Peak 44 Bastion Tikka Review

[Willie IV]

@NSI do you have any further updates on this project? I've got a bastion delivering tomorrow for my Tikka 6CM build.

 

[Roor]

I got mine put together... stock seems really nice at first glance.

Ended up bedding just the recoil lug and the High Desert bottom metal fit perfectly.

 

[Willie IV]

Nice! Care to share some details?

 

[Roor]

Nice! Care to share some details?

Started as a Tikka 300WM. Sent action to UM for nitride/bolt fluting. 18" 6.5PRC barrel from Preferred Barrels, HD linear bottom metal, Nomad LTI suppressor.

 

[Willie IV]

Started as a Tikka 300WM. Sent action to UM for nitride/bolt fluting. 18" 6.5PRC barrel from Preferred Barrels, HD linear bottom metal, Nomad LTI suppressor.

I've heard some say their bolt is smoother after nitriding. Would you say that's the case in your instance?

 

[NSI]

@NSI do you have any further updates on this project? I've got a bastion delivering tomorrow for my Tikka 6CM build.

Stock got stranded in another state before I got a chance to bed and swap to a heavier recoiling cartridge.

I have about 1k 556 rounds on this now, and several shooters at @mxgsfmdpx & @hereinaz Arizona shoot got a chance to play with it last month. My thoughts remain that this is an easy stock to like - priced fairly, great fit and finish, great grip and cheek geometry. I have been spoiled by the RS and Bravo re: parallel toe line, and really have come to appreciate how well these designs track under recoil on bags. The Bastion is far from a traditional toe line, but I still do notice some muzzle rise when shooting on bags. This generally isn’t a big deal in typical hunting positions other than prone.

It’s worth noting I haven’t printed any exceptionally small groups with this rifle since its installation in the bastion. It still shoots under 1.5” for 10 round groups with 77 AAC OTM, but I have a feeling that this barreled action, which I have thousands of rounds on in other stocks, is capable of 20% better on average. I think this will tighten up with bedding but will update the thread when I have data to support that hunch.

-J

 

[Roor]

I've heard some say their bolt is smoother after nitriding. Would you say that's the case in your instance?

Cant give you a good before, but im pretty happy with how it feels afterwards.

 

[hereinaz]

Stock got stranded in another state before I got a chance to bed and swap to a heavier recoiling cartridge.

I have about 1k 556 rounds on this now, and several shooters at @mxgsfmdpx & @hereinaz Arizona shoot got a chance to play with it last month. My thoughts remain that this is an easy stock to like - priced fairly, great fit and finish, great grip and cheek geometry. I have been spoiled by the RS and Bravo re: parallel toe line, and really have come to appreciate how well these designs track under recoil on bags. The Bastion is far from a traditional toe line, but I still do notice some muzzle rise when shooting on bags. This generally isn’t a big deal in typical hunting positions other than prone.

It’s worth noting I haven’t printed any exceptionally small groups with this rifle since its installation in the bastion. It still shoots under 1.5” for 10 round groups with 77 AAC OTM, but I have a feeling that this barreled action, which I have thousands of rounds on in other stocks, is capable of 20% better on average. I think this will tighten up with bedding but will update the thread when I have data to support that hunch.

-J

I like the stock a lot. The toe line works for me and my style, I don’t do much prone where the RS is better.

 

[Gadjet]

I've heard some say their bolt is smoother after nitriding. Would you say that's the case in your instance?

I have a nitrided Tikka action from UM and I have a few factory Tikkas as well. I personally don't feel a difference.

 

[WW2 Buff]

I got mine put together... stock seems really nice at first glance.

Ended up bedding just the recoil lug and the High Desert bottom metal fit perfectly.

View attachment 874514

Curious what's the finish on your Preferred barrel?

 

[AZ_Hunter]

Stock got stranded in another state before I got a chance to bed and swap to a heavier recoiling cartridge.

I have about 1k 556 rounds on this now, and several shooters at @mxgsfmdpx & @hereinaz Arizona shoot got a chance to play with it last month. My thoughts remain that this is an easy stock to like - priced fairly, great fit and finish, great grip and cheek geometry. I have been spoiled by the RS and Bravo re: parallel toe line, and really have come to appreciate how well these designs track under recoil on bags. The Bastion is far from a traditional toe line, but I still do notice some muzzle rise when shooting on bags. This generally isn’t a big deal in typical hunting positions other than prone.

It’s worth noting I haven’t printed any exceptionally small groups with this rifle since its installation in the bastion. It still shoots under 1.5” for 10 round groups with 77 AAC OTM, but I have a feeling that this barreled action, which I have thousands of rounds on in other stocks, is capable of 20% better on average. I think this will tighten up with bedding but will update the thread when I have data to support that hunch.

-J

I bet it would benefit from bedding.

 

[Roor]

Curious what's the finish on your Preferred barrel?

Sniper grey cerakote… it’s darker in person than the pictures show.

 

[RWT]

Watching this as I now have a RS, Bastion, factory, Bravo and MDT Field. I ant to decide on one for a lightweight build and the Bastion is leading on weight alone.

 

[AZ_Hunter]

Anyone successful with aftermarket bottom metal on these?

High Desert fit mine

 

[Roor]

High Desert fit mine

Yep I ended up getting a HD linear and it fit right in.

 

[The Harbor Master]

I feel like this is a dumb question, not worthy of its own thread so I'll add it here.

If I get a Bastion for a T3X and do the recommended bedding, can the stock accommodate a different T3X? I'll be putting it on a 7RM but will be eventually swapping a 6CM build into it. If I bed it with the 7RM, will that 6CM drop right in onto the bedding, or will there be enough minor differences that they won't mate up right?

Additionally, can the answer to this question be considered a general rule with other stocks as well?

If it won't work I probably just won't bed now and will wait until the 6CM is finished and bed that one.

 

[NSI]

I feel like this is a dumb question, not worthy of its own thread so I'll add it here.

If I get a Bastion for a T3X and do the recommended bedding, can the stock accommodate a different T3X? I'll be putting it on a 7RM but will be eventually swapping a 6CM build into it. If I bed it with the 7RM, will that 6CM drop right in onto the bedding, or will there be enough minor differences that they won't mate up right?

Additionally, can the answer to this question be considered a general rule with other stocks as well?

If it won't work I probably just won't bed now and will wait until the 6CM is finished and bed that one.

Outside of rare occasions, well-done stress-free bedding that fits one t3x will fit another. My suggestion is to bed the recoil lug and tang only, which should entirely eliminate switching issues.

-J

 

[Jlowry809]

I only bedded the recoil lug with my 6.5prc cause I was unsure if it would be usable with another action if I did the full bed and it shoots great and consistent. I honestly don’t think bedding the whole thing would change much.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[The Harbor Master]

Outside of rare occasions, well-done stress-free bedding that fits one t3x will fit another. My suggestion is to bed the recoil lug and tang only, which should entirely eliminate switching issues.

-J

Makes sense, thank you. Honestly I'm probably just over-worried about the bedding; don't want to screw anything up. I've bedded scope rails and doing the lug/tang seems pretty easy so I'll give it a go.

 

[Balderdash]

I feel like this is a dumb question, not worthy of its own thread so I'll add it here.

If I get a Bastion for a T3X and do the recommended bedding, can the stock accommodate a different T3X? I'll be putting it on a 7RM but will be eventually swapping a 6CM build into it. If I bed it with the 7RM, will that 6CM drop right in onto the bedding, or will there be enough minor differences that they won't mate up right?

Additionally, can the answer to this question be considered a general rule with other stocks as well?

If it won't work I probably just won't bed now and will wait until the 6CM is finished and bed that one.

Yes. All Tikkas have the same length action, so you won't likely run into ussues from one to the next. I almost never bed a Tikka unless the recoil lug is loose or stock fitment is really poor. The lug design doesn't benefit from bedding as much as other action designs do.