Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Tikka or Howa

Not that any of these "deficiencies" will ever matter in actually using/owning a Tikka lol.

I like both but the ergonomics of the Tikka suit me quite a bit better...so another vote in the "handle them both" column. The price of their lil polymer mag makes me roll my eyes but hey.

I dont own any tikka's, but do have several Howa's. Most of them are heavy, but shoot well. I recently picked up a howa super lite in 308 and I'm happy with the purchase. The rifle with the rail weighs 4lb 9oz, and with a Virtex razor HD LH it comes in at 5lb 11.8oz. I haven't shot it much but it shot the Norma 150gr sp ammo just under an inch. I had some SSA 150gr accubond ammo and it shot those even better at .75".

Own 2 Tikkas and 1 Howa. My edge would go to the Tikkas, but I do like the 3 position safety on the Howa. 😎

Doc_Holidude

Funny how the people who don’t own Tikkas are the biggest critics
Howas are primitive in comparison

I think you'd be happy with the Tikka rifle. I have one in a 7-08 very nice rifle. I have friends who have them as well, they all like their Tikka rifles.

Yeah, all that old fashioned metal on a Howa and all that modern plastic on a Tikka. This is the 21st century, people need to wake up.

All that plastic like...the trigger guard? What else is plastic on a Tikka that isn't on a Howa? At least the T3x.

Not that I think a Howa is "primitive" in any way at all.

I don't like the Howa stocks.

I don't like the name "Howa", so there . . .

My Howa 1500 has one plastic part on it, the follower, and I'd prefer it to be metal. My Tikka T3 has a plastic bolt shroud, a plastic triggerguard, a plastic safety button, and the clip is plastic. Now, I like the Tikka, and it is one very nice shooting rifle, one that I will use to deer hunt with in a few weeks. I also doubt that I'd wear the plastic parts out in my lifetime, but I just happen to believe that the Howa is a better made rifle because it has fewer plastic parts.

Tikka each and every time

Huh, I didn't notice that the safety on the Tikkas was plastic!

Can't say I am worried about the trigger guard or the magazine, but point taken. I hadn't known that.

With the T3X, at least they come with a metal shroud now, finally lol.

To be clear I like both rifles and their design....and I think I know which one would survive the most abuse, but that abuse falls outside of just about any conceivable hunting situation.

There are metal followers available for Howas if that keeps anyone up nights.

Tikka is a more modern design which is why I like the Howa/Vanguard more. But that also probably makes the Tikka the better rifle. Ergonomically I really dislike the Tikkas and like the Howas and especially the Vanguards. Like the others saying to handle both, I agree that that’s the way to go. I am a huge fan of the Weatherby Vanguard and would take one every day before a Tikka. But I wouldn’t presume that it’s the best choice for everyone.

I am on the other side of the ledger. I have multiples of both and find for my purposes the Tikka a much better platform. Howa/Vanguard’s aversion to manufacturing a number of different platforms in stainless steel and the 1970 era weight class of many of their offerings is a deal breaker for me. However, I do like their 3 position safety and the accuracy I have enjoyed with my Howas. Nevertheless, I just find Tikkas to be the better of the two.

The heritage of the Howa M1500 is somewhat linked to Sako as Sako early on was concerned with the design of the Howa action as it was thought to copyright infringe on the Sako L61R and L579 designs for SA, LA Std bolt and LA Magnum bolt.

After some talk of legal action Howa made minor modifications to what is now the current M1500. Nothing against Tikka rifles or their design of a more modern platform at a reduced manufacturing cost or to put it another way a super budget Sako rifle. However The Howa M1500 is at a cost point with Tikka but has as good or better than the original Sako L61R and L579 by way of 25+ years of minor advancements since it’s original design with modern tooling and manufacturing. Truth be known, the Tikka action with its rather small and somewhat deficient recoil lug (IMO) and fastened bolt among other cost cutting measures does not come close to the old Sako designs and therefore not close to the durability and manufacturing quality of the Howa M1500 design. The M1500 is a tank and can take any punishment dished out. True it’s heavier as stated, but you get an action that is cut/built out of a single solid piece of steel with integral bolt handle with no cost cutting measures. Tough as they come. Remember Howa built many Wby Mark actions for Wby 460s and 378s.

Howa also made Arisaka 99 and 38 rifles in WWII, actions that absorbed 110K psi under testing. No knock on the Tikka, it’s quite successful and shows excellent accuracy, just like the Howa M1500 rifles, and serves well in the hunting arena too. However as far as material build it is not near the build quality of the M1500. Only one man’s opinion.

How will this ever matter to 99.99% of hunters out there with them, though?

I mean I know its a "lives between your ears" thing and that is fine, but "better" here seems highly subjective. I really can't think of a way to measure it besides "will any of these supposed inferiorities ever matter?"

Resounding no, here. Maybe the old aluminum recoil lugs in the pre T3x guns?

Excellent post.

I was only expressing that the Howa M1500, manufacturing wise, is a more robust, solid, durable barreled action than the Tikka. My last paragraph states that the Tikka is a fine product and will satisfy most any hunting needs. If I was choosing to build any heavy recoiling magnums in .338 .375, .416 between the two, I would choose the M1500 hands down, some because of the weight, but mostly due to solid forged billet steel receiver with massive recoil lug and a bolt design when turned down at 90* and locked has 3 gas ports pointed straight downward directing escaped gas away from the shooter just in case the reloader makes a loading mistake.

Yeah, no I hear ya...was just pointing out the differences were immaterial in terms of use (until you get to those safari cals. Yikes I would not wanna touch off a Tikka in 416 haha)

Except maybe that gas handling though. Don't know if the 90 degree bolt lug turn down really does make a difference? But on the gas...yeah. Using a starting load for Hornady 100 gr 6.5mm bullets to work up from, I could definitely feel little puffs of gas on my face because the brass wasn't obdurating enough to form a seal.

Wouldn't want to know what that feels like if a casing lets go, etc. Definitely see what you mean there.