Poper
Member
I have three Tikka rifles. A .270 Win. I bought way back when because it was on sale for $399 at Sportsmans Warehouse, .30-06 - because everyone should have one and it, too was on-sale, and a 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser because I really wanted one.
All are exceptionally good shooters. I use the .270 and 6.5x55 in hunter class high power silhouette matches. I have used both the .270 and 6.5x55 for hunting and both have killed game for me. I have only very minor complaints about the quality and performance of these rifles. The .270 is a T3 Lite in a plastic stock and the 6.5x55 and .30-06 are the T3 Hunter in the wood stock.
Complaint #1: The "checkering" on the plastic stock does nothing to aid in maintaining a grip on the rifle. Easy fix: hit the high spots lightly with 60 grit sandpaper.
Complaint #2: The wood on the '06 and 6.5x55 is very, very plain. Almost no grain or figure. Fix: get a nice Boyds stock or other of your choice.
Complaint #3: The checkering pattern on the wood stock is kind of whimsical if not goofy. Fix: Same as #2.
With all that said, I am a handloader and have not had difficulty finding loads that shoot well in any of the three. They have been remarkably tolerant of powders and bullets. It is relatively easy to get them shooting 5-round groups less than 1" at 100 yards. The 6.5x55 will do less than an inch at 300 meters on a still day and when I am at my best. The .270 will do 2-3/4" 5-round groups at 500 meters.
Hard to believe, I know, and that's why they are my silhouette rifles.
The price of Tikkas has risen significantly since I bought mine some years ago, but In my estimation, they are still a good value for the money. Oh, and did I mention that after many hundreds of rounds fired, I have yet to have a malfunction of any kind from any of the three?
Me like!
All are exceptionally good shooters. I use the .270 and 6.5x55 in hunter class high power silhouette matches. I have used both the .270 and 6.5x55 for hunting and both have killed game for me. I have only very minor complaints about the quality and performance of these rifles. The .270 is a T3 Lite in a plastic stock and the 6.5x55 and .30-06 are the T3 Hunter in the wood stock.
Complaint #1: The "checkering" on the plastic stock does nothing to aid in maintaining a grip on the rifle. Easy fix: hit the high spots lightly with 60 grit sandpaper.
Complaint #2: The wood on the '06 and 6.5x55 is very, very plain. Almost no grain or figure. Fix: get a nice Boyds stock or other of your choice.
Complaint #3: The checkering pattern on the wood stock is kind of whimsical if not goofy. Fix: Same as #2.
With all that said, I am a handloader and have not had difficulty finding loads that shoot well in any of the three. They have been remarkably tolerant of powders and bullets. It is relatively easy to get them shooting 5-round groups less than 1" at 100 yards. The 6.5x55 will do less than an inch at 300 meters on a still day and when I am at my best. The .270 will do 2-3/4" 5-round groups at 500 meters.
Hard to believe, I know, and that's why they are my silhouette rifles.
The price of Tikkas has risen significantly since I bought mine some years ago, but In my estimation, they are still a good value for the money. Oh, and did I mention that after many hundreds of rounds fired, I have yet to have a malfunction of any kind from any of the three?
Me like!
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