Good and bad points being made. The T3 only has one length mag so you have a lot of room with a 308, enough room with a 30-06 and a little short for the 300WM. The other big difference is twist rate, the Tikka will be twisted slower than the Savage.
Tikka vs. Savage
- Thread starter bowhunthard88
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Nice dig, I hope the OP has already made the purchase decision since posting it on 12-07-2009, 12:27 PM 
ShootnMathews
Well-Known Member
Ill have to disagree with your savage accuracy claim. My completely stock savage shoots SUB 1.5" at 500 yards. With no wind I can get it down around an inch. That is completely factory with just hand loads.
ohiohunter
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Congratulations
Nice dig, I hope the OP has already made the purchase decision since posting it on 12-07-2009, 12:27 PM
I wondered if anyone else noticed that.
Trickymissfit
Well-Known Member
have only shot one Tikka, and it was in .270 Winchester. With hand loads it shot 3/4" three shot groups. Never shot a Savage in .270, so can't compare them. But have shot several in 30-06, and every one did better than 3/4" five shot groups. The Tikka is a fine rifle for sure, and about equal to a good 700ADL, but not close to a Howa. The fit of metal to wood looked good, but so does the Savage. The finish on the Tikka looked cheap. I'll take a Howa seven days a week over the Tikka! Now to take this a step further. I own too many 30-06's, and have had several others in the past. My favorite are two Weatherbys. A MK.V. light weight, and a Vanguard. The Vanguard will shoot sub inch groups at two hundred yards with factory loads. The MK.V will shoot five shots effortlessly in the mid to high sixes with 165 grain bullets (all for about $550). I have a Marlin MR-7 in 30-06, and with zero load development it shoots right at 3/4" for five shots.
If I had a Savage that shot 1.5" moa, I'd send it back as that doesn't meet there spec. Same for Weatherbys. Lastly; if you think that Tikka is smooth, then try a Blazer.
gary
Trickymissfit
Well-Known Member
OK, I could care less about the Fords verses Chevies argument. But $1400 rang a bell. Compare the Tikka whatever it is with a Savage LRP. It won't begin to run with that big dog! Then add three hundred dollars and buy a custom shop rifle in whatever caliber you have a whim for. The proof targets for these rifles always come in under a quarter inch with off the shelf Federal ammo. High ones are common place with them (proof targets)
gary
ohiohunter
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If you are comparing a $500 gun to a 2500-6k gun, I think that says A LOT about that $500 gun. Might as well compare a ford escort to aston martin vanquish.
Strictly commenting on the action the tikka takes it hands down, smooth as glass and 90* bolt (mine does anyway). Accuracy can be had several ways and can be argued until the next century. I wish tikka had more options as I'd be building a custom on that action instead of a 700.
Strictly commenting on the action the tikka takes it hands down, smooth as glass and 90* bolt (mine does anyway). Accuracy can be had several ways and can be argued until the next century. I wish tikka had more options as I'd be building a custom on that action instead of a 700.
Just some thoughts:
The 145gr LRX is lights out in my Tikka (3shot @ 100yds covered by a dime, 5 shot at 200yds was 1.25" factoring out a 3rd shot called flyer, 2.62" with it). That gun/combo is capable of shooting better than I can shoot it at the moment.
I've heard good things on savages and would like to sit down and shoot one to really feel it. My handling impressions haven't tempted me enough to purchase one myself to date. I haven't ruled them out but like the feel of some others better (though I love the DIY ability they seem to offer).
But like most guns you get good ones and bad ones, also the shooter finding a great load is what turns a 1MOA gun into a sub 1/2MOA gun at times.
Fit/finish on a Tikka is way above a 700ADL, trigger is much smoother, bolt is much smoother, etc. Factory stock is accurate/functional even if it does feel a bit cheap (not as cheap as some other folks though). I also shot a clover leaf over the weekend with my rem700 but its an older model that was done to current BDL standards, has a timney trigger installed, and is in a bedded composite stock... Bonus though is it can take long COAL's in the blind mag where as the tikka mag can't (however mine shoots fine for me so I guess if it ain't broke...).
Nice dig, I hope the OP has already made the purchase decision since posting it on 12-07-2009, 12:27 PM
I wondered if anyone else noticed that.
We are now entering the.........twilight zone.....lightbulb
I've never shot a Tikka, own about 20 Savage's. I don't feel I'm missing out.
RicoFresh1
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Not just for the price savage is awesome! It's not the smoothest action but smooth enough. Accuracy is its number one seller, and accuracy is what you get. Savage is an all around gun that you can spend a couple bucks and not regret your purchase in the long run. As far as personal preference, my favorite of all time is my Rugar Mark II 7mm Rem Mag. So I know the difference between a high quality rifle and a budget rifle. And for the price of a budget rifle savage has the best to offer in that category no matter what caliber hands down.
ShootnMathews
Well-Known Member
I've only handled and shot one Tikka. It was very pretty and very smooth. But with his best handloads that he can muster my savage will shoot circles around his Tikka. his savage will also outshoot his Tikka by a good margin. So that tells me something. Given the choice of pretty or accurate I'd take the accurate one every time.
Now the Tikka is plenty accurate enough to kill something with but it won't win any trophies.
Now the Tikka is plenty accurate enough to kill something with but it won't win any trophies.
bowhunthard88
Well-Known Member
Ok, all of you, thank you for your input and personal opinions! Accuracy is/was not the critical issue here, as I do handload and I am/was willing to put the load development time in! I made my decision based on twist, mag length, and stock options, not "Ford vs. Chevy" haha. And yes, I have had the rifle over 4+ years now!!!
I'm sure the Tikka is a wonderful rifle, but I bought the Savage 116 with the detachable box mag/AccuTrigger/AccuStock, and I have never looked back! The only modifications I had done were bolt fluting and a tactical handle. It shoots awesome with literally just about every bullet I have tried, from 100 gr. to the 168 gr. VLD. The best is about 0.25" 4-shots consistently (with cool down time between shots) with the 140 gr. Berger VLD, also ES with that load is consistently between 4-13 fps.
All that being said, I had several Savage rifles before that, and will probably own more down the road. I also have a Marlin, some Remingtons, some Winchesters, and one custom rifle build off a Howa action that I absolutely LOVE! I am not exactly super "brand partial" but it is nice when you can get something that you want without compromising!
Thank you all again.
I'm sure the Tikka is a wonderful rifle, but I bought the Savage 116 with the detachable box mag/AccuTrigger/AccuStock, and I have never looked back! The only modifications I had done were bolt fluting and a tactical handle. It shoots awesome with literally just about every bullet I have tried, from 100 gr. to the 168 gr. VLD. The best is about 0.25" 4-shots consistently (with cool down time between shots) with the 140 gr. Berger VLD, also ES with that load is consistently between 4-13 fps.
All that being said, I had several Savage rifles before that, and will probably own more down the road. I also have a Marlin, some Remingtons, some Winchesters, and one custom rifle build off a Howa action that I absolutely LOVE! I am not exactly super "brand partial" but it is nice when you can get something that you want without compromising!
Thank you all again.
Unofficial Gun Addict (UGA)
Well-Known Member
I am going to stop here and say I own both savages and tikkas that I reload for... And there is no way the savages shoot circles around the tikkas when it comes to accuracy. When I get the load right... Which has been fairly easy with both... The savages and the tikkas are extremely accurate rifles... Minus one savage that refuses to shoot anything well. Lemons are possible with any manufacturer so I don't hold this against savage.
However... That being said... To me, the tikka still feels more refined in the hand.... Period.
Sorry... But the savage is more accurate than the tikka is a bunch of hooie. I've got 4 of each and they are all fine shooters minus the 1 savage. I'd have a tough time saying one brand was more accurate than the other with reloaded ammo. With factory ammo... The tikkas tend to shoot slightly better groups than my savages... But not so much that I would lean to one brand over the other.
Savage is a good value gun for their price point. Tikka is a good value gun for their price point.
I think that your limited experience with tikka is telling you something that doesn't reflect the overall tikka experience. That you are sharing it with others based on very little time behind one gun and one users reloaded ammo is imprudent. To tout savage as being superior accuracy-wise to tikka is absolutely inaccurate.
