Tikka issues

[rabbithuntr]

Just got a new Tikka 223 and am about 50 rounds in and multiple having issues if anyone has help that would be great. First my 10 shot groups are around 2.5 moa with multiple loads.

The circle is 2” shooting at 100 meters

This is the only 5 shot group abou 1.5 moa

I am wondering if it is grouping poor due to excessive headspace.

The primer is protruding significantly also had a light strike

The final issue is the bolt lift started to get very stiff i disabled the bolt and found galling on the cocking surfaces

From the research I had done previously the consensus was to degrease the bolt ad run it dry so that is what I did before firing.
If anyone has had these issues before and has advice I would appreciate it.


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[N2TRKYS]

Mine shot like crap until I took the pressure point out of the stock.

 

[Marbles]

Order I would do things.
1. Verify head space is correct (I would be surprised if it is not, but it is an issue the manufacture should fix if it is, so before modifying the rifle, I would check it).
2. Use a know reliable scope
3. Remount scope with degreasing and adequate torque
4. Check that the rifle is properly sitting in the stock and check action screw torque
5. Open up the barrel channel

The backed out primer would worry me. Is it factory ammo or reloads? Might be worth picking up a No-Go gauge to check it.

Check that the action is sitting in the stock correctly, particularly regarding the recoil lug. I also take a deep well socket wrapped in sand paper and create more clearance between the barrel and stock.

Consider that the scope could be moving in the mounts and degrease/remount with higher torque. Is the scope a known quantity, or is it new?

For corrosion resistance, I use a thin coat of oil rated to -85 F inside the bolt and I personally put a small amount of synthetic grease on the cocking surfaces, this is rated to -40. If going out in temps of -30 F or colder I would clean off the grease. Both products are formulated such that they do not collect dirt.

 

[TaperPin]

From the research I had done previously the consensus was to degrease the bolt ad run it dry so that is what I did before firing.

Most stainless requires lubrication, despite how many people claim it doesn’t.

The backed out primer shows decent headspace gap - a hotter load will expand the case rearward and if your reloading die is adjusted to not create the big headspace, your case life will be good.

Is it safe to say you’re shooting a heavy bullet? What is the twist rate of the barrel? It has to be fast enough to stabilize the bullet. If it’s marked fast enough, it might be worth while to actually check. If you have a box of ordinary lighter weight ammo and it shoots fine, that points to improper twist.

If a rifle shoots that poorly I’ll swap to a known good scope, and check all the screws are actually clamping the base to the receiver. If front base screws are too long they hit the barrel and won’t hold the base properly. Placing a 1” wide cardboard shim cut from a cereal box around and under the action at the front and rear action screws screws is a quick way to tighten the fit between stock and action. Of course the action screws should be properly tightened.

Once I worked with a guy for weeks, months maybe, to figure out why his rifle wouldn’t shoot well, and nothing we tried seemed to make any difference. Finally he mentioned it probably makes sense to get a better method of resting the gun - he had been shooting with a rolled up jacket over the hood of his pickup with no rear bag. Shooting with a bipod on the hood of a pickup also doesn’t work - a bipod directly on any hard surface may or may not work - pad it with something.

Do you have a can or muzzle brake? The bullet has to pass through without touching even the slightest amount.

 

[SDHNTR]

Hang on, just change ammo first before you go tail chasing.

 

[Marbles]

Hang on, just change ammo first before you go tail chasing.

I read the following as he had already done that.

First my 10 shot groups are around 2.5 moa with multiple loads.

 

[rabbithuntr]

I took a fine stone and a strop to the caming surfaces and put some 0 weight Mobil synthetic on it which seemed to fix the bolt lift issue I had from the galling. I had sanded the barrel channel up to the pressure point at my first post I now have it sanded out all the way to within an inch or so of the action. I also checked ring screws and action screws. I shot 10 rounds of one of the earlier hand loads and a factory load both shot ~ 2.5 moa. Somewhat surprisingly the was almost no impact shift from earlier. I had LRI cut and thread the muzzle and was using a suppressor. No evidence of baffle strikes. I’m using UM low rings and a 6x swfa ample scope clearance. Took the scope off put it on my 6.5 creed and shot a 1.3 moa group. The rifle is an 8 twist I’ve used 73 eld, 75 eld, 60 tmk, and the factory load is a 77 smk. Hopefully I can get ahold of some go gauges next week and check that.


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[sveltri]

Mine shot 77 TMK basically the same way until I slowed them down. They shoot good for me around 2750ish. I was pushing them almost 3k with N540.

 

[SDHNTR]

I read the following as he had already done that.

Hmm. Different ways you could read that I suppose.

 

[pirogue]

I see what the problem is. Under the first image, you state, “The circle is 2” shooting at 100 meters”
You can’t mix USA and communist units of measure in the same sentence.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

Man, this looks a lot like what my tikka 223 put me through. It's a lot better with a new barrel, but before you do that, try some 77 SMK factory loads to rule out an ammo issue.

 

[rabbithuntr]

I tried the IMI SMK load it was just under 2.5 moa (2.6” at 110 yds) I’ve shot 7 10 round groups at this point and they are all pretty close to that, and all to the same point of impact. It’s been consistent but not to the standard I expected.


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[amassi]

Take it to a gunsmith or rent a go/no go gauge and check headspace. Might just be you got a bum barrel that needs to be swapped


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[Antares]

From the research I had done previously the consensus was to degrease the bolt ad run it dry so that is what I did before firing.

You want the firing pin assembly degreased and dry, not the whole bolt. Lightly grease the back of the lugs and the cocking ramp. If you’ve already galled the ramp, just smooth it out with a stone or something.

Free float the barrel and make sure your action screws and scope mounts are torqued before you try anything else.

 

[Wacko]

I'm currently working through some issues as well.

DO NOT modify the rifle in any way first. That primer is suspect. I would see if the headspace is off. Then send it in for warranty. I don't think they will honor warranty for a "modified" rifle.

If headspace checks out, still contact warranty as it does not meet the MOA spec - or will it put 3 under an inch before it goes out to 2.5 moa?

Just my 2 cents....

 

[Marbles]

It is possible to get a bum Tikka. Now I'm whishing I had bothered to shoot my 223 prior to having it cut and threaded. I told myself I should, then did not.

 

[Mike307]

I'm currently working through some issues as well.

DO NOT modify the rifle in any way first. That primer is suspect. I would see if the headspace is off. Then send it in for warranty. I don't think they will honor warranty for a "modified" rifle.

If headspace checks out, still contact warranty as it does not meet the MOA spec - or will it put 3 under an inch before it goes out to 2.5 moa?

Just my 2 cents....

 

[Mike307]

Make sure the action is sitting in the recoil lug correctly. I’ve had problems with several Tikka’s until I figured out the action wasn’t seated properly in the stock because the recoil lug wasn’t in the slot in the action correctly. I learned to remove the lug from the stock, turn the action upside down, put the lug in the action slot, then while the action is still upside down mount the stock to the action. the recoil lug will be properly seated every time. Use the vent hole on the left side of the action as a reference to how close it is to the stock. The hole should be right at the edge of the stock.

 

[TaperPin]

Sounds like you’re doing a good job of eliminating possible issues.

If you’ve ever been interested in a cheap $100 borescope, or if you know someone with one who would look at the bore, now is a good time for that. The teslong comes in IPhone/IPad or android/windows versions. The one for iPhones uses the newest style of plug, usb-c, so for an older one with apple lightning plug a $5 adapter is required.

Looking at the bore may not show anything. At best it would show an obvious manufacturing defect. If you had more than a few hundred rounds through the barrel, a buildup of carbon not removed with cleaning would be something to look for, but that’s not an issue with a new barrel.

Anytime the barrel is cut there’s a chance a burr has been left on the crown. Taking the can off and checking for roughness with a q-tip would eliminate that. Shooting a group without the can wouldn‘t be a bad idea since if it has any looseness that can cause problems.

Check Your Crown’s Condition with a Q-Tip « Daily Bulletin

The last half-inch or so of your barrel is absolutely critical. Any damage (or abnormal wear) near the crown will cause a significant drop-off in accuracy. Here are ways you can check the end of your barrel, using a common Q-Tip.

bulletin.accurateshooter.com

Unfortunately, this and the other things I’ve mentioned are all I have, short of a new barrel. It’s tempting to buy a lightly used takeoff barrel on eBay, but there’s always the risk it’s someone else’s problem barrel that had to be replaced, so buyer beware. Much better to find a used barrel with known history, or new.

 

[Reburn]

What scope and rings?

Please post picture of action and scope.