Tikka M-55 Action

[waterwolf]

Was the Tikka M-55 Action ever available as an action only or did this action of mine necessarily come out of a complete rifle? I ask because the action itself seems to be in the white with various stampings professionally removed.

Tikka M55 Short Action Made in Finland
(action only) 1987
Bolt face and magazine are for .222 Rem., etc. size cartridges.
Factory drilled and tapped for standard scope bases (Weaver, etc.)
Also has dovetails for Tikka Mounts
Crisp adjustable trigger w/ side safety that locks bolt handle down
Detachable magazine (holding a .222 Rem. in photo)

 

[apraysner]

HI ... I cant answer your question about the factory availability of Tikka 'M' actions only and in the wite. Certainly Sako brochures of the AV and L61 era illustrated actions as available ... none of the few brochures for the Tikka 'M' series that I have seen have advertised just the actions as available though. Based on the appearance of the metal work ... it is more likely that your action was originally blued and has been 'buffed' to the white ... possibly done also to remove pitting. It is interesting that the left side of your action has a long area with oval ends that has been milled out. I have at least one Tikka action exactly like that (and have seen several others) that is stamped M65 but was apparently originally stamped LSA 65.

I believe that at some point the arrangement between Tikka and Ithaca (USA) for Tikka to supply Ithaca with rifles marked LSA 65 (or LSA 55) and identified as 'Ithaca' ... was terminated ... and that when the agreement was ended, Tikka had actions still on hand marked 'LSA' .... which they modified/erased by milling off the LSA stamping and providing a new stamp - M 65 or M 55 as the case warrants. Others may have more information about this. Off topic ... all of the 'LSA' marked rifles I have seen have a flat forend on the stock while all of the 'M' marked rifles (where there is no indication of the action having been milled to remove any previous marking) have a rounded forend -- which I interpret as a later stock design .... just as my L61 Sako's have a flat forend and all the AV action Sako's I have seen have a rounded forend (except perhaps the 'mannlicher' stocked rifles)