I’m feeling the desire to add another bolt gun to my safe. It’s being over run with black rifles and I’m feeling a bit nostalgic for wood and steel.

I’ve narrowed the field to the above mentioned CZ and Tikka. The caliber will either be 7mm-08 or 6.5x55 Swede. How do the factory triggers compare?
I want to spend money on optics and rings, not to replace a crappy factory trigger.

Opinions?

which model of each? I have both but not sure what you are looking at?

How about a Sako? You might check into them as well.

I was feeling for wood and steel also, I finally came to the conclusion that only a Weatherby Mark V in walnut would do the trick, IT DID!

I over paid for a used Mark V Lazermark in 257 Weatherby Magnum, the wood and blueing is stunning.
At least once a day I have to go to the basement, open the safe, and very carefully remove it from the safe without dinging it,and just hold it and look at it.
Who knows, I might even shoot it sometime.
I since bought two more Weatherbys ( 30/06 and a 375 Weatherby Magnum DGR), both have fiberglass stocks, I don't care if they get bumped.
I do enjoy working the bolt on those.

quote:

Originally posted by hrcjon:
which model of each? I have both but not sure what you are looking at?

CZ 557 American and the Tikka T3. Sako’s are super nice but a bit more than I want to spend.

quote:

Originally posted by armored:
I was feeling for wood and steel also, I finally came to the conclusion that only a Weatherby Mark V in walnut would do the trick, IT DID!

I over paid for a used Mark V Lazermark in 257 Weatherby Magnum, the wood and blueing is stunning.
At least once a day I have to go to the basement, open the safe, and very carefully remove it from the safe without dinging it,and just hold it and look at it.
Who knows, I might even shoot it sometime.
I since bought two more Weatherbys ( 30/06 and a 375 Weatherby Magnum DGR), both have fiberglass stocks, I don't care if they get bumped.
I do enjoy working the bolt on those.

That .257 is a laser! Feel free to post a picture.

Both are nice for what they are. Tikkas are accurate out of the box with pretty nice triggers but you can spend 10 dollars and get a better trigger spring and make it even better. There’s a pretty good aftermarket parts selection for tikkas too if you ever decide to mess around with that, I put the mountain tactical bottom metal on my tikka as well as the trigger spring from mountain tactical and that really changed the feel for me.

The only CZ rifle I own is their UHR (ultimate hunting rifle), I don’t think it’s the ultimate hunting rifle but it is very nice (but heavy) trigger is good, that gun is stupid accurate just like the tikkas are. If I was buying another CZ it would be the Sonoran in 300win mag, that rifle is absolute perfection in a backpack weight precision rifle, I’d take the weight and haul that thing in sheep hunts if I had it.

If I was looking for a new rifle I’d take a look at the Winchester 70 featherweights. That’s what I’d buy if I was looking for a new rifle with wood furniture.

Tikka

All I can add is, I like your choice of rounds, either could be a winner.

I was just at a nice gunshow. There were lots of slightly used guns looking for a good home. If it were to work out, I wouldn’t dismiss the used market.

quote:

Originally posted by sourdough44:
All I can add is, I like your choice of rounds, either could be a winner.

I was just at a nice gunshow. There were lots of slightly used guns looking for a good home. If it were to work out, I wouldn’t dismiss the used market.

I always look for used weapons first

quote:

Originally posted by newmexican:

If I was looking for a new rifle I’d take a look at the Winchester 70 featherweights. That’s what I’d buy if I was looking for a new rifle with wood furniture.

I just looked over the Winchester 70 featherweight. That is a splendid looking rifle.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Love my Tikka T3x Lite Stainless.
8lbs with the scope mounted, fantastic trigger out of the box.

First time out with it, put 5 rounds in 3 holes with a ~1.5in spread at 100yds.

My boss bought a T3 Lite Stainless in .243 & took his first deer with it last week.
Similar range experience, 5 shots & thought he'd missed, since there were only 2 hole (and 1 flier).

If a shooter is what you're after, Tikka. For an "heirloom" piece id say CZ, given the 2 options. Otherwise, Id second the M70 Featherweight guns.

I had all Tikkas at one point and slowly upgraded(while it is an upgrade, the Tikkas shoot jsut as well as the Sakos) them to Sako 85 Finnlights, 300WSM, 6.5x55 and .243. To quench my hankering for blued and wood guns I picked up a M70 Super Express in 375HH and a M70 Featherweight in 7-08....both New Haven production.

So, to not answer your question...get a Model 70 Classic or Featherweight....either caliber is an ideal chambering for 90% of N. American game, imo.

Another Tikka fan here. The factory trigger is very crisp and is adjustable down to 2 lbs with the OEM trigger spring and it gets even better with the $10 Yo Dave trigger spring. I have one of my target-only Tikka triggers at 15oz pull weight with only swapping out the spring.

If you are looking for something a bit nicer than the standard Lite model there are a few options.

This is my buddies Laminated Stainless in .270 Win that I help piece together and dial in for him. It would be one of my top choices. It's a beautiful rifle and a great shooter with excellent accuracy using Hornady ELD-X factory ammo. It weighed 6lbs 12oz out of the box. Not too heavy to carry once optics are added but heavy enough to keep the recoil impulse tolerable. Also very weather tolerant. He has used it to drop a few Antelope out west.



https://www.eurooptic.com/tikk...aminated-rifles.aspx


Here is my Tikka Hunter Stainless Fluted in 260 Rem. It's even lighter at 6.0 lbs right out of the box. This wood stock is much less tolerant of moisture though. So you will need to keep it dry, finish it with a sealant, or swap for a different stock. I also found the fluted barrel to be a little bit more ammo sensitive. It now shoots one hole groups with my 143 grain Hornady ELD-X hand loads but it took a bit more work to get it there compared with any of my other Tikkas. Very well could just be my rifle though.



This rifle now wears a B&C stock, and I have also used it to successfully hunt Antelope out in Wyoming.



https://www.eurooptic.com/tikk...x-hunter-rifles.aspx

quote:

Originally posted by Brett B:
I also found the fluted barrel to be a little bit more ammo sensitive. It now shoots one hole groups with my 143 grain Hornady ELD-X hand loads but it took a bit more work to get it there compared with any of my other Tikkas. Very well could just be my rifle though.

You might be right. I've found my Finnlights to be more specific in which loads they like to shoot. More so than most my other rifles. In fact, my Tikka .204 hasn't really found a load it didn't shoot well.

I wanted to add, I know the OP said he didn't want to spend Sako money, but don't forget to look at the Sako A7 family. It fits in-between the baseline Tikka Lite models and the Sako 85 in terms of features, materials, and build quality. Depending on the specific rifle you are looking at they can be priced right in line with some of the nicer Tikkas.

https://www.eurooptic.com/sako-a7.aspx

I have two Sako A7s and they are both awesome shooters. I have an A7 Big Game Roughtech Pro in 30-06 that I carried on a Montana Elk hunt last year (pictured below). The stainless fluted barrel on this one shoots lights out with factory Hornady ammo. Not all all ammo picky like my Tikka Hunter was, and the barrel is slightly larger diameter comparatively.

I also recently picked up an A7 Long Range in 300 Win Mag. This thing is a beast and also shoots sub-MOA right out of the box w/factory ammo. The same Yo Dave Tikka trigger spring fits the A7 triggers.

Sako is discontinuing the A7 family so there are some good deals to be found. Biggest downside to the A7 is lack of aftermarket support for stocks. Bell and Carlson is pretty much your only choice other than OEM. Otherwise they are solid rifles.

Just my opinion but in my mind the CZ is more “Retro” than the Tikka. Both can be excellent rifles but a blued claw feed rifle in Walnut is a lot closer to an old classic Mauser than a Tikka is. Another note is that the CZs have enough old fashioned machining in them that they smooth up considerably with use. I’m not a huge fan of their scope mounts though and bolt lift is high enough you have to watch ocular size with some scopes.

If you just want wood and easy more flexible scope mounting lean towards Tikka........dj

I like the Tikka T3 Hunter in 6.5x55 Swede I bought for my daughter. Classic lines, good wood, and one of the best triggers of any factory gun I’ve used. For hunting, I’m not sure you need anything better. I grab it whenever she’s not using it. Puts a smile on my face every time it puts meat in the freezer.

Tikka. The CZ's are nice but heavy and I don't believe on average you'll get the same accuracy you will with Tikka.

quote:

Originally posted by armored:
I was feeling for wood and steel also, I finally came to the conclusion that only a Weatherby Mark V in walnut would do the trick, IT DID!

I over paid for a used Mark V Lazermark in 257 Weatherby Magnum, the wood and blueing is stunning.
At least once a day I have to go to the basement, open the safe, and very carefully remove it from the safe without dinging it,and just hold it and look at it.
Who knows, I might even shoot it sometime.
I since bought two more Weatherbys ( 30/06 and a 375 Weatherby Magnum DGR), both have fiberglass stocks, I don't care if they get bumped.
I do enjoy working the bolt on those.

Beat me to it. You won't find a better rifle or hunting caliber for the lower 48 in my opinion.