Author Topic: What changes would you like Tikka to make? (Read 3220 times)

Zachary · « **on:** February 02, 2007, 08:31:23 AM »

I own a few Tikkas. Heck, I first owned one way back when few people even heard of them. I own the original WH series and the newer T3s.

All of my Tikkas are shooters, and the quality is exceptional, with the accuracy simply outstanding. But there are a few things that I wish Tikka could change. And they are as follows:

1. Get rid of the "plastic." No, I have not had ANY problems with ANY of my Tikkas, and this includes the plastic parts. Still, I wish Tikka would make away with the plastic.

2. Get rid of the one-size-fits-all action and replace it with the original action.

3. I heard the newer Tikkas have increased the trigger pull from 2-4 lbs. to something like 3-5 or 3 to 6lbs. Keep it back to 2-4 lbs.

4. Offer a model with a McMillan or similar synthetic stock.

5. Get rid of the long throats - especially on the WSM lines. Their .300WSMs have performance similar to a .30-06.

So, do any of you have any suggestions?

Zachary

klt1986 · « **Reply #1 on:** February 02, 2007, 09:00:40 AM »

Bought my first Tikka in November and I'm very impressed so far. According to my owners manual my trigger is adjustable from 2-4 lbs. Hopefully, Tikka will not change the triggers for 2007. IMO the trigger is one of the main advantages to buying a Tikka. The only other item I personally have an issue with would be the use of plastic. It may very well hold up to years of abuse but it definately makes you wonder. The plastic is also the biggest drawback and criticism I hear from non Tikka owners. I think the use of metal in the trigger guard and magazine would calm many people's fear of Tikka rifles.

Rev Buck · « **Reply #2 on:** February 02, 2007, 09:15:24 AM »

Zachary, Your first two sugggestions are the ones I would make. I only have one Tikka so far but it won't be my last! My trigger came set at about 3 pounds and I haven't changed it. The rifle is a real shooter just like it is. I haven't had any trouble with the plastic trigger guard and mag but would like to see them made in metal. Also, a true short action would be nice. Rev

379 Peterbilt · « **Reply #3 on:** February 02, 2007, 02:51:48 PM »

Good points. Ditto on the plastic mag/clip and trigger guard. I wonder when/if the aftermarket folks will see an opportunity to capitalize on this. Also, I'd think that due to the popularity of these rifles, that one of the bigger players in aftermarket stocks would start producing.

Old English · « **Reply #4 on:** February 02, 2007, 03:23:20 PM »

Ditto the trigger, the new Tikka ads advertise 4 to 7lbs trigger pull. If this is the case I may as well buy a Remington 700 which has much better support for spares/customizing/ scope rings etc.

I would like to see the Tikka Varmint with the present trigger in 204 Ruger. I'd buy it in a heartbeat!

The plastic magazines work fine for me and I happen to prefer the indestructible synthetic stocks, but I'll conceed on trigger guard and magazine release.

tjkanavel · « **Reply #5 on:** February 03, 2007, 01:20:23 PM »

I also want to see one in .204 Ruger. It already has an open spot in the safe.

Thebear_78 · « **Reply #6 on:** February 03, 2007, 04:25:56 PM »

better recoil lug in the magnum calibers and the long throats. My 338 win mag was 200-250fps slower than book.

memyselfni · « **Reply #7 on:** February 04, 2007, 07:37:50 PM »

i own a tikka t3 lite ss in .270 wsm....am i understanding this correctly, that i will only have standard 270 winchester performance out of this? is there anything that can be done about it?

tjkanavel · « **Reply #8 on:** February 04, 2007, 10:14:23 PM »

Nope.The WSM's are ballistically identical to the original cartridge,in your case the 270 Win.(the 7mm WSM to the 7mm Rem Mag,the 300 WSM to the 300 Win Mag,the 25 WSSM to the 25-06,etc,etc)The whole buzz about the WSM's were that they could be fit into a short action rifle,meaning a shorter,lighter rifle.In your case you didnt gain anything because the Tikka T3 has the same action no matter what action length,just different bolt stops and is a very light rifle to begin with.There are some gains however,there is less felt recoil and less powder to use if you reload.The cons are that there is still not the amount of factory loads available as there is with the original cartridges and the ammo itself is more expensive.Atleast you bought one that wil stick around,unlike the Remington Short Action and Ultra Mags.Good luck with your rifle,you did pick a fine caliber however.

klt1986 · « **Reply #9 on:** February 05, 2007, 12:35:40 PM »

Quote from: tjkanavel on February 04, 2007, 10:14:23 PM

Nope.The WSM's are ballistically identical to the original cartridge,in your case the 270 Win.(the 7mm WSM to the 7mm Rem Mag,the 300 WSM to the 300 Win Mag,the 25 WSSM to the 25-06,etc,etc)The whole buzz about the WSM's were that they could be fit into a short action rifle,meaning a shorter,lighter rifle.In your case you didnt gain anything because the Tikka T3 has the same action no matter what action length,just different bolt stops and is a very light rifle to begin with.There are some gains however,there is less felt recoil and less powder to use if you reload.The cons are that there is still not the amount of factory loads available as there is with the original cartridges and the ammo itself is more expensive.Atleast you bought one that wil stick around,unlike the Remington Short Action and Ultra Mags.Good luck with your rifle,you did pick a fine caliber however.

Not exactly in the case of the .270 wsm. The 270 WSM falls between the the 270 Win and 270 Weatherby. From my understanding the longer throats in the Tikka and probably the shorter barrel length cause the WSM's to be slower in the Tikka. In my Savage model 16 with factory ammo, the 270 wsm was definately faster than the standard 270 win.

tjkanavel · « **Reply #10 on:** February 05, 2007, 01:29:53 PM »

Well in both my relaoding manuals (Nosler and Barnes) all of the WSM's and the original cartridges are 1 ft different in velocity and energy using all the different bullet weights.

I agree that the barrel length has a lot to do with it as well as the throat.I was just giving the general description of what the WSM's were all about.

klt1986 · « **Reply #11 on:** February 05, 2007, 04:06:27 PM »

I was referring to factory ammo. Comparing standard and WSM loadings for the 270 from Federal, the WSM has from a 220 to 310 fps advantage depending on the loading. However, the 270 Win. High Energy load from Federal comes within 25 fps of the WSM. I have heard that you can't squeeze much more out of the WSM's than what the factory offers. Don't know that to be the "gospel" though

. I also wonder about the claim of less felt recoil. My lightweight Savage was not painfull to shoot but it had atleast as much felt recoil as my 30-06. Any way this is a Tikka forum so I need to stop talking about WSM's and Savage's

. Though I must say that if someone hadn't made me an offer I could not refuse for the Savage, I would not have bought a Tikka

.

Zachary · « **Reply #12 on:** February 05, 2007, 05:10:34 PM »

There was an article a while back that compared a Savage and Tikka, both in .270WSM. The Savage was 200fps faster than the Tikka. A fellow member of ours also did his own chrono test, and his Tikka, also in a WSM, was also 200fps slower than it should be. This is because of the long throat. When he talked to Beretta about this, they talked about how accurate their guns are, but they never addressed the long throat/slower fps issue.

Zachary

memyselfni · « **Reply #13 on:** February 06, 2007, 05:31:46 AM »

is there any way to rectify this? i bought the .270 wsm as a step up from my other rifle which is a .308 ruger ul mk1, what kind of performance can i realistically expect from the tikka? i am using federal 130gr power shock loads at the moment, going to get reloading gear as soon as i can afford it, also as a matter of interest, what do you guys think the max effective rang of the tikka 270 wsm is on sika and red deer here in new zealand? it is very accurate, grouping consistantly around an inch at 100 yards for five shots, and under 2 inches at 200. i really like the rifle but bought it for the extra performance of the wsm...

Zachary · « **Reply #14 on:** February 06, 2007, 01:24:14 PM »

If you reload, then you can seat the bullet closer to the grooves of the barrel. But the problem is that, then it will be too long to fit in the magazine. I think that this problem is only associated with the WSMs, and I don't think that there is much that you can do.

Zachary

Tikkabuck · « **Reply #15 on:** February 09, 2007, 03:03:58 PM »

Well not to many here,just a few.
I would like to see the trigger guard and magazine catch in metal.
Bring back 2 things they lost from the Whitetails. 1. Do away with the recoil lug and go back to the recoil block. 2. And put the palm swell back.

lilabner · « **Reply #16 on:** February 10, 2007, 07:09:55 AM »

I'd like to see the T3 magazine price come down. Seems to me that $49 is too much for what there is to it. Maybe China or Bangladesh could start making them. This thread is a great idea! They have replaced the scope rings so many had trouble with, so they do listen. The Sako rings they are now including look good and I'm betting they'll work fine. The plastic bolt shroud, trigger guard and magazine are OK by me. Ounces lighter than steel would be, plus they move the center of gravity forward which makes the rifle point better. If they changed over to steel, they'd have to pare the barrel down to pencil size to keep the weight where it is now. However, they could have steel as an option for those offended by the plastic. While they don't advertise it as such, the T3 is a light rifle with the accuracy capability of a Sako, and that is a good niche market.

klt1986 · « **Reply #17 on:** February 10, 2007, 06:01:18 PM »

Quote from: lilabner on February 10, 2007, 07:09:55 AM

I'd like to see the T3 magazine price come down. Seems to me that $49 is too much for what there is to it. Maybe China or Bangladesh could start making them. This thread is a great idea! They have replaced the scope rings so many had trouble with, so they do listen. The Sako rings they are now including look good and I'm betting they'll work fine. The plastic bolt shroud, trigger guard and magazine are OK by me. Ounces lighter than steel would be, plus they move the center of gravity forward which makes the rifle point better. If they changed over to steel, they'd have to pare the barrel down to pencil size to keep the weight where it is now. However, they could have steel as an option for those offended by the plastic. While they don't advertise it as such, the T3 is a light rifle with the accuracy capability of a Sako, and that is a good niche market.

I agree with the price of the magazines. But I do have a question concerning the scope rings. Do you think the Sako rings that are reportedly being supplied now are because of customer complaints or production problems? If the reason is complaints, I wonder if Beretta would swap the old rings out for the newer Sako rings?

Zachary · « **Reply #18 on:** February 11, 2007, 12:23:29 PM »

I have a question for your guys about extra magazines. Why do you need them? When hunting, I only need 1 bullet, maybe two. A magazine has what? 3 or 4 bullets inside? Isn't that plenty? Just curious to hear from you guys.

Zachary

Tikkabuck · « **Reply #19 on:** February 11, 2007, 12:57:04 PM »

Hey There

Just my point of veiw,I used to have a Sako Finwolf,when I bought the gun back in the early 70's I could have bought a mag. for it for $25 to $30 bucks. I thought na I don't need one. Well in the 80's while hunting in Colo. I had an accident and for some reason or another the mag was never to be found. I wound up shooting that gun by hand loading one in the chamber. I bought a used one for $85. The last one I seen on E-bay went for $120.

klt1986 · « **Reply #20 on:** February 11, 2007, 04:20:48 PM »

Quote from: Zachary on February 11, 2007, 12:23:29 PM

I have a question for your guys about extra magazines. Why do you need them? When hunting, I only need 1 bullet, maybe two. A magazine has what? 3 or 4 bullets inside? Isn't that plenty? Just curious to hear from you guys.

Zachary

I had never hunted with a bolt action rifle with a detachable magazine until I got my Tikka. All my bolt actions, other than the Tikka, have hinged floor plates or blind magazines. Now I did hunt for several years with a Remington 742 and never did buy an extra magazine nor did I have a reason to. Here is the problem though. With the Remington the magazines were easy to find and were around $20 bucks at the time. Heck even the local KMart carried these magazines. I would like to have a spare just in case something happens to the one that came with the rifle but at the price they are selling for, I will not buy one unless forced to. Just another reason to have more than one rifle!

lilabner · « **Reply #21 on:** February 12, 2007, 02:19:03 PM »

Zachary,
I agree that an extra magazine will probably never be used on a hunt. But, what if you were on a hunt in the NW Territories and lost track of your magazine? You would not just be hunting with a single shot - you would be hunting with a single shot that is very difficult to load in a hurry. Perhaps they could manufacture spare mags in Mexico.

DURAMAXHAL · « **Reply #22 on:** February 17, 2007, 04:14:18 PM »

Two things that I would like to see would be a palm swell, and on the forearms of the synthetic models a rubber inlay for grip instead of the molded in grip, my camo synthetic stock is pretty slick in my hands, it would be very bad with gloves on.

Tikkabuck · « **Reply #23 on:** February 18, 2007, 08:24:17 AM »

Hi Ya Duramax

I have had this problem already with one of my Whitetails. I went to Wall Mart and got this paint called Fleckstone, it's gives the out side of the stock a rough finsh,and then seal it really well. I have also done it with truck bed liner spray,which has a rough finish but not as thick as the Fleckstone.

YankeeBill · « **Reply #24 on:** February 18, 2007, 09:04:25 AM »

I'd like to see the T3 Lite in .204 also, would make a great Calling Rifle.

Maybe next year

YB

DURAMAXHAL · « **Reply #25 on:** February 18, 2007, 01:48:58 PM »

Tikkabuck, that looks like a good idea, what did you seal it with?

kyelkhunter3006 · « **Reply #26 on:** February 18, 2007, 02:43:25 PM »

The issues that everyone has with the T3's are the reasons I sold mine. Very accurate, very smooth, but they just didn't "feel" right to me. As for extra mags, I always had one because I would put the other one away and forget where I put it, lOL. For the $50 or more to get one, you can bet that I'd never lose one for good. The plastic trigger guard and mag didn't really bug me, but I didn't like the synthetic stock. If they'd put a better quality synthetic on it, I'd consider getting another one.

Zachary, sounds like you would like Tikka to bring back the old WH's. I admit, I like them much better than the T3.

Rev Buck · « **Reply #27 on:** February 18, 2007, 03:09:28 PM »

The more I shoot mine the better I like it. This past Friday I put four 180 gr NP's in the bull at 200 yards. That's about as good as it gets for my level of ability. I've found the groove with mine and I'm not changing a thing. Glad I got the wood stock too. Rev

Tikkabuck · « **Reply #28 on:** February 18, 2007, 03:27:54 PM »

Quote from: DURAMAXHAL on February 18, 2007, 01:48:58 PM

Tikkabuck, that looks like a good idea, what did you seal it with?

So far all I have used is the Fleckstone clearcoat, on the bed liner I used the Varathene Satin. This is the bed liner which you can get at any auto parts store.

Zachary · « **Reply #29 on:** February 23, 2007, 08:01:53 AM »

I can see ya'lls points on an extra magazine for emergencies. No, I have never lost, or had any kind of a problem, with any of my magazines, including my Tikkas, but I guess it makes sense (if you are going hunting on a trip of a lifetime, or at least something close like that) to have an extra magazine.

Zachary