Tikka Prefit Barrels......?

[Muley Buck]

That's great for folks who can afford it. What do you say to the guy who bought a prefit and it shoots better than he needs it to?

I know I can find a blank and have it cut to fit my action for the same price or very close to how much some of these pre-fits are going for. Even if it did end up costing more it wouldn't be much more considering what you are already paying for a pre-fit.

As far as accuracy is concerned? I say great! If it works it works. Just like a factory rifle and factory ammo, sometimes it turns out to be a sweet shooter. When I'm ready to rebarrel I personally want to put the odds in my favor as much as possible and I will do everything I can on the precision end of it which will hopefully translate into the best possible accuracy I can achieve. Plus I just really enjoy and appreciate precision work and tight tolerances.

 

[Tohopko]

Would like to hear what you think of the prefit from Preferred when you get it together. I’ve had my eye on them for a potential future build.

Will do. May be a while. 5-6 weeks for the barrel, probably a bit longer on a stock, once I finally decide which one!

 

[Newtosavage]

I know I can find a blank and have it cut to fit my action for the same price or very close to how much some of these pre-fits are going for. Even if it did end up costing more it wouldn't be much more considering what you are already paying for a pre-fit.

As far as accuracy is concerned? I say great! If it works it works. Just like a factory rifle and factory ammo, sometimes it turns out to be a sweet shooter. When I'm ready to rebarrel I personally want to put the odds in my favor as much as possible and I will do everything I can on the precision end of it which will hopefully translate into the best possible accuracy I can achieve. Plus I just really enjoy and appreciate precision work and tight tolerances.

I get that, and that's great if you have the $ to spend.

I have yet to find a smith that will cut a blank to fit an action for any less than 2x the amount of most prefits, but I'm glad you know of some. Not sure where they're sourcing their blanks or why they charge so little though. Around here, it's $300 for blank and another $300 for the smith's time and tools.

 

[Formidilosus]

I know I can find a blank and have it cut to fit my action for the same price or very close to how much some of these pre-fits are going for. Even if it did end up costing more it wouldn't be much more considering what you are already paying for a pre-fit.

As far as accuracy is concerned? I say great! If it works it works. Just like a factory rifle and factory ammo, sometimes it turns out to be a sweet shooter. When I'm ready to rebarrel I personally want to put the odds in my favor as much as possible and I will do everything I can on the precision end of it which will hopefully translate into the best possible accuracy I can achieve. Plus I just really enjoy and appreciate precision work and tight tolerances.

With a Remington, Winchester,, etc- Yes. However Tikka’s are not them. No one, not you, not a gunsmith- nobody can tell the difference between a properly done prefit and gunsmith installed barrel.

 

[Bebtawki]

A Patriot Valley Arms barrel is probably in my guture but I can’t decide if I should attempt to remove my barrel or pay them $75 to do it.

 

[Tohopko]

I get that, and that's great if you have the $ to spend.

I have yet to find a smith that will cut a blank to fit an action for any less than 2x the amount of most prefits, but I'm glad you know of some. Not sure where they're sourcing their blanks or why they charge so little though. Around here, it's $300 for blank and another $300 for the smith's time and tools.

LOL, your guy is cheap at $300!

 

[Newtosavage]

A Patriot Valley Arms barrel is probably in my guture but I can’t decide if I should attempt to remove my barrel or pay them $75 to do it.

The tools alone are $75 so if you don't plan to rebarrel it, I'd pay them to do it. If you do plan to swap barrels, then it's time to invest in the tools.

 

[Newtosavage]

All this talk of prefits has me looking at my Howa Alpine now that "Howage" prefits are available. I've read that Howa actions and bolts are pretty darn true from the factory too. Sounds like a project to me.

 

[Muley Buck]

With a Remington, Winchester,, etc- Yes. However Tikka’s are not them. No one, not you, not a gunsmith- nobody can tell the difference between a properly done prefit and gunsmith installed barrel.

By what determination? How it looks? How it shoots?

 

[Muley Buck]

I get that, and that's great if you have the $ to spend.

I have yet to find a smith that will cut a blank to fit an action for any less than 2x the amount of most prefits, but I'm glad you know of some. Not sure where they're sourcing their blanks or why they charge so little though. Around here, it's $300 for blank and another $300 for the smith's time and tools.

I see prefits going for around $500. Plus you will need a barrel vise or press of some sort, inside and outside action wrenches are also preferred, as well as good "go" and "no go" gauges. Thats an investment in tools, and can definitely be worth it if a guy will continually be burning or switching out barrels. How many of us are really doing that to a high degree to really justify it? All of your inexperienced time doing it as well. Because after all isn't that what a prefit is supposed to be for? The inexperienced? Anybody can spin one on and it's all good right? Look, I'm sure most turn out just fine and shoot well. As I've said before I personally prefer tighter tolerances and will more than likely have a custom cut chamber as well. I'm not trying to sway or urge people against it, just not my cup of tea.

 

[Low_Sky]

I’m no gunsmith and didn’t stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. But I am a mechanically minded shadetree ‘smith (I did the best 1911 trigger I’ve ever felt, for starters).

What’s the deal with these barrels? Screw in, set headspace and roll? In my mind of analysis, paralysis, it can’t be that easy. Or maybe it is?

I’d just as soon drop it in the mail and let someone in the “know” do it.

But it’s got me wondering. Fill in the blanks fellas...

Screw it in, *check headspace* and go. I’m like you; mechanically skilled but not a gunsmith. I swapped my factory Tikka barrel for a prefit from Carbon Six. Did the work myself with a 5” bench vise with soft jaws on the barrel and a big adjustable wrench on the action. I relieved tension/torque on the factory barrel tenon by cutting a groove out of the barrel 1/16” from the receiver face with a hack saw. After the cut, it spun right off.

I didn’t want to buy or rent headspace gauges (mine is a 7RM, so the gauge only measures the belt anyway). I checked headspace by measuring casings and test fitting them in the chamber. SAAMI spec ammo chambers and fires fine. Unsized fired brass from the Tikka factory barrel chambered with a hard bolt close. Comparing fired brass from the C6 barrel, mine is reamed 0.005” shorter than my factory Tikka chamber.

No regrets about going this route, and will do it again when I shoot this barrel out or get another Tikka.


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[Tohopko]

By what determination? How it looks? How it shoots?

Bolt face to action face distance, thread alignment, etc. All the things that have to be fixed on a 700 action.

 

[Muley Buck]

Bolt face to action face distance, thread alignment, etc. All the things that have to be fixed on a 700 action.

Sorry, I should have been more clear. I was referring to the Tikka.

 

[Formidilosus]

By what determination? How it looks? How it shoots?

Function, fit, precision. Any way you want to measure it. Again, a Tikka is not a Remington. Functionally, when it comes to barrel replacement it’s a Sako TRG or Accuracy International- which take drop in “prefits”.


When you take a Tikka to a smith all he’s doing is exactly what is done with a good prefit, and you can get chamber and throat set to your preference in a prefit.

 

[Muley Buck]

Function, fit, precision. Any way you want to measure it. Again, a Tikka is not a Remington. Functionally, when it comes to barrel replacement it’s a Sako TRG or Accuracy International- which take drop in “prefits”.


When you take a Tikka to a smith all he’s doing is exactly what is done with a good prefit, and you can get chamber and throat set to your preference in a prefit.

Understood.

 

[Tohopko]

Sorry, I should have been more clear. I was referring to the Tikka.

LOL, I was as well. Those are the things about a Tikka that are precise enough to allow a prefit barrel to turn in some fantastic accuracy--and the things that usually require 'smith work on other factory actions.

 

[JoeDirt]

Sako A7 with a 20" 6.5 PRC Tikka prefit from Carbon Six. Headspace is dead nuts right in the middle of SAAMI spec.


I would recommend A Go, No Go and Field gauges. My No Go was only .004" over the minimum SAAMI chamber length so my No Go actually chambers. Come to find out No Go is just the recommended length from the reloading die makers.

Edit: I just ordered another prefit Tikka

 

[ericF]

Sako A7 with a 20" 6.5 PRC Tikka prefit from Carbon Six. Headspace is dead nuts right in the middle of SAAMI spec.


I would recommend A Go, No Go and Field gauges. My No Go was only .004" over the minimum SAAMI chamber length so my No Go actually chambers. Come to find out No Go is just the recommended length from the reloading die makers.

Edit: I just ordered another prefit Tikka
View attachment 170089

What Stock and bottom metal did you use for your A7. I have 2 A7's sitting in the safe that don't get used much and have been wondering what to do with them.

 

[brushape]

Sako A7 with a 20" 6.5 PRC Tikka prefit from Carbon Six. Headspace is dead nuts right in the middle of SAAMI spec.


I would recommend A Go, No Go and Field gauges. My No Go was only .004" over the minimum SAAMI chamber length so my No Go actually chambers. Come to find out No Go is just the recommended length from the reloading die makers.

Edit: I just ordered another prefit Tikka
View attachment 170089

What’s the overall length and weight of that rig? I’ve been thinking of the exact build for a while


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[JoeDirt]

What Stock and bottom metal did you use for your A7. I have 2 A7's sitting in the safe that don't get used much and have been wondering what to do with them.

Not many stock options for the A7 its a custom McMillan Game Warden with factory bottom metal. There is a company that makes bottom metal for the A7, I might upgrade that in the future.