Tikka H-45

About the Tikka H-45

The Tikka H-45 is a Finnish single-barrel, break-action shotgun manufactured by Tikkakoski Oy from 1945 until 1952. Designed by Tarmo Hoven in the years immediately after the Second World War, it was a simple, affordable hunting gun built around a top-lever break-open action and a single hammer. Chambered primarily for the 16-gauge 70mm shell (and also offered in 12/70), the H-45 was notable for its interchangeable-barrel system, which allowed the owner to swap the smoothbore shotgun barrel for a single-shot rifled barrel in chamberings such as 6.5x52R. Roughly 15,000 examples were produced before the design was superseded by the improved H-49.

A product of austere post-war Finland, the H-45 gave hunters two guns in one: unlatch the top lever and the 16-gauge smoothbore could be swapped for a rifled single-shot barrel, turning a bird gun into a deer rifle for the price of a spare barrel.

Tikka H-45 specifications

Sources give the start of manufacture as 1945-1946; production ran until 1952 when the H-45 was replaced by the Tikka H-49. Total production is estimated at approximately 12,000-15,000 units. Shotgun barrels were 800mm long (1240mm overall), while the interchangeable single-shot rifle barrels were about 600mm (1040mm overall) in calibres including 6.3x33, .25-35 and 6.5x52R.