Winchester Model 70 vs. Tikka T3
- Thread starter John8789
- Start date
The "Rifleman's Rifle" for sure! I much prefer more "traditional" configurations and manufacturing methods in terms subjective aesthetics (which doesn't necessarily have anything to do with accuracy, reliability or durability objectiveness). Imo, blued steel and walnut address the soul while stainless steel and synthetics speak to the mind. Rifles don't get much more "soulful" than the Winchester Model 70. 
I vote M70 Winchester, it has less plastic and if you get a pre-SC rifle you get one of the most rugged simplest hunting triggers ever designed. The Tikka from my experience will probably shoot better, but all my Winchester rifles are accurate enough to take game further out than I want to shoot. Most of my M70 rifles will shoot better than MOA with most ammunition.
I currently have 2 push feed M70 rifles in .30-06 and .375 Ruger, 2 M70 Classics in .30-06 and .338-06, and a M70 Extreme Weather (EW) in .270. I've shot a few Tikka rifles but have never owned one, and their accuracy has always impressed me. However, my EW is extremely accurate with everything I've shot through it.
I currently have 2 push feed M70 rifles in .30-06 and .375 Ruger, 2 M70 Classics in .30-06 and .338-06, and a M70 Extreme Weather (EW) in .270. I've shot a few Tikka rifles but have never owned one, and their accuracy has always impressed me. However, my EW is extremely accurate with everything I've shot through it.
One of my good friends ordered a Tikka 3 Lite in 300 WSM, yeah I know.
I took his rifle to my Smith to put a muzzle brake on it. I like the rifle's accuracy, and it's fighting weight is 7.5 with scope, trigger isn't bad, but that brake is nasty loud, and it does knock recoil down quite a bit.
My model 70 is a push feed synthetic, 7mm rem mag. It will shoot with any of those Tikka rifles though and I paid less then half what he gave for his rifle. My rifle isn't as light as his but the action is every bit as slick and maybe as fast with me behind both rifles as he's not as experienced a shot as I am.
After cleaning his rifle, right out of the box, I do like the simplicity of the action but that's where it's stops, I do like the m70 trigger better stock trigger to stock trigger.
All in all we'll see how he makes out with it in the future.
In this poll I'm a Winchester model 70 fan, but I'm a big fan of consistant accuracy..
I took his rifle to my Smith to put a muzzle brake on it. I like the rifle's accuracy, and it's fighting weight is 7.5 with scope, trigger isn't bad, but that brake is nasty loud, and it does knock recoil down quite a bit.
My model 70 is a push feed synthetic, 7mm rem mag. It will shoot with any of those Tikka rifles though and I paid less then half what he gave for his rifle. My rifle isn't as light as his but the action is every bit as slick and maybe as fast with me behind both rifles as he's not as experienced a shot as I am.
After cleaning his rifle, right out of the box, I do like the simplicity of the action but that's where it's stops, I do like the m70 trigger better stock trigger to stock trigger.
All in all we'll see how he makes out with it in the future.
In this poll I'm a Winchester model 70 fan, but I'm a big fan of consistant accuracy..
603Country
New member
Some years ago I got a great deal on a pre-64 Win Model 70. I shot it for a couple years, and I have to say that I liked it but really couldn't see what was so great about it. Heavy as a truck axle and it didn't shoot that well. I sold it and bought a Sako Lightweight Hunter, and that rifle did impress me. Still have it. I have a couple of Rugers and like them, and when I heard all the chatter about Tikkas I bought one. Light, super accurate, slick action, and always the first rifle I reach for to go hunting or paper punching. I parked the Sako in favor of the Tikka T3 Light Stainless.
I'm not saying that the Tikka is better, but man will it shoot. And so light and easy to handle.
I'm not saying that the Tikka is better, but man will it shoot. And so light and easy to handle.
Bayoubulldog
New member
It seems to me that the Tikka T3 is more akin to the Winchester XPR. The 70 is an amazing rifle! I don't think you can go wrong with it, but the XPR has the same trigger and with its lightweight plastic stock it's got more of the pros the T3 has. Just MHO
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TMD said:
You can find a used M70 in .223, but they are push feed and pretty rare. You can also find an FN TSR XP in .223 which is just a rebranded M70 rifle. So while hard to get there are M70 .223 rifles out there.
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Actually I'm looking at the T3X not the T3. Same rifle with a few improvements. Some of the improvements are a redesigned stock, larger ejection port for hand feeding, and a steel recoil lug to name a few. The Tikka also offers a 1/8 twist which will work great with heavier bullets. Not saying its better than a Winchester but finding a used one in my area is pretty rare. I don't hunt anymore and pretty much just kill paper. I'm wanting a .223 because I have buckets of brass and lots of bullets in this caliber. My local range only goes out to 400 yards so no need for anything bigger and I also have a .308 to play with too. I'm also wanting a heavy barrel since it will be a bench gun and don't have to worry about groups opening too much with lots of shooting.