Tikka T3 vs Tikka T3 lite combo

Dicks sporting good has a tikka t3 lite with Burris scope for $599
Bass pro has a tikka t3 no scope for $599
Bass pro will not price match since dicks is a combo package

Are the guns identical or is the combo gun a lower quality

I'd go with the combo. T3 lite comes with the plastic stock. If the one at Bass Pro has the plastic stock, it's the same rifle.

Either way, the rifle itself is the same quality (barreled action, bolt, trigger, magazine, etc).

T3 Lite will have the black polymer stock. If both rifles have the same stock, then they are both T3 Lites. Sounds like Dicks has the better price. The scope that comes with it is no doubt a bottom line scope, but should be serviceable for a while until you decide to change it out...

Yup.

Plan on selling the scope as soon as you can afford an upgrade. SWFA has a trade in program.

Buy the combo, sell the scope and free rings and buy some better rings and a box of ammo

I bought the same gun at Dicks in 2008. I put better rings, scope and limbsaver butt pad on it. Love the gun. It was $549 back then, haven't went up much.

The T3 at Dick's had a little stiffer/not as smooth bolt action than the one at Bass Pro.
Should I just buy it , oil it, see how it is?
If its still not smooth, will the warranty fix the issue?

Stiff moving the bolt front to back or rotating the handle?

A little of both. but most locking it down and then opening the bolt is when its not very smooth

I wonder if dicks is buying seconds? Never heard of that with a tikka. And from your other thread I vote .308. If you intend to shoot much the 30-06 will be punishing in a T3. Either way invest in a limbsaver pad. It's worth the money.

I don't think the gun at Dick's is any different. They all come with that same plastic stock and it's the same action/barrel.

I'd buy the one with the scope and sell the scope/rings or trade them in at SWFA. But if the action isn't smooth, I'd see if Dick's has any other ones behind the counter that are. I wouldn't buy one that didn't have that nice smooth action that Tikka is known for.

Is it safe to say that if the bolt is not smooth in the store to not buy it.

Make sure it's not gunked up with shipping lube but a tikka should be butter smooth

Tikka doesn't make different versions for different retailers. I would try different guns at Dick's and find one that feels better. As others have said, Tikka is famous for their extremely smooth actions. I would get the one with the scope, and immediately sell the scope to recoup a little money and put a better scope on it.

Buy whichever one you want just sell the scope if you get that model.

Tikka actions are smooth, noticeably smoother than other actions IMO. If it feels stiff it could have packing grease gumming it up or it could be a lemon. I have only bought a couple new bolt actions and semi auto shotguns from stores and I always run the action, if it is not smooth I ask them if they have others in the back. I then compare them and take the one I think is best.

It's just me, but I don't like buying stuff from Dicks Sporting Goods, them and Cheaper Than Dirt won't get my business.

Cabelas always has a couple used Tikkas on the racks, I was just there last weekend (Fort Worth Cabelas) and I saw 2 of em. They negotiate with the prices too.

I dislike Dicks Sporting Good but got a good deal on the Gun.

Tikka T3 for $549
It came with a Burris FullField II Rifle Scope and Mounts (Bass pro sells it for $199.99)
and then after checking out the receipt gave me a rebate for $150.00 in Beretta Bucks to be used at BerettaUSA.com.

So for $549 I'm Happy.
The only issue is they only had a 30-06 and not the 308 I wanted, but for the savings I'm OK with it.
I really wanted to buy some place else but no one would match the deal from Dick's.

Any suggestions on what to buy with the $150 Beretta Bucks?
maybe an extra magazine on sale for $48

You could spend about half of it for a Loveless designed hunting knife.

Knife and better rings

A Ready Fit Limbsaver Recoil pad would be at the top of my list...then the extra magazine would be a nice extra addition to the pkg. I just put some 30mm Talley Lightweights on a T3 260 - $40+ on Amazon w/ free shipping, and think they are bigtime better than the T3 factory rings ... cleaner, stronger looking yadda yadda...or some steel Warne Maxima's that I've started using on a M70 Whizzum in place of the Leo DD's & a T/C Venture 270 using Mediums for a Vortex 50mm objective that fit better than I had expected.

FWIW on T3 factory rings, my first 2 T3's both got some aftermarket steel cap screws when the factory alloy cap screws got sloppy threads from switching scopes around a couple times...I bought a 50 ct at my local Fastener Distributor in Denison to get what I wanted, and solved the perception I had of the factory cap screws.

OBTW be sure to use some Locktite "blue ring juice" to help secure all the ring screws & a inch lb torque wrench at 15-16lbs to install the cap screws - dunno what lb'age to use on the base screws though, as that may have been the problem all along since I believe in GoRilla tight is just right on ring and base attachments.
Ron

The Berreta bucks needs to be spent on the Beretta site so far the knife and extra magazine fit. You can also upgrade to the Optilock rings which I'm unfamiliar with.

What size LimbSaver fits this gun?

On the scope mounts, are the Leupold scope mounts any good?

Don't get the ones with the windage adjustment.

Tally

Doogie, Limbsaver has a "Ready Fit" precut for Tikka T3 stocks. Pop off the factory screws & pad, wipe a finger tips scootch of vaseline on the razor blade cut's in the Limbsaver to access the mounting screws with out tearing up the surface of the pad.

Take your fingers and spread the outside edges of the Limbsaver to see the razor cuts, smear a little easy access stuff on them and use a #2 aka medium flat edge screw driver and run the screws down tight. 10 minutes max if you are not in a hurry...and your are GTG.

On really tight factory pads I'll use a #2 blade on a long handled screwdriver to get more leverage in breaking the factory screws loose for the 1st time.
Ron