Tikka T3: I was looking for a new deer rifle and kind of approached it differently this time. The first thing I did was to study the ballistic tables and the .270WSM really stood out. This cartridge can push a 140gr bullet at 3,100 fps – flat shooting. At 300 yards (with a 200 yard zero) it has about a 5.5″ drop, is moving at 2,600 fps, 2,100 energy delivery.
So now that I found the cartridge I started searching for the appropriate rifle. I soon ran across the Tikka T3. Tikka is made by Sako in Finland and I’ve always been fond of Sakos.
If you lust for a Sako but balk at the price – check out the Tikka T3. You get the outstanding free-floating Sako barrel and quality, precision parts for less than half the price.
My rifle had a plain polymer stock that, quite frankly, was not all that attractive so I decided to give it a nice camo paint job. I purchased three cans of Krylon at the local Ace hardware store and went to work. First, a light sanding. I then applied the green base coat. Next, I cut leaf templates out of card stock and proceeded to layer on the darker colors. The end result is a more attractive rifle and the paint texture is an improvement over the otherwise slick plastic stock.
Magazine is detachable. There are some complaints about the Tikka T3 using a plastic magazine but I have not experienced any failures.
Nice, crisp trigger which is easily adjustable. I went down to 2 pounds then backed off just a bit. For a rifle in this price range it is an outstanding trigger.
Stainless steel bolt with 75 degree lift is very smooth to operate.
Gun weighs in at just over six pounds.
Mounted a Leupold VXIII 3-9 scope to keep it traditional. Growing up in Texas, the ultimate rig was a Sako with the gold ring scope.
I have taken both deer and hog with this setup and am generally very pleased.
Accuracy is as you would expect from a Sako. The shot group pictured here is with factory ammo, sand bags (no Lead Sled), and just quickly cycling through five rounds without waiting for the barrel to cool. Note that this is a 200 yard, not 100 yard, group. The rifle is capable of tighter groups than this illustrates. This was simply the first five shots after mounting and sighting in the scope.
My favorite factory ammunition is the Nosler Trophy Grade 140gr Accubond.
As a staff writer at Tactical Gun Review, I am constantly testing new guns and swapping out optics. This is my go-to rifle that stays put together and ready to roll. The combination of Tikka, Leupold, and Nosler is accurate, deadly, and reliable.
by Mike Coker
Mike Coker
Latest posts by Mike Coker (see all)
- WATCHTOWER Firearms acquires F-1 Firearms - February 21, 2024
- Benchmade Mini Barrage and Mini Adamas - October 25, 2023
- trigalight announces new knife illumination system - August 10, 2023
Bought one last year and a piece of crap. Shot 4 bullets and waited 20 minutes from each shot. Sighted in at 100 yards, 200 yards and 300 yards perfect groups. Now the bad part. Loaded gun to go hunting shot at a deer and clicked no fire, later shot with new bullets still no fire. Sent to Baretta been a month and no reply. Anybody got some answers. Sorry service from Baretta
Glad to see that someone else has “found” Tikkas T3 rifle. These guns are the best kept secret in the rifle industry. I’ve had my T3 Hunter in .300 wsm since 2004, and I have been completely satisfied with the rifle. I put a Leupold VX111 4.5-14×50 scope with the Boone & Crockett reticle on my Tikka T3, and I wouldn’t change a thing.
Update: Had a few scratches on the stock so have sprayed two coats of Brownells Aluma-Hyde II Clear Matte over the camo for a durable protective coating. Looks good so far. Hopefully it works as advertised.
Thanks Cary. I was pleased with the results! The gun looks better and even feels better in hand. The paint really added some texture.
Mike, Ya did a nice job on that stock. It looks great. I recently did one of my uzi’s in a USMC MARPAT digital. It came out ok but before I do another one I am practicing on an old garand stock. I tried some real leaves but didn’t get your kind of results. I’ll keep practicing. Yours looks sharp!