Tikka accurizing for Tikka newbie

[Formidilosus]

Winds from the left, variable 5-15 mph

Zero information to be gained from shooting for groups then.

 

[BjornF16]

Made some modifications to my previous setup.

1. Found the locking lugs were only engaging on one side. Lapped and corrected.

2. Ditched the Talley UL rings and installed MT picatinny rail

3. Temporarily installed NF steel rings

4. Swapped stocks with 223 T3X. (this stock forearm is straighter, more symmetrical around barrel. May have overtorqued the 7mm-08 original stock action screws).

5. Ditched previous bench top setup and using new sand bags


Winds were calm to light air; 100 yard range open again. The NF rings I have are too high

 

[Motown]

Get some Hornady Eldx ammo and you’ll watch those groups shrink.

 

[Formidilosus]

Much better.

 

[16Bore]

Watch the sling studs on the bags.

 

[Smokeslider]

Get some Hornady Eldx ammo and you’ll watch those groups shrink.

I’ve had very similar experiences with the OP regards to my 300WM T3X. The only load it will shoot close to MOA is Hornady ELD-x.

 

[BjornF16]

Watch the sling studs on the bags.

I wondered about that...I’ll remove them next time.

I’ve ordered Axial Precision stock for this rifle. I’ll swap T3X stock back to .223 and get some Seekins Precision low rings and start shooting more with 75 grains and practice the “course” Form posted.

 

[HighUintas]

Made some modifications to my previous setup.

1. Found the locking lugs were only engaging on one side. Lapped and corrected.

2. Ditched the Talley UL rings and installed MT picatinny rail

3. Temporarily installed NF steel rings

4. Swapped stocks with 223 T3X. (this stock forearm is straighter, more symmetrical around barrel. May have overtorqued the 7mm-08 original stock action screws).

5. Ditched previous bench top setup and using new sand bags


Winds were calm to light air; 100 yard range open again. The NF rings I have are too high
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Heck yeah! Glad to see you found the issue. I checked my bolt lugs out of curiosity last week and they were good. That's one thing I wouldn't think you would have to worry about on a Tikka. Congrats.

Let me know how you like that axial precision stock. It's on my dream list

 

[BjornF16]

Sight-in and quick 10 shots from my new T3X .223 Rem. Barrel was pretty hot for last three shots (left most three, just outside of aim point square).

Not sure if I psyched myself out or what...it was getting hot.

I walked down to check the first three shots since I could only see two through the scope.

 

[njdoxie]

I just recently replaced my heavy 338 WM with a 6lb Tikka Superlite in 300 WM. I shoot Norma Bondstrike factory ammo out of it, it's the first ammo I tried, 60% of my 3 shot groups are sub MOA, which I'm ecstatic with, way good enough for me. I feel no need to touch it, it's 100% stock and will stay that way, I've learned not to fix something that's not broken. Well I did have the barrel shortened by 2 inches, so it would quit catching on every durn limb, but that's it. I'm not going down any rabbit holes of fixing this and that.

 

[DJL2]

Here's a question...do you guys keep the factory pressure point bedding or do you just have at it and float the barrel entirely? I posted up a few groups in the thread dedicated to such...running around 1.75" out of my T3x and that doesn't do it for me. Gotta figure out how to cut that nearly in half. Now, to be fair, I bought the rifle as a project gun...just trying to wring everything I can out of it for the education as much as anything. I actually like the rifle's handling quite a lot, might be nice to keep it "as is" for a bit. The good news is no real issues with the stock's ergonomics or the trigger ($10 for a spring and it's the nicest one in my safe).

 

[Rob5589]

Here's a question...do you guys keep the factory pressure point bedding or do you just have at it and float the barrel entirely? I posted up a few groups in the thread dedicated to such...running around 1.75" out of my T3x and that doesn't do it for me. Gotta figure out how to cut that nearly in half. Now, to be fair, I bought the rifle as a project gun...just trying to ring everything I can out of it for the education as much as anything. I actually like the rifle's handling quite a lot, might be nice to keep it "as is" for a bit. The good news is no real issues with the stock's ergonomics or the trigger ($10 for a spring and it's the nicest one in my safe).

Fully floated on mine. No barrel contact, at all.

 

[KClark]

Same here, I grind them down with an 80 grit drum on a Dremel tool, no barrel contact at all.

 

[HighUintas]

Here's a question...do you guys keep the factory pressure point bedding or do you just have at it and float the barrel entirely? I posted up a few groups in the thread dedicated to such...running around 1.75" out of my T3x and that doesn't do it for me. Gotta figure out how to cut that nearly in half. Now, to be fair, I bought the rifle as a project gun...just trying to ring everything I can out of it for the education as much as anything. I actually like the rifle's handling quite a lot, might be nice to keep it "as is" for a bit. The good news is no real issues with the stock's ergonomics or the trigger ($10 for a spring and it's the nicest one in my safe).

I left them in my 30-06 and had it torqued to just under 45in/lbs front and rear. It shot really well with them.

I think it probably depends on your priorities. With the points in it will be more prone to stringing with barrel heat and may also encounter problems with poi shift when they get worn down over time. I only shot a couple hundred through mine before I put the action into a laminate stock and noticed that the points had started to wear a bit when I pulled the action.

 

[DJL2]

Yeah, that's an interesting point about wear...it's not like I have the patience to keep the barrel cool. I'm 50 rounds in at this point and even shooting a 3-3-4 cadence for 10 rd groups gets the barrel pretty hot. There could be a tendency to micro group within my 10 shot groups...if it' a thing, could be a pressure thing, I suppose. Ultimately, it'll be interesting to see if I can get to a point where barrel heating doesn't cause significant POI shifts.

 

[HighUintas]

Yeah, that's an interesting point about wear...it's not like I have the patience to keep the barrel cool. I'm 50 rounds in at this point and even shooting a 3-3-4 cadence for 10 rd groups gets the barrel pretty hot. There could be a tendency to micro group within my 10 shot groups...if it' a thing, could be a pressure thing, I suppose. Ultimately, it'll be interesting to see if I can get to a point where barrel heating doesn't cause significant POI shifts.

I never kept my barrel completely cool. I let it get pretty warm with 3-4 shots and didn't see any stringing. I think it's got to be fairly hot for it to happen.

I'm not patient either. So what I do, is I'll take an insulated water bottle with ice cold water in it along with a rag to the range. After a string, I'll wipe down the whole barrel with the ice cold rag, then let it sit a few minutes to equalize and that gets it cool pretty quickly. I can get through 25-30 shots in about 90 minutes or less. Not bad.

 

[DJL2]

That's worth a try for sure. I've gotten a little spoiled with my 6.5 CM - it doesn't seem to care whether it's cold, hot, dirt, clean...it even shoots 3 or so different types of ammunition to the same POI @ 100 yds. I assume there must be witchcraft at play. That's not a realistic expectation for every rifle, of course...I just wanna get to the range and do some work without relying on a book to pass the time.

 

[HighUintas]

That's worth a try for sure. I've gotten a little spoiled with my 6.5 CM - it doesn't seem to care whether it's cold, hot, dirt, clean...it even shoots 3 or so different types of ammunition to the same POI @ 100 yds. I assume there must be witchcraft at play. That's not a realistic expectation for every rifle, of course...I just wanna get to the range and do some work without relying on a book to pass the time.

Haha yes I almost convinced my wife to let me buy a used Tikka 6.5cm I found on our last call classifieds because it's such a good deal.

 

[DJL2]

The other side to this...the 7RM finally convinced me to get my RCBS Summit mounted up. Nothing fancy here, just some Hornady dies. However, you can do some accuracy work at the press for sure - I grabbed a small amount of RL23, IMR 4955 and, of course, H4831sc for testing. I’ll be starting with left overs - some 162 Amax and SST and 168 Matrix. Two of those are billed as match bullets, might be some potential there if they stabilize. I’m also hopeful that if I sort myself out and follow your cool down the Nosler BT will show good accuracy. The LRX is something I’ll explore just to have an option that offers high penetration and weight retention.

Back on the topic proper, I think I see some stock stabilization and bedding in my future. The factory unit handles recoil surprisingly well and the vertical grip is ergonomically outstanding for me. The ten bucks on a new trigger spring seems well spent - going between two rifles, I achieved a legit surprise break going back to the Tikka (and then really had to concentrate on the heavier unit, a KRG Midas). I wouldn’t mind more meat in the fore end, but it’s not a huge problem with my diminutive digits. I’ve got a limb saver on the way - if it’s better than the factory unit, I’ll really need the press running. My T3x is the nicest/smoothest running action I have.

I‘ll double check lug engagement as well, but other than possibly some lapping there, I think it’s all down to me and the barrel after that.