- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
Opinions: Tikka T3x vs CVA Cascade
Posted on 3/6/24 at 7:30 pm
Posted on 3/6/24 at 7:30 pm
Looking at getting a new hunting rifle that is light weight. I have some significant health issues that affect mobility. Didn’t think I’d be here at 35, but that’s life I guess.
Anyways, I was looking to get a Tikka T3x because I’ve read glowing reviews about them. But the top of the line Tikka costs $1450. Then I ran into the CVA Cascade which has a lot of the same options as the high level Tikka at a lower price. It’s as follows:
T3x: Camo stock, fluted barrel & bolt, threaded barrel with muzzle brake included, cerakoted barrel, great trigger, VERY smooth action.
Cost: $1400
CVA: Camo and pillard stock, threaded barrel, cerakoted barrel, picatinny rail included, and good trigger.
Cost $700.
Any advice or insight? Is the extra cost justified in anyone’s mind here?
Anyways, I was looking to get a Tikka T3x because I’ve read glowing reviews about them. But the top of the line Tikka costs $1450. Then I ran into the CVA Cascade which has a lot of the same options as the high level Tikka at a lower price. It’s as follows:
T3x: Camo stock, fluted barrel & bolt, threaded barrel with muzzle brake included, cerakoted barrel, great trigger, VERY smooth action.
Cost: $1400
CVA: Camo and pillard stock, threaded barrel, cerakoted barrel, picatinny rail included, and good trigger.
Cost $700.
Any advice or insight? Is the extra cost justified in anyone’s mind here?
7
Posted on 3/6/24 at 7:57 pm to CFB_Fanatic
quote:
Any advice or insight? Is the extra cost justified in anyone’s mind here?
You can get a plain Jane stainless tikka from cabelas for about 850$
Unless I’m getting a blued gun even with cerakote I want SS to minimize rust in the bore. Tikkas have an established reputation I have one and it’s a tack driver i probably have known of 20 or more from various friends and coworkers and have never know of one to have problems or not shoot great.
The cva has a bergara barrel but it’s not been around long and who knows how long they will be around to support it if there are bugs to work out, it has a soft touch stock and while they are nice a couple years what happens when it starts peeling or getting sticky?
Tikka has very good aftermarket support (stocks,barrels,triggers) the action has been proven in harsh conditions and is one of the most dependable actions even when compared to custom actions.
I’m not a person that like to buy a product until it’s been proven for several years, I would go with the tikka of whatever flavor you like.
I would maybe suggest otherwise in 5-7yrs
Posted on 3/6/24 at 8:13 pm to CFB_Fanatic
Get a stainless superlite and have it threaded if you find that the chambering really needs a brake, or you really want to suppress it.
The veil models are cool but they add a decent amount of weight with the heavier barrel contour, then charge you full price for the cerakote and threading that a gunsmith would.
No first hand experience with the CVA but it doesn’t get mentioned in the same breath as the tikka often. I recall some YouTuber got a lemon, but it could have been a fluke.
The veil models are cool but they add a decent amount of weight with the heavier barrel contour, then charge you full price for the cerakote and threading that a gunsmith would.
No first hand experience with the CVA but it doesn’t get mentioned in the same breath as the tikka often. I recall some YouTuber got a lemon, but it could have been a fluke.
Posted on 3/6/24 at 8:21 pm to Ol boy
Tikka t3 stainless is a winner. Buy a limb saver. They are nice rifles and just shoot. I have a .270 and had it for 8(?) years. I’ve cleaned it twice. It gets abused. It keeps cycling.
Wish they made a 6.5 grendel.
Wish they made a 6.5 grendel.
Posted on 3/6/24 at 8:28 pm to TheDrunkenTigah
quote:
The veil models are cool but they add a decent amount of weight with the heavier barrel contour, then charge you full price for the cerakote and threading that a gunsmith would.
The veil models are cool AF. I love the bronzed barrel.
I know it would vary widely, but how much would you assume it would cost to cerakote and thread the stainless barrel and flute the bolt?? (I’ll admit I simply like the look of the fluted barrel but it does at least add SOME functionality, however small).
It seems to me it would probably cost the same to have these upgrades done at a gunsmith, so why not just pay that up front
Posted on 3/6/24 at 9:04 pm to CFB_Fanatic
I have 2 Tikkas , a super lite in 270 and a boar hunter in 338 win mag, no regrets, love em both, but bought them when they were around $800 , I have no CVAs so I can’t compare
Posted on 3/6/24 at 9:28 pm to Ol boy
quote:
You can get a plain Jane stainless tikka from cabelas for about 850$
Do this
Posted on 3/6/24 at 9:45 pm to CFB_Fanatic
quote:
know it would vary widely, but how much would you assume it would cost to cerakote and thread the stainless barrel and flute the bolt?? (I’ll admit I simply like the look of the fluted barrel but it does at least add SOME functionality, however small).
To get the barrel threaded correctly, prob $100-150. $200-250 for a good cerakote job. Bolt fluting is all over the place, but I’ve seen it offered as cheap as $50. So all in about $400-500. You’d be under that doing it all with LRI but could shop around for any or all of it and come in cheaper.
For me, it’s about getting the thinner barrel profile of the superlite, which is going to save almost a pound over the veil/D-18/roughtech, and you’d get to pick the cerakote color, bolt fluting pattern, etc.
Posted on 3/6/24 at 9:58 pm to Ol boy
I have Tikka TX3 super lite in. 30.06. Black stock for about 800 bucks
I sponge painted the stock.
Love the weight. Easy carry when I hunt and walk the swamp.
I sponge painted the stock.
Love the weight. Easy carry when I hunt and walk the swamp.
This post was edited on 3/7/24 at 7:47 am
Posted on 3/7/24 at 12:04 am to Crawdaddy
Would you mind posting pics??
Posted on 3/7/24 at 7:46 am to CFB_Fanatic
All I got and pics make it shown little lighter than it is. Just a sponge paint job with a clear coat over the black stock. Nothing fancy but better than the black. Can always add to to it, re do it, or replace the entire stock with a better option.
This post was edited on 3/7/24 at 8:01 am
Posted on 3/7/24 at 8:01 am to Crawdaddy
Appreciate it. I’ll figure out how to do it. I’ve always hated the black synthetic stock look. Just looks cheap to me
Posted on 3/7/24 at 8:06 am to CFB_Fanatic
I agree. That's why I said I got nothing to lose. I can always upgrade the stock later
Posted on 3/7/24 at 9:22 am to Crawdaddy
If you get a lite profile barrel threaded, get a collar added so you have enough shoulder for muzzle devices.
You can get a stainless tikka sub $800 if you look around. They also ocassionally do factory rebates like the $75 off that just ended. You can get your barrel chopped and threaded and bolt fluted for under $300 pretty easily if you are trying to make it more like a super lite. Just a thought, but if you decide to chop the barrel on a super lite you won’t have the meat to add threads.
You can get a stainless tikka sub $800 if you look around. They also ocassionally do factory rebates like the $75 off that just ended. You can get your barrel chopped and threaded and bolt fluted for under $300 pretty easily if you are trying to make it more like a super lite. Just a thought, but if you decide to chop the barrel on a super lite you won’t have the meat to add threads.
This post was edited on 3/7/24 at 9:28 am
Posted on 3/7/24 at 4:20 pm to CFB_Fanatic
I know it would vary widely, but how much would you assume it would cost to cerakote and thread the stainless barrel and flute the bolt?? (I’ll admit I simply like the look of the fluted barrel but it does at least add SOME functionality, however small).
What functionality of a fluted barrel are you referencing?
What functionality of a fluted barrel are you referencing?
Posted on 3/7/24 at 5:16 pm to CFB_Fanatic
quote:
Looking at getting a new hunting rifle that is light weight. I have some significant health issues that affect mobility. Didn’t think I’d be here at 35, but that’s life I guess. Anyways, I was looking to get a Tikka T3x because I’ve read glowing reviews about them.
Brother, if you think you want a Tikka for whatever reason….buy you a Tikka. I don’t have one, but have never heard anything bad about them.
quote:
Didn’t think I’d be here at 35, but that’s life I guess
Buy the damn Tikka. You’ll regret not getting it until you finally break down and get it. Nothing against the CVA, but it ain’t a Tikka.
You owe us a review whichever way you go.
Edit…I’ve got a safe full of cheap, shitty, but accurate rifles. I have way more invested in a variety than if I would’ve just bought a quality rifle that would’ve made me proud to own.
This post was edited on 3/7/24 at 5:22 pm
Posted on 3/7/24 at 5:23 pm to CFB_Fanatic
Spend the money and get the Tikka, you definitely will not regret it.
Posted on 3/7/24 at 6:17 pm to CFB_Fanatic
Disclaimer: I don't have experience w/ either of these guns, although I do have a Tikka T1x in 22 LR. This is the first I've heard of the CVA Cascade so I'm not familiar w/ its track record. OTOH, the Tikka is the unofficial big game rife of the OB. 
Personally, I'd go w/ the "plain Jane" Tikka that should fit your budget. Like others have mentioned, if you don't like the plain black synthetic stock on the Tikka, you can pain it however you want it. I've done this w/ a bunch of my rifles/handguns. When I tire of a color, I repaint it. You can also get a kit of adhesive vinyl panels of various camo patterns from Mossy Oak that don't cost much and are pretty east to apply. My only caveat is to check the muzzle diameter ahead of time if you're really interested in having the muzzle threaded for a suppressor. The muzzle diameter has to meet a minimum size to get it threaded. The required diameter varies according to the caliber. I don't have the address off hand, but you can find on the internet what the required minimum muzzle diameter for each caliber. Keep us up dated.
Personally, I'd go w/ the "plain Jane" Tikka that should fit your budget. Like others have mentioned, if you don't like the plain black synthetic stock on the Tikka, you can pain it however you want it. I've done this w/ a bunch of my rifles/handguns. When I tire of a color, I repaint it. You can also get a kit of adhesive vinyl panels of various camo patterns from Mossy Oak that don't cost much and are pretty east to apply. My only caveat is to check the muzzle diameter ahead of time if you're really interested in having the muzzle threaded for a suppressor. The muzzle diameter has to meet a minimum size to get it threaded. The required diameter varies according to the caliber. I don't have the address off hand, but you can find on the internet what the required minimum muzzle diameter for each caliber. Keep us up dated. Posted on 3/7/24 at 7:44 pm to TigerOnThe Hill
I had a bolt fluted, barrel chopped, threaded shoulder, and got just the barreled action cerakoted. Its been a minute but I think it was $350 or $375 with a little shipping in there.
Page 1 of 2
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News