Rifle ice/snow freeze eval 2025

[Southern Lights]

The Tikka T3 borrows heavily from the Sako TRG design (which Sako got when they bought Tikka). The closed action goes a long way towards keeping debris out, and making the action stiffer. The smooth bolt keeps debris out of the bolt lugs and the angled lugs do not pack snow/debris in easily.

The T3 trigger shares a lot of the TRG design. The TRG-S rifle is a single stage like the Tikka and you can see the internal diagram below. The two stage TRG trigger has many similar features and all work well in cold weather (Finland).

The only time I've heard people having trouble with Sako/Tikka triggers is when they went around and messed with them.

TRG-S manual diagram.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

FWIW, a friend had a tikka jam up while hunting with me in Prince William Sound this fall. When a gunsmith was able to disassemble the bolt, it was completely rusted up inside from several years of saltwater hunting trips.

I chose to use a light layer of high quality oil that is rated to -60f on my Tikka internals to avoid rust in coastal Alaskan environments.

What oil exactly?

 

[HighUintas]

The Tikka T3 borrows heavily from the Sako TRG design (which Sako got when they bought Tikka). The closed action goes a long way towards keeping debris out, and making the action stiffer. The smooth bolt keeps debris out of the bolt lugs and the angled lugs do not pack snow/debris in easily.

The T3 trigger shares a lot of the TRG design. The TRG-S rifle is a single stage like the Tikka and you can see the internal diagram below. The two stage TRG trigger has many similar features and all work well in cold weather (Finland).

The only time I've heard people having trouble with Sako/Tikka triggers is when they went around and messed with them.

TRG-S manual diagram.


View attachment 834979

Yep, I had an aftermarket lightweight spring in mine two seasons ago, and did a backpack hunt in freezing rain and snow, Aunt. My trigger and bolt mechanism got froze up and wouldn't work properly for about 45 minutes to an hour or so or so

 

[B_Reynolds_AK]

What oil exactly?

M-Pro 7

 

[Choupique]

I wish 2 stage triggers were more prevalent on hunting rifles.

People are way too hung up on that whole "breaks like glass" thing.

 

[JohnJohnson]

Yep, I had an aftermarket lightweight spring in mine two seasons ago, and did a backpack hunt in freezing rain and snow, Aunt. My trigger and bolt mechanism got froze up and wouldn't work properly for about 45 minutes to an hour or so or so

My new Tikka's trigger only goes down to 2.75# pull weight at minimum so I'm 100% going to replace the spring since that's just a bit too heavy for my liking. Do you or @Formidilosus or anyone have thoughts on the most reliable replacement springs that could still get the trigger pull down to 1.75-2 pounds?

 

[HighUintas]

My new Tikka's trigger only goes down to 2.75# pull weight at minimum so I'm 100% going to replace the spring since that's just a bit too heavy for my liking. Do you or @Formidilosus or anyone have thoughts on the most reliable replacement springs that could still get the trigger pull down to 1.75-2 pounds?

I don't. Additionally, I wish I could have had another gun with me with the factory spring so that I could compare the ice impacts to them side by side. I am guessing that the factory spring may have had issues to, but may have been resolved faster

 

[Formidilosus]

My new Tikka's trigger only goes down to 2.75# pull weight at minimum so I'm 100% going to replace the spring since that's just a bit too heavy for my liking. Do you or @Formidilosus or anyone have thoughts on the most reliable replacement springs that could still get the trigger pull down to 1.75-2 pounds?

Literally nothing. There is no version of replacing springs in the factory trigger that keeps it as safe and reliable- it is made to work as a whole unit at minimum factory setting.

If you really want a sub 2lb trigger, you need a replacement. The only one I would use is the KRG Midas.

 

[2buffalo]

Round 2:

7° F when started.

View attachment 826290



Same as above- 4 ounces of water apiece- the Tikka and MRC got some extra.


Left to right:

1). Tikka T3 in ROKStok
2). Browning X-Bolt 2
3). Bat HH, with Bixn-Andy Tacsport trigger
4) MRC
5). Remington M700, factory trigger

View attachment 826294


View attachment 826295



Update Jan 21, 2025.


This morning was 11° F.

View attachment 827016




Rifles were checked in reverse order.


1). R700: Had to to beat bolt open and back, multiple cycles forward and back then a round fed. Bolt would not close even with pounding on the bolt handle. Ejected round out, fed again, beat on bolt again. Forced bolt handle closed. Firing pin released when trigger was pulled, but it was a light strike. Lifted bolt and closed, it snapped again with more force. Lifted again and ejected round. Cycled fine and firing pin released with full force. Worked after that. Approximately 60 seconds of work.

2). MRC: Safety operated fine, bolt was stiff opening but no issue. Pulled bolt rearward, ice and snow blocked its full travel. Pushed forward, pulled back and it went far enough back to grab cartridge. Pushed forward, round fed fine, a bit stiff to close but no issue. Firing pin fell on first trigger pull, but not full force. Cycled to eject round and the round wouldn’t release from the extractor due to the bolt not being able to go all the way back. Removed mag, removed round, reinsert mag- rifle and trigger functioned correctly after that. Approximately 12 seconds to return to full function.

3). BAT Hammer Head with BixN-Andy: Cycled bolt 2-3 times before the round picked up. Cycled fine after that, trigger was 100% dead- absolute failure to fire no matter what was done. Took approximately 34 minutes at 65° F inside for the trigger to work. The first 3-4 times after that were light strikes.

4). Browning x-Bolt 2: Had to spend approx 1 min beating open the bolt. Fed first round, but bolt would not close. Then couldn’t get the bolt back. Tried to remove magazine, it was frozen in. Had to smack magazine repeatedly to release it- when the magazine was removed, all the rounds fell out due to the rotary follower was frozen solid. Magazine was completely inoperable. Beat bolt open, round did not extract from chamber. Beat rifle on the buttpad with muzzle up and got round to fall out. Could not beat handle hard enough to get it to close. The magazine took approximately 10 minutes in my pocket to start working again. At 16 minutes I finally got the bolt closed- the trigger was 100% non-functional. It took just over 20 minutes at 66° F inside before it fired- and the firing pin released while not pulling the trigger (ND) the first time. Took 3-4 cycles before it really released the firing pin correctly.


5). Tikka: Bolt cycled back fine, was stiff going forward picking up first round due to ice and when the bolt came back a lot of snow from the scope fell in the action. Instead of dumping it out, I brushed even more off like a dummy and filled the action. Again instead of opening the bolt and dumping the snow out, I shoved it forward. Rifle picked up round fine, but would not close due to the compressed snow/ice in the chamber.

From the video, right before closing the bolt-
View attachment 827042


Needless to say it did not lock up. Pulled bolt back, slammed it forward, back again, forward, etc, etc. The round was encased in compacted snow/ice. Tried to beat buttpad on ground to get round to fall out- didn’t work. Hammered on bolt as hard as I dared- no joy. Pulled bolt, bolt face was filled with compacted snow.

View attachment 827056

Scraped out ice with knife, reinserted bolt. Still would not close. Set rifle to the side and carried the others to the house. Came back and tried beating the bolt closed one more time. Got it closed. Then it would cycle fine, but took a couple tries for the extractor to pull cartridge out of the chamber. After it extracted the round, rifle worked fine. Approximately 8 minutes for rifle to return to full function. It was 100% due to me not brushing the snow off the rifle (like all the others) before opening the action.



Conclusion after second round.

BixN-Andy TacSport trigger is a complete failure with snow and ice. Browning X-Bolt 2 was a total failure due to the magazine not working at all; as well as the trigger being frozen- then it fired without trigger being pulled. R700 took a bit of work, but function returned quickly. The Tikka would have functioned without issue had I brushed the snow that was caked on like I did for all the others. But doing so and what followed caused its failure. The Montana Rifle Company rifle functioned correctly without issue.

Do you have a 700 with a triggertech you could try?

 

[Firth]

My new Tikka's trigger only goes down to 2.75# pull weight at minimum so I'm 100% going to replace the spring since that's just a bit too heavy for my liking. Do you or @Formidilosus or anyone have thoughts on the most reliable replacement springs that could still get the trigger pull down to 1.75-2 pounds?

I had one that I couldn't get below 3 lb or so, but it was just because the adjustment screw had dead-headed on the screw that attaches the trigger to the action. I tried a replacement spring, but found they were lighter than I wanted so I just took a file to the edge of the screw cap and then getting down to 2 lb was no problem. I have it at 2.5 now, and think it's great.

 

[Formidilosus]

Do you have a 700 with a triggertech you could try?

Yes. TT’s have been used repeatedly. The ice eval last year had one in it. They are worse than the Bixn Andy.

 

[medvedyt]

Updated post #2.

thank you very, still very happy with tikka moves in our hunting conditions over here.

 

[JohnJohnson]

Literally nothing. There is no version of replacing springs in the factory trigger that keeps it as safe and reliable- it is made to work as a whole unit at minimum factory setting.

If you really want a sub 2lb trigger, you need a replacement. The only one I would use is the KRG Midas.

I would be fine with 2-2.25# if I had to. Though unsure if just ordering a few OEM springs until I found one that adjusts that low would work.

 

[Formidilosus]

I would be fine with 2-2.25# if I had to. Though unsure if just ordering a few OEM springs until I found one that adjusts that low would work.

You can file the trigger bolt head down until the screw back out enough to get to 2.5lbs, but I wouldn’t take it any farther. The trigger system just isn’t made for it.

 

[NSI]

You can file the trigger bolt head down until the screw back out enough to get to 2.5lbs, but I wouldn’t take it any farther. The trigger system just isn’t made for it.

I suppose the contrapositive is true as well, that you could install a slightly lighter spring and drive the adjustment screw in to reach 2.5lb? I've done both without issue (yet).

-J

 

[Formidilosus]

I suppose the contrapositive is true as well, that you could install a slightly lighter spring and drive the adjustment screw in to reach 2.5lb? I've done both without issue (yet).

-J

Not that I’ve seen. There is something with the trigger screw that is effecting safety and reliability. I believe every, or almost every tikka trigger with a lightened spring that I’ve seen used heavily in varied environments has had issues at some- even if it was taken backup to 2+ pounds.


Much like a Glock, the trigger just isn’t made to be messed with. Extremely reliable when unmodified, less so when messed with. For a fake gun- whatever, the guns and rifles aren’t drop safe anyways. But for a field rifle, nah. Having went the gamut from factory Remington triggers, to 2oz Jewels, to every other combo. With a lot of shooters and condition, triggers for field use at sub 2 to 2.5 lbs isn’t the answer.

 

[Castle Rock]

My new Tikka's trigger only goes down to 2.75# pull weight at minimum so I'm 100% going to replace the spring since that's just a bit too heavy for my liking. Do you or @Formidilosus or anyone have thoughts on the most reliable replacement springs that could still get the trigger pull down to 1.75-2 pounds?

The newer tikkas definitely have a heavier spring
I have found polishing the ends of the spring flat gives a big improvement for very little effort, I don’t like the aftermarket springs

 

[Firth]

The newer tikkas definitely have a heavier spring
I have found polishing the ends of the spring flat gives a big improvement for very little effort, I don’t like the aftermarket springs

I might have done that if I'd thought about it. Filing the shoulder of the screw cap was such an easy fix though. Just a few passes on the file and then I hit it with some cold blue. I didn't need much, maybe another half turn on the adjustment. Originally, I didn't want to alter the screw heads, so I bought the lighter springs. After trying the lighter springs and finding out I couldn't get them up to 2 lb, I broke out the file and wish I'd just tried it first.

 

[Gravel Road]

I don't understand the need for the light triggers. 3 lbs seems plenty light for hunting, so I'll stick with the factory spring. For bench shooting, the lighter the better, but for hunting, no thanks. Being able to feel the trigger with a glove on is very important. I guess learning to shoot with crap triggers led me down a bad path-lol.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

My new Tikka's trigger only goes down to 2.75# pull weight at minimum so I'm 100% going to replace the spring since that's just a bit too heavy for my liking. Do you or @Formidilosus or anyone have thoughts on the most reliable replacement springs that could still get the trigger pull down to 1.75-2 pounds?

If you must, take the factory spring to a machine shop and have them source a similarly speced stainless tempered spring with a kiss more give.

I used to be a light trigger guy as well coming from bench rest guns, and lightened all of my Tikkas and Sakos from factory spec. I've ran into issues on multiple guns with literally all of the aftermarket spring options.

Now that I'm used to the factory springs being adjusted all the way out, when going back to "hair" triggers on bench and custom guns they run way too light for general hunting and shooting for me.