Tikka t3 lite/long range??

EasternPredHunter

New member
I've weighed alot of different options and I have come down to the Tikka T3 Lite (might get the stainless, not sure about that yet.) Can the guys that have them give me some feedback? I hear so many great things about this rifle. And for only $550 at a alot of places that's a great deal!!!

How good of a performer are they at longer ranges(ie. 400-500 yards)? How is their customer service?

Thanks
EPH
 
I have a tikka stainless in 270 and have pushed it out to 500 yards no problem, I group about 1.5-2 in groups at 300yds. It's an insanely accurate rifle especially if you reload your own cartridges, the rifle is guarenteed 1moa but has the ability to be half moa. As for customer service I cannot say, it's such a good rifle you should not need any customer service.
 
I have one in 300win mag.My son has 2,one in 22-250 and his first deer rifle in 7-08.None of the rifles are for sale.They are a swinging deal at less than $600
 
i had the lite in stainless chambered in 243. I shot several yotes past 500 with my farthest being 713 yards shooting 87gr VLD. This gun shot .5MOA-.75Moa no problem. sweet factory trigger also
 
To be honest I have one, and I regret buying it.
For starters.... yes it's accurate, and that about sums up the good points.
I am really disappointed by the build quality on it. Plastic trigger guard, plastic mag, Tupperware stock, no recoil lug, no recoil pad.
I could accept that, if it was a rifle that only cost a couple hundred dollars, but it's not. It's actually the most expensive "budget" rifle out there. I have a vanguard, a savage, a stevens, a rem 700, a win 70, that all shoot just as accurate, and all cost less. And to be frank, the Tikka is the cheapest gun out of the lot, but the highest price.

As for customer service... I have used it twice, and both times I have not been happy with it. The parent company is berreta USA, google it to hear other, mostly unhappy stories. My Tikka didn't ship with the free scope rings it should have, after many calls, and emails, I still don't have the factory rings. My benneli (same company) also had some problems, I ended up paying a smith to fix it, rather then send it back for a third time.
I'll get slammed for this I'm sure. I did when I made negative comments about Tikka in the past. But it's my strong opinion that they are no better then say a wetherby vanguard or savage, at twice the price.
 
From what Ive read, they do come with a recoil lug. Its aluminum. Would it be an issue with a 243?

Plus, i don't need a recoil pad for the 243.

I believe they have aftermarket parts for the plastic parts.

Keep 'em coming guys!!
smile.gif
 
I liked the one I had, the recoil lug isn't the greatest setup but I never had any problems, the stock is way better than any of the other tupperware options out there, plastic mags don't bother me (I would rafter run a pmags in a ar than a metal mag).
 
Originally Posted By: EasternPredHunter
Plus, i don't need a recoil pad for the 243.


Sit behind a 243 for 50 rounds and then tell me you don't need a recoil pad. 1 shot no,but on the bench everything is nice with a pad.
 
Originally Posted By: Tim NeitzkeOriginally Posted By: EasternPredHunter
Plus, i don't need a recoil pad for the 243.


Sit behind a 243 for 50 rounds and then tell me you don't need a recoil pad. 1 shot no,but on the bench everything is nice with a pad.

I shoot 308/30-06/12 ga/ 20 ga bench without recoil pads. Shoulder gets a little sore but nothing that makes me uncomfortable.

As of right now, the recoil lug and the plastic peice behind the bolt(cant remember the name sorry) are my main concerns.
 
Must be old guns not to have pads on them ?

My 2 older M700's are the only ones that wear plastic pads, all the newer have a little rubber on them.

 
Tikka does have a recoil lug. The lug sits in the stock a nd there is a grove in the front of the action that lug rides in. I know this because I bedded my lug into my stock
 
I have one in 30-06 that I am very happy with. Great trigger and smooth action and it's very light. I shot all of the cheapest ammo I could find and all of it shot under 1" at 100 yards with the best (so far) being less than half inch. I'm an AR guy so the plastic stuff doesn't bother me. I actually prefer a plastic stock to wood. My first season with it last year i shot 2 bucks with it at 40 yards and 150 yards. Both shots through the heart.

It might not be pretty, it might not be a bench shooter, but I'm a hunter and i don't have time to make a gun shoot straight. I want it to be accurate right out of the box and the Tikka does just that.
Tikka.jpg
 
Thanks for the feedback. If i need to, i will pay a machining shop to cut me a recoil lug out of steel.

I read somewhere else that the lug getting dented/bent, wont happen in the aftermarket stocks. Why is that???

If there is anything else that you guys think i should know, please tell me.

Thanks
 
Just got a reply from KRG (kinetic research group) and they sell the steel recoil lugs for $25 + shipping. They dont list it on their website, but they do sell them outright if you contact them. Here is a link to their website: KRG

And here is the steel replacement for the plastic bolt shroud: shroud

Are there any other "important" components that will need replacing?

Thanks
 
Originally Posted By: Craig To be honest I have one, and I regret buying it.
For starters.... yes it's accurate, and that about sums up the good points.
I am really disappointed by the build quality on it. Plastic trigger guard, plastic mag, Tupperware stock, no recoil lug, no recoil pad.
I could accept that, if it was a rifle that only cost a couple hundred dollars, but it's not. It's actually the most expensive "budget" rifle out there. I have a vanguard, a savage, a stevens, a rem 700, a win 70, that all shoot just as accurate, and all cost less. And to be frank, the Tikka is the cheapest gun out of the lot, but the highest price.

As for customer service... I have used it twice, and both times I have not been happy with it. The parent company is berreta USA, google it to hear other, mostly unhappy stories. My Tikka didn't ship with the free scope rings it should have, after many calls, and emails, I still don't have the factory rings. My benneli (same company) also had some problems, I ended up paying a smith to fix it, rather then send it back for a third time.
I'll get slammed for this I'm sure. I did when I made negative comments about Tikka in the past. But it's my strong opinion that they are no better then say a wetherby vanguard or savage, at twice the price.

+1. Don't forget that they only come in one action length also....
 
Originally Posted By: 2muchgunOriginally Posted By: Craig To be honest I have one, and I regret buying it.
For starters.... yes it's accurate, and that about sums up the good points.
I am really disappointed by the build quality on it. Plastic trigger guard, plastic mag, Tupperware stock, no recoil lug, no recoil pad.
I could accept that, if it was a rifle that only cost a couple hundred dollars, but it's not. It's actually the most expensive "budget" rifle out there. I have a vanguard, a savage, a stevens, a rem 700, a win 70, that all shoot just as accurate, and all cost less. And to be frank, the Tikka is the cheapest gun out of the lot, but the highest price.

As for customer service... I have used it twice, and both times I have not been happy with it. The parent company is berreta USA, google it to hear other, mostly unhappy stories. My Tikka didn't ship with the free scope rings it should have, after many calls, and emails, I still don't have the factory rings. My benneli (same company) also had some problems, I ended up paying a smith to fix it, rather then send it back for a third time.
I'll get slammed for this I'm sure. I did when I made negative comments about Tikka in the past. But it's my strong opinion that they are no better then say a wetherby vanguard or savage, at twice the price.

+1. Don't forget that they only come in one action length also....
That's a good point, that I forgot about since mine is a true long action cal.

But a question to the OP. If your looking at buying a gun, and then upgrading the parts that are not up to snuff, why buy that gun in the first place?
I can, of course, understand just liking the gun and wanting to have it. But IMO, a cheap savage, with a better stock still costs less then a Tikka, at least with the pries I found locally, and ends up being a better gun.
 
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