lite in .243 last year and I do believe this to be the perfect calling rifle. It's super light and very very accurate. I absolutely love it and recomend t3's to anyone who'll listen. I'm not sure I'd want a T3 lite in a mag caliber since they are so light but I may be buying another in 22-250 for yet another coyote calling rifle or possible a 6.5 swede for a deer rifle.