18-Sep-2026
Every few weeks a Tikka M595 appears in the Rightgun.uk rifle listings and is gone within days. That says a lot about a rifle that went out of production more than twenty years ago. The M595 was the last of Tikka’s old-school steel-and-walnut sporters, built in Finland before the T3 reset the company’s approach in 2003, and it has a following among UK stalkers and foxers that the far more numerous T3x has never quite replaced.
So is a used M595 a better buy than a new T3x, or a piece of nostalgia with a spares problem? This guide compares the two on the things that matter in the field, explains what to check before you buy a second-hand M595, and gives an honest verdict for anyone weighing a classic against a current rifle.
The Tikka M595 explained
The M595 belongs to Tikka’s “Master” series of the 1990s, built after the company had been folded into Sako and production had moved to Riihimäki. The range was split by action length: the M590 and M595 were short actions for cartridges such as .222 Remington, .223, .22-250, .243, and .308, while the M690 and M695 were the long-action versions for .270, .30-06, 6.5x55, and the magnum cartridges. The “5” models were the refined later versions of the “0” originals.
What made the M595 special was the combination of a machined steel receiver, a detachable steel box magazine, a crisp adjustable trigger, and a cold-hammer-forged barrel that shot as well as anything from Sako’s own line at a fraction of the price. It came in Hunter (walnut sporter), Continental (heavier barrel for varmint and fox), and Sporter (laminated, adjustable target-style stock) versions, with a few others sold mainly abroad. Accuracy was, and remains, the reason people seek them out.
Browse: Tikka M595 · Tikka M695 · Tikka M590 · Tikka M690 · All Tikka rifles
The Tikka T3x: What changed
The T3 of 2003 was designed to be built efficiently. Tikka moved to a single action length for every cartridge, using magazine spacers and bolt stops to handle short and long rounds, and introduced polymer magazines, a polymer trigger guard, and a lighter overall package. It was cheaper to make and cheaper to buy, and it became one of the best-selling bolt-action rifles in Britain.
The T3x of 2016 fixed most of what T3 owners grumbled about: a metal bolt shroud, interchangeable pistol-grip inserts on the synthetic stock, a better recoil pad, a wider ejection port and an extra screw hole for rail mounting. The range is now huge, from the featherweight Lite through the Hunter and Varmint to the Super Varmint, Laminated Stainless and the chassis-based TAC A1, in every popular UK stalking calibre and with threaded muzzles as standard.
Browse: Tikka T3x · Tikka T1x · Sako 85 · Sako 90 · All Tikka rifles
M595 vs T3x head-to-head
Action and feel: the M595’s steel receiver and one-piece steel bottom metal give it a solidity the T3x Lite cannot match, and its bolt is famously slick. The T3x is smoother than the original T3 but still feels like a lighter, more modern tool. Neither has any accuracy disadvantage; both will shoot well under an inch at 100 yards with ammunition they like.
Magazines: this is the big practical difference. T3x magazines are polymer, cheap, and available from any dealer. M595 magazines are steel, out of production, hard to find, and expensive when they surface. An M595 sold without a magazine is a much less attractive rifle than one with two, and that should be reflected in the price.
Trigger: both are adjustable, and both are good. The M595 trigger is often described as one of the best factory triggers of its era; the T3x trigger is very close and adjusts easily with a single screw.
Weight and stock: an M595 Hunter is heavier than a T3x Lite, which is either a plus for steady shooting or a minus on a Highland stalk. Walnut on the M595 is generally nicer than the T3x Hunter’s, but a synthetic T3x is the more sensible rifle in a wet December.
Scope mounting: both have integral dovetail rails that take Tikka-pattern mounts, though the rail profiles are not identical, so confirm ring fit for the specific model rather than assuming T3x rings will drop onto an M595.
Browse: Tikka M595 · Tikka T3x · Sako 75 · Mauser M18 · Howa 1500
Buying a used Tikka M595: What to check and what to pay
Start with the bore. An M595 in .243 or .22-250 that has fired a lot of fast varmint loads can be well down on barrel life, so ask about round count and look for a bright, sharp bore rather than trusting the outside. Check the stock for cracks behind the recoil lug and at the wrist, especially on rifles that have been used with a bipod. Cycle the bolt with the magazine in and out, test the trigger for creep and safety function, and confirm the magazine locks up and feeds.
Most UK M595s have been threaded for a moderator at some point, usually to a common thread pitch, so ask which thread and whether the work was done by a competent gunsmith. A rifle with original walnut, two magazines, a threaded muzzle, and a clean bore is the one to pay up for. Expect to pay less than a new T3x Lite in most cases, but rare calibres, Continental and Sporter variants, and exceptional condition push prices closer to new-rifle money. Compare recent listings before you make an offer.
Browse: Tikka M595 · Tikka T3x · Sako 85 · Blaser R8 · All rifles for sale
Stocks, spares and aftermarket support
This is where the T3x wins without contest. Every scope mount, stock, trigger and magazine maker supports the T3x. For the M595, support is thinner but not absent: original walnut and laminate stocks turn up second-hand, a handful of specialist stock makers still list M595 inlets, and Sako’s UK distributor can sometimes supply small parts. Magazines are the genuine pinch point, so buy them whenever you see them if you own the rifle.
Moderators, bipods, slings and optics are universal, so a used M595 wearing a modern moderator and a good scope is every bit as capable as a new rifle on the hill. If you are the type who likes to swap stocks and tinker, the T3x is the better platform; if you want a rifle that is already right and will stay that way, the M595 is hard to fault.
Browse: Gun parts and accessories · Rifle moderators · Thermal and optics · Gun safes and cabinets · Find a gun shop
Verdict: M595 or T3x?
Buy the M595 if you value steel, walnut and a slick action, you have found one complete with magazines at a fair price, and you are happy with the calibre it comes in. It will shoot as accurately as anything you can buy new, and it will hold its value. Buy the T3x if you want a lightweight, weatherproof, endlessly supported rifle in exactly the calibre and configuration you choose, with a warranty and spares on demand. Plenty of stalkers own both and would struggle to say which they reach for first.
Browse: Tikka M595 · Tikka T3x · Tikka T1x · Sako rifles · All Tikka rifles
Frequently asked questions
When was the Tikka M595 made? Through the 1990s and into the early 2000s, until the T3 replaced the Master series in 2003.
Is the Tikka M595 more accurate than the T3x? Not measurably. Both are capable of sub-inch groups at 100 yards with good ammunition. The M595’s reputation rests on its steel construction, trigger and bolt feel rather than any accuracy advantage.
Do T3x magazines fit the M595? No. The M595 uses its own steel magazine, which is no longer made. Always confirm a used M595 comes with at least one.
What calibres was the M595 chambered in? Short-action cartridges including .222 Remington, .223, .22-250, .243 and .308. Long-action cartridges such as .270, .30-06, 6.5x55 and the 7mm, and .300 magnums were offered in the M695.
Whether you are hunting for a clean M595 or comparing T3x variants, Rightgun.uk lists new and used Tikka rifles from dealers and private sellers across the UK in one place. Browse the current Tikka listings, compare prices and condition, and find the Finnish rifle that suits your stalking.
Further reading: Tikka T3x variants compared, Tikka T3x vs T1x, Mauser M12 vs Tikka T3x, Sako 85 Finnfire II review, Best hunting rifles UK: a stalker’s guide and How to price a used rifle.
