The Tikka T3X is the most highly recommended hunting rifle on the market today. This reputation is well deserved. The Tikka T3X is lightweight, accurate, and extremely reliable. That said, the Tikka T3X is not perfect. With a few inexpensive upgrades the T3X can become a much more shootable platform. Today we’ll cover the four Tikka upgrades I make each time I purchase a new Tikka.
1. Adjustable Cheek Piece
First off, one of the biggest weaknesses of the Tikka T3X rifles is their plastic stock. Tikka outfits the T3X with a traditional geometry stock, which is not optimized for modern optics. Picatinny rails are convenient and universal, but they increase a scope’s height over bore. Pair that with ever larger scopes and it can be difficult to get a great cheek weld on the factory stock.
There are plenty of aftermarket stocks on the market that address this. For a budget-minded chassis-style stock the MDT Field Stock and the KRG Bravo are popular choices. For lightweight hunting stocks McMillan offers a variety of options. However, these aftermarket stocks are pricy.
Fortunately, many companies make aftermarket adjustable cheek pieces to fit Tikka factory stocks. This allows you to tailor your comb height to your unique build and optic setup. Also, the adjustability makes the rifle easier to fit to different shooters. This is especially apparent when a rifle is shot by both genders, as men and women have different body proportions. My favourite aftermarket cheek risers are those from Matthews Fabrication. These Kydex cheek pieces bolt easily onto the factory stock and are affordably priced at around $50.
2. Vertical Grip Module
Another issue with the Tikka factory stock is the traditional-style grip. While classic grip lines point naturally for quick off hand shots, they aren’t ideal for supported shooting positions. Most hunters take the majority of their shots seated, prone, or off of an improvised rest. For this style of shooting a vertical grip is preferred, because it promotes a straight-back pull of the trigger.
To address this, Tikka makes a vertical grip module that is an inexpensive and simple swap on the factory stocks. These cost as little as $25 and improve the ergonomics of the rifle considerably. If you regularly shoot prone, off of stumps, or off a tripod, this will be a welcome upgrade.
3. Trigger
Candidly, the Tikka T3X has a crisp, reliable, and perfectly serviceable trigger right out of the box. However, the factory triggers only adjust down to 3 lbs. Personally, my ideal hunting trigger is closer to 2lbs than 3lbs.
Luckily, lightening the trigger is an easy Tikka upgrade for the layperson at home. Companies like Unknown Munitions and YoDave triggers offer $10 replacement springs that will allow the trigger to be adjusted down to approximately 1 lb. Installation is incredibly easy. All that is required is to remove the set screw from the front of the trigger cassette, swap the new spring for the factory one, and re-install the set screw.
Importantly, make sure you test your rifle after installing the new spring to make sure that it is still drop safe. I have seen on some actions where, if the aftermarket screw os adjusted all the way down, the firing pin can drop after a hard jolt to the buttstock. If this happens with your rifle, simply adjust the trigger weight up until the issue goes away. Also, I would recommend putting some thread locker on the set screw to hold it in place once adjusted. Nail polish works well for this.
4. Recoil Pad
Finally, the last Tikka upgrade I do is replace the recoil pad. The factory recoil pad is only a thin layer of rubber over a plastic backer. This does a relatively poor job of soaking up recoil. In some chamberings this may not matter; A 223 Remington does not recoil enough for the recoil pad to make a difference. However, on larger cartridges upgrading the recoil pad significantly improves the shooting experience.
There are a ton of aftermarket recoil pads available, and they will virtually all outperform the stock Tikka one. My personal preference is the Pachmayr Decelerator, but there are many great options. Regardless of brand, a new recoil pad will significantly reduce shooter error with large cartridges.
Closing Thoughts
In closing, out of the box the Tikka T3X is a fine rifle. However, for around $120 in Tikka upgrades, shooters can drastically improve the ergonomics of their rifles. Furthermore, all of these upgrades are straightforward to DIY for anyone with any mechanical inclination. Compared to the costs of ammo, optics, and accessories, these Tikka upgrades are well worth it for the serious shooter.