New tikka vs old tikka
 

Looking for some advice on purchasing a tikka rifle. I’m debating between purchasing a tikka t3x chambered in 30-06 or buying an older tikka m65/695 or lsa 65. What are your thoughts? Hoping someone has experience using new and older tikkas.

Thanks

No experience with the older tikka's but the t3x's are great, accurate rifles.

I had an LSA55 in 243 , and it was an excellent rifle. If you don't like plastic, and prefer blued steel and wood, the older LSA 55/65, are nice rifles. Then again, parts may be an issue if required.

I have both

Wood stock has never been a big thing for me in a bolt rifle. In a lever, ok.

Both the older and newer Tikkas are excellent rifles. Mine are all easily sub MOA shooters.

Either way you will be happy.

Parts for an older Tikka might be an issue if something goes wrong.

The first year the m65 came out I got one in 7mm, great rifle ,shot great . Clips are harder to find and there not cheap .

Go with a new one would be my guess or sako A7 .Older rifles are nice just some need parts at times .

m695 ,LAS 55 i had this also .One in 270 the other in 243 . Both were good, but parts and clips????

I’ve owned every variant if Tikka bolt actions. They will all exceed your expectations for accuracy. Clips are a bugger to find for the 55/65 models. Either way you choose you will be pleased.

If magazine were still available and the 55/ 65 still made. I would chose one over the new models. I’m not a plastic guy .

Tikka makes wood and laminate options with blued or stainless barrels. If you don’t like plastic bottom metal there are several options to replace it with metal. As far as the plastic mags on the T3X, I’ve never had an issue and I have 9 Tikkas.

I'll always vote for the older M55 and M65 models, they are a well built rifle with no plastic as mentioned. Magazines aren't the easiest to find, but not quite impossible, with that being said expect to pay up to $300 for one.

I've had quite a few over the years, mostly in the deluxe version. They are great, but aftermarket parts and customizing is pretty much a non-starter, so if you may want to make improvements or changes a newer T3X is likely the way to go.

The new ones are just so ugly comparatively! :sHa_shakeshout:

https://i.imgur.com/wTKIwK8.jpg

If you had to chose which one would you buy? Older or newer?

That’s an impressive collection.

Which out of the 9 is your favourite?

I was a big fan of the 55/65's. Had the 17 RM, 22-250, 243, 270, 7mmRM, 3006, and 300WM. Were all very easy to develop loads for, all sub MOA, max speeds even with the 22 inch barrels. Different bullet weights within each calibre stringed vertically, never horizontally, for instance a 270 90 gr bullet would shoot 1 inch higher at 100 yds than the 130 gr. I liked the balance , feel and wood much better than any T3. Stupid me traded off all the 55/65's.

Probably my 257wby or 6.5-284 or 6.5 prc

How is the 6.5 for hunting? I’ve always shot with a 30-06.

Btw I pmd you

The older rifle for me. They are slightly heavier due to a bit more barrel steel and heavier receivers. Bolts are slick on both. Tupperware stocks are OK but I prefer the wood, and back in the day the wood on every rifle I have ever owned has been very good to excellent! I also like the feel of the wood stocks as they fit me better then the plastic ones. The 6.5 is an excellent caliber kills as well as the .308/30-06 with half the recoil!

As some have already said, all Tikka's are accurate. My M558 shot great, but the magazines were sticky sometimes and the bolt shroud fell off and I could not find a replacement. My T3 shoots just as good if not better, and parts and customization are abundant. I prefer the T3 trigger and the magazines are better built.

If you prefer a short action you will have to find an older 55 model. Tikka doesn't make short action rifles anymore. The 55 / 65 models were all wood and steel. No plastic.