Tikka vs Savage

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lizziedog1

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I have a Savage in 257 Roberts and a Tikka in 243 Winchester. I took them both to the range and did a side-by-side comparison.

To be honest, I really haven't had the time to really work up good loads for either gun. I also realize one example from any one company doesn't really mean anything. But, it was fun anyway.

Both rifles are very good shooters. The Tikka seems to be less fussy than the Savage. She groups different loads very well. I tried some 100, 85, and 58 grain bullets. Not only did they all group between one-half and three-quarters inch, their point of impact at 100 yardes was pretty close.

I am really happy that the rifle likes 58 grain Hornady VMax bullets. They should be great coyote medicine.

The Savage is just as accurate as the Tikka with certain loads. It seems to be a bit more finicky about which bullets it is fed. It really likes Ballistic Tip bullets in any weight. It hates any bullet that comes out of a Barnes Box.

I would say the contest was a draw, maybe a slight edge to the Tikka.

I am going to continue this contest as I develop loads for both rifles.
 
That is my experence too. Savages have a rougher bore and are a little picky about what they like, but when you find what they like they will blow your socks off, my 11 hates 150gr Fusions but will touch holes with 130gr Ballistic tips. My Tikka is a machine, it digests whatever ammo you throw and it and pulls off impressive sub-moa groups over and over and over again. Even cheap Prvi bulk ammo is just over .75" @100 avarage.
 
My father really likes Savage, but I really think Tikka is the better rifle here. They are made by Sako, and Sako is the most Ultimate rifle you can own, Without going fully custom and spending thousands. I believe Tikka has a more solid scope mounting system.
 
I would not argue that the Tikka is a finer rifle overall, and more accurate with a wider range of ammo, but the tightest groups I have ever shot have been with a Savage. There was only one bullet that gun liked but by golly would it group, you would swear I only hit the target once until you looked really close.
 
i've got a Tikka T3 Lite in .270 and a Savage 12 FVSS in .22-250. based on my experience with those two, i'd take Savage over Tikka every single time. no question about it. the Tikka cuts corners. no true short actions, mickey mouse recoil lug, 2 position safety vs. the 3 position of the savage, tiny ejection port, plastic parts. my tikka shoots just fine, but i won't be buying another.
 
I think that comparison a bit unfair. To compair a heavy barrel Savage 12 series to a featherweight T3. Yes the Tikka does have "plastic" parts throughout, but how many people have you heard of breaking their recoil lug or any of those other "plastic" parts? Me neither. I put plastic in quotes because while it is technicly a plastic it is not like the plastic many of us are uesd to, it is a fiber/matrix much like the hull of a boat. Pretty darn tough stuff. Even without a true short action the Tikka is still one of the lightest rifles in the buisness.
 
all of my comparisons would still hold true if i were comparing the standard T3 to the standard Savage 10/11/16/whatever.

like most topics on THR, this dead horse continues to be beaten. it all comes down to personal preference and budget. both rifles will shoot well in the hands of a good shooter, so make your choice and practice with whatever you get.
 
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True enough, I am also a proud owner of both. I would not place a bet on which one could outshoot the other on any given day, they are both resonably compact, lightweight and egronomic. I have never had one seconds worth of trouble out of either. The anwser to Tikka vs Savage is which one feels better when you shoulder them. One quick note I will make about the shooting dynamics is that the factory recoil pads on my Savages are noticably better then the ones that come on the Tikka which is rather hard, not an issue with a 243, but if you are a 300 mag guy you will notice the difference for sure.
 
Beretta USA has a Sako Optilock scope mounts for Tikka on sale. It's a kit that comes with the bases and rings, and it has always cost $150; but right now it's only $98; it's blued steel; if anyone's looking for mounts. Optilock mounts are expensive compared to most, but they are supposed to be very strong, and most reviews are really good.
 
Well, one advantage for the Savage is that Joe Blow can easily swap barrels, which can save plenty money on gunsmithing and even redundant rifles.

An advantage for the Tikka is that it has a 70 degree bolt-throw, whereas the Savage is standard 90 degree.
 
At the range I love them the same, in the woods I usualy reach for my Tikka, not that it is any better, I just like the egronomics of the Tikka a little better, and my T3 happens to be about the perfect deer cartrage (6.5x55) my 06 is a massive overkill.
 
I've owned three Tikka's and love the action on the Tikka's...they have the best factory action offered. In the accuracy department I felt it was lacking compared to my Savages.

I'm not too fond of paying $65 for a plastic Tikka mag either.

IMO, you can do more with the Savage and have much less money.

Action goes to Tikka.

Value and modular aspect goes to Savage.
 
NeuseRvrRat said:
i strongly disagree
Click to expand...
Who makes a better action then Tikka? When I have my earplugs in I have to look to see if mine is chambering a round, that is mabey too smooth. Of the 100 or so rifles I have shot only Sako/Tikka were that smooth none of the others came close.
 
I know I might get blasted for this but, IMHO you won't find a finer rifle under $1000 then the Tikka. I have owned 3 Sako', sold my last one to buy a Tikka. The action on the Tikka was a whole lot nicer. I am a sick, sick boy. I keep selling and trading my guns for different guns, and now own a Ithaca made imported by Tikka. I hope it lasts until deer season is over.
 
I only own one Sako; a model 75 Finnlight; and it's action is the Ultimate. But I've always wondered what the actions feel like on the older Sako rifles: like the Foresters and such. I've heard the 85 is not as good as the 75; but I wouldn't know. I would think they'd be pretty awesome by the way they jacked the price up when they switched from 75 to 85.

I must say; I handled a savage model 25 the other day; and I liked it. I would love to own the new Model 25 Walking Varminter. I've yet to own a Savage. But the nicest groups I've ever shot came from two Remington 700's. A Varmint Synthetic made in 1994, and a Light Varmint Stainless Fluted made in 2003; both in 22-250(triggers were worked on). I've always heard Savages can shoot really well. I've seen a couple of Tikka owners posting their targets on a forum that were Sub-HalfMOA.
 
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have both, shoot both regularly, Tikka, smoothest action, but Savage out of the box puts em all to shame. Remington, Winchester etc. all better do some work, cause Savage has left them in the dust. I know a little, at 58, own and have shot all of these brands.
 
lol - you show me a 7 to 7-1/2# Savage that shoots with a Tikka T3 and I'll call you cool. not exactly fair to say that all Savages shoot a house a fire.....all their thin taper barrels have sucked for me (270, 308, 7RM)...not so much with the Tikka - and my heavy barreled Savages have been great; 12 and 10
 
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