Tikka M55
- Category
- Sniper Rifle
- Barrel
- 620 mm
- Weight, empty
- 4.30 kg
- Introduced
- 1968
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Tikka M55 is a Finnish bolt-action rifle designed by Tikkakoski in 1967-1968 and manufactured from 1968 to 1989. It was the first centerfire rifle action designed by Tikkakoski and became widely adopted as a precision platform by military special forces and law enforcement agencies around the world. The rifle features a one-piece machined receiver with a solid bridge, grooved and drilled and tapped for scope mounts. The one-piece bolt has dual opposed front locking lugs, with the bolt handle serving as a safety lug. The M55 Sporter variant with its heavy barrel profile was specifically designed for sports shooting and sniper applications. The detachable single-column magazine holds 3 rounds. Available in multiple barrel lengths from 520mm to 620mm, the rifle weighs between 2.9 and 4.3 kg depending on configuration, making it one of the lighter sniper-capable platforms of its era.
The Tikka M55 gained its sniper credentials not through military procurement programs but through the quiet adoption by some of the world's most elite special forces units. The Australian and British SAS both selected the M55 for its exceptional accuracy and reliability, proving that a well-made hunting rifle could outperform many purpose-built sniper platforms of the era.
The Tikka M55 was superseded by the Tikka M558 of the M88 series in 1990. While not originally designed as a dedicated military sniper rifle, the M55's inherent accuracy and reliability led to its adoption by special forces units including the Australian SAS and British SAS. The rifle's cut-rifled barrel with 6 grooves provided excellent accuracy. The M55 was also available in other calibers including .222 Remington and .223 Remington for varmint and target applications.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Tikkakoski
- Category
- Sniper Rifle
- Country
- Finland
- Status
- Out of production
- Produced
- 1968 to 1989
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 620 mm
- Overall length
- 1140 mm
- Weight, empty
- 4.30 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Bolt action
- Firing mechanism
- Striker fired
- Trigger
- Single stage
- Capacity
- 3
- Magazine
- Detachable single stack box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Wood
- Finish
- Blued
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 833 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 3370 J
- Effective range
- 800 m
- Maximum range
- 1500 m
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Free floating barrel
One piece receiver
Dual locking lugs
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 95 .308 Winchester sniper rifles | 4.30 kg | 5.20 kg | Lighter than about 70% |
| Overall lengthAmong 95 .308 Winchester sniper rifles | 1140 mm | 1130 mm | Longer than about 60% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 95 .308 Winchester sniper rifles | 620 mm | 610 mm | Longer than about 60% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 95 .308 Winchester sniper rifles | 3 | 7 | Holds fewer rounds than about 90% |
Answers
Questions about the Tikka M55
How much does the Tikka M55 weigh?
The Tikka M55 weighs 4.30 kg (9.48 lb) empty.
What caliber is the Tikka M55?
The Tikka M55 is chambered in .308 Winchester.
How many rounds does the Tikka M55 hold?
The Tikka M55 holds 3 rounds, fed from a detachable single stack box magazine.
How long is the Tikka M55?
The Tikka M55 is 1140 mm (44.9 in) long overall, with a 620 mm (24.4 in) barrel.
Who makes the Tikka M55?
The Tikka M55 is made by Tikkakoski (Finland).
When was the Tikka M55 introduced?
The Tikka M55 was introduced in 1968 and discontinued in 1989.
How does the Tikka M55 operate?
The Tikka M55 uses a bolt action, and its firing mechanism is striker fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
- Australian Special Air Service Regiment
- Australia
- British Special Air Service
- United Kingdom
Provenance
Confidence in this record
62%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/tikka-m55' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "tikka-m55", "name": "Tikka M55", "manufacturer": { "id": "tikkakoski", "name": "Tikkakoski", "countryCode": "FI", "foundedYear": 1893, "website": null, "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-04-05 22:24:37", "updatedAt": "2026-04-05 22:24:37", "version": "dfd958463a0505fe68c5771c7a611746262d4b627a7f28130d8c90885b01d92c" }, "category": { "id": "sniper-rifle", "name": "Sniper Rifle", "description": "Precision rifles optimized for long-range accuracy" }, "country_of_origin": "FI", "year_introduced": 1968, "barrel_length_mm": 620, "weight_empty_g": 4300, "action_type": "bolt_action"}