New Tikka T3- bizarre corrosion in chamber

[Norm]

Just purchased a new Tikka T3 Lite today in .300 Win Mag. Come to examine the rifle closer as I'm mounting the scope and discover some weird white and brown powdery residue in and around the chamber and around where the barrel mates with the receiver -- looks almost exactly like corrosion on car battery terminals.

Anyway, it's back to the store tomorrow for return & replacement. I am surprised to find this on a new Sako product, but I guess anything can get @#$% up one way or another. I guess I need to bring a bore light to the store before I make a purchase from now on. PITA!!!

Anyone have any similar experience with the Tikka?

 

[Pete Lincoln]

Re: New Tikka T3- bizarre corrosion in chamber

you often see that on blued guns, they haven't been oiled off and cleaned off properly after blueing. a slight amount of blueing sollution gets trapped in and around the barrel threads and continues to do its work for a while, Usualy just cleans away with no lasting negative effects.
Ive seen it from time to time on every factory rifle type.
regards Pete

 

[Norm]

Re: New Tikka T3- bizarre corrosion in chamber

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Pete Lincoln</div><div class="ubbcode-body">you often see that on blued guns, they haven't been oiled off and cleaned off properly after blueing. a slight amount of blueing sollution gets trapped in and around the barrel threads and continues to do its work for a while, Usualy just cleans away with no lasting negative effects.
Ive seen it from time to time on every factory rifle type.
regards Pete </div></div>

Thanks for the info!

That's a plausible explanation (excess bluing solution). I'm going to send it back anyway and let Tikka deal with it. It's the corrosion I DON'T see that worries me the most.

 

[jrob300]

Re: New Tikka T3- bizarre corrosion in chamber

You might consider getting the SS. I've had both and the blued Tikka has been nothing but a nightmare trying to keep it from rusting. Yes, SS will rust, but I can tell you that 2 identical rifles sitting next to each other in the safe, I'd buy the SS EVERY time in the future.

John

 

[Norm]

Re: New Tikka T3- bizarre corrosion in chamber

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jrob300</div><div class="ubbcode-body">You might consider getting the SS. I've had both and the blued Tikka has been nothing but a nightmare trying to keep it from rusting. Yes, SS will rust, but I can tell you that 2 identical rifles sitting next to each other in the safe, I'd buy the SS EVERY time in the future.

John </div></div>


I know, what you're saying. I bought a Tikka T3 stainless in .308 and it's been a great gun, which is the reason I wanted a .300 Win Mag version. I just picked the blued .300 off the shelf because it was the only one in stock.

The problem is that the salesman is saying the corrosion is strictly MY problem and that I have to pack it all up and send it back to Beretta for service (est. 4 to 6 week turn around), which is BS. Apparently, even though the salesman says this is a "common" problem, they don't bother to inspect the rifles before they put them on the rack for sale and are content to pass the problem off to the customer. Frankly, I don't care if the problem is "only" cosmetic, the gun is not right. I've purchased and handled hundreds of blued firearms and have never seen corrosion like this on a brand new, off the shelf firearm.

I'm going to have a word with the manager tomorrow to try to resolve this amicably, but if they tell me I'm SOL, that will be the last gun I ever buy from them. I try to trade with the local "mom & pop" dealer rather than the chain, but at that rate, I might as well be trading with Academy Sports.

What I really wanted was the Super Varmint (heavy barrel, stainless) in .300 Win Mag, but, of course, if I like it, they don't import it to the US.

 

[jrob300]

Re: New Tikka T3- bizarre corrosion in chamber

Ah, but they DO import the Tikka T3 Varmint in 300 WM SS. TK31093SS

Go tell them that when my 300WSM would not shoot, my local sporting goods store ate it and gave me a 300WM SS and told me THEY would fight it out with Beretta, because they'd rather lose money on the deal than lose me as a customer. Great customer service.

John

 

[Norm]

Re: New Tikka T3- bizarre corrosion in chamber

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jrob300</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Ah, but they DO import the Tikka T3 Varmint in 300 WM SS. TK31093SS

Go tell them that when my 300WSM would not shoot, my local sporting goods store ate it and gave me a 300WM SS and told me THEY would fight it out with Beretta, because they'd rather lose money on the deal than lose me as a customer. Great customer service.

John </div></div>


The Varmint in .300 Win Mag would have been my second choice, but I'll be damned if I could find a new one in the US. It is not listed on the Beretta website and when I called Beretta to see if the Super Varmint was available, they told me it was not, unless I ordered a hundred rifles!

It's funny, Tikka makes about 9 variations of the T3 in .300 Win Mag, but only 3 are imported to the US: the Hunter and T3 Lite (blued) and the T3 Lite stainless. You'd think they'd be importing more than 3 variants in that calibre to the world's major gun-owning nation, but noooooooo. And, of course, iron sights aren't even an option here.

Regarding service at your local mom & pop gun dealer, some dealers get it: they know that they can't compete with the Academies and Wally Worlds on price, but they make up for it in service, which is gold. Others do not get the service aspect of the business, bemoan competition from the big chains and then wonder why they went belly up.

 

[jrob300]

Re: New Tikka T3- bizarre corrosion in chamber

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Norm</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The Varmint in .300 Win Mag would have been my second choice, but I'll be damned if I could find a new one in the US. </div></div>

Interesting... I was able to find them at a couple of places that sell online, but then you may not wish to buy online after this experience.

You know what... they were all in Canada! I just double checked. Beretta is one of the most retarded companies I've ever dealt with. I wish a real gun company would pick up Tikka.

John