Tikka a safe rifle?

[coloradoan]

Obviously Tikka rifles are safe statistically speaking - seems like just about everyone here on Rokslide is using them without incident. I’m pretty ignorant of the engineering that goes into firearms, but I notice that my Weatherby Vanguard has gas ports to steer gases away from the face in the event of something going wrong. Does the Tikka have that sort of feature? If not, is that a safety concern - even a minor one?

 

[Bojangles21]

IMO, I wouldn’t worry about that, I’ve had a tikka t3 lite for 7 years and not a single problem, having it turned into a semi custom 7 SAUM as we speak. If you’re trying to decide, tikka 100%.


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[TwoTikkas]

I've posted this before,but it warrants repeating. Broke a cardinal rule one range session. Two types of ammo on the bench at one time. I was working between two rifles,and had two identical ammo boxes open on the bench. 280 Remington and 7 Rem mag. Both with red tips. Well being in a hurry,the 280 was leaned nearby cooling,and I chambered one of the 280 rounds in the 7 mag and pulled the boom switch. Thank God I wear glasses. M face was peppered with bits of brass and powder. The bottom was blown out of the magazine,while the box was still latched into the stock. That cheesy little latch really works.

I held some snow on my face while figuring out what just happened. There isn't enough material in a 280 Remington to make a belted magnums. There was a year in the side of the Case nearly an inch long. Otherwise it looked pretty good. No damage to the rifle itself. I used a little iosso to clean the spot Mark out of the chamber. Snapped the bottom back into the mag too I believe. All while learning what I already knew. ONE BOX OF AMMO ON THE BENCH AT ALL TIMES!

 

[archp625]

Yeah they are safe. If they were their lawyers wouldn't allow them to be sold and or you would hear about it.

 

[Tradchef]

I have a 7 year old T3 in .243 and it’s fantastic. No issues what so ever

 

[deerkiller]

gas dump is an inch or so back on the left ??

 

[Wapiti1]

Tikka's have a gas port on the left hand side of the receiver ring. It may or may not be visible while in the stock. If memory serves, there is a hole on the bottom side of the bolt to vent blown primer gas into the mag well.

In the unlikely event of a case rupture, it will vent to the side, and into the mag well by way of the extractor.

Jeremy

 

[TwoTikkas]

Not completely. I was peppered quite nicely above and below my glasses with brass and I assume powder. There is no safe place behind any rifle with a complete case rupture. Trust me.

I have gone all but completely Tikka in my safe. Still use my Remington based semi custom 280 AI. I trust their rifles completely. Even after my own field test.

Tikka's have a gas port on the left hand side of the receiver ring. It may or may not be visible while in the stock. If memory serves, there is a hole on the bottom side of the bolt to vent blown primer gas into the mag well.

In the unlikely event of a case rupture, it will vent to the side, and into the mag well by way of the extractor.

Jeremy

 

[Wapiti1]

You are correct. I should have said it is designed for the gas to vent like that. What actually happens is situation specific. That said, you probably got a lot less blowback due to the rifle design than you could have.

Glad it wasn't worse.

Jeremy

 

[longbarrel]

Some gas ports are more cosmetic than effective; I don't know about Tikka's specifically. Mauser 98 has probably the best gas handling among bolt actions with their big, flanged bolt cap. Stuart Otteson discussed design features extensively in his two-book treatise in the 1980s "The Bolt Action." In the event of case rupture, a lot of gas will come back along the side raceways where the locking lugs travel.
https://www.amazon.com/Bolt-Action-Design-Analysis/dp/0876911750

 

[DangerRanger]

IIRC there was a run of t3s back in the day with compromised alloy that blew up and hurt some people. They were recalled and I haven’t hear much about it since.

There was a thread on LRH like 2 years ago where one detonated on a members wife on a cow elk hunt and they deleted the thread after their lawyer suggested it. She was not terribly injured but the gun was of course totaled. Got the cow though I believe.

Those issues seemed to have nothing to do with gas ports and only to do with metal composition, which I wouldn’t worry about at all now

 

[deerkiller]

IIRC there was a run of t3s back in the day with compromised alloy that blew up and hurt some people. They were recalled and I haven’t hear much about it since.

There was a thread on LRH like 2 years ago where one detonated on a members wife on a cow elk hunt and they deleted the thread after their lawyer suggested it. She was not terribly injured but the gun was of course totaled. Got the cow though I believe.

Those issues seemed to have nothing to do with gas ports and only to do with metal composition, which I wouldn’t worry about at all now

IF memory serves they were SS 338 win mags

 

[deerkiller]

there are a few newer designs that dump the gas/debris downward through the mag well in a catastrophic event I believe -

 

[TwoTikkas]

Here is a pic of the 280 Remington fired in the 7 Rem mag T3. Not enough material to complete a fire forming.

 

[deerkiller]

Here is a pic of the 280 Remington fired in the 7 Rem mag T3. Not enough material to complete a fire forming.

Did you get any blowback in the face ?

 

[Mike 338]

Virtually all modern rifles are designed to take the abuse of excessive pressure although some have been known to fare better than others under catastrophic situations. All in all though, it's not a thing to worry about unless your one of these guys who thinks every rifle you own needs to perform to "internet" standards.

Even though a Volvo rates well in high-speed head-on collisions, I still drive a pickup.

 

[Spentbrass556]

I think a bigger safety concern than the gas port is a failure of the sako type extractor.

 

[TwoTikkas]

Did you get any blowback in the face ?

Yes I did. Smarted a bunch too. Still primarily Tikka in the gun safe though. After that I don't worry much about a blown primer or the like. I still can't believe I did that. Stupid stupid stupid. Chit you do when you are in a hurry.

 

[Mashthegas]

Thank god you are ok. Thanks for sharing. I think this is a good lesson for all about complacency at both the loading and shooting benches.

 

[deerkiller]

I think a bigger safety concern than the gas port is a failure of the sako type extractor.

Please explain this to all of us ?