Tikka T3 lite or Remington model 700 SPS

Hey Bill, calm down.

I was simply showing an instance in which the mighty Tikka had a fault. I realize EVERY brand has faults. But the post before mine was challenging the idea that Tikka ever had problems. I am simply saying......YES they did.

I actually think Tikka's offer a lot for the money. But I will not take a bath in Tikka kool aid and be a sunshine pumper. EVERYTHING has trade offs. What you love about Tikka's someone else may not. What others love about Remington's someone else may not. I compete with Remingtons in Varmint class benchrest as do many others at the match's I attend. In the Hunter class benchrest where factory sporter weight barrels are required there are PLENTY of Tikka's and Remingtons to support your beliefs. There's a lot to like about Tikka's but they're not perfect.
 
I was simply showing an instance in which the mighty Tikka had a fault. I realize EVERY brand has faults. But the post before mine was challenging the idea that Tikka ever had problems.
Click to expand...
No you were going for a gold medal in nit-picking. Congrats you got it. You dredged up an isolated long ago fixed issue in a single shipment of stainless (only) barrels waaaaaaaaaaay back when. That's why I put a time frame on my challenge to the poster to find any recent relevant issue. You still haven't. I called bull on a statement that Tikkas are breaking left and right - they aren't. Sure it's possible to break anything with a bit of creativity but since I've lived 52 years without ever breaking a rifle I don't think it's a huge problem. Now let's get back to the reality that both are fine rifles.
 
Scholling
One of the T3's used in hunter class at my club are missing the plastic bolt shroud. I asked the shooter at the last match what happened. He said he whacked it against something 2 years ago and it shattered. He's been using it like that at matches for years. I don't think he was 52 years old either. Hard to believe isn't it?

Don't get me wrong I actually like Tikka's. But I refuse to claim something is perfect just because I like it. I have found something I don't like about any brand of rifle I own. It doesn't mean I don't like them. I'm just realistic. Everything about how rifles are designed is a trade off. It's hard to get it perfect IMO. I suppose you'd call it nit picking. Perhaps some of us have higher standards than others.

Wildalaska already stated his opinion on this subject. He works at a gunshop and sees a fair cross section of both brands, yet you don't accept fact for .....well.........fact.
 
Last edited:
Wildalaska already stated his opinion on this subject. He works at a gunshop and sees a fair cross section of both brands, yet you don't accept fact for .....well.........fact.
Click to expand...
Wildalaska is one of the few gunshop denizens that I don't consider to be full of crap. It's just not a career that attracts a lot of PhDs or MENSA candidates. Now if memory serves his only complaint was he had a hard time finding replacement magazines for customers that forgot or lost theirs and I agreed with him. No rifle is perfect but the action is smoother and the trigger better than the out of the box 700s that I've handled. Massaged is a different animal. I'll take your word if you tell me that the 700s now come with a crisp trigger adjustable to 2lbs right out of the box. I honestly don't know. It's been several years since I've had one. I honestly like the 700 (but hate the 710 and 770) and would happily own one as I've stated before. But my only complaint with Tikka is that they don't offer the T3 in a short action. When I went looking for a short and handy 20" .308 I bought a Howa youth to save 5". I'm in the process of saving for a 24" Savage 10FP in 308. I'm choosing it over a T3 Super Varmint in 308 strictly for the easily replaceable barrel system. I'm not a brand bigot, I just get tired of people slinging crap because their favored brand isn't winning a forum popularity contest.

IMG_0090b.jpg

My T3 Super Varmint in .223​
 
Tikka vs. Remington

I own both, and I love both. However..... when I am hiking in Colorado or Montana hunting big game I will take my Tikka T3 Lite everytime. I like the light weight, synthetic stock and I am not worried about scratching it. The silky smooth action is second to none. The crisp trigger is nicer than my Remington. At deer camps my Tikka T3 gets more attention than my Remington, if that sort of thing is important to you. I am fortunate enough to hunt with people that know that its not just a "plastic" stock, they are educated enough to know that in many ways its better than wood, so I have not had to convince anyone that its a better option than wood for hard core hunting. Look at the ballistics of the 300WSM, its a killer caliber!!
 
I own both guns an ever since getting the T3 I never use my Remington anymore. The Tikka is lighter and has the smooths action of any bolt action gun I've tried at any price. It's in .270 an shoots sub-1" groups all the time. What is there not to love about this gun?
 
read the Remington 597 thread at the top of this forum section and tell me if you feel much like supporting Remington anymore.
 
I'm not anti Remington from anything I've heard or read on a forum. I have owned 3 new Remingtons and all of them had massive problems. 2 were not in working condition out of the box. Actually got a refund for one. Took four months though. So I would have to say tikka. Maybe it will save you some grief.
 
A few years ago I was "sold" into the Remington mind frame by all the TV "pros" using them. So I bought a 7mm Rem mag BDL. Worst manufactured POS I've ever purchased. It would NOT chamber factory Remington ammunition. It would only chamber Winchester. When I fired a round and rotated the case 90º it would not go back in the chamber. The chamber was oval. And the blueing on the bolt handle looked brown. It would be lucky to shoot 2" groups. My Ruger 77 Mk II takes the cheapest factory loads and is always sub-MOA if I do my part.

SIL has a Tikka T3 and although I've never shot it seems pretty nice. Maybe not a Tikka but surely not a Remington.
 
I have a Remington. I dig it in a big way. I was going to get a Tikka just a little bit ago, but opted for a CZ instead. Brand loyalty is for people that don't have the sense to determine what they need at the time. I prefer Remington, I'll openly admit that, but that doesn't mean that I have to get a Remington every time.

FWIW, seems like Tikka fans are a little thin-skinned. I really like the T3 Lite SS...but I'm now afraid that if I buy one I'll be easily offended.
 
As everyone stated you can't go wrong with either. And when thats laid out it's time to see how the gun fits and price. I got my 700 5R and ill put it lightly She's my "baby". Of course i've poured money into my remington to get it how i want it. Which was set up for LR haha.:D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top