Being in the business of writing about firearms and shooting, I hate to pass up a chance to write about any rifle, pistol, or shotgun. So, I took advantage of shooting and handling the brand new Tikka T3X Lite Stainless hunting rifle chambered in 6.5mm Creedmoor that a family member got for Christmas.
The Tikka: A Rifle That Needs No Introduction
Finnish-made Tikka bolt-action rifles have a sterling reputation and have become well-known amongst the North American shooting public. Especially with serious rifle shooters and hunters. Tikka T3/T3X actions are derived from classic Finnish Sako actions. As a product family, the T3 series has been around for several years and is technically nothing new. The T3X Lite lineup has remained nearly the same since its original launch, save for some tweaks to the stock or other small details.
Frankly, despite their product longevity, all Tikka rifles are new to me. Prior to 2024, I had never actually shot one. I was fortunate to review the .22 LR Tikka T1X MTR back in September 2024.
After mounting my Leupold Mark5 HD 3.6-18×44 and spending an afternoon printing neat little groups with this .22 caliber rifle, I was duly impressed with how such a seemingly basic synthetic stocked rifle could deliver that type of performance, especially at its price point. Its accuracy reminded me of the fancy Anschutz rifles I once shot at scout camp, save for the lack of a wooden stock.
Fast-forward to the end of 2024, and I find myself with a 6.5mm Creedmoor Tikka T3X Lite Stainless on my lap. Being a man of taste, my family member topped his Tikka T3X Lite with one of Leupold’s relatively new first focal plane Mark4 HD scopes—the 4.5-18×52 MOA model with Leupold’s PR-1 reticle. With this scope mounted on the rifle, I wanted to see if it lived up to the hype.
The Tikka T3X Lite Stainless Overview
The Tikka T3X Lite Stainless is the Finnish gunmaker’s basic and quintessential bolt-action rifle. Candidly, the Tikka T3X Lite is a no-frills hunting rifle with a black synthetic stock. It has a light contour barrel, no sights, and a hidden 3-round detachable box magazine. It’s neither the cheapest nor the most expensive rifle found in a gun shop.
These rifles are offered in a variety of popular North American hunting and sporting cartridges running the gamut from very traditional chamberings (think .300 Win Mag, .243 Winchester, .270 Winchester, .30-06 Springfield, et al.) to many of what I like to call the “new kids on the block.” Cartridges such as 6.5 mm Creedmoor and 6.5 mm PRC.
Even though I wrote this draft a month before SHOT Show 2025 began, and I didn’t have a clue as to what Tikka plans to launch, I wouldn’t be surprised if they added even more chamberings. In short, the product family covers the most important nominal bore diameters ranging from 0.22” to 0.300.”
Tikka T3X Lite hunting rifles are normally found with barrel lengths of 20 inches, 22 inches, or 24 inches, depending on the specific rifle and its cartridge. Likewise, I’ve noticed that Tikka rifles tend to be very accessible to left-handed shooters because finding left-handed actions in the most popular calibers and trims isn’t too difficult. The .22 caliber rimfire Tikka T1X MTR I reviewed serves as a good example.
Tikka T3X Lite Stainless, 6.5 mm Creedmoor 24” Barrel
The rifle I’m writing about is chambered for the popular 6.5mm Creedmoor cartridge and sports a 24-inch barrel that allows each round to build up to its full potential, muzzle velocity-wise. According to official Tikka-supplied specifications, this full-length T3X Lite rifle weighs 6.7 pounds bare naked.
For a rifle of this size, it has a good size-to-weight ratio. It’s also hard not to notice its handiness when picked up and brought to the shoulder. Next to their reputation for accuracy, I can easily imagine that many hunters and riflemen appreciate its lighter weight, especially those who trek through treacherous and technical topography.
With the way this particular T3X is configured with its Leupold Mark4 HD and a basic stud-clamping Magpul MOE bipod, it weighs 9.4 pounds.
Yup, that Mark4 HD isn’t the lightest scope in Leupold’s catalog, but it’s very promising nonetheless. After shooting out to nearly 1,000 yards, I’m having a hard time complaining about it from a pure shooting perspective.
Tikka T3X Lite Receiver And Action
While the majority of modern bolt-action rifles are divided between short and long actions, depending on their chamberings, Tikka takes a different approach and manufactures all of its receivers to the same length. All caliber differences are internally accommodated via a corresponding caliber-specific bolt stop.
There’s no doubt that this universal receiver size simplifies manufacturing and keeps the rifle’s cost down. Tikka’s one-size-fits-all approach to its receivers makes swapping barrels and calibers extremely simple without worrying about long-vs-short action lengths like one would with other makes and models of bolt guns. Of course, things like headspacing or the bolt’s face diameter still need to be taken into consideration.
The Tikka’s push-feed action uses a bolt with a pair of symmetrical locking lugs, a small external extractor, and a plunger-type ejector that nests into the bolt face. Like most other contemporary rifles, the bolt cocks on opening and has a swift 60-degree bolt throw. A latch on the left side of the receiver can be depressed to remove the bolt away from the receiver. Its emergency vent hole is also located on the left side of the receiver, along with rollmarks and the rifle’s official serial number.
A Familiar Thumb Safety
The Tikka’s thumb safety works similarly to that of modern Remington 700 action pattern safeties. It’s placed on the rear right side of the action, close to where the right-handed shooter’s thumb is. To disengage, the safety is moved forward, and to engage, it moves back. When the safety is engaged, there’s a small protrusion that’s attached directly to the safety lever itself that enters a blind hole that’s drilled into the bolt’s body to capture it. This prevents the action from being opened or closed or otherwise manipulated while “on safe.”
