Tikka or Howa

[Waterengineer]

Simply stated Tikka or Howa?

I have found almost identical rifles in a .243 from Tikka and Howa.

Which has the stronger action and lock up?

Which gun would you own and why?

Thanks - Craig

 

[Colt46]

Two of the most accurate out of box rifles going

You can't really go wrong. The howa is almost an exact copy of the Weatherby Vanguard made at the same factory. The only problem I have with Howa is they tend to be heavy. Standard weight rifles are 7 3/4 lbs

Tikka's get high marks for just about everything(weigh signifcantly less). The biggest complaints are the use of plastic in areas of the rifle where steel or alloys are traditional and replacement magazines are quite pricey.

 

[sholling]

I own both. Howas are rock solid and accurate. The Howa and Weatherby Vanguard share the same receiver and trigger group but use different stocks, barrels and bolts. The Howa is the Toyota Corolla of rifles. Low priced and dependable.

The Tikka tends to be solid with an extremely smooth action and great trigger. The Tikka will be lighter and laser beam accurate. The only two downsides to a Tikka are the cost and availability of magazines, and that all Tikkas are long action - not that LA hurts anything. Of the two the Tikka is the lighter, better handling and more refined and more accurate of the two.

My Howas...

One of my Tikkas...

 

[Shane Tuttle]

Tikka's get high marks for just about everything(weigh signifcantly less). The biggest complaints are the use of plastic in areas of the rifle where steel or alloys are traditional and replacement magazines are quite pricey.

Is there aftermarket items to replace the plastic parts or are they able to be fabricated? Or is this overkill?

What's the ballpark going price for replacement magazines for the Tikkas?

 

[jmr40]

Tikka mags run from $50 to $70 if you can find them. This is the biggest drawback to the Tikka and a problem I have just learned to accept. I have 2 Tikkas and love them. I've had the Howa before and think they are a great rifle as well but they are just too heavy for my tastes. My Tikka with scope weighs 3/4 lb less than a Howa with no scope. In my limited experience the Tikkas have been more accurate but individual rifles may vary.

Some like a heavy rifle and shoot them better. If your hunting and shooting style favor a heavier rifle the Howa is a fine choice. If you are like me and tend to hunt miles from the road the lighter weight Tikka makes more sense.

 

[sholling]

Is there aftermarket items to replace the plastic parts or are they able to be fabricated? Or is this overkill?

It's completely unnecessary. As for magazines keep in mind that the Howa has an easy to load from the top fixed magazine. The Tikka must be loaded from the detachable box magazine, but how many spares do you need? Just remember to take the mag with you when you leave for a hunting trip.