Cutting a tikka barrel

[HighUintas]

If it doesnt work out, you're not really out anything.

17hmr,223, and a swede

View attachment 738840

Is the Swede on the right? What kind of accuracy does that one have?

 

[Sled]

Anyone cut a tikka barrel that was shooting well and then it shot poorly after the barrel was cut?

My tikka roughtech 6.5 with a 24” barrel shoots really well but would like to make it more nimble and lighter weight by cutting it down to 18” (I shoot suppressed)


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I had the same question about a thicker profile barrel several years back. It did change the group size. I can't say if it's harmonics or a bad crown job but I had impressive groups at distance before. It's not horrible now but more of an moa gun. This was not a Tikka.

I have not shot my tikkas before cut and thread so I can't comment but they all shoot well. I can't complain.

 

[Steve300xcw]

Is the Swede on the right? What kind of accuracy does that one have?

223. Was cut all janky just to see wtf lol. It was shooting around 1-1/4" with some random loads. Never really went any farther than that with it, before it got put on the back burner. Got other toys to play with lol.

 

[TaperPin]

Anyone cut a tikka barrel that was shooting well and then it shot poorly after the barrel was cut?

My tikka roughtech 6.5 with a 24” barrel shoots really well but would like to make it more nimble and lighter weight by cutting it down to 18” (I shoot suppressed)


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The only negative thing that I’ve heard from a reputable source isn’t really length related, but cutting threads with dull cutters creating a few ten thou of bore constriction. At first I thought that sounds like bs, but a gunsmith that slugs barrel bores when diagnosing accuracy issues says he’s seen it a number of times.

For some reason it’s always been in the back of my mind since hearing about it - and eventually I’ll get set up for slugging barrels because of it, just out of curiosity. Finding out how dull a cutter is too dull should be easy to figure out and replicate the issue on a scrap barrel.

 

[D R T]

Used the same method for my 308. Accuracy was the same after as it was before. Excellent.

What length did you cut your 308?

 

[BLJ]

What length did you cut your 308?

18”. 2510 with factory Norma Swift A Frames and 2530 with factory Norma Bondstrikes.
Using a Garmin chrono.

 

[PapaSmurf]

Coming in late, but OP did you end up cutting yours?

 

[btb1983]

Coming in late, but OP did you end up cutting yours?

I’m not the OP but I did cut my barrel down to 16.5” and it still shoots great!

 

[PapaSmurf]

I’m not the OP but I did cut my barrel down to 16.5” and it still shoots great!

Man this looks great! Thanks for sharing. Doesn’t look bad at all cutting into the flutes. Definitely confirms that I’m gonna cut down. Now to decide how far.. lol

What thread size were you able to get and who did it?

 

[btb1983]

Man this looks great! Thanks for sharing. Doesn’t look bad at all cutting into the flutes. Definitely confirms that I’m gonna cut down. Now to decide how far.. lol

What thread size were you able to get and who did it?

Saltzman in Tipton IN cut and threaded my barrel but really any decent gunsmith should be able to do it. Saltzman is know across the country and just so happens to only be about 20 minutes from me!

 

[PapaSmurf]

Good to hear. Happy for you! Was he able to get 5/8x24?

 

[btb1983]

Good to hear. Happy for you! Was he able to get 5/8x24?

I can’t say yes with 100% confidence but I believe so. I run area 419 on my rifles and they all run together. I can check and let ya know. I did cut mine down to 16.5”.

 

[Kimber7man]

Saltzman in Tipton IN cut and threaded my barrel but really any decent gunsmith should be able to do it. Saltzman is know across the country and just so happens to only be about 20 minutes from me!

Dang, thanks for this. I’m in Hamilton County and hadn’t heard of him. Will give him a try with my new Tikkas though. Can he build up a collar for suppressor?

 

[OneShot]

Cut mine 20” into the flutes and have a 5/8-24 thread