Anyone alter Tikka factory stock?

Joined
Nov 25, 2021
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Just bought my first Tikka! T3x lite stainless steel .308. I put on the vertical pistol grip and the larger forend. Ordered a limbsaver, but the original LOP is already a bit too much. I am 5’6” and need a 13 inch LOP. Has anyone shortened the LOP on the tikka factory plastic stock? My husband is very handy so I am confident in his ability to use an angle grinder and Bondo; just wondering if anyone has some hints or tricks.
 
Joined
Feb 17, 2017
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Tikka makes a compact T3x with a stock made exactly for you. Only issue I see with cutting yours is maintaining the screw holes for the butt pad. There are stocks here on the classifieds all the time so if you bubba it too bad you can get a replacement pretty easily.

You could buy the t3x compact in 223, swap your barreled action into the compact stock and the 223 action into your regular sized stock and then you’ll have a stainless 308 in a stock that fits you and a regular sized fast twist 223 for lots of cheap practice. It’s only money, right?
 
Joined
Nov 1, 2019
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The plastic screw hole bodies will get buggered up and too short to hold butt pad on depending on how much you take off when you try to grind it. I looked at this for my kids when they were starting. see if you can find a used compact stock. My kids needed it for about four years before they started grabbing my rifle and I passed it on to another user already.
 

JoeDirt

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Mar 6, 2019
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I cut one down for my niece after we couldn't find a compact stock. I want to say the T3x compact is a lot shorter than 13"

I just used my miter saw and re drilled the holes. I took about 1.25" off just re drilled the holes. You would need a different sandable limb pad for a better fit.15536ACF-3199-4594-8CC9-9EF05A4C932C.jpeg
 

Rob5589

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Get the compact stock. You can sell your current one pretty easily and recoup some of the costs of the new one.
 
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Oct 2, 2021
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I ordered a stock from Bell & Carlson the other day for my Weatherby Accumark. I need it longer, not shorter. They make Tikka stocks as well. They will make you any LOP you want from 12" to 15" with about a 2-week lead time. In my book that is a no brainer.
 
OP
KaleAndCamo
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Nov 25, 2021
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Glad to see we aren't the first take a saw to the Tikka stock! The shop we got my .308 at had a 6.5 creedmor on a factory compact stock; it does fit me a lot better with winter layers on, but I didn't want to essentially buy an $800 plastic stock. :) I've looked for the Tikka compact stocks on EBay but haven't been able to find them. I also didn't know that B&C would do custom LOP's: I will remember that if we totally mess this up, or if I want to upgrade the stock at some point. I will upload photos once we get it done!
 
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KaleAndCamo
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Nov 25, 2021
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I have a factory T3 stock that I would sell for $10 plus shipping to use as a guinea pig for technique refinement.
Thanks for the offer; I am pretty confident we can make this work but if we totally goon it up I will reach out.
 

Kurts86

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Aug 15, 2020
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I cut down a Tikka stock to 11.5” for a friend that was 5’-0” tall. The screw bosses go way into the stock. I cut down the stock with a fine toothed hand saw and ground a recoil pad to fit with a belt sander. It’s pretty straightforward and works well.
 

Shraggs

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Jan 24, 2014
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I’m in the process of doing it too. Without pad, which adds an inch for a total of 14” I know I can cut off 3/4” and maintain the substrate of screw holes and re use.

My plan is to shape a new pad 1/2” for lop total 12.75 which works better prone with thick clothes on. I’ll also reshape the factory 1” pad that will 13.25” for use in warm weather.

You can also consider the angle, which is raked from vertical. In other words cut it perpendicular to the bore line. My new thinner pad I will fashion to rise above the butt stock to at or above bore line, more like a factory sako. Both of these changes should better manage recoil.
 

Kenn

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Nov 3, 2019
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I ordered a stock from Bell & Carlson the other day for my Weatherby Accumark. I need it longer, not shorter. They make Tikka stocks as well. They will make you any LOP you want from 12" to 15" with about a 2-week lead time. In my book that is a no brainer.
I tried to cut off a Tikka stock and it worked, but not great. I have two Bell and Carlson stocks on other Tikkas and if you can order one of those at the right size that would be the perfect solution. The B&C are a little heavier as I recall and the butt is a little wider, making the recoil a little softer.
 
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