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Hello my name is Tikka and i endorse this post.

RichardCranium

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Jun 7, 2020
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Columbia, Tennessee
So I've been a member here for about a month now and have gotten some good info about reloading but now that I'm searching for an upgrade in platform the trend im seeing is unless its a custom $6,000 platform or a Tikka its all crap. Just curious why all the bashing of other platforms. Savage 110 elite. Ruger precision rifle. Bergara lrp. Ruger hawkeye.... so my question is if someone without the winning lotto ticket wanted a great platform and it wasn't going to be a Tikka what would be an approved platform from the snipers hide members?
 
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Welcome to the 264,275,131st time this question has been asked.

So to answer your question:
Because not everyone is where you are and by the time they have something to contribute it’s usually “now that I have nice things I couldn’t possibly get by with less, it makes the task enjoyable and more efficent”

-Anyone who’s done anything and upgraded over the years.

Hope it helps. Now run along and buy nice things now or buy them later after you sell your cheap stuff for a loss to buy the stuff you should have bought the first go round.

Oh and I still have my Savages, they shoot great but no one cares.
 
Not that I own one but I'd go Bergara, I'm a total Tikka slut and don't see myself changing anytime soon.

The reason Tikka is the go too for a non-custom build is they have built a reputation for being exceptional shooters and well as having great triggers and nice actions.
They also now have very good support for accessories and mods that make it an easy choice for a factory rifle that can be upgraded over time.
 
So I've been a member here for about a month now and have gotten some good info about reloading but now that I'm searching for an upgrade in platform the trend im seeing is unless its a custom $6,000 platform or a Tikka its all crap. Just curious why all the bashing of other platforms. Savage 110 elite. Ruger precision rifle. Bergara lrp. Ruger hawkeye.... so my question is if someone without the winning lotto ticket wanted a great platform and it wasn't going to be a Tikka what would be an approved platform from the snipers hide members?

Not sure why you think all is crap! There is an RPR Discussion thread stickie on this forum with approximately 5k responses which mostly trend positive!

Always nice to have nice stuff though.
:LOL: Just make sure to avoid IOR!😱
 
Congrats achievement unlocked.
 

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Whatever you decide I know the glass for a man of your stature. Best you can get. Snipershide approved!

Quigley Ford
 
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I like the Remington action and just bought one for $349 from budsgunshop.com. It stainless with a jeweled bolt in 308 bolt face. Very smooth and when I checked the lugs before lapping, one was 90% and the other about 70. They didn’t really need lapping but they’re both about 100% now. For around a $1000 you can build a awesome rifle that’ll serve you well for a very long time. You can get a Remington 700 adl varmint with a heavy barrel for about $500 and it’ll serve you well also. I’ve got custom actions and they are nice. However You don’t have to spend a bunch to get a good rifle. Go to your gun store and check out what they have. Don’t buy online and always check out the rifle before you buy so you don’t get one with problems. They don’t get better on the ride home and you aren’t buying a project. Good luck 🍀
 
$6000 for a custom gun? Try $2,000 then add optics/rings. You don't need a lotto ticket to afford a quality, custom action with a proven track record.

Bighorn Origin - $850
Proof Stainless from Altus - $470
Trigger Tech Special - $165
KRG Bravo - $380

What you're reading are peoples experiences. An out of the box Tikka will shoot sub-moa and be one of the smoothest factory actions. Their trigger also rivals most aftermarkets (IMO), and is a great action to build a custom off of.

Now, if you just want someone to tell you what you should buy from the factory list above, get the Bergara or the RPR.
 
I have a number of VERY expensive long-range rifles, including a LWRCI REPR MKII Elite (6.5-CM) ... MPA 300WMBA (300-WM) ... Barrett MRAD (barrel kits for 6.5-CM, 300WM, 338-Lapua), and a Tikka T3x TAC A1 (6.5-CM). If you've got the scratch for the MRAD, I believe it's the best platform money can buy. If you've only got $1,500 or so to throw at this, I apologize in advance for having to say ... buy the Tikka. It routinely shoots in the same hole for me at 100-200 yards, and is deadly out to, and beyond 1,000 yards. Consistent, reliable, and accurate ... what's not to like. BTW ... I shoot suppressed, with a Leupold Mark 5 HD 5-25, and Hornady ELD Match 147's.
 
Not sure why you think all is crap! There is an RPR Discussion thread stickie on this forum with approximately 5k responses which mostly trend positive!

Always nice to have nice stuff though.
:LOL: Just make sure to avoid IOR!😱
I dont think all is crap at all. Ive been reading through posts and thats what im seeing. Just pointing out what I see.
 
In my case, my Tikka fandom started when I purchased a T3 and began playing with it after some time spent playing with Savages and bog standard X-mark era R700s. I was pleasantly surprised regarding the ease of modification of the Tikka (bolt handle, trigger upgrade) in conjunction with the smoothness and non-jankiness (that's a word, look it up) of the design. Additionally, the T3 is a pretty light action.

There are some things that I don't like about them (T3s); specifically, the recoil lug design (it's tough to argue with results, but I still don't like it) and the fact that the length of the action is best suited to medium-length cartridges at best. This last issue kinda stings a bit because that first T3 I bought is chambered in .270 Win, and I'd sure appreciate a bit more room, re: COAL.

The long and short of it is that IMO, the T3 is a terrific value, and a great place to begin building a semi-custom.
 
Not sure why you think all is crap! There is an RPR Discussion thread stickie on this forum with approximately 5k responses which mostly trend positive!

Always nice to have nice stuff though.
:LOL: Just make sure to avoid IOR!😱
Owned a RPR ... felt cheap, shot just "OK", didn't own it long. Huge quality and accuracy difference between the RPR and my Tikka T3x TAC A1. IMHO - YMMV
 
$6000 for a custom gun? Try $2,000 then add optics/rings. You don't need a lotto ticket to afford a quality, custom action with a proven track record.

Bighorn Origin - $850
Proof Stainless from Altus - $470
Trigger Tech Special - $165
KRG Bravo - $380

What you're reading are peoples experiences. An out of the box Tikka will shoot sub-moa and be one of the smoothest factory actions. Their trigger also rivals most aftermarkets (IMO), and is a great action to build a custom off of.

Now, if you just want someone to tell you what you should buy from the factory list above, get the Bergara or the RPR.
Welcome to the 264,275,131st time this question has been asked.

So to answer your question:
Because not everyone is where you are and by the time they have something to contribute it’s usually “now that I have nice things I couldn’t possibly get by with less, it makes the task enjoyable and more efficent”

-Anyone who’s done anything and upgraded over the years.

Hope it helps. Now run along and buy nice things now or buy them later after you sell your cheap stuff for a loss to buy the stuff you should have bought the first go round.

Oh and I still have my Savages, they shoot great but no one cares.

I've done quite a few things over the years and yeah some things make life easier but to say you couldn't get by without it is kind of sad and says a lot about the shooter. And all I care about is a well shooting platform. So I'll take that as a plus one for savage. I routinely shoot my Bergara and my brothers Tikka side by side and yeah his shoots great but damn well should for the $1800 it cost him.
 
Its funny how even on this post you can see some people with level headed opinions and valuable info and then you see the people that are deeply raged that I even questioned the possibility of purchasing anything but a Tikka or custom platform. Ahhhhhh the sweet smell of confirmation!
 
so my question is if someone without the winning lotto ticket wanted a great platform and it wasn't going to be a Tikka what would be an approved platform from the snipers hide members?

How many threads can we expect asking the same question?

 
How many threads can we expect asking the same question?


The actual question here is a bit different. I spent hours scouring the forums for answers and opinions and all I see is Tikka Tikka Tikka and custom custom custom. My question here is quite clear, if not one of those then what would be suggested and why? I can't fathom that those 2 options are the only way to go.
 
So, are you just trying to get us to tell you that you should buy a Ruger/Savage/Remington?

No, those aren't the only two options, but it feels like you just want us to confirm that it's OK to buy those brands. Yes, it's OK. Buy them and enjoy. There is nothing wrong Bergara, Ruger, Savage, Remington. Buy what you want that is within your budget. Those of us that have been there and done that are simply recommending a better option.

You set the tone by acting like you already don't want what we would recommend, so give us more info as to what you really want... otherwise it sounds like you just wanna start a pissing match.

Having owned Remington, Savage, Ruger, FN, Bergara and Tikka... I would put them in this order. This is my personal experience.

Tikka
Ruger/Bergara
FN
Savage
Remington
 
So, are you just trying to get us to tell you that you should buy a Ruger/Savage/Remington?

No, those aren't the only two options, but it feels like you just want us to confirm that it's OK to buy those brands. Yes, it's OK. Buy them and enjoy. There is nothing wrong Bergara, Ruger, Savage, Remington. Buy what you want that is within your budget. Those of us that have been there and done that are simply recommending a better option.

You set the tone by acting like you already don't want what we would recommend, so give us more info as to what you really want... otherwise it sounds like you just wanna start a pissing match.

Having owned Remington, Savage, Ruger, FN, Bergara and Tikka... I would put them in this order. This is my personal experience.

Tikka
Ruger/Bergara
FN
Savage
Remington

What I'm asking is are there other platforms out there that offer quality shooting rifles other than a Tikka or custom platform. Im in no way against Tikka im just questioning the fact that thats all thats ever recommended. To be clear I didn't set the tone saying I'm against anything just looking into other options to see why people choose what they choose and why also why they don't choose other options. Reading a post yesterday I saw a guy getting chewed out for saying that his Bergara put down groups as good as a custom platform and im curious why? When you see people achieving amazing accuracy and precision with factory rifles other than a Tikka it makes me question why the bad name on every other brand? Simply a question.
 
Here is my experience best I can describe it based on what I’m assuming you want to know

Savage- I’ve owned at least 10. Plus have spent a good amount of time behind friends guns that are savage. Let’s say 20 total that I’ve had decent first hand experience with.

The good- All but 2 shot good-great. 1/2-3/4 MOA being the norm. A few 308’s and the 300 I referred to in your other post being exceptional at being honest 1/2 MOA guns. But again majority are 1/2-3/4. That’s factory barrels

The bad- 2 of the decent shooters would throw the first 1-2 rounds in a cold bore barrel. One 308 was 3/4 MOA up and left, the other a 338 Lapua was low 1 MOA. Other than that the triggers would hang up once and a while if adjusted to low. But I swapped springs out to bring them to 1 lbs 5 oz reliably and they have been great. I’m an accutrigger fan, many are not. I did have several that would not eject casings, 9/64” detent ball under extractor and they work great now

Remington- I’ve owned 3 in recent years. My AAC SD is the only decent shooter. With a very smooth bolt. I did rework the trigger as it was over 7 lbs factory. Another Remington has same trigger issue and was honest 1 MOA hunting rifle. My biggest letdown was a XCR long range tactical- many trials of factory ammo and reloads (pry close to 150 rounds) 1 group shot .9 MOA. All others were 1-2 moa. Multiple scopes, cleanings, gun breakdown and retorques etc.

I’ve handled a few tikka, shot one- was a T3 Hunter in 300 wsm and was insanely accurate. Had a plastic mag if I remember correctly but the action fed great and was smooth. I was very impressed and had a bug to get one since.

Ive handled the Ruger. Felt cheap. Especially the Buttstock but I’m sure you could replace that. Guys I know that have them get same accuracy level as savage.

I wouldn’t say any one action above stands out as ultra smooth over the other. The Tikka was great. My Remington AAC and Savage 300 are very good. The Ruger was ok as were the other savages and rems. Rems probably being a bit smoother than the savage. Savage being more accurate.

Non compare to my AIAT or the action on my Armalite. Also have a comp gun built on a Stiller P1000 and that action is very good but still not AI

Hope this helps. Never handled a Bergara but based on what I see here it’s the way to go if you want rem700 platform in a better rifle.

Pending you don’t want a Tikka My final vote is try the Ruger or savage. I avoid Remington now. I started with savage because of the ability to swap barrels and bolt heads etc. I could work on the gun myself. That’s a mute point now as many make prefit barrels for other platforms
 
Here is my experience best I can describe it based on what I’m assuming you want to know

Savage- I’ve owned at least 10. Plus have spent a good amount of time behind friends guns that are savage. Let’s say 20 total that I’ve had decent first hand experience with.

The good- All but 2 shot good-great. 1/2-3/4 MOA being the norm. A few 308’s and the 300 I referred to in your other post being exceptional at being honest 1/2 MOA guns. But again majority are 1/2-3/4. That’s factory barrels

The bad- 2 of the decent shooters would throw the first 1-2 rounds in a cold bore barrel. One 308 was 3/4 MOA up and left, the other a 338 Lapua was low 1 MOA. Other than that the triggers would hang up once and a while if adjusted to low. But I swapped springs out to bring them to 1 lbs 5 oz reliably and they have been great. I’m an accutrigger fan, many are not. I did have several that would not eject casings, 9/64” detent ball under extractor and they work great now

Remington- I’ve owned 3 in recent years. My AAC SD is the only decent shooter. With a very smooth bolt. I did rework the trigger as it was over 7 lbs factory. Another Remington has same trigger issue and was honest 1 MOA hunting rifle. My biggest letdown was a XCR long range tactical- many trials of factory ammo and reloads (pry close to 150 rounds) 1 group shot .9 MOA. All others were 1-2 moa. Multiple scopes, cleanings, gun breakdown and retorques etc.

I’ve handled a few tikka, shot one- was a T3 Hunter in 300 wsm and was insanely accurate. Had a plastic mag if I remember correctly but the action fed great and was smooth. I was very impressed and had a bug to get one since.

Ive handled the Ruger. Felt cheap. Especially the Buttstock but I’m sure you could replace that. Guys I know that have them get same accuracy level as savage.

I wouldn’t say any one action above stands out as ultra smooth over the other. The Tikka was great. My Remington AAC and Savage 300 are very good. The Ruger was ok as were the other savages and rems. Rems probably being a bit smoother than the savage. Savage being more accurate.

Non compare to my AIAT or the action on my Armalite. Also have a comp gun built on a Stiller P1000 and that action is very good but still not AI

Hope this helps. Never handled a Bergara but based on what I see here it’s the way to go if you want rem700 platform in a better rifle.

Pending you don’t want a Tikka My final vote is try the Ruger or savage. I avoid Remington now. I started with savage because of the ability to swap barrels and bolt heads etc. I could work on the gun myself. That’s a mute point now as many make prefit barrels for other platforms


Thank you for a detailed and thorough explanation of what and why. Very much appreciated.
 
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Well, here we go:
I got 3 Tikka T3's and i will not swap them, for anything else!

Number one, a CTR in 308 Win, is my ordinary hunting rifle, fitted with a homemade muzzle brake and a VERY old Schmidt & Bender 1 - 6 scope and it has never let me down yet, it works and hit every time i choose to pull the trigger.

Number two is my PRS build, a CTR in .260 Rem, placed in a HS3 chassis and a Kahles 318 on the top, in a Spuhr mount and if i'm not are hitting what i'm aiming for, it's my own fault!

Number 3 are my Long Range rig, it was a second hand T3 lite and was re-build with a new 26 inch stainless Hardy barrel in 6,5-284 and put into yet another HS3 chassis and a Kahles 525 in a direct mounted Spuhr mount. And it IS working, the steel was ringing all the way out to 1800 meters.

The common thing for all three, is that the bolts, actions and trigger groups are as they came from the factory, no modifications has been needed, beside adjusting the pull. It should however, be mentioned, that i prefer single stage triggers and those on mine, are just perfect for me.

Barrel life on the standard CTR's are very good, the .260 are way beyond the 5000 round mark and are still amazingly accurate ( but i do have a spare factory barrel on the shelf ) and the 308 are routinely shooting 0,5 MOA with hunting loads.

The only downside by a Tikka T3, is the lenght of the action. It is somewhere between a long and a short action and it can be a issue, if a build are involving a long cartridge, but not something you have to worry about, in standard short calibers.

And, if i should choose between a RPR and a TAC 1, i would not have any doubt, what to get.
 
What I'm asking is are there other platforms out there that offer quality shooting rifles other than a Tikka or custom platform. Im in no way against Tikka im just questioning the fact that thats all thats ever recommended. To be clear I didn't set the tone saying I'm against anything just looking into other options to see why people choose what they choose and why also why they don't choose other options. Reading a post yesterday I saw a guy getting chewed out for saying that his Bergara put down groups as good as a custom platform and im curious why? When you see people achieving amazing accuracy and precision with factory rifles other than a Tikka it makes me question why the bad name on every other brand? Simply a question.

Clearly you haven't researched enough. You also haven't listed a price point or features your looking for.

If your serious you should really rethink your subject heading and what you write if you don't want people to fuck with you. You look like you just came here and start slinging shit.

Here are some good accuracy factory rifles of varying features and price points.

Sako trg
Tikka CTR
FN spr
Steyr thb
Accuracy International AT
Sig ssg 3000
blaser tactical 2

Some are discontinued but can be found on the used market.

If you don't want a Tikka a Steyr thb would be a solid choice and around the Tikka price range.

1000 dollars is the threshold for something that can generally shoot worth a shit. Some times they don't. That's why Tikka is so readily recommended because they are that good.

A Remington milspec 5r is also a good factory rifle around that price. BUT there are more lemons as Remington qc sucks ass.
 
In my case, my Tikka fandom started when I purchased a T3 and began playing with it after some time spent playing with Savages and bog standard X-mark era R700s. I was pleasantly surprised regarding the ease of modification of the Tikka (bolt handle, trigger upgrade) in conjunction with the smoothness and non-jankiness (that's a word, look it up) of the design. Additionally, the T3 is a pretty light action.

There are some things that I don't like about them (T3s); specifically, the recoil lug design (it's tough to argue with results, but I still don't like it) and the fact that the length of the action is best suited to medium-length cartridges at best. This last issue kinda stings a bit because that first T3 I bought is chambered in .270 Win, and I'd sure appreciate a bit more room, re: COAL.

The long and short of it is that IMO, the T3 is a terrific value, and a great place to begin building a semi-custom.
@RichardCranium There do seem to be a lot of people who like Tikkas, and not many haters of them, and for many good reasons including what @BurnOut listed. To echo this and other's posts, if I were starting with a factory action today (big if), I'd start with a Tikka with the understanding that I'd be limited on aftermarket options, but those options happen to be pretty good (especially KRG, they even have a 2-stage trigger!). FWIW though, unless I had a Tikka given to me or had one laying around, I'd just start with a custom action. The biggest selling point on Tikka for me is the fact that very few smiths true them because they're so true already, and you can actually get shouldered pre-fits for them, which speaks volumes to their process and QA/QC. I don't know any of the other mass produced options of which that is true.

With custom actions offering several lower cost options, it's really hard to justify not going the custom route now, IMO. I think this is probably at least part of why you see huge fandom of Tikka and/or custom actions. Not that you can't make the others work, it's just a bit more trouble. Outside of R700 aftermarket options are very limited. People are willing to put up with this on Tikka due to the quality, but why take a low quality action that requires smith work and has no aftermarket support? I think this is the key.
 
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I also liked the floating bolt head on the savage. Which (10 years ago) helped start me out with a very cheap action to build off. The head no doubt contributed to the accuracy potential of guns with some barrels that looked like drainpipes. Obviously lots of options to use pre fits on now compared to then
 
I’m not a savage shooter but suggest if you want a cheap, accurate shooter get a Savage. If you later want higher quality go to PX and buy a used rig.

The quality rig might or might not outshoot your Savage.
 
If you dont get an AI or Barrett, @TheGerman will be summoned from the deep to explain to you how you are the newest representative of The Poors Tribe.


ps. Quit thinking like there is some conspiratorial agenda pushing tikkas and customs. By reading this thread, its obvious you dont want to spend the money on a custom (which is fine and understandable), but tikka is an option. Theres a damn reason why so many people are telling you to buy a tikka. They are the best in that genre of rifles. Take the advice and do what you want to do with it. There isn't a Tikka deep state. There are just thousands of people with real world experience with Tikkas that have nothing but positive experiences with them.
 
Better yet. Ask the man. @lowlight has multiple tikkas and has nothing but praise for them. He has suggested on many of podcasts and SH videos of how the Tikka is an awesome option.
 
With the $1000-ish factory rifles you take a chance that it will shoot well. Even Tikka, I know this because my friend bought a T3 for himself and one for his son at the same time, both in 300WM. One shot well and the other didn't even after judicious fiddling and tuning with loads, etc.
I've had enough factory rifles in most brands that I don't buy them anymore because I can't stand taking the risk. Been there done that too many times = money pits.

Friend of a friend bought a nice looking $2500 factory rifle after I strongly urged him not to. It shot like sh!t.

So I say start off with a factory platform that's a known good one that you wouldn't feel stupid fixing up from the get-go. Personally there's platforms in this thread that there's no way in the world I'm throwing good money at!!!!!!!!!!! Turd polishing...

Refer to post #10 because - - Great action - great barrel - great trigger - great ergonomics. I just don't see the point anymore buying regular factory rifles when for a little more $ you can get excellence.

Like I always say, sell that stuff hanging around collecting dust, take the $ and buy something nice. One time my wife sold all her baby stuff for $700, it was in the garage in boxes doing nothing for years.
 
I like tikka and steyr factory rifles over other brand because I can shoot sub moa with any factory match ammo or if I get 50 rounds from same lot ammo and weight/group them based on the ammo weight.
Btw, I love my dta srs A1 and sako trg22 too. Saving $$$$ for a ai ax mc.
 
I talked to a guy local to me who builds custom precision rifles and he was talking about 6k worth of rifle so thats where I got that but seeing the cost in this thread I'm going to start doing some research and figuring out which route to take. Thanks fellas
 
Post could be real or possibly not. Should give the guy the benefit of the doubt.
 
figure out the custom action you think youd like, and preferred stock (traditional vs chassis etc). caliber can matter, but barrels come and go. watch the for sale section for good deals on the action / stock combo that fits your budget. you can do pretty well in their if you are patient
 
just by chance do you live on the second floor ?
I live upstairs from you
Yes I think you've seen me before
If you hear something late at night
Some kind of trouble, some kind of fight
Just don't ask me what it was
Just don't ask me what it was
Just don't ask me what it was
I think it's because I'm clumsy
I try not to talk too loud
Maybe it's because I'm crazy
I try not to act too proud
They only hit until you cry
After that you don't ask why
You just don't argue anymore
You just don't argue anymore
You just don't argue anymore
Yes, I think I'm okay
I walked into the door again
If you ask that's what I'll say
And it's not your business anyway
I guess I'd like to be alone
With nothing broken, nothing thrown
Just don't ask me how I am lol
 
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Not much to add that hasn’t already been said, but a few other things to consider in a tikka is a lot of guys like to tinker and there are aftermarket options for stocks/chassis, triggers, etc for a tikka.
an RPR for example, you’re stuck with it once you get it. Can’t change the chassis.
also, dude, if a smith is gonna charge you $6k for a custom build without glass you should shop around more. I’ve got quotes from some of the best smiths in the country with absolute top shelf components for less than that.
 
I have a tikka and love it, their actions are super smooth but the barrels are a bit slow. They are affordable to start >$1000 plus scope. Later you can change out the chassis, trigger and the barrel. Most people, me included, buy the Yo Dave trigger spring for $15. My trigger weight is under a #1.

Ruger RSR is great platform but its like a mustang. you're going to eventually start changing things on it. Everyone I know has changed something or another on it. and for the price and modding it, i like the KRG on my Tikka more than i will ever like the ugly on the Ruger.

Ruger Hawkeye is good, i've got a Ruger scout in a 308 and the action (Mauser) isnt that smooth. its binds at times when i try to run it hard.

Remington is a hit or miss. if you have a good eye and know what to look for you can find a good one. but their craftsmanship is garbage!

I have not played with Howa nor bagera so I couldnt say.
 
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