Tikka/Sako Rifles Question

[slick814]

Anyone own one? I have a buddy that has a Sako 7mm Mag, and he made the comment to me the other day that he has to let the barrel cool if he fires more than 3 or 4 shots in a row while making sure his scope is sighted in each fall.

I was thinking about buying a Tikka, but if the barrel gets that hot in the Sako (they're made by the same parent company, mostly the same technology & materials), I may be rethinking my future purchase.

ANyone else had this problem? Or is this more of an isolated deal?

[Rotwieler]

its not so much the brand. its more the fact that when you shoot at a deer your barrel is going to be cold.

you want your scope to be on with a cold barrel. no matter what brand rifle you shoot it will be different from a cold barrel and a hot barrel.

so if you let your barrel cool it will better replicate a cold barrel shot. thats all.

in most guns a heated up barrel to a cold barrel will differ no more than 2" in a three shot group at 100 yds.

cool downs of a couple minutes between shots are a good plan for sighting in, but if your in a hurry and don't plan on shooting beyond 150 yds you should be fine with a hot barrel sight in.

figuring you have a paper plate size vital zone. "aim small miss small" in most long range cases your trigger finger will make your bullet miss more than your scope.

[USDA3]

I agree with Rotweiler- I use a Tikka T3 lite, after several shots in quick succssesion the bullet begins to wander slightly, although this will happen with most rifles in light and "normal" models, it makes little difference in most hunting situations. This could be mostly avoided by using a rifle with a bull barrel, but I would not want to carry it around in the woods, they add a substantial amount of weight to the rifle. Also, just an opinion, but if you need to shoot 4 or more times at a single deer the animal is probably out of range. Sight in your rifle each year with a cool barrel and you'll be fine.

[slick814]

Thanks for the replies, guys -

I was more worried about the fact that it would heat up after only 3 or 4 shots when sighting in. As far as the hunting use of the guns goes, that wouldn't be a problem.

Believe me when I tell you that I only take 3 shells into the woods with me in the first place, and rarely has the third one been fired. The area I hunt in doesn't allow for them to get out of range, but out of sight. One shot is the rule. A second shot is only if the animal isn't dead on the first.

My concern is more when sighting in or just doing some shooting in the offseason to keep my eye in shape. I don't want to have a barrel that goes out of shape on me just because I want to fire a few extra practice rounds.

Never had that problem with my old rifles. Just hoping to avoid it with the new rifle is all.

[thewalleyeguy]

I got a Tikka T3 Lite Stainless .270 before rifle opener and when we sighted it in i shot a whole box a shells. I dodnt really think about this but it didnt have that much effect anyway.

[nluchau]

I have a Tikka T3 lite in .270 WSM. LOVE IT!!!!

Yeah when your targeting it will heat up a bit after a few shots, dont they all? Gun is gaurenteed to give you 3 shots within an inch of each other out of the box.

I topped it with a Nikon Monarch 3x9-40 scope. Couldn't be happier. Shot 2 deer this year and never missed ONCE.

Good luck on your gun hunt. I give this gun 2 thumbs up!

[slick814]

Thanks guys - that's what I was looking for. Someone who isn't trying to sell me the gun, just tell me how much they like it.

Funny thing, I was thinking about going with the .270 also. I'm wondering if one of the reasons that my buddy's gun warms up sp fast is that he's shooting the 7mmMag... lots of powder behind that thing.

[Rost]

I'll diddo on the Tikka. I own two Tikka T3's (.223 and 25-06). A Tikka comes with some really nice features...

1. Cold Hammer-Forged Barrel- This means that every barrel leaves the factory with the exact same specs. Other companies use drill bits to bore their barrels, so as the drill bits wear, the barrels specs may change.

2. Adjustable Trigger- You can adjust the Tikka triggers from 2-4 lbs. They come factory set at 3 lbs. Most other rifles come with a set trigger. If you want it adjusted, you'll have to have a gun smith shave the trigger ($40-$60).

3. Free Floated Barrel- Each gun Tikka delivers will have a piece of card board slid down between the forearm and barrel. A free floated barrel improves consistancy while your barrel expands and contracts after shooting.

4. This is a personal preference, but I really like how smooth the action is. Like butter!

If you can't tell, I really like Tikkas!

There is one bad thing about the wood models though. I feel that the walnut stocks are too soft. I've owned these guns for 3 seasons and they are already looking beat up.

Good Luck with your choice...

[tunrevir]

Tikka, .300 short mag, smoking fast and I agree with the action, smooth as butter! When sighting take a fouling shot and then let the barrel cool for a bit. I like to run three shot groups with 10 minutes between volleys to let the barrel cool down.

Tunrevir~

[mwal]

I have a Sako Finnebear Hunter in 7mmRem mag. It is a great gun very accurate and well built. I have had it 20 years. Any rifle barrel will heat up and change the point of impact if you fire quickly. It doesn't matter what brand or caliber it is. It's simple physics. When metal heats or cools it swells and contracts. Most people are in to much of a rush to sight in. Depending on the outside temp you may have to wait 15 min between shots to get the barrel the same temp for each shot. That why you see so much frustration at the range. People put a shot or 2 on the paper then start pouring the rounds thru and their point of impact changes drastically. Bull barrels may get a few more shots to heat up they also take much longer to cool. The Sako/Tikka are some of the finest rifles made in my opinion.

MWal

[almostthere!]

All rifles rifles will heat up. I shoot a Browning 300 mag and it gets red hot after a quick 4 to 5 rounds. To sight it in, I would shoot it once then wait for the rest of the shooters shoot to their hearts' content then shoot again after they all checked their targets. That gives me a good 3-5 minutes between shots.

My brother-in-law has a Tikka SS Lam in 300 mag and would not carry anything else in the woods. I had the honor of sighting it in for him and it is the sweetest rifle I've ever shot. The trigger is so crisp that all the off target trigger pulls are eliminated. After sighting in his Tikka, I wish I could rip off his trigger assembly and put it into my Browning.

[verg]

My dad has a Sako .338 for sale for you bear, elk, moose hunters. Mint condition. It is a Predecessor ML61.

He loves it. Has never had a barrel heat problem. Although i think he said he only has around 75 rounds through it. Has downed a couple elk with it. I think Sako's are real nice guns-but spendy.

[brassman]

Tikka T3 blue/synth .308 I love the gun. I put a 3-9x40 Bushnell elite 3200 and it is one sweet shooter.

[Bassboy1645]

I bought a Tikka t3 lite staniless in .270 this summer...shot three deer with her this fall and havent a single complaint......unless being that its foreign and my buddies give me dump for it....they say Tikka teeks u off LOL The bolt is like silk.....from what i have heard the only problem wiht these rifles is the rings that come wiht them....but that was from a guy who took i out west having it banged aound in the cargo hold of a plane..... I guess he missed 3 deer because his rifle ended up four feet hgih and left off zero after the flight.I suspect that is a normal thing about traveling wiht rifles?? I myself check my zero almost every other week especailly If it has been in my truck or going on a hunt or anywhere.

[USDA3]

Another great thing about Tikka's I prefer, is that all (or nearly all) the T3 models come with a detachable magazine!! No more fumbling of shells when unloading or loading! A great feature that is actually hard to find these days in bolt action rifles.

[WalleyeGod]

What ROST said in page one. I also agree on the softer wood stock issue. Not as solid as my Rem's or Brownings etc. They do come in other stocks now.

The argument for not being made here. Well, we are in a world economy and have more options because of it. I used to always think "buy American" and did so as much as I could for a long time. Some things are just not like they used to be and won't be going forward. If it is a well made product it will have its own following. If it fits well, shoots well, you like the look, and makes the pocket book the Tikkas should be another hat in the ring of your choices.

For whatever it is worth, as a reloader it was the easiest to come up with a recipe for. Some of this would be related to caliber, but it shot most of the recipes well

and was not all that particular in powder or bullet choices. It just shoots one round really well.

Would I own another Tikka, you bet. Would I own another

Remington, Browning, etc. You bet.

WG

[Hitman54]

I bought a Tikka T3 lite stainless in 25-06 for my wife two years ago. She has shot three deer with this gun and loves it. I shoot a Winchester model 70 classic stainless and it is a good gun, but I will admit my wife's gun is much smoother and better balanced than mine. For the money I don't think you can beat a Tikka.

[DRH1175]

I honestly think Sakos And Tikkas are the best guns on the market period in their respective catagorys. I own one Sako and one tikka. The Tikka is one awesome gun!!! Any gun without a heavy fluted barrelt will have that problem. My Remington probably gets hotter than my tikka. If you look at good shooters they usually shoot once and sit. Shoot again and sit. Any barrel will get hot when shot repeatedly. Buy the Tikka and you will be nothing but impressed.