T3 why do folk like them?

[North Cornwall Deer]

I used you have a t3 and agree with all your points to be fair, but they didn’t really bother me at the time, very accurate rifles.
However the point you made about having to push the safety all the way forward to unload, would be the sole reason I’d never buy other one.

 

[User00033]

Have you owned or shot a Remington 700 SPS @Ranger22? Your comment about the Tikka stock is well wide of the mark IMO.

The SPS stock is as useless as tits on a bull. That’s Remington’s effort at a budget rifle. POS!

Out of the box, I reckon no other manufacturer would come close to Tikka accuracy across a range of bullets and loads. They were the first to offer the 1 MOA accuracy guarantee for a reason. I’ve owned a few, and own two now, they are ubiquitous here and for that reason, they are laser straight, from the unboxing through years of service. And man can they take some punishment, I have an older T3 .223 here that must have had half a dozen careless and negligent rough-as-guts owners, but it’s still shooting perfectly straight after a decade plus of rank abuse.

The market has answered your question for you. Remington is going backwards, Tikka continues to outsell most other manufacturers put together.

 

[User00033]

BTW the comments about the lack of a three position safety are quite correct. That is the one thing I would change.

 

[barbel]

like tikka t3, may be common as muck, but so reliable, and accurate, got a ctr so accurate, easy to top load, wont be changing it. be a funny old world if we were all the same.

 

[rem284]

Been using a T3 since my 700 wore out.
Accurate enough, yes.
My dislikes, single stack mag, mag sticks out to far, can’t top load, stock is worse than the Remington stock, bolts a bit sloppy, having to take the safety off to operate the bolt, taking a round out the chamber - safety off, cycle bolt, pick out round, drop mag, round into mag, mag back in - what a load of faff. Plastic shroud on the bolt- junk
Manufacturers need to think a bit more about what they are making, perhaps even ask firearm users what they want in a rifle

You have stated all the factors that i dislike about the tikka. I would have a remington or sako 75 or 85. The faffing about you described with taking an unfired round out and putting it back into the mag is the main reason

 

[slider]

They just work in all calibers and are so accurate and reliable.

I doubt there is such a thing as a modern rifle that isn't accurate and very very few brands that are not reliable

 

[User00040]

Personal technique for a 'long action' .270 Tikka with 3 shot mag (although I have a spare 5 shot as well):

1- Carry on empty chamber with full mag, safety on, once on ground.

2- Get to firing point, take safety off, slide bolt back but not enough to pick up the 1st round in mag.

3-Take spare round out of pouch, insert into chamber via ejection port, slide bolt back and lock down.

4- After firing (or not), spent case can be ejected and a new round can be chambered, either from the magazine or pouch (step 3 in repeated again). This requires you to know the travel distance on the rifle before it hits the bolt stop (otherwise you will just be mag feeding).

Someone I know forgot their T3 mag yet still managed the stalk just fine with the above technique.

I have seen top feed double stack magazine rifles (Sako 85's) jam when the rounds have moved in the magazine and the bolt is slid across them. You will sometimes need to apply pressure downwards and slide them back to the rear wall of the mag again to get the bolt to pick them up properly, or just use more force on the bolt (not something I would do!).

 

[Heym SR20]

T3's a re good working rifles that are at a price point where many are bought as issue rifles for professional stalkers etc. They are also widely available and actively promoted. However in the US Market the are a $700 to $800 rifle new, - eg a T3x Light Stainless in 6.5 CM is $798 at Euro Optics - Tikka T3x Lite 6.5 Creedmoor S/S Rifle JRTXB382. The same rifle is on sale at the Sportsman Gun Center for £1,064 and its in the sale - was £1275 - Tikka T3X Lite-Synthetic\/Stainless

To put that into perspective $798 would cost me via Transferwise £617. Bear in mind that any firearm imported into the US from the EU will likely be subject to import duties, but at present there are no such duties into the UK. Mind you the € price in Germany is €1755 or £1,528!

The US pricing is about right in my mind. The are not a rifle that is worth their UK or European price points.

I have used them, they shoot well but not a huge fan - they are a good tool that does the job, rather than something you can covert.

 

[Brighty3006]

But.. ugly looking rifle!!

 

[Ranger22]

Have you owned or shot a Remington 700 SPS @Ranger22? Your comment about the Tikka stock is well wide of the mark IMO.

The SPS stock is as useless as tits on a bull. That’s Remington’s effort at a budget rifle. POS!

Out of the box, I reckon no other manufacturer would come close to Tikka accuracy across a range of bullets and loads. They were the first to offer the 1 MOA accuracy guarantee for a reason. I’ve owned a few, and own two now, they are ubiquitous here and for that reason, they are laser straight, from the unboxing through years of service. And man can they take some punishment, I have an older T3 .223 here that must have had half a dozen careless and negligent rough-as-guts owners, but it’s still shooting perfectly straight after a decade plus of rank abuse.

The market has answered your question for you. Remington is going backwards, Tikka continues to outsell most other manufacturers put together.

I have SA 700 SPS and recently LA 700 SPS,used the later one daily and the stock as you say isn’t the best but in my opinion it’s better than the T3. Better feel, better head position for me at least. The market may well be the way you say but I don’t care. It’s what I like in a rifle that matters to me not what the masses prefer. How many of the masses actually use their rifle daily ? I’ll bet it’s not the majority.
If you read all the posts you will see my Remy was ten years old and had fired thousands of rounds, probably qualifies me better than most to make the comments I have made

 

[TURNBOLT]

I doubt there is such a thing as a modern rifle that isn't accurate and very very few brands that are not reliable

Don’t you believe it.My mate got rid of a Sako and a Blaser which would not keep zero.T3s take some beating for the price.

 

[slider]

Don’t you believe it.My mate got rid of a Sako and a Blaser which would not keep zero.T3s take some beating for the price.

Granted there will be bad apples in every barrel - Tikka included, but if a modern rirfle doesn't hold zero I would be looking the scope, mod, ammo or user before the rifle.

 

[User00040]

T3's a re good working rifles that are at a price point where many are bought as issue rifles for professional stalkers etc.

They are a good tool that does the job...

Pretty much sums it up!

@Ranger22 a PSE or McMillan stock is going to be better than any factory stock (although some companies now offer an aftermarket stock/chasis already attached to the action). They can be found for a reasonable price on here (+/- £300) occasionally.

As per @ejg's earlier comment, the T3's advantage over the Remington is that all parts (stock included) will interchange between actions.

Another point is that the Tikka has an integral optics rail, most people will put a Pic rail on the Remington 700 and that setup that is nowhere near as rigid.

Another thing being that a T3 at the right price will sell faster than a Remington 700.

 

[TURNBOLT]

Granted there will be bad apples in every barrel - Tikka included, but if a modern rirfle doesn't hold zero I would be looking the scope, mod, ammo or user before the rifle.

It was mentioned on here last week some Sako 85s were having problems with mounts sliding back.

 

[1894]

The T3 is merely a 695 manafactured to a price point in a thermoplastic stock. Its no longer cheap and its popularity just shows the dearth of quality rifles out there.
No doubt it works well but I cannot believe it is magically better than the 595 I bought in 98

 

[Ranger22]

Pretty much sums it up!

@Ranger22 a PSE or McMillan stock is going to be better than any factory stock (although some companies now offer an aftermarket stock/chasis already attached to the action). They can be found for a reasonable price on here (+/- £300) occasionally.

As per @ejg's earlier comment, the T3's advantage over the Remington is that all parts (stock included) will interchange between actions.

Another point is that the Tikka has an integral optics rail, most people will put a Pic rail on the Remington 700 and that setup that is nowhere near as rigid.

Another thing being that a T3 at the right price will sell faster than a Remington 700.

Aftermarket parts are not an option for me, work rifle has to be bog standard

 

[Deermanagement]

Just did a load for a T3x I bought a few months ago. 6 different loads put all 18 shots within the same 1 moa. Individual 3 shot groups went .738", .252", .789", .415", .377" and .472". As said, all shots were within the same 1 moa with very little difference in POI for each group. 7% difference in load, lowest to highest.

Can't really go wrong with Tikka or Sako unless you're really unlucky.

 

[paultap]

You have obviously made up your mind that you don't like the rifle much at all, just sell it and buy something you like. Don't forget to list all the rifles faults to any potential buyer so you get the low price such a shoddy rifle should command.

 

[Ranger22]

You have obviously made up your mind that you don't like the rifle much at all, just sell it and buy something you like. Don't forget to list all the rifles faults to any potential buyer so you get the low price such a shoddy rifle should command.

I’d give it away.
Only problem is. It’s not mine, belongs to the org I work. I wouldn’t of bought it in the first place

 

[Husky]

So Ranger 22 explains why he doesn't like his issued rifle and is shot down in flames for it.
I thought everyone was entitled to their own opinion, thank God he hasn't said he likes Blasers or he would have been crucified as well !