General Tikka upgrades and why

[Formidilosus]

I’ll happily buy y’all’s Tikka 223 1-8” barrels that don’t shoot.

 

[atmat]

I’ll happily buy y’all’s Tikka 223 1-8” barrels that don’t shoot.

@ResearchinStuff sold his here a few weeks ago. Are you saying you’re okay with 1.5 MOA barrel, or do you think it’s not the barrel?

 

[JollyRoger]

I recently bought a Tikka T3x lite in 223. It has taken more work than I’m use to to get it to shoot accurately. I’m hoping that it gets there soon. It seems more finicky than the internet buzz would indicate. I’m hoping for the best.

What ammo are you shooting out of it?


I guess I am lucky as mine required zero fiddling. Add scope, add ammo…. Smack targets from 0 - 500/600 with relative ease

 

[ElPollo]

I'm curious, what does the new stock actually do to help spot impacts? Less muzzle jump?

The factory tikka stock is pretty serviceable, but the low comb is not ideal. Comb is higher and butt is higher on the Stocky’s, plus there is a more vertical grip. Better cheek weld and keeps the recoil coming straight back instead of up. Easier to get behind in prone. It’s a on a 6.5 cm with a 16” barrel and an AB Raptor 8-stack. The recoil impulse spoils me. It’s about like shooting a spring piston airgun. The only downside I can say about this stock is the trigger reach on the vertical grip is a little long. They are apparently going to fix that with the new RokStock. The new version will have a negative comb too.

 

[Formidilosus]

@ResearchinStuff sold his here a few weeks ago. Are you saying you’re okay with 1.5 MOA barrel, or do you think it’s not the barrel?

Well, yes a 1.5 MOA gun is fine for everything but PRS and prairie dogs. But, I offered because I would like to see multiple Tikka 223 barrels that don’t shoot. Have seen dozens and dozens of them. I am not saying that theirs aren’t bum barrels, however having seen so many, I would shrug and put another one on. If you get 2-3 barrels in a row that don’t shoot, something else is wrong. Two barrels in a row would have me looking at something other than the barrel.

 

[Formidilosus]

my factory barrel was finicky, pva prefit is also finicky so far. finally got a 10 shot 77 tmk group at 1.2 moa, curious to see if it repeats or opens back up to the typical average.

about to give up on 223 as a grown up rifle and just let it be my kids rifle. the 6.5 creed on the other hand hammers, biggest 10 shot group to date is 1.15 moa.

What is the full setup?

Getting two bum barrels back to back could be possible, though unlikely.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

t3x stainless, started with sportsmatch T084's, swfa 6x, checked with another 6x, and a 3-9. used 2 factory stocks, before the first range trip, both stocks were pillar and glass bedded, fully free floated, 65 in-lbs of torque on the action screws. I've tested before and after heavily modding to create negative comb, negative drop at the heel. I've also tested with and without the CGS hyperion, no difference. Had my brother shoot it before the barrel swap, his results matched mine.

most recent setup has an area 419 rail jb welded on, nightforce rings, swfa 3-., that setup sits higher and i can get comfy with much less cheek pressure than the T084's, however 75 bthps and factory still shot like garbage through the PVA barrel (2moa+). Last range trip I shot one group with the 77 tmks just before leaving, and it showed potential (1.2 moa 10 shot), but i need to go back and repeat it.

between the 2 barrels, i have shot multiple types of factory pmc and hornady, hundreds of handloads with hornady 75bthps, lc brass, CCI BR2 and fed 205, loads ranging from 23.5-24.5 gr TAC, and 25.5 gr BLC2, average groups are 1.8. I've tried a couple of seating depths, but at this point have pretty much given up hope that I can get the 75 bthp and ball powder sub 1.5 moa for 10 shots. if IMR 8208xbr ever comes back i'll try that, and i've considered trying benchmark if i ever see it locally (not paying hazmat on a single pound).

77 TMKs in the same brass, both primers, 24.5 gr TAC only. most groups have been the same as the 75 bthp, but there has been one noticeably smaller group with the latest scope setup and PVA barrel.

i've tried 2 different full length sizing dies, and 2 different standard seating dies. Runout has been reasonable with all, within +/- 0.005" and frequently better no matter the setup. just added in crimping, will test to see if that makes a difference, also picked up an induction annealer to see if that helps things. Loading fully progressive on a hornady LNL, typically throwing powder, but weight checks have always been spot on.

next step will be to source some lapua brass to eliminate the once fired LC as a potential problem, though results have been the same with 1x pmc.

The PVA barrel has about 120 rounds on it now, and it'll be staying regardless, even if this thing gets relegated to <250 yard kid hunting/plinking duty.

The one thing I can say is that regardless of the stock/scope/barrel/ammo, is that the 223 groups have been very horizontal. My range is basically recessed between full length berms plus trees, and typically not very windy, but most of the groups have been <1moa tall, and 1.5-2+ moa horizontal at 100 yards. I don't have any type of explanation for that.

 

[Formidilosus]

t3x stainless, started with sportsmatch T084's, swfa 6x, checked with another 6x, and a 3-9. used 2 factory stocks, before the first range trip, both stocks were pillar and glass bedded, fully free floated, 65 in-lbs of torque on the action screws. I've tested before and after heavily modding to create negative comb, negative drop at the heel. I've also tested with and without the CGS hyperion, no difference. Had my brother shoot it before the barrel swap, his results matched mine.

most recent setup has an area 419 rail jb welded on, nightforce rings, swfa 3-., that setup sits higher and i can get comfy with much less cheek pressure than the T084's, however 75 bthps and factory still shot like garbage through the PVA barrel (2moa+). Last range trip I shot one group with the 77 tmks just before leaving, and it showed potential (1.2 moa 10 shot), but i need to go back and repeat it.

between the 2 barrels, i have shot multiple types of factory pmc and hornady, hundreds of handloads with hornady 75bthps, lc brass, CCI BR2 and fed 205, loads ranging from 23.5-24.5 gr TAC, and 25.5 gr BLC2, average groups are 1.8. I've tried a couple of seating depths, but at this point have pretty much given up hope that I can get the 75 bthp and ball powder sub 1.5 moa for 10 shots. if IMR 8208xbr ever comes back i'll try that, and i've considered trying benchmark if i ever see it locally (not paying hazmat on a single pound).

77 TMKs in the same brass, both primers, 24.5 gr TAC only. most groups have been the same as the 75 bthp, but there has been one noticeably smaller group with the latest scope setup and PVA barrel.

So you’ve tried 75gr Hornady HPBT, and some 77gr TMK’s? TMK’s can be a bit finicky with a lot of loads to get consistently under 1 MOA for 10 round groups, not at all with 8208. However 1.5 MOA is easily achieved with them.

Tac and BLC-2 can both be finicky, though usually shoot ok.

Have you tried 77gr SMK’s? I would buy a box of Federal Gold Metal SMK whether 69gr or 77hr and try. If they don’t shoot around 1-1.2 MOA, something is way wrong.

i've tried 2 different full length sizing dies, and 2 different standard seating dies. Runout has been reasonable with all, within +/- 0.005" and frequently better no matter the setup. just added in crimping, will test to see if that makes a difference, also picked up an induction annealer to see if that helps things. Loading fully progressive on a hornady LNL, typically throwing powder, but weight checks have always been spot on.

next step will be to source some lapua brass to eliminate the once fired LC as a potential problem, though results have been the same with 1x pmc.

The PVA barrel has about 120 rounds on it now, and it'll be staying regardless, even if this thing gets relegated to <250 yard kid hunting/plinking duty.

You should not remotely have to do any of that nonsense with dies, annealing, etc.

The one thing I can say is that regardless of the stock/scope/barrel/ammo, is that the 223 groups have been very horizontal. My range is basically recessed between full length berms plus trees, and typically not very windy, but most of the groups have been <1moa tall, and 1.5-2+ moa horizontal at 100 yards. I don't have any type of explanation for that.

The horizontal is weird. How tight is the barrel torqued on?

 

[ResearchinStuff]

I'll try the gmm, i have not put any smks through either barrel.

The factory barrel was really freaking tight. Current barrel is tight, but unsure the exact ft-lb. Need to get an internal action wrench, the one I was borrowing got returned before I had to take the prefit back off so it could be rethreaded and adapted up, as originally threaded 5/8x24 didn't leave enough shoulder for the hyperion. It's been a royal pita every step of the way.

 

[rentalrunner22]

My 223 shoots the Frontier 75gr BTHP very well

 

[Tell]

So you’ve tried 75gr Hornady HPBT, and some 77gr TMK’s? TMK’s can be a bit finicky with a lot of loads to get consistently under 1 MOA for 10 round groups, not at all with 8208. However 1.5 MOA is easily achieved with them.

Tac and BLC-2 can both be finicky, though usually shoot ok.

Have you tried 77gr SMK’s? I would buy a box of Federal Gold Metal SMK whether 69gr or 77hr and try. If they don’t shoot around 1-1.2 MOA, something is way wrong.









You should not remotely have to do any of that nonsense with dies, annealing, etc.






The horizontal is weird. How tight is the barrel torqued on?

I’m having the same trouble with horizontal stringing right now with my 77 smk’s and tmk’s with a new gun. After reading as much as I can about it, I’m convinced it’s me.

 

[Castle Rock]

TMKs are not a bullet that is hard to tune
Horizontal is often shooter error, very often associated with parallax due to head position and cheek pressure

 

[ResearchinStuff]

Except I can take the same stock, same scope, same rings, put them on the 6.5 creed, and shoot good groups. It makes no sense.
Creed group:


Typical 223 group


The only thing giving me hope is this last tmk group

 

[Formidilosus]

Except I can take the same stock, same scope, same rings, put them on the 6.5 creed, and shoot good groups. It makes no sense.
Creed group:
View attachment 603569

Typical 223 group
View attachment 603570

The only thing giving me hope is this last tmk group
View attachment 603571

As you know, something is legitimately not right.

 

[BCsteve]

Some Tikka's can be quirky. The first Tikka I bought just to try a Tikka was
a .25-06 Rem, and it lived to the Tikka reputation. Under MOA with most powder and bullet combinations. Decided to sell it and buy a brand new T3X Lite Stainless in 6.5x55, my favorite cartridge. After over a year trying dozens of bullets and powder combinations and spending $100's in components I couldn't get it to group consistently under 2". I decided to put in back in the safe, stop wasting money and ordered an IBI barrel.

In the meantime, reading about how the ELDX shoots great in the Creedmoor, against my better judgment, I spent more money on components and bought a box of 143gr ELDX and loaded some with H4831sc. I'll be damn! It shoots around 3/4" at 100 yds now!?

 

[SouthPaw]

Where do you guys get Tikka small replacement parts, hopefully without having to go through Beretta.

I lost this small spring part on the trigger assembly while swapping a barrel. Don't ask how. It happened, its gone, I'm over it. Need a replacement.

 

[Gen273]

Upgrade a Tikka??? That's impossible; they are the most perfect example of a firearm ever conceived. Perfection can not be improved. If you don't believe that they are perfect, just read Rokslide….

I am sure that they are fine rifles, but I will never buy one because the fanfare on here just seems like too much to me. But, to each their own, so I hope that you enjoy yours very much!!

 

[atmat]

I will never buy one because the fanfare on here just seems like too much to me.

Respectfully, abstaining from something strictly to be contrarian is illogical.

 

[Gen273]

Respectfully, abstaining from something strictly to be contrarian is illogical.

Yeah, probably so, but it's my money, and I would rather spend it elsewhere. Again, I am sure they are great rifles, but they are not for me. I should not have posted in the thread, so I apologize to the OP.

 

[ARK_Ginger]

Where do you guys get Tikka small replacement parts, hopefully without having to go through Beretta.

I lost this small spring part on the trigger assembly while swapping a barrel. Don't ask how. It happened, its gone, I'm over it. Need a replacement.

View attachment 603978

Lumley arms