Tikka T3x Rebarrel

[2ndlegend]

I'm sure there is a better forum to have this in, but as a new guy I'm not sure which one, so feel free to move it. Now to the meat of the post.

I have a tikka t3x action that I am considering rebarreling myself with a prefit (It will probably be a shouldered prefit). The goal is to be a lightweight 6.5 creedmoor that I can stretch out to long ranges but is light enough to carry around in the local mountains. In numbers, I would like it to be around a half-minute shooter. I'll be using this mostly for hunting deer to long range coyotes and gophers. I have two questions about this.

1) Can I expect a high degree of accuracy out of a shouldered prefit from a reputable company, or do I need to take a blank to a smith and have them true the action as well. I have heard that tikka actions generally don't benefit much from being trued and am curious to how accurate this info is. In my thinking, if the action doesn't need trued then a well made prefit should be as accurate as a smith barreled action.

2) Since weight is an issue I want to know peoples opinion on a lightweight steel barrel (similar to the tikka sportsman contour) vs a carbon fiber barrel. Being as I am not throwing a large number of rounds downrange in seconds, will a lightweight steel barrel give me nearly the same accuracy as a carbon fiber barrel, or do I need to save a few more pennies and invest in a carbon fiber barrel.

Thanks for all your thoughts, opinions, and knowledge
-Scott

 

[clcustom1911]

Your action is good to go. No need to true it. Lots of shouldered prefits are coming out for Tikkas because of the action's excellent dimensional tolerances. Your deductive reasoning is correct. Pick a prefit barrel, get your tools set, screw it in, torque it to the spec advised by the barrel maker, check headspace with a go and no-go gauge, sight in, and go to work.


What are the distances you plan on shooting? If it's under 1000, then I'd go with a 16-18" medium-ish contour barrel that's maybe .7 to .750 at the muzzle. That'll cut weight from the standard 22-24" barrel lengths. The only thing you'll lose is some velocity. Instead of 2750fps for a 140 grain bullet, it'll be doing 2600-ish and thays plenty quick for most game 400 yards and in with the right bullets. It should still have 1000+ pounds of energy out to 600-700 yards.

Weight wise, either barrel choice is going to do well. If you go carbon, you'll be able to go a bit longer, like a 20 or 22" barrel with the same weight as a 16-18" steel barrel.

 

[Jgunner]

18” tikka 6.5cm here, 2800 with a 130 berger. Id go 16” if i did it over.

 

[Downtown]

I have heard that Tikka factory barrels can be challenging to remove.

 

[2ndlegend]

Thanks for the replies gentlemen. Sorry it took me awhile to respond back. I ended up ordering a 22" proof research carbon fiber for 6.5 creedmoor. As for removing the barrel, I have a few ideas, hopefully one will work. Once I get my parts I'll post the process and results for anyone interested in doing it themselves.

 

[wade2big]

i pulled barrels off three Tikkas. I whacked the action wrench with the palm of my hand and they all three broke free like that. My sako TRG took a couple whacks with a rubber mallet. No cheater pipe. No heat. Nothing to it. I was ready for a battle as well. Lol

 

[2ndlegend]

I'll give that a try. Im prepared to put in a relief cut if needed, but I've heard good things about constant pressure combined with a couple solid hits on the action wrench. I'm lucky because I don't need to save the barrel.

 

[MarinePMI]

The newer Tikkas are easier to remove the barrel. The older ones though, often times need a relief cut to get the barrel off. Not a big deal if you're not trying save the old barrel (2 mins in a lathe).

 

[2ndlegend]

For whoever's interested in this. I yanked the barrel yesterday. I had no desire to save the barrel so I put in a relief cut with a hacksaw, cranked the vise tight, and a good yank popped it right off.

 

[StraightShooter77]

For whoever's interested in this. I yanked the barrel yesterday. I had no desire to save the barrel so I put in a relief cut with a hacksaw, cranked the vise tight, and a good yank popped it right off.

From what I have read, it seems pretty easy to bend a Tikka action when removing the barrel. Be careful not to twist the action when taking barrels off guys

StraightShooter77

 

[MarinePMI]

A relief cut pretty much removes the danger of twisting the action...

 

[BCMulx]

For whoever's interested in this. I yanked the barrel yesterday. I had no desire to save the barrel so I put in a relief cut with a hacksaw, cranked the vise tight, and a good yank popped it right off.

Mind if I ask what barrel vise that is?

I'm in the same boat, have a carbon barrel coming for my Tikka 6.5 Creed, but it's a carbonsix. I may want to give a try saving the factory barrel, but am certainly not going to sweat it if it comes down to it.

 

[Kamerad]

Can anyone point me to a barrelmaker selling nitrided barrels for Tikkas?

 

[2ndlegend]

Mind if I ask what barrel vise that is?

I'm in the same boat, have a carbon barrel coming for my Tikka 6.5 Creed, but it's a carbonsix. I may want to give a try saving the factory barrel, but am certainly not going to sweat it if it comes down to it.

It's a bald eagle barrel vise from grizzley industrial. https://www.grizzly.com/products/Bald-Eagle-Precision-CNC-Machined-Barrel-Vise/BE1127

It seemed like a cheaper option that would meet my needs. I also looked at the viper bench vise and brownells barrel vise, which both seem to have great reviews. However, since I was already determined to sacrifice the barrel I chose to buy little cheaper vise. To be honest it worked great, I didn't have any trouble with slipping when I cranked down, either taking the old barrel off for putting the new one on.
When I removed the barrel I put it in a bench vise with the reciever slightly below the jaws, i took a hacksaw (no lathe ) and I put a 1/16th inch relief cut the whole way around. I put the barrel vise on a 4x4 strapped it to the barrel, and used it like a 3 foot long wrench. It popped free with only a little bit of pressure.
Good luck on the operation!

 

[2ndlegend]

She is finished, and I love it.