Tikka T3 is not one of the two big brands or models you hear much about at the range, but maybe it should be. The Tikka brand is manufactured by Sako in Finland, and imported by the parent company Beretta. Sako has a great reputation for producing highly accurate rifles such as the TRG, and while the Tikka is not anywhere near the price of the TRG they did not skimp on quality where it counts. The Tikka T3 is available in several different models ranging from a basic hunting rifle configuration to their TAC model. Each model is available in multiple calibers, and several of them are offered in left-handed versions. All models come with Tikka's 3 shot group sub MOA guarantee.
When I was looking for a .308 caliber rifle I had only a few requirements: 1. It had to fit my budget of $500-$700 2. It had to be left-handed (yes, we lefties can shoot too) 3. It had to be accurate out of the box. With my budget I could not afford to take a brand new rifle to the gunsmith for accurizing. Now I know that most modern rifles are more capable than most us can shoot, but I'm picky. After a lot of research and a couple visits to the local gun store I purchased a Tikka T3 Lite Stainless Steel model.
I have been shooting the T3 since 2007 and I can vouch for the sub MOA 3 shot group capabilities. I have been able to repeat that consistently with cheap factory ammo. With reloads I have been able to shoot 4 shot groupings that are all within half and inch or less. Out of the box the T3 does not disappoint. I have shot Remington 700s, Savage model 10s, Weatherby Vanguards, Winchester model 70's, Mausers, and Ruger model 77s to name a few and none of them have triggers or actions as smooth as the T3.
Now if you know me, you know I am a sucker for a sweet trigger. The T3's trigger is just that. It is adjustable from four pounds down to two pounds. Out of the box my rifle was at about three pounds. I haven't felt the need to adjust it from the factory settings, but it is easily done by removing the barreled action from the stock and adjusting the set screw on the trigger.
The other thing that really sold me on the T3 was how smooth the action is. The bolt lifts slides and locks like it's on ball bearings. When inspecting the bolt, action, and specifically the races it is apparent that Sako takes their quality control seriously as there are no tool marks or chatter from the tooling used in the machining processes. Some of the other rifles that I have used, including my Savage, feel gritty in comparison because of sloppy or hasty machining. Tikka uses a long action for all calibers and simply changes the bolt stop to differentiate long and short actions. This makes it easy to re-barrel and change calibers later on.
Sako is know for is their high quality barrels; the barrel on the T3 is a good example of this. The T3 lite in .308 caliber comes with a light hunting profile 22-7/16" long barrel with a 1:11 rate of twist. This barrel is great for hunting, but due to its light profile it does not make the best target barrel passed 3-4 rounds. The reason for this is that the barrel heats up quite a bit after the third round and you begin to get point of impact shifts resulting in the forth shot typically being a flyer 1/4 to 3/8 of an inch outside the first three shots. Again, if you are hunting this isn't much of a concern; if you need to make more than three shots while hunting you have bigger problems than a point of impact shift. All Tikka models have a free floated barrel, which is pretty standard anymore.
There are a few areas where I feel the T3 falls flat though, the most noticeable of which is the stock. The synthetic stock that comes with rifle must have been where the cost savings came from during production. Granted it is made to be light weight so that it is easily carried afield, but it flexes somewhat and the comb height is just too low to get the proper check weld (at least it is for me). The butt pad is something you will want to replace quickly. The toe of the factory butt pad is rather hard and sharp and when shooting prone it tends to dig in. I picked up a Limbsaver butt pad and the difference was amazing. The last thing that I really don't like about the T3 is the plastic mags. I'm all on board with polymer mags, but these are not great. The T3 comes with one three round mag, and expect to pay $65-80 for another one in either three or five round capacity. With that said, none of these things are deal breakers. The Tikka is still a great rifle and stocks are easily changed...for a price. Manners, McMillan, and MDI all make excellent stocks/chassis for the Tikka. CDI also makes new bottom metal that accepts ACIS mags.
I haven't upgraded much on my T3 yet. I added an EGW 0 MOA rail, Burris scope rings, and for now a Burris Full Field II scope. The bipod is a CAA 6-9", but I am planning I replacing it with an Atlas when I replace my stock. When I first purchased the T3 there were very few companies making parts for them. That is not the case anymore, with the popularity of the T3 growing more companies are making parts for them. If you are looking for a rifle in the price range of a Remington 700 SPS or a Savage model 10 that will probably out perform them out of the box, I would highly recommend you give the Tikka T3 a look. They sure are fun to shoot!
Phillip Kopper
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