Rebarrel Tikka or Just Buy New Rifle?

[General RE LEE]

Would you have a reputable smith like Southern Precision (BugHoles) put a new, quality barrel on your Tikka CTR, thread barrel and true the action or just buy a new CTR? Price would be similar.

 

[nobody]

Would you have a reputable smith like Southern Precision (BugHoles) put a new, quality barrel on your Tikka CTR, thread barrel and true the action or just buy a new CTR? Price would be similar.

I would rebarrel if you’ve got the rifle already, less paperwork that way. but don’t have them do anything to the action. There’s no reason to “true” or “blueprint” a tikka, and doing so will not only do nothing to improve the performance, but it will also eliminate the future possibility of EVER using a shouldered prefit barrel.

 

[MuleyFever]

Don't waste your money to true a Tikka action.

Also, I wouldnt pay a gunsmith unless they were cheap. There is nothing fancy to screwing on a shouldered prefit. Just send the rifle to the barrel maker and its done, probably for less. My last 3 from McGowen were $100 for the barrel swap labor.

 

[Tahoe1305]

Prefit? Can get a steel or CF prefit for ~$700. Some of the steel are cheaper. Tools to execute are ~$100

 

[SamsonMan22]

Why not just buy a new ctr take off if you are already considering just buying another ctr? It doesn’t get much cheaper and easier than that.

 

[4cMuley]

Maybe it’s just me but the mild anxiety of mailing barreled action, dealing with incredibly grumpy gunsmiths, and the many weeks/months of waiting has saved me a lot of money not rebarreling rifles. For better or for worse I guess. I sure wish I had some better twists on a few rifles that’s for sure

 

[Claybuster]

Make or buy a barrel vise and wrench and swap it out yourself. I wish I would have done it years ago.

 

[Harvey_NW]

Maybe it’s just me but the mild anxiety of mailing barreled action, dealing with incredibly grumpy gunsmiths, and the many weeks/months of waiting has saved me a lot of money not rebarreling rifles. For better or for worse I guess. I sure wish I had some better twists on a few rifles that’s for sure

Preferred Barrel Blanks made it as simple as possible. Ordered my barrel, they notified me a week before it was done, sent them my barreled action, arrived timed and torqued ready to rock with the take off barrel a week later. Repeatedly puts 10 shots into .6-.7". Try it sometime!

 

[Timberline001]

Would you have a reputable smith like Southern Precision (BugHoles) put a new, quality barrel on your Tikka CTR, thread barrel and true the action or just buy a new CTR? Price would be similar.

Re barrel that sucker! Preferred barrels are great and will be cheaper than buying another CTR. Not to mention you’ll have a button barrel and can design it however you want. I’ve had great luck with carbonsix tikka prefits as well. You can fit their featherweight barrel in that stock and lighten up the gun. I love playing with the tikkas. I have 3 tikka projects going at the moment

 

[Timberline001]

Don't waste your money to true a Tikka action.

Also, I wouldnt pay a gunsmith unless they were cheap. There is nothing fancy to screwing on a shouldered prefit. Just send the rifle to the barrel maker and its done, probably for less. My last 3 from McGowen were $100 for the barrel swap labor.

McGowan seems to really turned themselves around. I’m excited to get my prefit spun on and see how it shoots. Hard to beat less than $500 for a prefit threaded on both ends.

 

[LuvDog]

Buy a pre fit and rebarrel it. I will say that breaking the stock barrel free can be a bear though. But if it’s shot out and you’re not saving it then that makes it easier

 

[Harvey_NW]

Re barrel that sucker! Preferred barrels are great and will be cheaper than buying another CTR. Not to mention you’ll have a button barrel and can design it however you want. I’ve had great luck with carbonsix tikka prefits as well. You can fit their featherweight barrel in that stock and lighten up the gun. I love playing with the tikkas. I have 3 tikka projects going at the moment

I can't wait to shoot them

 

[BrBa]

Maybe it’s just me but the mild anxiety of mailing barreled action, dealing with incredibly grumpy gunsmiths, and the many weeks/months of waiting has saved me a lot of money not rebarreling rifles. For better or for worse I guess. I sure wish I had some better twists on a few rifles that’s for sure

LRI is by no means grumpy, and their turnaround is pretty quick. Great progress reports too. Good things ain't cheap though.

It does suck shipping off your action though. UPS will no longer do it. I had to go thru an ffl last time.

 

[Claybuster]

LRI is by no means grumpy, and their turnaround is pretty quick. Great progress reports too. Good things ain't cheap though.

It does suck shipping off your action though. UPS will no longer do it. I had to go thru an ffl last time.

USPS is the only non-FFL option for long guns I think.

 

[FLS]

No guarantee a new CTR will be and exceptional shooter. Most are, but it’s still just a factory rifle. Same appliess to a prefit.
If you buy a quality blank and have Southern Precision do the work it will, guaranteed.
Id also look at Swift Creek Rifles. He built a Dasher and a .223 on Tikka actions for my buddy. Both are fantastic shooters.

 

[BrBa]

I think you're right. Long guns only, no handguns.

 

[Hnthrdr]

Maybe it’s just me but the mild anxiety of mailing barreled action, dealing with incredibly grumpy gunsmiths, and the many weeks/months of waiting has saved me a lot of money not rebarreling rifles. For better or for worse I guess. I sure wish I had some better twists on a few rifles that’s for sure

Depends on where you live, I have a great gunsmith in Co, reasonable prices, quick turn around, top notch work, nice guy too definitely not a grump gunsmithatlarge.com guys name is Parker

 

[General RE LEE]

Thanks folks. Didn’t think about the prefit. That’s the way I’ll go and sounds reasonably priced.

 

[General RE LEE]

I consider myself lucky cause Bug Holes is 15 minutes from the house. I’ve dropped off a couple rifles with him before. Great guys.

 

[Quicksilver]

Rebarreled tikkas suck, 600yds.