Tikka t3x experiences

G'day all,

Considering the fluted stainless synthetic.

I tried googling it and finding anything useful was actually quite hard, most threads on forums just turned to school yard shit fights about why the t3 is better or worse and how this is a gimmick but that is great etc.

Im just after information about the t3x as a standalone gun from people that own and/or have shot it.

Considering (pretty set) on selling my sako 75 7mmRM and getting something new.

Shoots like a dream and i love it to bits but I want to go to a lighter gun for high country and international Hunting. But without going too light that I can't keep it steady on offhand shots and not looking to spend a lot on a finnlight or anything like that so the t3x or a sako A7 seems to fit the bill.

After spending my wholeadult life sucked into magnums I'll probably go back to a 30-06 which out to 500m is going to be close enough ballistically anyway for me and cost a lot less to run, especially if I want to buy factory for shooting roos etc.

Appreciate the help,

Bh

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The only thing I can guarantee is that you will regret selling your beloved Sako for a long time...

I only know one person with one and he loves it. Probably far too early to really know if theyre any better than the T3 to be honest.

Second the above though - light rifles are great, but if you've already got a sako, its a sham eot go back to having no sakos, id be looking for a second hand Finnlight.

Not knocking tikkas though - ive got three of them and theyre awesome.

As above, you are trading down and you go from a 75 to a T3/T3x or an A7.
As to cost of ammo, handloaded ammo works out around $1.40 for 7mmRM or 300WM.

Just keep ya magnum and save up and buy something smaller like a 308 7mm 08 or 260 that way you have the best of both worlds you will lose to much money on the sako maybe only sell for 60%of new retail value
I don't have a t3x but it sounds like is just same old same old with a few mods like they now have an Ali blot shroud a few bits have been changed influenced by costumer feedback

I tried to be clear at the start I'm really not interested in people's thoughts on what guns are better or worse.

All I'm after is reviews on the t3x as a gun.



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A friend of mine rates his in 708 - he got rid of his browning and finds it to be more accurate and a nice rifle to handle, hardly helpful I know.

I'm interested in the SAKO if and when!

The t3x superlight (fluted) uses a sako Finnlight barrel

Excellent accuracy, 1/2 moa with the right ammo

Lovely light rifle -perfect for nz conditions, Sako accuracy at Tikka prices.

What more can you want

There are a shit load of reviews on T3x written without bias available on the net, if you aren't interested in opinions, Google is your friend.
Note, most reviews WILL compare the T3x to the T3 and A7 and even 85.

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Originally Posted by Smartie

A friend of mine rates his in 708 - he got rid of his browning and finds it to be more accurate and a nice rifle to handle, hardly helpful I know.

I'm interested in the SAKO if and when!

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Interested in shipping it from Oz? :D

The t3x is still just the t3 with a couple of tweaks. All the tweaks were the things that are the only gripes I have about my t3 so can only be a good thing. Bigger ejection port, filled the noisy hollow stock, and fitted a better recoil pad (t3 recoil pads are rubbish, way to hard). I'm not fussed about alloy shrouds but a few people seem to care about that so I suppose it's good.

Don't bother with an A7 - if you are tossing up between the two. Especially if you are thinking of bedding either of the two. The T3 is far simpler, and you'll get a better result in any accurizing process and encounter the same drawbacks (e.g mag length seating of projectiles).

I've been following Nathan's work at Extensive Field-Tested Rifle & Cartridge Research - BallisticStudies.com for some time now and he's right on the money. Only Issue I've encountered with the T3 has been related to the Suppressor I've used heating up the lite barrel like a frying-pan with 3 shots in reasonably quick succession, still shoots about .5-7 on a good day. Suggest if you do it in a magnum cal (like mine 7mm Rem mag) get a Terminator brake to match, and you've got a light rifle and sorted for the High country...

Take a wee mosey over top his site and take a look - 5 books later I'm a convert! BTW the only person who can make you feel bad about your choice of manufacturer is yourself - or maybe @Gibo :XD:

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Originally Posted by Carpe Diem

Don't bother with an A7 - if you are tossing up between the two. Especially if you are thinking of bedding either of the two. The T3 is far simpler, and you'll get a better result in any accurizing process and encounter the same drawbacks (e.g mag length seating of projectiles).

I've been following Nathan's work at Extensive Field-Tested Rifle & Cartridge Research - BallisticStudies.com for some time now and he's right on the money. Only Issue I've encountered with the T3 has been related to the Suppressor I've used heating up the lite barrel like a frying-pan with 3 shots in reasonably quick succession, still shoots about .5-7 on a good day. Suggest if you do it in a magnum cal (like mine 7mm Rem mag) get a Terminator brake to match, and you've got a light rifle and sorted for the High country...

Take a wee mosey over top his site and take a look - 5 books later I'm a convert! BTW the only person who can make you feel bad about your choice of manufacturer is yourself - or maybe @Gibo :XD:

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Yeah I had a T3 once, was way more accurate than the flashed up Remington's I own now :(

Thanks for some of the good responses fellas.

I'd probably just throw my limbsaver on it if I went that direction, almost sold that but glad I hung on to it.

I also mostly hunt with my gundog so will steer clear of brakes, have one for my 7mmRM and never use it for that reason.

Has anyone noticed if you're actually able to top load it? Not a deal breaker but curious to know.

Can't use cans here so that's no drama really but thanks for the heads up re. that.

I heard they were finnlight barrels, just thought it was weird they dont have them on the actual tikka site, still don't understand why unless it's just specific to the Australian and NZ market because of our hunting styles?


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ive got a t3 and a friend i hunt with has a t3x not fluted tho side by side theres not a hell of a lot between them both good reliable accurate shooters at a glance they look the same his x handles the same as my t3

The mags are the same, well basicly the x has steel feed lips. So no you won't be able to single/top feed. I keep my old modified t3 mag which fits no problem. There was a guy who was making followers in nelson on trade me about 30 bucks. They work well for single feed. But I'm not sure hes on there any more.
I like the palm swell that comes with it, or the extra fat one. You can screw on.
If only shoot about 20 initial development rounds and its shooting half moa, I'm sure it will go better.
As said there's no real differences Between t3 and t3x.

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Originally Posted by Bavarian_Hunter

Thanks for some of the good responses fellas.

I'd probably just throw my limbsaver on it if I went that direction, almost sold that but glad I hung on to it.

I also mostly hunt with my gundog so will steer clear of brakes, have one for my 7mmRM and never use it for that reason.

Has anyone noticed if you're actually able to top load it? Not a deal breaker but curious to know.

Can't use cans here so that's no drama really but thanks for the heads up re. that.

I heard they were finnlight barrels, just thought it was weird they dont have them on the actual tikka site, still don't understand why unless it's just specific to the Australian and NZ market because of our hunting styles?


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Cant just drop one in the ejection port and close the bolt on the t3, unless you buy a special mag follower. No idea if that is the same on the t3x though. You can pop one in and thumb it up the pipe to top it of, but I think youd be hard pressed to top load the mag like most single stack magazines

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Originally Posted by Nick-D

Cant just drop one in the ejection port and close the bolt on the t3, unless you buy a special mag follower. No idea if that is the same on the t3x though. You can pop one in and thumb it up the pipe to top it of, but I think youd be hard pressed to top load the mag like most single stack magazines

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You sure mate? Ive done this for years with my T3's - 308, 6.5x55 and recently the 7mmRM.

im pretty sure i can single feed my one its had no mods

I have 2 x T3 and can just drop rounds into the port easy as they chamber perfect with no mods

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The T3x is just an updated Tikka, a few slight tweaks but all the good things about the T3 are still retained.
For the money a Tikka finnlight would be hard too beat.

Just be aware that the gun will kick like hell. A friend had a Tikka T3 lite in 308 and it had an almighty boot too it, my .260 is bad enough.

Be very careful about the T3. Great balance,easy to carry,great to reload, super accurate, super glass like trigger when lightened. Hard to imagine such a package at a reasonable price. Better off to buy one of those super improved magnums that you are extolled to buy which are used once and come up for sale on TM super quick. The great Kiwi big magnum gun con swindle.

To the original poster. Never had a Tika T3 but I do have 2 Sako A7's. I cant fault them and they do have the little advantages of 2 action lengths and a 3 lug bolt which reduces the bolt lift for a really low 'scope mount. Both shoot really well which I guess is the same as the Tika.

Speaking from experience; it WILL go bang.

Why a tikka though?feeling a bit sheepish?

the X model is a clear gimmick and Sako just reinventing what's already worked but what would I know?

if you got a rem 700 for sub 800 you could get a Trueflight barrel on her ready to rock in roll for 1800 in the standard stock and it'd be quite a bit better by a long shot(pun intended). Just food for thought aye :-)

Just wait a few months for the new model Sauer 100 to get into the country. It looks really good and its cheap as ships over in the states so it should be about the same price as a Tikka here I imagine.

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Originally Posted by Timmay

You sure mate? Ive done this for years with my T3's - 308, 6.5x55 and recently the 7mmRM.

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Really? Mine won't feed. Bullet end hits the breech face. Fine if I thumb it forward slightly. Maybe it's a shorter mag thing.

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Originally Posted by Nick-D

Really? Mine won't feed. Bullet end hits the breech face. Fine if I thumb it forward slightly. Maybe it's a shorter mag thing.

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If the weight of your projectile is tipping forward that will happen, you can buy a follower or sled to pop in the mag to stop that, or if you have access to a 3D printer you can get the cad file online for one

You can top load a t3fine drop the round in the ejection port ontop of the mag close the bolt apparently they have made the ejection port bigger on the t3x to make that Easier I've never found it hard to do mind you I've never owned one in anything bigger than 6.5x55 round oal wise might of been harder for larger rounds as the t3 as you know has exactly the same action from 222-larger magnum's

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Originally Posted by Rock river arms hunter

Speaking from experience; it WILL go bang.

Why a tikka though?feeling a bit sheepish?

the X model is a clear gimmick and Sako just reinventing what's already worked but what would I know?

if you got a rem 700 for sub 800 you could get a Trueflight barrel on her ready to rock in roll for 1800 in the standard stock and it'd be quite a bit better by a long shot(pun intended). Just food for thought aye :-)

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:XD: All that just to get it to shoot maybe as well as a Tikka, hat's the thing about all the Tikka's ( 3 ) that ive owned , they all shot great and were 100 reliable . You can bling them if you want but I think they work awesome as is.