well your post really hits home for me. For almost twenty years my only big game rifle was a 1983 model 700 adl in 7mm-mag. It had a smooth action, shot well and is still my go-to gun for Mn. whitetail. This gun has a lot of history. Anyway I needed a ss/syn for a trip to Ak. I got a remy 700 bdl/ss in 300 um .It was a far cry from my old adl, shot ok but rough action and poor detailing.Sold it. Enter my first tikka a 7mm mag, ss/syn a whole different world smooth action, incredible trigger, a pound lighter, cheaper and a detachable clip plus it shot awesome. I then got my son his first centerfire, another t-3 ss/syn in 7mm-08. He shoots it well. mild recoil, light so he can hold it up for a while and he loves having the clip. Then I came by a t-3 hunter in .270 and picked that one up too. So in the end I say a strong vote for the tikka, much more for your money. After having one of these, it's hard to look towards anything else short of a sako.