Long range newb - rebarrelling tikka .308 to 280AI

[MHWASH]

I've read many times how the Tikka magazine length is not ideal for a 280AI, yet many people recommend the Kimber family of rifles. My bear hunting partner had a Kimber Sub Alpine in 280 AI hand loaded with Hornady 162 ELDs. On a whim I stuck one in my Tikka 270 magazine, and it had room to spare. Unless you plan on shooting the heavies, I would still consider the 280AI.

 

[macjensen]

just got my tikka back. Was originally a 30-06 but re-barreled to a 280ai. Just now breaking in the barrel. Love the AG composites alpine hunter stock though.Would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a carbon vertical grip for their tikka. 26” 9 twist carbon barrel. Steel recoil lug bedded. No triggers for left hand tikka so I replaced the stock trigger spring with one from mountain tactical. I am really pleased with how it feels. Haven’t put a scale on it though. Somewhere around 1.5lbs.Going to be working a load up using 168vlds. The stock mag isn’t going to work for COAL so I’m going to be getting a box mag setup from red snake tactical. They advertise a 3.45 oal. I’ll update once I get some more shooting and loading in.

 

[KClark]

I have a little time to figure out how to remove the tikka barrel. Everything I've read basically says its a total pain in the butt. I plan on getting a barrel vise and an action wrench. Any recommendations on those as well? Should I go with an external?

Drama free Tikka T3 barrel removal:

Buy this barrel vise and follow the directions. It has the perfect inner contour for Tikka barrels but it was designed for something else. I use 50lbs of torque on the bolts instead of the recommended 35lbs but otherwise the directions that come with it are gtg.

Tikka Lite Barrel Vise

This receiver wrench fits perfect, 2 wraps of blue tape on the contact surfaces will keep from marring the receiver.

#1 Receiver Wrench

Sometimes you might need a little heat on an older T3 receiver but a T3X shouldn't need any. Use no where near blue heat, you want just enough to make a water drop sizzle. The point of the heat is to make the receiver expand before the barrel gets hot and expands with it, so heat the receiver only and be quick between heat and twist. If it takes more than 125lbs of torque to loosen I prefer to smack the end of the wrench hard and fast with a 2-3lb hammer, long slow pulls on a long cheater bar don't deliver the break free force as easily.

You'll need a good quality strong bench vise of 5" or so to hold the barrel vise. Rosin on the barrel never hurts either. I re-install Tikka barrels with a Patriot Valley Arms internal wrench, 100lbs max.

ETA: That barrel vise won't work with larger than factory Lite barrels.

 

[mattwill00]

Thanks for all the tips everyone. I figured I’d go with the Wally cooper vise on eBay due to some favorable reviews on snipershide, and the fact that down the road I would like to be able to use it on other barrels. It comes with a 5 different size bushings and just from what I’ve read, the 1.15” bushing should work for the tikka. As far as action wrench’s go, I’m going to go the external route with the #1 size recommended above. I’ve seen some comments on forums of the PVA internals twisting around 100 ft lbs and definitely don’t want to buy a wrench then break it immediately. It looks like I can just lay the receiver in a bench vise, twist the barrel on, headspace, and then torque the barrel nut on with a regular old torque wrench.

Either that or I’ll twist the action and be out 1 perfectly functioning tikka! I’ll update as I progress. Should I plan on altering the bolt stops for the 6.5x284? Right now it’s in a “short action” form. Not sure what the COAL is that it can handle in relation to the round size of the 6.5 Norma.

 

[Wapiti1]

You realize you only need about 20 ft-lbs on a barrel nut system? More is literally doing nothing.

I am absolutely certain that I've never used 100 ft-lbs to remove a Tikka barrel. 50-60 is about normal.

Jeremy

 

[mattwill00]

I know the barrel nut system doesn’t take much force at all... but everything I’ve read says you basically gotta smack your action wrench + Cheater combo with a deadblow to remove the factory barrel, and some just flat out require a relief cut to remove them. 50-60 ft lbs would be excellent if that’s the case but through my research i haven’t come across anyone who has said that about the factory barrel.

Again don’t take this as disrespect or anything because I am truly green at this, I just haven’t seen anyone corroborate that. That would be awesome if that’s the case. I’ve also read multiple reports of people twisting the PVA internal while trying to get the factory barrel to spin loose. Just don’t want to be out $70ish if I can avoid it. I’ll report back my findings and if it really is that easy, I’ll concede! Just want to cover my butt a bit.

 

[mattwill00]

Or maybe I’ll just make the relief cut with a hacksaw and be done with it. I don’t think I’m going to keep the factory barrel for anything anyways. Probably the easier route. Really don’t want to mess up the action.

I suck at making decisions

 

[Ndbowhunter]

My guess is guys tighten down on the receiver too much and pinch the threads.

 

[macjensen]

Update for COAL. I found a my load this weekend. Ended up not even needing the box mag. Loaded the 168 vld 10 thou off the lands with 55.2 grains RL26. The bullets still fit the stock magazine and feed fine with an OAL of 3.360. Lands @ 3.370. Shot a 1/2" 3 shot group @ 100. Then went a shot long 500,700, and 1200 fighting some wind but got hits.

 

[WiscLRWannabe]

If you want a 280ai, you could just buy a long action bolt stop (really easy to install $40), and a red snake bottom metal. It's a drop in replacement for the stock bottom metal. Then you can use ai mags and not skimp on seating length for heavies if you choose to shoot them. West Desert Shooter on YouTube does some good tutorials on the change out. PVA also does shouldered prefits if you want to skip the barrel nut. I have one on order now, so I can't speak to it just yet.

 

[macjensen]

If you want a 280ai, you could just buy a long action bolt stop (really easy to install $40), and a red snake bottom metal. It's a drop in replacement for the stock bottom metal. Then you can use ai mags and not skimp on seating length for heavies if you choose to shoot them. West Desert Shooter on YouTube does some good tutorials on the change out. PVA also does shouldered prefits if you want to skip the barrel nut. I have one on order now, so I can't speak to it just yet.

Did you install a red snake bottom metal in yours? I just got mine and seems like there is quite a bit of material that needs to be removed?

 

[WiscLRWannabe]

Yes I did, and I did have to remove a bunch of material... But my situation is probably different. I got a smoking deal on a manners stock inletted for a CDI bottom metal. I was unaware at the time of the owner passing, and couldn't find one. I talked with manners and red snake and got one of the trg 42 bottom metals, and was forwarned about having to widen the inlet. Both manners and red snake bent over backwards for me, and I decided to just do it myself. I'm interested if anyone else had your experience.

 

[macjensen]

Yes I did, and I did have to remove a bunch of material... But my situation is probably different. I got a smoking deal on a manners stock inletted for a CDI bottom metal. I was unaware at the time of the owner passing, and couldn't find one. I talked with manners and red snake and got one of the trg 42 bottom metals, and was forwarned about having to widen the inlet. Both manners and red snake bent over backwards for me, and I decided to just do it myself. I'm interested if anyone else had your experience.

I already removed material from the factory stock to fit it and it looks fine on there. My only hang up is it looks like the mag(MDT aics) is too far forward under the action lug and doesn’t seem like the bullet would feed. I have a carbon barrel so it doesn’t fit the factory stock and I’m not ready to cut up my AG composites stock yet.

 

[WiscLRWannabe]

I already removed material from the factory stock to fit it and it looks fine on there. My only hang up is it looks like the mag(MDT aics) is too far forward under the action lug and doesn’t seem like the bullet would feed. I have a carbon barrel so it doesn’t fit the factory stock and I’m not ready to cut up my AG composites stock yet.

I'll pm you

 

[WiscLRWannabe]

I'll pm you

Nm, too new for that. It sits farther forward, because ai mags have something like 3.715" usable space and a T3 can only use something like 3.5" COAL rounds. MDT makes special mags for Tikka and savage for their chassis because of this. You you will have to load for your action length not your max mag length. Also may have to adjust feed lips if you have issues.

 

[Fonkie]

View attachment 188462
just got my tikka back. Was originally a 30-06 but re-barreled to a 280ai. Just now breaking in the barrel. Love the AG composites alpine hunter stock though.Would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a carbon vertical grip for their tikka. 26” 9 twist carbon barrel. Steel recoil lug bedded. No triggers for left hand tikka so I replaced the stock trigger spring with one from mountain tactical. I am really pleased with how it feels. Haven’t put a scale on it though. Somewhere around 1.5lbs.Going to be working a load up using 168vlds. The stock mag isn’t going to work for COAL so I’m going to be getting a box mag setup from red snake tactical. They advertise a 3.45 oal. I’ll update once I get some more shooting and loading in.

Is that an HCA build? My 300 wsm from HCA will be done soon & use the same stock & cerakote colors. That looks sharp man!

 

[macjensen]

Is that an HCA build? My 300 wsm from HCA will be done soon & use the same stock & cerakote colors. That looks sharp man!

Oregon Mountain Rifles is the builder!

 

[mmac]

I have to say for the cost of a new barrel and the other costs, whether yourself or for equipment and possibly a smith, you could get another rifle and have both. As long as that 308 is accurate enough for you, why not keep it and then add another ?

 

[mattwill00]

Sheer boredom I guess and it forces me to purchase reloading stuff which I’ve wanted to do for quite some time now. I go a little crazy if I don’t have a project.

Speaking of project... that barrel was ON there. Tried to do it without a relief cut just to see if i could. 2 foot cheater with the external wrench above was a no go. Ended up having to take an angle grinder to the barrel to give it a nice deep relief cut. A few wacks later with a deadblow and it spun off. I used blue tape as well as a beer can shim folded onto itself a few times and the wrench still broke through. Kind of marred the dovetail about an inch on each side but you really can’t tell unless you are looking for it. Maybe I didn’t have the wrench on tight enough? I wish I could’ve choked up on it a bit to get a little closer to where the action meets the barrel but the way I had to mount my barrel vise didn’t allow for that. If I did it again I would definitely come up with a new mount for it. Either way it was a learning experience and now I’ve got the tools to tackle this project again so overall I’m satisfied with it.

While I had the grinder out I went ahead and threw the bolt stop in a vise and grinded down a chunk of it to make it a “LA” bolt stop. Worked out pretty well from what I can tell. Now I’ve just got to wait for the barrel to arrive!

Still haven’t decided on a stock yet either. I know I need to if I plan on using it this season. How does everyone feel about axial precision?

 

[Trogon]

Might be too late for you, but I saw very recently proof started offering 280ai steel prefits. Good saving there, especially now you’ve done the hard part.

D