Ruger m77 vs. Tikka T3

Pbchucker

Pbchucker

New member
Ok guys my friend needs some help deciding which to buy. He will be using this gun for deer hunting in Arizona. He is on a budget of $900 due to being married /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif. I have a Tikka T3 all weather whitetail in a 25-06 that he has shot before and he likes it a lot. He has also shot the Ruger Mark II in a 30-06 but it was about 6 years ago and it is kinda hard for him to remember enough about the experience to compare them... like trigger, stock fit, weight etc... With all your guys experience and knowledge could you give him some helpful advice???? Tikka T3 or Ruger M77 NOT the Mark II. He is on the road all week and doesn't have access to his computer while on the road so I told him I would find out some pros and cons of each from this site and print them off for him. I would appreciate any advice... he feels I am too bias towards Tikka since I love mine so much.
 
You should ask "Jack" and tell him you would prefer sub .5" groups, all day long too /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif............sorry just kidding.

I like the 25-06 (good choice)

You will find a lot of threads on both here.

"He is on a budget of $900 due to being married ."

It will go down to $600.00 after he has kids, and the wife starts feeding the birds premium deisgner bird food. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

So tell him to enjoy it now........it gets worst /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
I have never shot a tikka t3, so I wont be much help. But I do own a ruger m77 in 25-06 that shoots great. Ruger makes a fine rifle
 
I would say the Ruger... not that the .25-06 isnt a fine round but the .30-06 is a bit more versitile should he decide to persure other larger game in the future. Add to that the availability of .30-06 ammo in most any general store, just incase you forget your ammo. ( dont laugh..it happens)
 
Ok I didn't read my own post very well. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif He wants one or the other in a 30-06. Just need some info to help him decide between the Tikka T3 and the Ruger M77. Thanks /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
I own both. I am a die hard Ruger guy, but for the money I would have to say you can't beat the Tikka. I purchased one about 3-4 months ago and have to say it's the best rifle I own.
 
+1 to what Dogpopper said. Exactly. If I was buying a Ruger though I would go for the newer MKII because on average they have better barrels. I had one bad one but just bought a used 25-06 MKII that shoots two different 100gr Hornady loads under 3/4", one is a .5 load. Three groups in a row.
My Tikka is a 308 and shoot everything under 1.25 the one time I had it out and it was blowing hard. I am guessing it will shoot it's preferred loads WAY under an inch plus weighs about 7lbs all up. One pound less then the Ruger bare. Of course Ruger puts a magnum contour barrel on it's 25-06's.
 
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+1 to what Dogpopper said. Exactly. If I was buying a Ruger though I would go for the newer MKII because on average they have better barrels. I had one bad one but just bought a used 25-06 MKII that shoots two different 100gr Hornady loads under 3/4", one is a .5 load. Three groups in a row.
My Tikka is a 308 and shoot everything under 1.25 the one time I had it out and it was blowing hard. I am guessing it will shoot it's preferred loads WAY under an inch plus weighs about 7lbs all up. One pound less then the Ruger bare. Of course Ruger puts a magnum contour barrel on it's 25-06's.

Mine is the bull barrel, that might splane the groups I get /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif The 25-06 is more than enough gun for huntin in Az. unless you hunt elk...Thats when I would want a .270 /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gifI hunt coues deer and lion most of the time and comfy with shots way out there...Terry
 
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I have a close friend who is a big Ruger fan. I told him about Tikka T3's. He went and had a look. He said everything about the Tikka was better Including the price. He now is the proud owner of a Tikka T3 Lite .223.
 
I have owned a couple of Rugers. They have shot well. But only after I spent money with a gun smith to have him do a trigger job on it. And every time that I picked up one of my remingtons and shot it awhile and then picked up the ruger and shot it, I would have to take the ruger into the gunsmith and have him work on the trigger to try and get it to break like the remington. I finally got tired of spending money on trigger work so I traded it off on a remington. And as far as the Tikka a couple of guys that I know at work have Tikka's and I have shot them. One is in .223 and the other is a 25-06. They have good balance, group very well with factory and handloads, they also have a very good trigger on them after you(youself and not a gunsmith)adjust it. Plus they are less than a Ruger. If I was to get a Ruger I would pull the trigger off and throw it in the garbage and then spend the the money that I have save from not buying a Tikka and buy a better trigger. But that is just me. I would say that you would be far better off to just buy a Tikka and be done with it.
 
isnt tikka made by sako? I looked at them once upon a time a few years back when no one had ever heard of them but I stayed true to my love of brownings! I know Ruger makes a fine rifle, arent they in the 500 range, and arent Tikka's the same? if so is the 900 including scope? Anyways the biggest mistake people make is paying for the best gun (or most expensive, not always the case) they can afford, then slapping a cheap P.O.S. BSA or Simmons scope on it. I would get the gun you could still afford to put a Leup or a Nikon on, if that helps.
 
Thanks for the info guys I appreciate it. Hopefully this will help my friend on his decision and he buys the Tikka. rowney: I totally agree with you about the scope issue. I told him he needs to save about $250 to $350 and get the best piece of glass he could get for the money. I have a Burris Fullfield II 3.5x10x50 on my Tikka T3 that he has shot and he is planning on purchasing one just like it. I know a lot of people on this site are big Leupy fans here, but I have 3 Fullfield II on different rifles and I think they have great glass for the $$$. Thanks for the input again guys /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif And yes Sako/Barretta does make the Tikka. If I remember right Barretta bought out Sako/Tikka about 3 to 4 years ago.
 
I agree on the burris, I have one on my 25-06 just like yours, and i love it, I think it was 300 even. And I would recomend tikka if they are under the watchfull eye of sako and barretta.
 
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isnt tikka made by sako? I looked at them once upon a time a few years back when no one had ever heard of them but I stayed true to my love of brownings!



A "few years back", a lot of folks had already heard about Tikka and had been shooting them for a goodly amount of time....before you first heard about them. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Have a good one. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif

-BCB
 
Tikka T3 hands down. Better accuracy, better trigger, and that butter smooth action. Have owned both and there is no comparison. My Tikka T3 Lite in .243 is my go to coyote gun. My M77 7mm. mag I bought a couple of years ago for deer, and it works like a charm.....for shooting deer and thats about it. Tell him to get a Tikka, top it with a Sightron SII 3-12X42($309.00 at theopticzone) scope and he will stay within his budget and have an excellent shooter.
 
I know i am just a youngster but a "a few years back" was 6 years ago! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif I just remember that only one gun store in DFW had any, /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif and thats what scared me off. I can see they are doing quite well for themselves now.
 


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