Tikka T3 Lite

[NapalmCheese]

Nobody who says the stock rings are trash have any proof that they are trash. I have yet to see one person backup their claim that they are trash. Photo of bent ring etc...

I ditched the stock rings after a couple of years, because I suspected the rings were bad. It turns out the rings were fine, the screw that mounts them was bad. I noticed the screw mounting the rear ring to the dovetail rail had a crack in the screw head and had 'oblonged' the allen portion of it. My rifle seemed to be giving up some accuracy and I noticed the crack when I tried to re-torque the bases and couldn't fit an allen key.

I finally got the scope bases off, swapped them for a DNZ low mounts I had purchased after convincing myself that the rings were the problem.

Moral of the story?

Use the stock rings, but find new screws to mount them.

[Calif Hunter]

I have 2 T-3 Lites, 1 in .243 and 1 in .300 mag. The rings worked just fine for the .243 but the .300 inthat light rifles just jumps too much and the factory rings would not stay tight. I got Talleys for the .300 and left the factory on the .243 since it shoots so well. I can usually keep the .243 under 1/2 inch for 3 shots with my handloads...which is why I bought the .300. It's probably just me, but the .300 will run about 1-inch at 100 yards. The Tikkas are a great buy, with fantastic accuracy and good trigger right of the box.

[Interstateguns]

Just bought a Tikka T3 Lite in .308 off of budsgunshop for $515

I already bought a scope a few weeks back when Cabelas was having one of their many sales - I picked up a 30mm Vortex Viper HS 4-16x44 - actually I just looked and its still on sale for $309.99 - pretty good deal imo

I have been reading a lot about Tikkas on this site as well as other forums sites via google search but I still have some questions.

What would be the best rings to match with this set-up? I have read that the stock rings are good and also that they are garbage. Some recommend a picatanny rail to mount, whereas others swear by the DNZ setup. What's your take?

Aside from a recoil/butt pad, are there any other add-ons I should consider getting? I haven't seen many people talking about new triggers etc.

Is the Bell and Carlson medalist stock worth getting or would it weight it down?

I am buying this for Deer/Pig mostly and this is going to be my first hunting rifle and first hunting season.

Suggestions on slings would be appreciated to. I realize this is probably more of a personal choice like choosing what flavor ice cream to order at coldstone, but I'm open to suggestions none the less.

Any other insight you guys would have for me would be much appreciated!

I love Tikka rifles. Its our best selling hunting line. When customers want to do a different ring solution, I recommend the talley ring and base separates as well as the ring and base combo from them. Every now and then i use a pic rail if we need more elevation for the scope we are using to get the customer to the distance they want to get to.

We sold DNZ in the past but found them very inconsistent so we dropped the line.

I would pass on the stock unless you really feel the need to tinker with it. Its such a sweet, light weight gun as is. I wouldn't mess with it.

[WyattandDoc]

I love Tikka rifles. Its our best selling hunting line. When customers want to do a different ring solution, I recommend the talley ring and base separates as well as the ring and base combo from them. Every now and then i use a pic rail if we need more elevation for the scope we are using to get the customer to the distance they want to get to.

We sold DNZ in the past but found them very inconsistent so we dropped the line.
I would pass on the stock unless you really feel the need to tinker with it. Its such a sweet, light weight gun as is. I wouldn't mess with it.

What do you mean by inconsistent? If you're going to trash a product, some specifics would be great. Generalizations from a Vendor/Retailer don't mean sheet and are very suspect.

[rockblaster]

Tikka stock rings are garbage. The front one on my 300wsm Tikka lite literally cracked in half in about 100 rounds. Went to an EGW picatinny base and Burris xtr rings. It damaged my Zeiss Conquest 3.5-10x50 scope (brand new) and I have yet to send it back for repair. Beware of Tikka's cheap rings!

[ElvenSoul]

My only real complaint has been the damn plastic bolt shroud. After about a year they die.

Love the titanium replacements.

[Calishnikov]

Thanks for the input everyone! I think I'm gonna go with the DNZ and the recoil pad.

Another question. While searching for rings/mounts, I ran across aftermarket bolt shrouds that are being sold. I did some very brief reading in various threads on other sites and it appears that the oem plastic shroud has issues with cracking and so people are replacing it with aftermarket anodized aluminum ones.
Is this really that common of an issue? Does anyone here have one of the aftermarket shrouds that can say whether they are worth it?

[Merc1138]

Thanks for the input everyone! I think I'm gonna go with the DNZ and the recoil pad.

Another question. While searching for rings/mounts, I ran across aftermarket bolt shrouds that are being sold. I did some very brief reading in various threads on other sites and it appears that the oem plastic shroud has issues with cracking and so people are replacing it with aftermarket anodized aluminum ones.
Is this really that common of an issue? Does anyone here have one of the aftermarket shrouds that can say whether they are worth it?

There are definitely people that have cracked the plastic bolt shroud one way or another(I have no idea how they're doing it). I simply replaced mine with SXT aluminum one because I didn't want to bother dealing with a part that I felt didn't need to be plastic, and it wasn't an arm and a leg to replace it.

[ElvenSoul]

http://www.lumleyarms.com/#!blank/cpzh

http://www.tikkaperformance.com

http://www.tikkashooters.com

http://www.coretacsolutions.com/products_TIKKA_performance_center.htm