Heck yes it's worth the upgrade unless your 700 is on "custom" level. Right out of the box the Tikka rifles are very accurate. The actions are generally smoother than the 700's by quite a large margin. Have you handled one in a local sporting goods store? If not, you should. The next bolt gun I buy will probably be a Tikka in .270 WIN or .30-06. But before another bolt gun I'll probably buy a lever .30-30.
I have had a T3 lite for over 3 yrs, many hundreds of rounds thru it and it still shoots 3/8" groups at 100 yds, never had a issue and to add, the triggers are adjustable and they break nicely. Mine is a 223.
Tikka T3s are great shooters. The only word of caution I would give you is if you decide on a magnum chambering it will kick the snot out of you. I have customers come in almost every day right before deer/elk season with Tikka T3s that are hurting them. They say "I have a Tikka in 300 Win Mag/7mm Rem Mag/338 Win Mag" and I say "you want a muzzle brake, right?" Almost invariably they look at me wide-eyed and say "how did you know?"
I've never liked the fact they only offer them in long actions, and the fact you can't load a single round from the top. Other than that I've recommend them several times for people just wanting and accurate rifle, and I don't even own one. Everyone that I've been around has been accurate enough that I think they are worth looking at.
taylorce1 There is a company that makes a plastic insert for the magazine on the Tikka that makes it possible to load singles, works well..I will agree I would prefer a short action for a 223 but, it sure is a shooter.
taylorce1 There is a company that makes a plastic insert for the magazine on the Tikka that makes it possible to load singles, works well..I will agree I would prefer a short action for a 223 but, it sure is a shooter.
Just got the Viper HST scope mounted on my new T3X CTR in 6.5, just waiting on some nicer weather so I can go sight it in! Hope it shoots as good as it looks
I didn't know you couldn't load a Tikka from the top. Must be something wrong with mine. I just roll in a round and chamber it. I can't push the round down into the magazine stack, but that isn't a bother to me.
I like mine so much that I hardly ever hunt with my other rifles.
Your right 603, you can load singles but you know how they dont line up perfect sometime. I bought the plastic insert for my magazine and it lines up the cartridge perfect every time.