Advice on purchasing a used Tikka

Lexion600

Member
Hello,

I'm interested in buying my first .243 from the keeper where I work. He bought it new approximately 18 years ago. I was hoping someone could give me an idea of a fair price to offer him so here is the spec:

1992/3 Tikka M558 Continental .243 (Heavy Barrel)
3.5-10 x 50 Leopold telescopic sights
T8 moderator
The barrel has been fiberglass bedded
The trigger can be pushed forwards to activate a very fine setting, though I can't recall what the name of this is.
I'm told the bipod is worth around £100, would this be a Harris bipod?

Apparently he used it with no modifications from new and soon found favour with a different calibre for several years before having the .243 "accurised" and so it was laid up for several years before being used as a working tool for foxing and occasional stalking. Now he is looking to sell it in order to purchase a lighter weight stalking rifle as the estate has purchased a dedicated foxing rifle with night vision sights fitted. The bore has always been cleaned regularly and maticulously and I am assured that it still shoots like an arrow.

So thats the spec and the back story, if anyone can give me an idea of a price for this package that is fair to us both then I would be very grateful.

Kind Regards,
Jonathan Backhouse.
 
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Jonathon it is hard to say without seeing the rifle and knowing the grade of the scope as there is a big variation in Leupolds.

Ignoring the scope, the rest of the package is probably worth £350 to £550 depending on condition,
 
The trigger can be pushed forwards to activate a very fine setting, though I can't recall what the name of this is.

Jonathan - this is normally called a "set" trigger.

As Brian says, it's difficult to say what the value is without seeing the rifle itself. Ideally you might also want a friendly gundealer to check the barrel with a borescope, just to identify any problems there.

willie_gunn
 
Jonathan

Firstly can I say that I do not want to upset any keepers (not stalkers) on here that DO look after their kit, my next comment is purely based on MY experience with keepers guns, some of them being very good friends of mine who would no doubt laugh and agree with me.

They generally don't look after them!

To most it is a tool that until it breaks does the job. I am not trying to be offensive to your mate but his lack of knowledge regarding its worth may suggest he is just not into the 'kit' side of things and that MAY bare out what I have just said.

IF I am correct, then a rifle of this age if not properly looked after could end up costing you a lot more than the initial purchase price.

I would only add that there are a LOT of second-hand bargains out there, especially in the current financial climate and it may just be worth looking around.

As an example, give Gregor MacLeod a call at MacLeods of Tain and ask him what he has in stock and explain you are new to the sport. He will not rip you off. Remember he can post a rifle to your local RFD.

Lastly, I hope it is the action that is bedded and not, as stated, the barrel ;)

In fact, this better be the last thing I say: 'I apologise profusely to any keeper on here who DOES look after their kit'.
 
Thank you all for your help. It is indeed the action which is fiberglass bedded, that was my mistake - appologies!

As for the scope - I am told this was somewhere around £450 - 500 when the rifle was first purchased 18 years ago if this gives any clues as to the grade?

I have seen him clean his guns (before I showed any interest in this one) and I'm satisfied that he's fairly meticulous and pays particular attention to the bore. That said, when in use it probably is regarded as a tool and has picked up a few minor knocks but then shouldn't a sturdy Scandinavian rifle be able to stand up to that sort of treatment?

I appreciate your advice and will considder looking elsewhere but I am of the old school of people which like to deal with local people, friends and acquaintances wherever possible!

He has an idea of what he wants for the whole package and has mentioned somewhere in the £1000 region. It's me who's not really sure but I thought this might be a bit far north of what an 18 year old Tikka might be worth and decided to ask for your help!

Knowing the original price of the scope are there any advances on the overall value?

Your advice is appreciated, many thanks!
Jon.
 
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Appologies once again - i'm giving the wrong information.

The scope is a Leupold 3.5-10 x 50 Vari-X III. I've just looked up the history of this particular model and they were introduced in 1998 so it can't be as old as the rifle.

Hope this helps a valuation.

Thanks again,
Jon.
 
Rifle - £300-£350
T8 - £75 if in resonable nick (they are prone to rust internally if not looked after)
Bipod £50

Have a look here, click on the "rifle" or "optics" tabs
R. Macleod Son, Tain, Scotland

There was a Tikka M55 in .243 on pigeon watch earlier in the week for £225 or £250, can't remember now
 
Jon, a grand is too much money for the package.

The scope is about £250 - £300 SH, ball park the rifle blind at £400 - £450, that's £700, a SH T8 and bipod are worth very little, £50 for the T8.

Is this your head keeper trying to shift his old kit your direction?

£750, £800 absolute max unless the rifle is immaculate, which I seriously doubt.
 
Before you part with your cash take the rifle out on he range and see how well it shoots for your keeper friend and yourself. If you can see how it shoots ith a few different types of ammo so much the better. Those old Tikkas are very tough - I know of one that still shoots really well even after it has been run over by a tactor - stock and bit scratched up. But it is a heavy barrel and gets kind of heavy after a while.
 
To give you an idea of what is available elsewhere, and my local gun shop is not renowned for being cheap, I noticed the following last week when I was in.
Mannlicher, I think it was a pro-hunter but I am not into these guns at all so it's a guess (don't even know if they are any good or not but some on here like them) black synthetic stock in .308. Ase Utra mod (looked brand new), recent model Zeiss Scope, I think it was possibly a 6x42, rail mount on Apel swing-off's, sling and I'm sure it had a Harris bi-pod fitted as well. The whole outfit looked in superb nick, £1300 the lot and that is the ticket price. I'm confident you would get at least another hundred quid off that. Just to show what you get for your money if you look around. This rifle may be a bit cheaper up here as .308 is not as popular as down South.
 
I guess it is also worth asking if this rifle is suited to what you want to do with a rifle? It could be that a lighter barrel might be better suited to stalking for example, or another caliber might be better suited to the shooting you do.

While it is always tempting to go for what is easily available to you it may be that there are much better options out there depending on your exact needs and based on this there may be some merit in waiting until the right gun comes along.
 
£500 absolute max all in for a working gun (sounds like it has worked hard for a living) tikka is a good rifle but look down bore and pay attention to roughness at chamber end, leupold are crap scopes (I have one) used t8 well they are prone to corrosion.... grand is a joke, should be on tv that comedian!!! personally would nor part with £500 for it!!!!! It is very second hand!!!! You would be best served looking somewhere where they are not wanting to surgically create a new rectum for you!
 
hi mate i wouldnt pay no more then £700 for the complete setup

if you dont go for it could you forward me the details as i know someone that is after one of these rifles just for the action if its at the right price.

of course this is only if you dont have it :cool:
 
Thank you all once again for your help - i'm starting to get a better picture of the price.

I have used this rifle and seen it in use and it does shoot very well. As I mentioned the reason its for sale is it is no longer required for foxing and he wishes to get a lighter weight stalking rifle in a larger calibre.

He also mentioned that he would include a Bruno .22RF, Parker Hale silencer, Nikko scope and 10 shot mag in with the .243 sale. While the Bruno probably isn't worth much gold its still a .22 in good order (which is a calibre I don't currently own.) which would make paying £50 over the odds for the Tikka a little easier to swallow. I would use a little rimfire like that so it wouldn't be gathering dust in the corner of the cabinet. He no longer has a use for the .22 as he now favours a shortened .17HMR for rabbiting and the like.

All this taken into account would it be fair to offer him £700 for the lot and see what he thinks?

Many Thanks,
Jon.
 
Don't think the Brno is the underdog they are really good Rimfires and surprisingly accurate in my experience. The Brno S/M and 10 shot mag if in reasonable condition are worth well over £200 on their own.
 
Brilliant news then - sounds like a good deal with the Brno (appologies for previous spelling).

Thanks to everyone for your input and a happy new year to all!
Jon.
 
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