Tikka quality going down hill?

travis13

Im in the market for a Tikka Varmint in 22-250. While doing some research, I found some forums that were talking about how Tikka has gone down hill recently in terms of quality and accuracy. One guy had sent two Tikkas back with accuracy problems. Another said his gun store had stopped selling them all together due to customers bringing them back. Has anyone heard any of this? Last I knew Tikka was one of the best guns out there for the money.

HandgunHTR52

I take everything that I read on the internet with a grain of salt. Most of the time the so called "experts" post things with no actual experience with what they are posting about. There are a few sites where this is the exception, like this one, but for the most part, I see a lot of people talking out of their butts on the internet.

That being said, I do know that when Beretta bought out and started importing Sakos and Tikkas, one of the things that happened was that Tikkas became independent of Sako. Prior to this Sako and Tikka barrels all came off of the same line. Now Tikka makes it's own barrel. So, there may be some truth to what is being said.

My feeling is that if what is being said has some truth to it, it is more likely that someone bought a Tikka and expected it to shoot one-hole groups right off the bat. The went out and bought a box of Wally-world special ammo and took it to the range. When he shot a 3" group with it he immediately blames the rifle. It is much easier than actually putting in the time, money and effort to find a load that the rifle likes, or, heaven-forbid, it is his fault (i.e this guy has bad habits and can't shoot a good group even with a benchrest rifle).

Sorry for the rant, but I have seen too much of it lately and figured I would say something.

Lastly, I have a Tikka T3 in .243 that I wouldn't give up for anything.

sandwarrior

I haven't seen that happen in all the stores I regularly visit here in the Twin Cities. And, I will say, I was really sold on Tikka's this past fall(as in four months ago) when a number of them came out to the range for deer rifle sight in{brand new}. I shot at least 20 of them and helped zero more than fifty. If someone can tell a manufacturing trend that fast they belong on Wall Street. The first one I shot was Three years ago. It could place two bullets alongside each other@100 yds from a .300 WSM consistently.

No!, I will say their quality has not taken a sudden nose-dive.

travis13

How long has Tikka made their own barrels? If they have been making them since the T3 was introduced, then I could care less. The T3s are tackdrivers and I have shot some of them in 26-06 and 270 that shot 3 shot groups all touching at 100yds. The Tikka Varmint might not be a one holer, but it should have sub MOA groups at 100yds I would think.

amblerrl

my local dealer sells more tikkas than any other center fire. has never had to send one back.

redmuzzie

I have a tikka varmint heavy barrel in .223 with a nikon bdc scope on it and my dad has a Weatherby in 223 we often square off at the range at 100 and 200 yards he has a leopold vxIII on his my gun is half of the price of his setup and he has yet to post a better group when we trade off same results, I would put good money on that tikka and the weatherby is a outstanding platform, only mine is half of the price.

travis13

Thanks alot for your replies, I feel better now. Redmuzzie, do you have a buckmaster or a monarch scope on your tikka?

redmuzzie

Monarch ucc 5.5 X 16. For just over 300.00 you cant beat the monarch in price and performance, I do have a leupold 2.5 X 10 X50 vx III on my browning A bolt 25.06 and in my opinion the monarch is just as good. no knocks against the leupold because I do love it as well, just costs more.

tsr1965

Yep, that is what happens to industry when the bean counters take over making the production decisions. I have never had any bad resolve with any Tikka T-3 that went out of my shop. I know there was a recall 3 or 4 years ago on certain barrels(7MM, and 30 cal SS), and that coincided when Tikka/SAKO was acquired by Beretta. I have yet to date, to see a T-3 that will not shoot sub MOA.

Mk 19

I have sold over 50 T-3's in the past 8 months and I have never had one returned, nor have I had a single complaint about accuracy. I wish I could say the same for Remington, Ruger, Browning, or Weatherby