Tikka Light

[WVHUNTER]

I have a new Tikka Light with synthetic stock. The barrel was touching the stock on both sides for most of the length. I have taken care of that but it appears to have a designed pressure point about 3 1/2 inches up from the receiver. My question is should I leave that pressure point in place or free float the barrel for the entire length?

It's in 300WSM and it wasn't shooting good groups as it came from the factory.

 

[YukonDall]

I FREE FLOATED MY .300WSM AS I DO WITH ALL MY RIFLES. THE .300WSM SHOOTS NICE GROUPS, WONDER WHY IT WAS TOUCHING IN THE FIRST PLACE???? MINE REALLY LIKES THE 180GR NOSLER PARTITIONS BULLETS, DECKED A BIG HOG 2 NIGHTS AGO.....NICE GUN TO SHOOT & CARRY ALL DAY, WITH GREAT KNOCKDOWN POWER.........YD.

 

[WVHUNTER]

Thanks for the info. I shot again this morning after free floating everything except the one pressure point and it didn't shoot any better. I was shooting Federal 180 grain Nosler Partitions.My groups are about 3 inches, mainly off in elevation.

There was another guy at the range this morning with a Tikka 22-250 and he said he had to free float his barrel before it started shooting good groups.

It looks like the opening in the stock was too small for the barrel. The barrel touched on both sides.

I think I will take that presure out and try it again.

I guess there could be some other cause, I am using the Tikka rings that came with the gun and they have remained tight and don't appear to be moving. It has a new Leupold VX-3 on it.

Thanks again.

 

[wadsworth]

WVHunter,

I have two Tikkas, a 270 and a 338. The sporter models are designed to have pressure on the stock, and I think the bedding just ends up the way it ends up. They do feature a 1" 3 shot guarantee at 100 yards but that probably wont do you any good if you are gearing up for a hunt and dont have time to send your gun back. My 270, as it came from the factory, would not shoot very good. I had the barrel fully free floated and it did not shoot very good that way either. Finally I shoved 3 business cards in the front area of the stock and found a load that gave me pretty consistent performance that meets the factory specs. I took the gun with the business cards still in the stock and he added an even ring of pressure up front that looks pretty good, I think about 10 pounds worth. I have not had time to dink around with the 338 and it appears to be pretty finicky too. I like the Tikkas and think they are a great rifle for the money, but in my experience they are going to take some work to get them to shoot the way they advertise. Others run out & buy one & say they shoot everything great out of the box, so maybe it just depends on luck. I would just keep at it until you get the performance you want. As a part of that you will need to try different loads, bullets, bullet weights and so on. Same story as always. I guess this doesnt help you much but I just wanted to give you a little perspective. send me an email if you have any questions.

Good luck,

--DHE

 

[Hooked_on_Coues]

I got one of the lucky ones. It shoots the WW Supreme 180 accubond into 3/4". It is free floated all the way out. I did have the front sling swivel pull out. I don't think the stocks are the greatest, but it does shoot well.

 

[RELH]

Some rifles shoot better free floated, but I have encountered several rifles that like about 7-10 pounds of pressure near the forend to shoot tight groups.
Your rifle having a pressure point 3 1/2 inches in front of the receiver may be your big problem on getting three inch groups. That is not the area for a proper pressure point. free float it and shoot it again. I think you will see a difference on group size. If not, try the buisness card about 1 1/2 inches back from where the forarm ends. that is the proper area for a pressure point bedded barrel. Using business cards to create a pressure point should only be considered a "temporary" fix. Those business cards will compress in time, or expand with moisture.
For the guys that free float "WOOD" rifle stocks, another very important procedure is to reseal that bare wood after free floating. If you do not, the first time moisture gets in to the bare wood, your stock may warp and contact the barrel again. On a Sny. stock you do not have to worry about this.

RELH

 

[WVHUNTER]

I have the barrel free floated now but won't get a chance to shoot until this weekend. The idea of adding a pressure point is something I hadn't thought of but will try if free floating doesn't work. The owners manual even says to check the barrrel for free floating (if it was supposed to be free floated I don't know why it didn't come that way).

I am running out of time, I leave for New Mexico on 10/4 but I do have a Model 700 Rem. 7MM mag that is very dependable. I really didn't need a new rifle but this is my "free" rifle and scope that I purchased with Cabela's points (but it won't be free if I burn up much more ammo trying to get it to shoot).

Thanks again for the help.

 

[Pre64]

(but it won't be free if I burn up much more ammo trying to get it to shoot).

LOL

I got one of the older models in 22-250, and its sub 1.5" with just about anything. I didn't do anything to it. Its been shot alot, and I thing accuracy has degraded a bit. It still kills a lot of yotes every year.

You might just take it back to wherever u bought it and try to swap for a new rifle. I know people have exchanged rifles that shoot poorly.

 

[sjhgraysage]

one more thing to check
What scope mounts are you using?
I have one that I initially shot with the factory ring mounts it came with. I didn't like them even though i could not identify a problem with them other than poor looks IMO. However others have said that they had problems with the factory mounts.
Mine now has Leupold bases and rings, just re-sighted it in yesterday and its shooting pretty good so far, and the scope VX II 3-9x responds to adjustment as it should.

 

[WVHUNTER]

I shot again this weekend and Saturday I thought I had the barrel free floated but as soon as the barrel heated up any it was touching again, so I took it home and worked on it some more. Sunday the barrel stayed free and I had groups of 1.5 inches. After shooting two days in a row my shoulder was sore and I think I was developing a flinch so I will shoot some more next weekend. I think it may do even better as I try some different ammo.

I am using the Tikka rings that came with it. They are still tight and I can't see it if they are moving. I haven't had to retighten them since I mounted the scope but I have checked them several times.

 

[YukonDall]

I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT THE TIKKA RINGS ARE MORE THAT STABLE. THE WAY YOU GO ABOUT MOUNTING THEM IS THE WHOLE BALL GAME. IF YOU WERE EVER ANAL ABOUT ANYTHING, IT SHOULD BE THE WAY YOU MOUNT A SCOPE. I LOVE MY .300WSM IN THE TIKKA, GOOD HUNTING.....YD.

 

[Djones]

I have a T3 Lite in 270 Win (not WSM) it shoots 0.5 to 1.0 inch @ 100M with most everything I feed it.
It will be interesting to hear what the solution turns out to be.

Don

Do you hate logging? Then try using plastic toilet paper.

 

[overkill]

I cannot find the article at the moment but I did read that there were some points specifically designed to make contact with the barrel. Tikka's with furniture are fully floating. If memory serves me correct, I think it had something to do with wood being organic, and that the composite stock not being affected by weather, or something like that. If i find it, I'll copy the link for you.

I have the Tikka laminate in .270 win. It seems like a finicky gun, but the key is finding the ammo it likes.

 

[WVHUNTER]

I shot again Saturday and had 1 1/2" groups with the 180 grain Federal Fusion ammo, it was a little worse with the Federal Nosler partitions.The barrel is free floated now and I will try some different ammo when I get a chance.

Thanks again for the help.

 

[canhunter]

Just shot a Tikka Light in 300WM. That is a nice rifle for sure with a 3# trigger and looks accurate. This one was only shooting factory ammo and it shot Win 180 Ballistic ST's and Federal Premium 180 Accubonds into right about 1.5-2" brand new. The scope was mounted, bore sighted, and the gun was shot. I was suprised at the minimal recoil on such a light rifle. The 180's were going 2800 and 2900 fps. Nice gun

 

[canhunter]

Anyone with a Tikka do you get used to the small ejection port? For the bench it was kind of a pain but for hunting you would probably not notice. Any ejection problems? Any movement in the scope? The one I shot had the scope mounted and I did not see any cross cuts in the base rail.

 

[wallhanger]

I shot my Tikka T3 Lite/stainless for the second time two weeks ago. Grabbed a box of the federal accubonds and shot my first group of three. I could touch all three shots with a nickel/maybe a dime. Not sure what that is MOA-wise, but I was a happy man. I may have just gotten one of the lucky shooters, but they're supposed to guarantee an inch out of the box.

I think the light, crisp trigger has a lot to do with how they shoot. Can't wait to see how it does in Colorado Saturday.

WH

 

[ForkWest]

Thanks all you guys for you posts, not only on the thread but all the other shooting threads as well. I'm a rifle greenie, been shooting the Bow and Muzzy for many, many years. I'm soaking in everything you guys write as I begin my homework to purchase a new Rifle.

 

[BeanMan]

LAST EDITED ON Oct-17-07 AT 09:20PM (MST)[p]I love my Tikka T3 lite 3006. The two changes I would recomend are a quality aftermarket recoil pad and better rings. The aluminum scope mounts that came with it would creep on me no matter what I did. A pair of Talley lightweights solved that problem, they screw on and are not rail mounted. A very accurate rifle in my case.

BeanMan

 

[Djones]

CH,
This past season, I got into a jam and had to put a quick second shot into a 4x4 mulie. My T-3 Lite is chambered in 270 Win. It performed perfectly with no ejection problems. From the bench I have never had it fail to eject (or launch) a spent shell casing. Yes loading a single unfired round has to be done pointy end first.
Just my two bits...

Don

Do you hate logging? Then try using plastic toilet paper.