Love the Tikka T3X, but not a fan at all of the safety mechanism

[p_ham]

My A7 does not have a 3 position safety.

Nor does my A5.

 

[AggieOutlaw]

Hunter Ed Instructor: What is a Safety?
Son: A mechanism that should be expected to fail

I love the Tikka safety after walking around all week picking up primers from my Remington 700 ML. There is no way to keep them in the gun with a slung rifle. And talk about worthless, not only does the bolt open all the damn time but 1 of 4 checks revealed a safety in the fired position from walking around. No sir. I love the tikka safety compared to Remington. Locks up tight, locks the bolt, and not accidentally manipulated.

 

[TheDudeAbides]

If you disengage the bolt and then press the trigger, the sear will disengage, but the firing pin wont have enough energy to discharge the cartridge.

At least this has been my understanding.

Yeah, I wouldn't rely on this.

I have accidentally set mine off a few times on this.

With the Tikka never have one in the chamber unless you are ready to shoot.

 

[N2TRKYS]

Hunter Ed Instructor: What is a Safety?
Son: A mechanism that should be expected to fail

I love the Tikka safety after walking around all week picking up primers from my Remington 700 ML. There is no way to keep them in the gun with a slung rifle. And talk about worthless, not only does the bolt open all the damn time but 1 of 4 checks revealed a safety in the fired position from walking around. No sir. I love the tikka safety compared to Remington. Locks up tight, locks the bolt, and not accidentally manipulated.

You can send me all those “dangerous “ Remingtons for free. Just another step to keeping you safe.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

Yeah, I wouldn't rely on this.

I have accidentally set mine off a few times on this.

With the Tikka never have one in the chamber unless you are ready to shoot.

Are you saying you have had multiple accidental discharges?

 

[Brian in Montana]

I think you guys are making a little much of this. Send ME all your unsafe Tikkas. I'll take those Remmy 700's too.

Just trying to help.

 

[AggieOutlaw]

You can send me all those “dangerous “ Remingtons for free. Just another step to keeping you safe.

The Remington isn't dangerous. It's so safe it won't work...especially with cartridges all over tarnation.

I am considering selling it, if you want it make an offer.

 

[N2TRKYS]

The Remington isn't dangerous. It's so safe it won't work...especially with cartridges all over tarnation.

I am considering selling it, if you want it make an offer.

I've never had these issues with any of mine. Maybe yours are defective, which should lower the price substantially.
What Remingtons do you have?

 

[AggieOutlaw]

I have a Remington 700 Ultimate Muzzleloader. It is absolutely not defective. Do you own any 700's?

Every 700 for the last 37 years has had this feature issue. They lawyer-proofed the design to allow the bolt to cycle on safe. That is a ridiculous feature for a hunting rifle. Carry your rifle slung for any period of time and you're bound to dump the chamber.

Maybe this isn't a big deal for a magazine fed center fire. You can always run the bolt and load another. But the ML does not have that luxury. I need my primer to stay loaded, locked, and safe while hunting. I don't need to fight the damn thing all day.

Browning has an elegant solution to this. There is a lever you depress and you can cycle the bolt to unload a chambered round with the safety on.

I will NEVER buy a 700 because of this issue. And I may sell the UML.

 

[mtmuley]

I've never had these issues with any of mine. Maybe yours are defective, which should lower the price substantially.
What Remingtons do you have?

I'm 53. Been hunting with Remington rifles since I was 12. Never had the aggravating problems of Aggie. And, he doesn't even own a 700 rifle. Interesting. mtmuley

 

[AggieOutlaw]

I'm 53. Been hunting with Remington rifles since I was 12. Never had the aggravating problems of Aggie. And, he doesn't even own a 700 rifle. Interesting. mtmuley

Am I mistaken? Maybe some of the rifles are different. If so, I've got egg on my face.

All the 700's I've ever used allow the bolt to cycle regardless of safety position. There is no bolt lock.

Perhaps there is a better way for me to sling and carry my rifle/ML. I'm all ears because, having just returned from a hunt fighting this issue, I would love to have an easy fix!

 

[N2TRKYS]

I have a Remington 700 Ultimate Muzzleloader. It is absolutely not defective. Do you own any 700's?

Every 700 for the last 37 years has had this feature issue. They lawyer-proofed the design to allow the bolt to cycle on safe. That is a ridiculous feature for a hunting rifle. Carry your rifle slung for any period of time and you're bound to dump the chamber.

Maybe this isn't a big deal for a magazine fed center fire. You can always run the bolt and load another. But the ML does not have that luxury. I need my primer to stay loaded, locked, and safe while hunting. I don't need to fight the damn thing all day.

Browning has an elegant solution to this. There is a lever you depress and you can cycle the bolt to unload a chambered round with the safety on.

I will NEVER buy a 700 because of this issue. And I may sell the UML.

I own 2 M700s and 4 Model Sevens with the same type safety. I also own a push fed Winchester M70 and never use it in the locked position. I've never had any of them open and drop a round on the ground when I carry them slung on my shoulder or across my back.

How are you dropping cartridges out of a ML?

 

[AggieOutlaw]

I own 2 M700s and 4 Model Sevens with the same type safety. I also own a push fed Winchester M70 and never use it in the locked position. I've never had any of them open and drop a round on the ground when I carry them slung on my shoulder or across my back.

How are you dropping cartridges out of a ML?

It's got this stupid stubby primer system that looks like a 45 ACP case. They charge $20 for 25 primers. But I'm cheap so it got me to learn how to deprime and reprime brass which led me to hand loading. So, it's not all bad.

So clearly, my issue is user error. Open to your suggestions on how to properly sling carry the 700 (I want to like it)...maybe it's my fat ass.

===================EDIT=======================
You know, now that I'm thinking about it...maybe the bolt locks tighter on a cartridge than my primer system. It doesn't really headspace off anything so there's little or no friction on the bolt. Bolt lift is very light. Maybe I've been too critical of the system.

Still, like the idea of a 3 position safety or the Browning bolt lock. And I've officially hijacked this thread. Apologies to the OP. But I still like the Tikka safety system, although I prefer Browning's system.

 

[N2TRKYS]

It's got this stupid stubby primer system that looks like a 45 ACP case. They charge $20 for 25 primers. But I'm cheap so it got me to learn how to deprime and reprime brass which led me to hand loading. So, it's not all bad.

So clearly, my issue is user error. Open to your suggestions on how to properly sling carry the 700 (I want to like it)...maybe it's my fat ass.

===================EDIT=======================
You know, now that I'm thinking about it...maybe the bolt locks tighter on a cartridge than my primer system. It doesn't really headspace off anything so there's little or no friction on the bolt. Bolt lift is very light. Maybe I've been too critical of the system.

Still, like the idea of a 3 position safety or the Browning bolt lock. And I've officially hijacked this thread. Apologies to the OP. But I still like the Tikka safety system, although I prefer Browning's system.

I don’t have any experience with their MLs. If it opens that easily, I can see the aggravation. Maybe a loop of bungee cord around the bolt would keep it down.

 

[TheDudeAbides]

Are you saying you have had multiple accidental discharges?

Just two.

It was due to having a live round in the chamber and trying to put the safety on and having the gun go off.

In order for me to feel comfortable, I have to clear the chamber before putting the safety on.

It doesn't work if there isn't a round in the chamber.

 

[mummel]

I may pay up and get the Winchester Model 70 Featherweight. Anyone know if you can engage the safety while loading and unloading?

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

Just two.

It was due to having a live round in the chamber and trying to put the safety on and having the gun go off.

In order for me to feel comfortable, I have to clear the chamber before putting the safety on.

It doesn't work if there isn't a round in the chamber.

Huh... almost like the reverse Remington, did you call tikka about that.

 

[TheDudeAbides]

Huh... almost like the reverse Remington, did you call tikka about that.

I'm going to take it to a gun smith and see if there is a quick fix or if I should upgrade the safety.

The issue is that I ceracoated the barrel, so I doubt there is any warranty by doing that.

 

[BluegrassBilly]

Back to the OP's original question, I have my eye on a J.P. Sauer S100 for this very reason. You could also take a look at the Mauser M18 (which I suspect shares at least some manufacturing with the Sauer, but the latter can be had in a wood, albeit beech, stock).

 

[Deleted member 20812]

I may pay up and get the Winchester Model 70 Featherweight. Anyone know if you can engage the safety while loading and unloading?

Yes