Tikka or Savage?

S

superslamsam1

New member
I'm looking at a Tikka T3 light stainless or a savage weather warrior in 243. Anybody have any experience with either of these? Which one would you recommend? Thanks for any help. I'm new here by the way, so I'd like to say hello too. Thanks, Sam
 
Welcome to the forum. I'm sure you will get an equal distribution of responses as both rifles seem to be very popular. I have a model 16 stainless synthetic savage. I'm shooting handloads of varget and sierra 85 gr bthp game kings. The gun shoots great, handles well and kills the crap out of coyotes. I really like the rifle and would recommend it.
 
I have both a T3 and a Savage both are 30-06 (I actually have 4 Savages). They all shoot great, for me the Savages seem to be more consistent. And they are the gun I pick up most often. I think I really prefer the accu trigger.
 
The accu-trigger is a wonderful stock trigger. It may be a bit tough to get used to, but I've shot a lot of Glocks and XD's so it isn't a whole lot different than those. I haven't shot a Tikka, but I really like my Savages, ugly rough barrel and all. Looks don't matter that much to me. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
 
Got the Tikka in 22-250 and .270. Have a couple of Savages in .204 and one in 17HMR. My take is this, go Tikka in a deer plus cartridge and Savage for the predator and varmint rounds. I have no rational basis for this suggestion other than what my buddies shoot and the fact that Tikka does not put out a light .204. My cousin has been sold on the 22-250 and 270 Tikkas for deer. A buddy has a room full of guns (high and low end) and takes his Tikka T-3 .300 into the elk woods every time.

My brother lives for yotes and swears by the smaller bore Savages. For .270 and above, he is a Tikka man.

Either way, you pick a winner for a genuinely fair price.

There are a copule of mior issues. If there is a feed problem, it will be with the Savage. I have had a few hang ups with my Savage Predator 10. The lock up on the detach mag is a little unique and takes a few times at the range to get down pat. The Tikka does present a problem feeding from the top with a shell in the mag. Very narrow ejection port and it is nearly impossible to hold down the shells in the mag and top feed a single. When I start my elk walk, I remove the mag from the Tikka and top load a shell and close the bolt. Then I insert the mag. This is a little different dance than with any other turn bolt. Not a big problem but a drill you will have to master with a Tikka.

To [beeep] with it. Get em both.
 
SSS1,
I was in the same boat about 2 months ago....Tikka or Savage?
I went with the Savage. 10fcns-223 f = synthetic stock
I already have 2 Savages with the accurtrigger so the feel and function of the trigger was no surprise for me.
I was a bit disappointed though when I went to the range to sight it in and discovered that when using a bipod you can torque the stock back and forth a lot because the stock is pretty flimsy at the bipod attachment point. At first I had very poor groups until I realized what was going on. After being more careful about torquing the stock, my last five rounds could be covered with a nickle at 100 yards. Well......maybe a quarter. But still pretty good.
For hunting I shoot off of sticks so it really is a moot issue for me.
Good luck in your choice, they are both good rifles.
M
 

I have both, and I don't see the Savage for small bores,
and Tikka for bigger bores, suggestion of the previous
poster.

I have a Tikka T-3, in 223 Rem, and it cuts ragged single
small hole groups. My best group, around .15 MOA, was
shot with this rifle. I also have a Tikka M695, in 25-06,
that is a very accurate rifle. I also have two Savage
Model 16s, one in 204 Ruger, and one that was a 22-250,
and has been re-barreled with a custom 6mm Rem magnum
contour barrel. Both are very accurate rifles, too.
The differences I see is not out of the box accuracy.
I hate the Savage Accu-trigger, and I love the Tikka
factory trigger, adjusted properly. The Tikka is a much
more handsome rifle. The Savage has that wonderful barrel
nut, and floating bolt head, that allows me to easily
re-barrel the rifle, myself. They both bring different
things to the table, and they both bring excellent
out of the box accuracy.

If you want a pretty rifle, for low volume shooting, buy
the Tikka. If you want a rifle to shoot hard, and replace
barrels, or to add after-market upgrades later, buy the
Savage.

Squeeze
 
My Savage was a workhorse.
I was in Love with my Tikka.
I sold them both to get a black rifle, regret selling the Tikka more.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif
 
I have had four savages in 204,22-250 and 243 calibers and one tikka in 22-250 and wish I never sold the tikka. The savages shot very well but the tikka was a bit better.
 
never owned a tika but i can tell you about many savages, savages are hard to beat for the price, accuacy and the accu trigger i think you will love , it shocked me that one post above hated it never had a seconds trouble with mine they are very nice factory triggers ready to go out of the box, i looked at the tikkas once i didnt like the plastic clip that the one i was looking at had Ron
 
both nice but i dont like that the tikka only has a long action and even though you get a short action caliber it is a long action bolt
 
Get one of each that's what I did. I have the Tikka Hunter in .243 and it is a tack driver. I shoot the 65 v-max in it and it's one ragged hole. You can't go wrong with either as most suggest.
 
Quote:
both nice but i dont like that the tikka only has a long action and even though you get a short action caliber it is a long action bolt



Bingo....I've owned and shot both (5 Savages and 3 Tikkas) quite a bit. It makes a difference when your into fast shooting (ie. running Coyote). The Tikkas have a bit better fit and finsh to them but my Savages have all out shot my Tikkas out of the box reguardless of caliber. I'm talking .500" vs .650" three shot groups with varmint calibers like my .22-250's and .243's. But the Savages still shot better. You cant really go wrong with either but personally from now on I'll be stocking my safe with the Savages unless they do something stupid to them.

Good huntin'
Tim
 
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I love my tikka I have on in 7mm mag ands 22-250 which I just sold my AR for. These guns are the best buy for the money imo. Both are amazingly accurate and the quality is great for the price. You cant go wrong with something built by sako.
 
Tikka no question . Mine out shoot my savage but it is a old savage no acc trigger the tikka is sooooo smooth it is scaryand a single hole puncher at the range , good luck with your choice but I would go TIKKA.
 
Tikka would be my biased preference. Also, if I was looking at Tikka these days, I'd have to give the new Sako A7 consideration, too. I'm thinking they are just slightly more expensive than Tikka and from the same manufacturer.

http://www.sakoa7.net/
 
Both have excellent "out of the box" accuracy reputations; Tikka guarantees 1". I have a T3 Varmint in 22-250 & a T3 Lite in .243; both are scary accurate with consistant groups under 1/2". I'd say handle both and get what feels and fits best.
 
I have had several of each. My opinions are:

Tikka pros- accurate, good trigger, slick action.

Tikka cons- no aftermarket goodies, long action size for all cartridges, spendy magazines.

Savage pros- accurate, good trigger, lots of aftermarket items, self gunsmithing possible without spendy tools.

Savage cons- flimsy synthetic stocks, action not as smooth, a little rough around the edges.

That being said. . .Tikkas outnumber savages in my safe 4 to 3. I love my tikkas, but you can't go wrong with either for the price.
 
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