Tikka T3 vs Win Mod 70 Featherweight

[Shoot&Ski]

I keep asking for advice on which rifle to buy. There are simply too many good rifles on the market, I just can't get it narrowed down to one. Wish I could buy a few, but I just have the cash for one good rifle the must stand up to hunting abuse for years to come.
I basically had it narrowed down to a Tikka T3 Lite stainless in .300 Win mag, but then I found that I could get a Winchester Mod 70 Featherweight for only $70-$80 more. The Mod 70 isn't stainless (or synthetic for that matter) so it technically isn't as weatherproof for the Northwest. Both guns feel pretty good, I think I like the feel of the Mod 70 better, but the accuracy and trigger of the Tikka seem pretty hard to beat. Plus, the Tikka comes with an accuracy guarantee and includes scope rings, so this further increases to price of the Mod 70 to probably at least $100 more than the Tikka.
Am I just getting sidetracked because the Mod 70 is so darn good looking?
Which one would you buy?

 

[H&Hhunter]

Wow tough choice there. Both are top notch rifles. I would say go with the rifle that suits your tastes because either should function just great.

 

[HOOfan_1]

I'd buy the Winchester for the looks myself. However, I have plenty of other rifles to go hunt with and usually buy based on wants rather than needs now.

Hope you like your shoulder nice and purple. .300 Win Mag, sighting in from a bench is going to give you one with those light rifles. My 700 BDL in .30-06 which is a heavier gun, although having no recoil pad, can give me a purple shoulder. Luckily, as a dove hunter who shoots 30+ 2.75 shells in an afternoon, it doesn't bother me.

 

[Shoot&Ski]

That's fine. As a waterfowl hunter shooting 3" magnum 12 gauge shells all day, I am used to it. Plus, once its sighted in, it is not going to be for paper punching, just load development for hunting, and hunting.

 

[bison]

I have both rifles, enjoy each, but would absolutely go with the M70 if I had to pick. Better looking, feels better without the plastic, and is the classic "rifleman's rifle". My T3 shoots just about anything really well while the M70 took a lot of load development to find a sweet spot (but now shoots < 1 MOA). You'll never regret buying the M70.

 

[Welding Rod]

Featherweight again.

I felt guilty as hell for having bought an imported Tikka when something like the M70 line looked so good... I just couldn't enjoy my Tikka... I felt like a traitor. I traded it in after the first trip to the range.

I have since picked up a 270 Featherweight and 30-06 Sporter. They look to be some very nice rifles. Haven't bought mounts yet though so they remain unshot.

 

[Sooner1911]

Have you looked at the Tikka Hunter series or the Grey Wolf? I paid $599 for my last .308 Tikka T3 Hunter with wood stock blued with scope rings. Very accurate, more so than my Model 70 Coyote stainless in 22-250. I also have a Tiika 25-06 SS with grey laminate stock.The difference is negligible as far as accuracy, but the Winchester cost me more than both. Also, Winchester is no longer American owned either IIRC, so no need to feel guilty on that count. You will be happy with either, but my Tikkas have lived up to the accuracy guarantee and the barrel break in makes it seem like the barrels are hand lapped. Barely any copper after 5-6 shots. Except for my Sako 6 PPC and my Weatherby Mark V Deluxe 300 Wby mag, my Tikkas are my favorites and are real tack driver.

 

[unwise11]

Model 70, but why do you need it in .300 win mag? I don't think I'll ever own one, I'd get a .264 or 7mm before that.

 

[H&Hhunter]

Seeing that he is from Montana and guessing that he'll be doing a lot of elk hunting a .300 WM makes perfect sense.

 

[Shoot&Ski]

H&Hhunter, you seem to exactly understand why I am interested in a .300 Win Mag, and I am glad that someone does. It seems like every other person on this forum hates on the .300. Not sure why. If you read enough threads that mention the .300 winny, you would swear that it is the hardest kicking, least accurate, worst caliber to buy in the world. I don't get it. Seems like a potent big game caliber to me, and it sure has been around long enough to prove that it works. Think 30-06 with .270 trajectory, and that is exactly why I like it.

Sorry I am getting carried away. The Mod 70 sure is a nice gun, I will see if I can swing the extra dough, but I almost feel like it would be a shame to drag it up and down mountains in the rain and snow. I wouldn't feel to bad about scratching a synthetic Tikka.

 

[Gtscotty]

I would, and did go with the Tikka t3. I spent a couple months reading around on the inter-web before i picked up my rifle in 30-06. Tikka has a pretty solid reputation for putting out high quality and uniformly accurate rifles, and that is exactly what I wanted, there is nothing more frustrating than a new rifle that won't shoot well. That said, the aesthetics of my rifle were a non issue for me, but if that is of importance to you, the model 70 may well be what you prefer. Is the model 70 you're looking at one of the newer ones made by FN? or one of the older ones from before the New Haven Plant closing?

p.s. ~ I guess i forgot to mention it, but my Tikka does shoot very well, and I'm extremely satisfied with it.

 

[Welding Rod]

How about a new Winchester M70 Safari in .375 H&H for an elk gun?

 

[snake284]

ME? I would buy the Model 70, but then I'm a model 70 freak. You can't beat it. A model 70 control round feed is nothing but a sporterized Mauser and in my book it doesn't get any better than that. No doubt that in my opinion the Model 70 Win. is the better gun.

 

[snake284]

Rifles are made to drag through rain, sleet, and snow, I don't care how pretty they look. It gives em Character. I think people are silly about rifles now days. Yeah they look pretty when they're new in their fancy stocks and shiney blue finishes. But as they grow old and you see that shiney blue slowly being replaced with a rich old patina, you feel like it's part of you. It is part of the character I mentioned. After all, rifles are made to shoot, not sit around and look pretty.

 

[Welding Rod]

I agree. Used worn wood and blue rifles that show use have character. The stainless synthetics seem to just look like appliances.

 

[H&Hhunter]

I agree there isn't anything classier than a well worn wood and blued gun. That being said if you want a SS rifle get the M-70 in the Stainless Extreme. I've got one in 06 and it took a bit of tweaking but is now one of my most accurate rifles.

 

[skoro]

The Tikka has a good reputation, but I've never fired one. I do have a two year old Winchester M70 Featherweight and consider it to be top notch. I recommend it without reservation.

 

[BrocLuno]

I have both rifles, enjoy each, but would absolutely go with the M70 if I had to pick. Better looking, feels better without the plastic, and is the classic "rifleman's rifle". My T3 shoots just about anything really well while the M70 took a lot of load development to find a sweet spot (but now shoots < 1 MOA). You'll never regret buying the M70.

The T3 shoots all sorts of fodder well and the Winchester is picky and you like the Winnie better? Sorry, let's compare apples to apples - maybe a Tikka T3 Hunter with wood to M70 with wood? Or a M70 Stealth to the T3-Lite?

Each persons facial structure is different and mine fits the Scadahovian stock better then the Winchester stock so it's more comfortable on shoulder. I'd like a M70 if it just fit better.

 

[6.5swede]

The Tikka's are just awful. So much so, I've set up an orphanage for them (see below). If you buy one, you'll discover how poorly they shoot with most any ammo, a bolt that is too slick and a trigger that is too crisp. If you don't like it, then send it to me.....It will be well cared for

 

[flynnskihobbin]

I'd say go with the Tikka. I have one in .270 Win. it's accurate, smooth, and light. The down side of the Tikka is that it is light and the gun itself is not forgiving with recoil so 300 mag. you might be looking for a replacement recoil-pad.

 

[6.5swede]

Shoot&Ski,

I own both Tikka's and Win 70's. I agree, the wood/blued Win 70 Fwt is one of the finest looking factory produced rifles IMO....a real classic. I don't like the look of the SS/Syn Win 70's or Tikka's much. Sounds like that's what you are looking for given the climate you will being hunting in. But if your intent is to get a utilitarian, weather resistant hunting rifle, accuracy and reliability over looks is what you need. I have to agree with another poster about the general out of box accuracy of the Tikka's. All of mine have been shooter's, no tinkering required. I haven't had as much luck with my Win 70's. The new FN Win 70's shot pretty well OOB but not like my Tikka's. One of my Favorite rifles is a Win 70 classic FWT (New Haven) in 6.5x55. But it took a lot of work to get it to shoot.....Trigger job, bedding, barrel break-in, etc. Both are good hunting rifles but in my experience, the Win 70's have been "higher maintenance" initially.

 

[sansone]

mod 70 ..unless you think the stainless is important. Forget the $75 difference because down the road when the $$ is already gone you will be mad if you chose wrongly to save a few bucks. Here in FL stainless has much merrit due to the constant high humidity..
BTH: your post sounds like you really WANT the winnie

 

[Shoot&Ski]

Swede: Looks like a nice collection of orphans.

I will admit, if rifles came down to looks, I would way rather own the Winnie over the Tikka, but I have to keep pinching myself and remembering that this is supposed to be a utilitarian hunting rifle, and I shouldn't let looks get in the way too much. I supposed you could also say I have a problem with free market capitalism, because I really do like buying something made in the USA. Having said that, if the Winnie flat out doesn't shoot as well as the Tikka, that will have to weigh heavily in my decision. Also, I have never even seen a wood stocked Tikka. No one around here carries them at all.

 

[jmr40]

Here you go http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/36_280/products_id/44402

I actually like the Tikka and Winchester rifles a lot, but both are suited for milder calibers. Both are lightweight and more than I'd want in a 300 win mag. I have one of these in 7mm rem mag and they are a great buy in a stainless weatherproof rifle. I did buy a Mcmillan stock for mine.

 

[6.5swede]

As you can see from the pics, the wood stocked Tikka's are decent looking IMO, but certainly not Win 70 "hot" looking. The Win 70's are really nice rifles, but my experience with a few has been some work needed to get them to shoot to my satisfaction. I've owned 7 Tikkas at one time or another, 2 M695's, 1 M595, and 4 T3's, and everyone of them would shoot a few different factory loads sub-Moa @ 100 during my first trip to the range. The factory triggers are excellent and "easily" user adjustable and the bolt action is the slickest I've handled. One thing to consider is that the T3's are lightweight ~ 6 1/2 lbs, so shooting one in 300 Win mag wouldn't be my idea of fun. You'll definitely want to change out the recoil pad. The new Win 70's are also nice and have the MOA user adjustable trigger, although I couldn't adjust mine below 3 lbs. As Sansone suggested, you ultimately need to go with your heart. Heck you may buy a Win 70 that's a "one holer" OOB with the right load. Who knows? Good luck with your decision.......CT