Gunsmithing Rebarreling a Tikka T3

[Jeff in TX]

How many of you have rebarreled your Tikka T3's and used a Remington style recoil lug instead of the factory recoil lug system? Did you use a heavy duty Remy style recoil lug, or a standard Remy factory size recoil lug?

Did you re-bed the rebarreled action to the existing T3 stock? If so how did it come out and how did the Remy style recoil lug look and workout?

Getting ready to have my T3 lite rebarreled and for the short term have it bedded in the factory stock. Once back from being rebarreled I'm having a custom Claro AAA walnut wood stock made for it. Why you ask. I love beautiful wood stocks and I'm actually doing two rifles in wood.

Looking forward to your feedback.

Jeff

 

[jrob300]

Re: Rebarreling a Tikka T3

Yes to both questions. Am building two more that way right now. A .260 and a long barreled 300WM.

Here's a thread that covers a little on Tikkas and bedding...

http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1396885

I used the Tubbs lug for my existing short barelled 300WM. For a 308 or 260 it's probably overkill. Especially if you use a brake or a can. You don't need to go that thick, but don't use a stock lug. Get one that is surface ground.

John

 

[Jeff in TX]

Re: Rebarreling a Tikka T3

John,

Do you have any pictures of your barreled action with the Tubbs recoil lug you could share with me? As well as the completed rifle in the T3 stock?

Thanks,

Jeff

 

[jrob300]

Re: Rebarreling a Tikka T3

Notice I had them face the radius off the front of the reciever, so this is not *just* a barrel swap. Your GS is basically going to end up truing the front of the reciever, so make sure it's someone who can do that well.

Looks a little different now... on the left.

John

 

[Jeff in TX]

Re: Rebarreling a Tikka T3

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jrob300</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> Notice I had them face the radius off the front of the reciever, so this is not *just* a barrel swap. Your GS is basically going to end up truing the front of the reciever, so make sure it's someone who can do that well.

John

</div></div>

John,

Good point about facing off the front of the receiver. Rifle goes at to George at GAP tomorrow so I'll bring it to his attention. Glad you mentioned it.

They look good; do they shoot better than the original factory setup?

 

[jrob300]

Re: Rebarreling a Tikka T3

Jeff,

For a lot of people, Tikkas have given them legendary accuracy out of the box. And my first couple experiences were like that. Shot a frineds stock T3 .223 that would just make a messy hole no matter how many rounds you shot. I was sold. My first Tikka was a .270 win. and it is still a solid .75 MOA rife. Bone stock. In fact, it will soon be a .260.

Then I bought a 300WSM and no matter what I did with it, it would not shoot. Like 2-3 moa would not shoot. It went back to Beretta.

In trade I got a 300 WM. It would *occasionally* show signs of wanting to group, but the groups would always open up to 1- 1.25 moa. Not what I was looking for. At all. That rifle now will shoot .5 moa on my bad days. It is the only rifle I've ever owned that would shoot in the .2's and I've shot it to well over 2000 yds with good accuracy. The journey has been frustrating at times, but in the end it has been rewarding.

John

<span style="font-weight: bold">EDIT:</span> Your rifle could not be in better hands. It will get handled right with George. Please post pics and give me a range report when it's done.

 

[Shortdraw]

Re: Rebarreling a Tikka T3

Seems like the heavy recoilers have had issues with accuracy. My friend's t3 in 338wm is around 1.5moa. I am trying to convince him to do a real recoil lug and rebarrel. This will help.

 

[Jeff in TX]

Re: Rebarreling a Tikka T3

John,

That's the exact problem I'm having with my .243 win. If it feels like it the rifle will shoot 1 moa or slightly better. But then the rifle starts throwing rounds and I get 1.5 to 2+ inch groups which is the norm. This rifle is a bit bitchy. And yes, I've tried lots of different loads and rounds in it.

I'm totally frustrated with the rifle, though I'm in love with that butter smooth action, hence the reason why it's getting a new make over.

Jeff

 

[jrob300]

Re: Rebarreling a Tikka T3

Sako factory barrels are legendary. The Tikkas are alleged to be made on the same line. One scan with a borescope showed me what I already knew from shooting and cleaning. Horrible tool marks in the throat and lands. The OEM barrel *might* get 25 rds without fouling. Then an hour to clean out the copper. My hand-lapped match barrel has not been cleaned in 500+ rds.

If you got a quality barrel, by the time George gets done with the barreled action and dropped into a pillar bedded stock... I predict night and day.

John

 

[Jeff in TX]

Re: Rebarreling a Tikka T3

John,

After a complete inspection of the rifle including the plastic trigger housing. I noticed the plastic trigger housing has metal washers sandwiched inbetween the bottom and top of the outter plastic covering the guard screw holes. I thought and assumed the whole trigger housing was plastic.

I saw that you used aluminum piller beds on your stock, can you torque your action down to 65 inch pounds?

I find this Tikka stock and barreled action and interesting piece of engineering? Built soley to keep the COGs down (cost of goods sold) as far as possible. What looks to be weak link aren't such as their recol lug, press in barrels and tupperware stock. As you've said, most are great shooters. Then you have the buttery smooth which I've never experienced even on my custom rifles with a trigger that's sound and strong and easy to adjust.

It just seems like a bunch of conflicts of interests on the design.

I'll keep you posted on how it shoots when I get it back.

Jeff

 

[jrob300]

Re: Rebarreling a Tikka T3

Jeff,

The difference between pillar bedded and not in the OEM stock is night and day. Before, the screws could almost be tightened infinitely. And no matter HOW tight, the back screw would eventually fall out, if not checked periodically.

With the voids filled and pillars in place, the screws now tighten and STOP. There is definitely a place where they just no longer compress. I don't have a torque wrench that does inch pounds so I don't know the value, but in the OEM and my Manners, I have a line that I marked with a Sharpie and I return to that. SO far both stocks have been very consistent and repeatable in POI.

John

 

[sharac]

Re: Rebarreling a Tikka T3

Very interesting reading about problems with Tikkas. What year were they manufactured? I have t3 tac in .308w and a friend has two varmints (.308 and 6.5x55) and they all shoot one holers (atleast when shooter does its thing correctly). I haven't inspected my barrel with borescope but it seems that it won't foul at all. Is it possible manufacturing tolerances grew and it's all down to luck which barrel you get.

I'm thinking of leaving it as is and shoot the lights out of it and then reuse action (very nice and smooth) for a new build (something in 6.5 with Lothar barrel and decent stock).

 

[Sotahirvi]

Re: Rebarreling a Tikka T3

My friends and i have owned several T3's. mostly the stainless varmint model. From my experience the .308 and .224 barrels shoot extremly well. The tikka barrels are available as spare parts and they are made on the same line as SAKO barrels. The thing is that they are extremly expensive (as all of the european rifle parts). Also the .308 are only avalible in 1:11 twist rate.

I had a .300 win mag and the barrel took about 20-25 rounds before the accuracy decreased and cleaning was called upon.
A friend of mine had a . 308 win and the barrel took hundreds of rounds berore the accuracy degraded same with the .30-06. I would say it depends quite a bit on speed and pressure of the cartrige. The accuracy in all three rifles was sub 1/4 MOA 5 round groups (no shitting).

I was thinking of rebarreling my .300 and make a custom stainless lug to use in a laminate stock but i traded it cause the magazine lenght was to short for my .300 win mag handloads. (>85.5mm)