Tikka T3 vs. Sako

[Brithunter]

Hi Motor,

   The Sako comes in different action lengths, there is five in all or so I am told, whilst the Tikka has one action fits all. As for recoil well as you know the stock design makes on heck of a difference. The P-14 rifles seem to recoil quite a bit yet fit a sporting stock and it's greatly reduced.

[blk tracker]

hi guys i am new to this but have alot of experince using both tikka and sako, i have 3 tikka rifles all in left hand 6.5x55 7mm rem mag and a 6mmbr custom and 3 sakos and the tikkas are best value for money,they shoot easy 1 inch moa out of the box and become tack drivers if you are able to reload, yes all tikka s are on the same action length,this is  fantastic if you want rebarrel to a diffrent caliber, my next project is re-barreling a tikka 7mm rem magnum to  7mm saum, all you have to do is change the barrel, the mag is the right length to seat the projectiles (162g A-max) right out into the mag, a very good option for long range shooting.

[Inukshuk]

I've got two Tikka's and they rock. Super accurate. My first one a 30-06 M658 was bought in 1991 and now just last automn got the T3 stainless with camo stock in .223 and got pillars added. It shoots sub-MOA. I just shot 1.5" groups at 400 yrds with factory federal American Eagle, and it was a bit windy. It's going to be hard to do better unless reloading.

[blk tracker]

Hi there, yes pillar bedding the t3 is somthing that i would recommend, looks like you have a real shooter there. on a good day i can sooht my t3 1 inch moa at 200y with factory loads and with my reloads shoot 4 shot group 0.5 moa at 200(7mm rem mag)i also found that the 165g sierra pro hunters  in 300wsm unbeatable i shot a one hole group at 200y with a tikka t3 standard rifle.I cant understand why some people dont like them.

[Inukshuk]

blk tracker
Nice shooting. Can't wait to see what I'll be able to do on a nice day. They only negative I heard about the T3's was in regards to the plastic magazine. But they probably never even held one cause it's a lot more solid than one would think.
They just don't know what their missing.

[blk tracker]

Inukshuk
i also put moderators on my t3 as well my 7mm mag and my 6.5 55, it has reduced the recoil by up to 50%, my 10yers old son shoots my 7mm no probs at all,and the sound is reduced to that of a .22 magnum which means no more earmuffs when goat shooting. Fantastic

[Inukshuk]

Inukshuk
i also put moderators on my t3 as well my 7mm mag and my 6.5 55, it has reduced the recoil by up to 50%, my 10yers old son shoots my 7mm no probs at all,and the sound is reduced to that of a .22 magnum which means no more earmuffs when goat shooting. Fantastic

Those are iligal in Canada for civilians. On my 30-06 I have a Holland muzzle brake which cuts recoil a lot and my boy was shooting it at 14. Noisy though and I wear ear plugs.

[Motor457]

Thanks for all the input! I think I'm going to keep my T3 but I am still going to buy a Sako 85 now that I've handled one. I only have one high-powered rifle at the moment (the T3) so it wouldn't hurt to have a second for those fly-in trips, etc.
 
My next debate is trying to decide between laminated stainless (the grey wolf model) or the synthetic stainless. Perhaps this should be a new thread, but now that I have the attention of the Sako/Tikka crowd I thought I'd ask. The laminated stock is another 14 ounces bringing the rifle to 7.5 pounds, which in a 300 WSM is not bad. I like the looks of the laminate and know that they are less prone to weather conditions than walnut, but I guess in terms of being "bullet-proof" the synthetic has the edge.
 
What do you folks think?

[Inukshuk]

Motor457

If you go the extra mile and have the walnut one bedded and pillared the weather wouldn't affect the accuracy of the stock at all. So in that regards it comes down to simply what you like. The only advantage that a synthetic-stainless would have is almost no maintenance and tougher.

[Motor457]

Thanks.  Walnut is really not part of my equation.  I'll stick with stainless in either synthetic or laminated.  What do you think about that choice?

[Inukshuk]

Thanks.  Walnut is really not part of my equation.  I'll stick with stainless in either synthetic or laminated.  What do you think about that choice?

That's very personnal at this point. The laminate is an inbetween of the other two. Myself I'm kind of rough so the one I got last was synthetic/stainless. But I had the stock filled with foam, plus pillared. This way I'm not worried about banging, scraching it or any other kind of abuse. It'll take anything I'll through at it.
I went this route cause I had cracked the stock on my other rifle before and had to get a new one. But laminate is nice.
It all depends on how you are or will be in the future. If my Walnut on the other one ever goes on me I may go the laminate way if I have trouble getting a synthetic to fit. But hopefully not for a good while.

[Motor457]

Thanks!

[sakorick]

If I were in the market for a new Sako or Tikka I sure would not consider a new mod 75 or 85. The older Tikka Whitetail Hunter and Sakos made prior to 1982 are far superior in my view. They can be found in unfired condition for less money too! Regards, Rick.

[Motor457]

Thanks.  I bought a laminate stainless model 85 in 300 WSM.  I'll report on how it shoots when I fire it in the spring.  It sure looks good.