A Very Rare Tikka

[icebear]

I just picked up what has to be one of the rarest Tikka firearms in the USA - a model 49 SxS 12-gauge shotgun. Tikka has made a number of single-barrel and O/U shotguns and combination guns, but I believe this is their only side-by-side. 1800 guns were produced in 1950-1959, numbered 1000-2800. That makes this one, s/n 1246, a very early example. It is a conventional 12-gauge double with an automatic safety, non-selective double triggers, extractors, and a Greener crossbolt locking system. The stock and forend are grooved rather than checkered. The gun was also made in 16 gauge.

I have seen no evidence that this model was ever officially imported into the US, nor have I ever seen or heard of another one on this side of the Atlantic. They are not especially hard to find in Finland. In researching the gun, I found one for sale in Finland, a 16 in beautiful condition, for a mere 450 euros.

This particular gun was sold on GunsAmerica several years ago by Sarco. I got it via Gunbroker from a dealer in Mississippi who said he was the original buyer from Sarco. He sold it to a friend, who recently died and the dealer is now selling his guns on behalf of the family. Sarco is electropenciled on the frame where it is covered by the barrels. I don't know if that indicates that Sarco imported it or just that it passed through their hands. There is no other import marking.

The wood on this gun has a lot of scratches and dings, but still doesn't look too bad. It's obvious that somebody tried to remove the stock crossbolt without proper tools, leading to the scratches in the wood around the bolts. The metal is decent, with some old pitting but no active rust. Chokes are Full and Full. The worst feature of the gun is that the original buttplate has been replaced with an ugly and badly deteriorated pad. The pad was on there when it was sold by Sarco. I don't think the stock has been cut but I can't be sure until I take off the pad. Finding an original buttplate will most likely be impossible, so I plan to replace the pad with an unmarked hard rubber blank that I have in my miscellaneous box. I'll undoubtedly have to shape the buttplate, a laborious process, but I can't stand to look at the stock with the pad on it. The gun needs a good cleaning and lubrication. Opening it requires excessive force due to crud and lack of lubrication. The barrels lock up tight. Trigger pull is heavy, especially the forward trigger. However, it's highly unlikely that I will ever hunt with this gun, so I'm not going to worry about that.

I don't really have any use for another 12-gauge double, but this one is so rare that at $500 I grabbed it, despite the ugly pad. I doubt many collectors have ever heard of a Tikka M49, let alone seen one. I think this one spent many years as a cheap knock-around gun before falling into my hands.

Here are some photos, followed by some basic information from a Finnish publication. The Finnish word "Haulikko" means shotgun. It is derived from "Hauli," meaning shot. Note that "Tikkakoski" is stamped on both barrels (pic #5).

 

[clovis]

Cool!

 

[Foxhunter223]

You are very fortunate to have come across one of these. Good thing that you have it because if it was mine I would get the stock professionally refinished and all the metalwork re-blued, then use it.
Pete

 

[jimpupu]

OK.....I have one from Sarco as well with SN:1248.....but the condition is horrible....need to restoration....processing now

 

[icebear]

OK.....I have one from Sarco as well with SN:1248.....but the condition is horrible....need to restoration....processing now

Interesting that the serial numbers are so close. Did you take some "before" pictures before starting the restoration? I'd be interested to see pics of your gun.

 

[stonecreek]

Very interesting! Using lengthwise grooves on the stock rather than checkering seems to be a Finnish thing. The Sako P54's exhibit this same type of stock grooving.

 

[jimpupu]

Interesting that the serial numbers are so close. Did you take some "before" pictures before starting the restoration? I'd be interested to see pics of your gun.

The condition is horrible. The stock is not the original one and can not match the metal part. I have to rebuild the stock to match......

 

[icebear]

Wow, what a mess! You have my sympathy. If I can help with measurements or photos of the original stock, send me a PM.

 

[jimpupu]

Wow, what a mess! You have my sympathy. If I can help with measurements or photos of the original stock, send me a PM.

Thank you. actually i did some minor restoration based on your photo but not that perfect. Now It looks entirely a failure. ...lol

 

[mattimoose]

Mina rakastan toinen haulikko!

 

[Arian]

I ran into one for 200 euro, (290 asking price but iam a loyal customer in a small town) Iam tempted but due to the law here i have to limit my purchases until i ugrade my safe. Would these make good hunting guns nowadays or better left to the collector? I currently use a Husqvarna 310AS from 1913 but it has small chambers and is really a bit too old and nice to continue general duty in the mud and snow. Thinking of another later serial husky or a Simson suhl but such a special find has my attention. Anyone field tested one?

 

[icebear]

I ran into one for 200 euro, (290 asking price but iam a loyal customer in a small town) Iam tempted but due to the law here i have to limit my purchases until i ugrade my safe. Would these make good hunting guns nowadays or better left to the collector? I currently use a Husqvarna 310AS from 1913 but it has small chambers and is really a bit too old and nice to continue general duty in the mud and snow. Thinking of another later serial husky or a Simson suhl but such a special find has my attention. Anyone field tested one?

From my point of view the Tikka M49 would make a perfectly good hunting gun, but would offer no real advantage over the Husqvarna. It is a solid, well-built, inexpensive full-choke double with typical handling characteristics. It appealed to me as a US Tikka collector because of its rarity in the United States, but as a hunting tool I see it as equal to any other good-quality, low-priced SxS double.

 

[icebear]

Finally got the time to put a new buttplate on the Tikka shotgun. By an unbelievable piece of luck, I found a generic black buttplate in my miscellaneous parts box that was almost an exact fit without doing any grinding at all. Fitting it was nerve-wracking as I wanted to use the original screw holes in the buttstock, in case I ever find a Tikka buttplate the right size. I measured each hole about ten times before drilling the buttplate. Almost got it perfect; it's about a millimeter high and a teensy bit off center, but a vast improvement over the hideous recoil pad fitted by a previous owner (see pics in first post). In 20/20 hindsight, I should have made a tenplate, which I've done before on similar jobs. Oh well, it is what it is and you have to look closely to see the little bit that it's off.

I may decide to put this one up for sale. At my age it's time to think about thinning out the collection, especially the impulse buys.

Here's a photo. Compare it to the photos in my original post.