Writing all the way from South Australia, glad to see you love the Tikka too. I watch your video because I have nearly the identical set up in .308win and interested in others thoughts about the rifle. I did a few upgrades to mine that has improved it even more. Pistol grip, beaver fore end, threaded the barrel and installed a muzzle break, but the cheapest and one of best upgrades was to replace the trigger spring to lighten it to just under 2lb. Running a Vortex Strike Eagle 5-25x56 that has made the whole set up even better. New to you tube, couldn't tell, great video, keep them coming mate. Well done. Wal
At around 10:17 you mention a plastic recoil lug. The original T3 model had an aluminium recoil lug. There are some aftermarket steel and titanium recoil lugs available for that reason. The recoil lug was upgraded to steel in the T3x models. Yours appears to be a T3x as it has the interchangeable grip. The T3x also has an aluminium bolt shroud where the original T3 was plastic and aftermarket options are available. Shame its not a 7mm-08. Great review, make a 7mm-08 video.
Gotcha! That makes sense. I really really wanted it to be a 7mm-08. I don’t really “regret” the 6.5 at all, in fact I like it a lot more than I thought I would. Still have a sweet spot for the 7-08 though. If this rifle were a 7-08 it may get the nod more often on things like black bear hunts. The bears in my area are pretty small in general but still, it’s a constant mental debate lol
Be about 7 yrs ago I bought myself a Ruger #1 in 7-08 for a retirement gun. Already had a 700 in 7-08 since about 1985, that has done everything I ever needed it to do, and a few things I didn't buy it to do, just happened to be carrying it at the time. Wanted a range gun to play with, bought a 6.5CM in a TACA1, liked that enough that I decided to get another T3X to hunt with.. Happy with it too. If it shoots the way you want it too, they are all good guns, like the trigger on the Tikka though. didn't have to hone & polish it, didn't have to buy another trigger assy, just a spring. Ruger is pretty much gathering dust the last few yrs.
I have a T3X lite in 300 win mag. Has an Amazon bipod, Vortex Diamondback tactical 6-24x50 FFP. I’ve shot 700+ rounds out of it. No brake no after market recoil pad and yeah. You definitely feel it. I love my rifle and it’s deadly accurate WHEN YOU FIND THE AMMO IT LIKES. Trigger set to 2lb and I live in Canada. Never had any issues with the rifle. It’s got a 1:10 twist and hates light bullets. I’m shooting Federal Premium Berger hunter hybrid 185gr at almost .5 moa at 100 yards and 3” at 300 yards. It’s a big game and target rifle for me. I’ve owned 2 other tikkas, roughtech in 6.5 creed and T3X lite in 30-06. If you are sensitive to recoil. Do not get a long action without a brake. Either buy a Tikka with a threaded muzzle or buy a barrel and thread it (IBI barrels). Tikka sucks for recoil but they’re so accurate. The best rifle you’ll ever buy that’s not custom. Tikka/Sako is 100% worth your hard earned money if you want reliability and accuracy.
I have one in 270 Winchester it's shoots everything expectable and most very well most handloads around 1/2 MOA. I believe they are best rifles under 1000 they shoot better than most rifles over a 1000
Here in UK I have had a Tikka T3 supervarmint in .308 for well over 10 years for hunting (deer) and target shooting to 500 yards. Well over 3000 rounds through now and its still going strong. For 5 years it was in my landrover every day out hunting. Yes the stock does not feel Quality, but its still going strong after all this time. And if you did not know, every Tikka rifle is shot at the factory to ensure it will pit 3 shots in less than 1 MOA at 100 yards. My Howa i scrapped after 6 months as the stock was poor and the accuracy wandered far too much.
Alaskan here. I've never had any issues with my Tikka in the cold. Of course I've never had a reason to take it out in the real brutal sub-zero cold either. But it has been in the single digits. I would think that anything built in Finland will work just fine in deep sub-zero cold since our winter climates are pretty similar if not identical.
Just bought my second Tikka and am already contemplating a third! If anyone is concerned about "light strikes" disassemble the bolt and degrease the internals.
I am not sure why people think the stocks are cheap they are actually very rigid. I think people just think cheaper rifle cheaper stocks. That's the case with most rifles but not the tikka
That little crappy recoil lug is a design flaw. There is nothing you can do with a 1mm floating piece of metal. Tikka has a smooth action and that sucks a lot of people in. Where I live, they are 3 times the cost of others and double the price of many others. One fact I can't argue with is so many people like their Tikka's. I can't see anything they do to make it better accuracy wise. It is still just a factory gun and with that comes all the flaws that contribute to inaccuracy, like cheap stock, inferior bedding, pencil barrel, machining tolerances, cheap trigger and parts. I have a Howa Elevate, carbon on carbon 6.5CM and that thing was 0.6moa out of the box with first factory ammo I tried. Can't wait to load some high-quality stuff for it. Tikka is not really light either... I bet with scope, bipod and strap it may be struggling to be under 10lb, my Howa with all that and brake 8lb exactly. My howa, carbon on carbon is cheaper than bottom Tikka, it has composite chassis bedding, it has huge integral recoil lug, it has 1.5lb trigger, it is 24" carbon thicker profile, it is threaded, it is carbon fiber stock, it is trued action.
At the time I bought my particular rifle it was about $650. To me at the time it was well worth the upgrade from other options like a Savage, Ruger, etc. Howa had the 1500 Hogue or the light version was around $1,000 if memory serves. I could make this one lighter for sure, but don't need it to be. I have it configured where I'm happy. with bipod, scope, 5 rounds in the magazine and 2 in my side holder it comes it right around 9 pounds. It's a good blend for me in terms of hunting and stability to shoot long range practice. This particular rifle is extremely accurate with pretty much everything. Can't speak to all of them but that seems to be the general consensus. Howa makes a great rifle as well. There's tons of great options today.
@@DesertRunninOutdoors Cheapest Tikka for me (Australia) is 1800$ (range up to $2400), my Howa Elevate was 1600$. Base Howa is $600 but that stock is cheap shit even if pillar bedded. All the superlite/carbonstalker/elevate models have accublock composite bedding system, just as good as MDT chassis'. All in a carbon stock weighing 700g or around 20oz for you yanks. Mauser around 800$, Rem700 $1400 (Police $2200)... never looked at Ruger or Savage as they were pretty bad... but I think they are fixing those problems now with gen2 type releases. I am surprised you are 9lb, that is the top limit hunters like. I do not know why hunters do not use brakes... light guns benefit most by 40% less recoil. Here is free info... 4 port works best, more than 3 port and 5 or 6 port no improvement. One thing about Tikka, plenty of people happy with theirs, you can't deny that empirical evidence, even though I doubt that stock, bedding, crap recoil lug, normal machining on factory guns... could ever allow them to be top shooters. Not even factory ammo allows that! I see people say 50s/d as good from factory ammo! On my comp rifles absolute max is 13 and 7 ES/SD.
I run Brakes on my bigger rifles, not really needed on this one. I primarily shoot prone on the bipod which is easy to do while hunting where I live. On the bipods I don’t come out of this rifle at all. This rifle is absolutely a top shooter. Again, that’s my ONE rifle, if you lined up 10,000 of them I can’t speak to what the results would be. This rifle shoots several factory loads sub 3/4” repeatedly. I have several rifles that are “nicer” and “better” than this one on paper, however it’s by far my favorite to shoot. It just works. I don’t shoot animals past 500 yards or so, so a 15-20 ES doesn’t change much for me.
@@DesertRunninOutdoors Now I have to see a video... 5 x 5 groups at 250 yards (nice hunting distance) and 5 shots on a 1moa 5" target at 500 yards. I know what sort of gun does the 500y shots and it isn't hunting guns. Hell, I will have a crack at this with the Elevate, we are coming out of winter now. I know my 223/308 at 14 and 18lb will do it easy, my 6CM at 16lb, the 300WSM and 7PRC are still at gunsmith... 6GT and 7PRCW are still waiting on actions. Next gun is 270. I have handguns, 12g, 4-10 and a load of 22LR's.
I think you’re putting a little too much thought into this 😂 I have a factory hunting rifle that consistently shoots sub moa with a variety of factory loads. When laying prone and solid I don’t come out of the rifle when it goes bang. Is that hard to believe? 😂 by the way, my atrocious 25 fps ES has a trajectory difference of 0.84” at 500 yards. If I was competition shooting I would tighten that up. For deer hunting, sub 1” difference has 0 effect. For a factory hunting rifle, this one is absolutely a top shooter. I would be MORE than happy to lay down and shoot this rifle up against any custom rifle to 500 yards. Why? Because as you said…. It’s just a hunting rifle. If you shoot a 4” group at 500 and I shoot a 5” you should be embarrassed my hunting rifle is even in the same realm as your custom, heavy, hand loaded, long range precision rifle.
Writing all the way from South Australia, glad to see you love the Tikka too. I watch your video because I have nearly the identical set up in .308win and interested in others thoughts about the rifle. I did a few upgrades to mine that has improved it even more. Pistol grip, beaver fore end, threaded the barrel and installed a muzzle break, but the cheapest and one of best upgrades was to replace the trigger spring to lighten it to just under 2lb. Running a Vortex Strike Eagle 5-25x56 that has made the whole set up even better. New to you tube, couldn't tell, great video, keep them coming mate. Well done. Wal
At around 10:17 you mention a plastic recoil lug. The original T3 model had an aluminium recoil lug. There are some aftermarket steel and titanium recoil lugs available for that reason. The recoil lug was upgraded to steel in the T3x models. Yours appears to be a T3x as it has the interchangeable grip. The T3x also has an aluminium bolt shroud where the original T3 was plastic and aftermarket options are available.
Shame its not a 7mm-08.
Great review, make a 7mm-08 video.
Gotcha! That makes sense. I really really wanted it to be a 7mm-08. I don’t really “regret” the 6.5 at all, in fact I like it a lot more than I thought I would. Still have a sweet spot for the 7-08 though. If this rifle were a 7-08 it may get the nod more often on things like black bear hunts. The bears in my area are pretty small in general but still, it’s a constant mental debate lol
Be about 7 yrs ago I bought myself a Ruger #1 in 7-08 for a retirement gun. Already had a 700 in 7-08 since about 1985, that has done everything I ever needed it to do, and a few things I didn't buy it to do, just happened to be carrying it at the time. Wanted a range gun to play with, bought a 6.5CM in a TACA1, liked that enough that I decided to get another T3X to hunt with.. Happy with it too. If it shoots the way you want it too, they are all good guns, like the trigger on the Tikka though. didn't have to hone & polish it, didn't have to buy another trigger assy, just a spring. Ruger is pretty much gathering dust the last few yrs.
I have a T3X lite in 300 win mag. Has an Amazon bipod, Vortex Diamondback tactical 6-24x50 FFP. I’ve shot 700+ rounds out of it. No brake no after market recoil pad and yeah. You definitely feel it. I love my rifle and it’s deadly accurate WHEN YOU FIND THE AMMO IT LIKES. Trigger set to 2lb and I live in Canada. Never had any issues with the rifle. It’s got a 1:10 twist and hates light bullets. I’m shooting Federal Premium Berger hunter hybrid 185gr at almost .5 moa at 100 yards and 3” at 300 yards. It’s a big game and target rifle for me. I’ve owned 2 other tikkas, roughtech in 6.5 creed and T3X lite in 30-06. If you are sensitive to recoil. Do not get a long action without a brake. Either buy a Tikka with a threaded muzzle or buy a barrel and thread it (IBI barrels). Tikka sucks for recoil but they’re so accurate. The best rifle you’ll ever buy that’s not custom. Tikka/Sako is 100% worth your hard earned money if you want reliability and accuracy.
I have one in 270 Winchester it's shoots everything expectable and most very well most handloads around 1/2 MOA. I believe they are best rifles under 1000 they shoot better than most rifles over a 1000
Here in UK I have had a Tikka T3 supervarmint in .308 for well over 10 years for hunting (deer) and target shooting to 500 yards. Well over 3000 rounds through now and its still going strong. For 5 years it was in my landrover every day out hunting.
Yes the stock does not feel Quality, but its still going strong after all this time.
And if you did not know, every Tikka rifle is shot at the factory to ensure it will pit 3 shots in less than 1 MOA at 100 yards.
My Howa i scrapped after 6 months as the stock was poor and the accuracy wandered far too much.
I own one in 300wsm great rifle now trying to get one in 270 wsm
Alaskan here. I've never had any issues with my Tikka in the cold. Of course I've never had a reason to take it out in the real brutal sub-zero cold either. But it has been in the single digits.
I would think that anything built in Finland will work just fine in deep sub-zero cold since our winter climates are pretty similar if not identical.
I would imagine! I’ve never witnessed that issue myself but heard it a couple times. I’m sure it’s very few cases.
Just bought my second Tikka and am already contemplating a third!
If anyone is concerned about "light strikes" disassemble the bolt and degrease the internals.
Tikka is hard to beat!
Very hard! Love mine
They have a $75 rebate right now. And some rifles they have tightened twist rates. 308,243, 708. Maybe some others.
Great video. Did you get drawn this year? I’m an AZ resident as well and got drawn for Coues
I did! My group drew bull tags
@@DesertRunninOutdoors going with the 300 win mag I assume?
Yes sir! What are you running for cous?
@@DesertRunninOutdoors 143gr ELD-X 6.5 PRC out of my Bergara Wilderness Ridge.
Very nice! I’m likely going to run the 180 bondstrikes, might try the 165 CX Superformance. Not sure yet
Jim at BackFire has a butt pad. Should turn the recoil all the way off. Lol
Backfire is a joke 😂
I am not sure why people think the stocks are cheap they are actually very rigid. I think people just think cheaper rifle cheaper stocks. That's the case with most rifles but not the tikka
That little crappy recoil lug is a design flaw. There is nothing you can do with a 1mm floating piece of metal. Tikka has a smooth action and that sucks a lot of people in. Where I live, they are 3 times the cost of others and double the price of many others. One fact I can't argue with is so many people like their Tikka's. I can't see anything they do to make it better accuracy wise. It is still just a factory gun and with that comes all the flaws that contribute to inaccuracy, like cheap stock, inferior bedding, pencil barrel, machining tolerances, cheap trigger and parts. I have a Howa Elevate, carbon on carbon 6.5CM and that thing was 0.6moa out of the box with first factory ammo I tried. Can't wait to load some high-quality stuff for it. Tikka is not really light either... I bet with scope, bipod and strap it may be struggling to be under 10lb, my Howa with all that and brake 8lb exactly. My howa, carbon on carbon is cheaper than bottom Tikka, it has composite chassis bedding, it has huge integral recoil lug, it has 1.5lb trigger, it is 24" carbon thicker profile, it is threaded, it is carbon fiber stock, it is trued action.
At the time I bought my particular rifle it was about $650. To me at the time it was well worth the upgrade from other options like a Savage, Ruger, etc. Howa had the 1500 Hogue or the light version was around $1,000 if memory serves. I could make this one lighter for sure, but don't need it to be. I have it configured where I'm happy. with bipod, scope, 5 rounds in the magazine and 2 in my side holder it comes it right around 9 pounds. It's a good blend for me in terms of hunting and stability to shoot long range practice.
This particular rifle is extremely accurate with pretty much everything. Can't speak to all of them but that seems to be the general consensus. Howa makes a great rifle as well. There's tons of great options today.
@@DesertRunninOutdoors Cheapest Tikka for me (Australia) is 1800$ (range up to $2400), my Howa Elevate was 1600$. Base Howa is $600 but that stock is cheap shit even if pillar bedded. All the superlite/carbonstalker/elevate models have accublock composite bedding system, just as good as MDT chassis'. All in a carbon stock weighing 700g or around 20oz for you yanks. Mauser around 800$, Rem700 $1400 (Police $2200)... never looked at Ruger or Savage as they were pretty bad... but I think they are fixing those problems now with gen2 type releases. I am surprised you are 9lb, that is the top limit hunters like. I do not know why hunters do not use brakes... light guns benefit most by 40% less recoil. Here is free info... 4 port works best, more than 3 port and 5 or 6 port no improvement. One thing about Tikka, plenty of people happy with theirs, you can't deny that empirical evidence, even though I doubt that stock, bedding, crap recoil lug, normal machining on factory guns... could ever allow them to be top shooters. Not even factory ammo allows that! I see people say 50s/d as good from factory ammo! On my comp rifles absolute max is 13 and 7 ES/SD.
I run Brakes on my bigger rifles, not really needed on this one. I primarily shoot prone on the bipod which is easy to do while hunting where I live. On the bipods I don’t come out of this rifle at all.
This rifle is absolutely a top shooter. Again, that’s my ONE rifle, if you lined up 10,000 of them I can’t speak to what the results would be. This rifle shoots several factory loads sub 3/4” repeatedly. I have several rifles that are “nicer” and “better” than this one on paper, however it’s by far my favorite to shoot. It just works. I don’t shoot animals past 500 yards or so, so a 15-20 ES doesn’t change much for me.
@@DesertRunninOutdoors Now I have to see a video... 5 x 5 groups at 250 yards (nice hunting distance) and 5 shots on a 1moa 5" target at 500 yards. I know what sort of gun does the 500y shots and it isn't hunting guns. Hell, I will have a crack at this with the Elevate, we are coming out of winter now. I know my 223/308 at 14 and 18lb will do it easy, my 6CM at 16lb, the 300WSM and 7PRC are still at gunsmith... 6GT and 7PRCW are still waiting on actions. Next gun is 270. I have handguns, 12g, 4-10 and a load of 22LR's.
I think you’re putting a little too much thought into this 😂 I have a factory hunting rifle that consistently shoots sub moa with a variety of factory loads. When laying prone and solid I don’t come out of the rifle when it goes bang. Is that hard to believe? 😂 by the way, my atrocious 25 fps ES has a trajectory difference of 0.84” at 500 yards. If I was competition shooting I would tighten that up. For deer hunting, sub 1” difference has 0 effect. For a factory hunting rifle, this one is absolutely a top shooter.
I would be MORE than happy to lay down and shoot this rifle up against any custom rifle to 500 yards. Why? Because as you said…. It’s just a hunting rifle. If you shoot a 4” group at 500 and I shoot a 5” you should be embarrassed my hunting rifle is even in the same realm as your custom, heavy, hand loaded, long range precision rifle.