Tikka slam fire PSA

[atmat]

I have a Tikka T3x light. I had the barrel shortened, fluted, and threaded.

Assuming you took off the trigger to have it cut/threaded?

They have to be cranked TIGHT or this happens.

Edit: Misread and that was the case.

 

[Southern Lights]

If the trigger assembly on a rifle comes loose, then the sear can disengage and fire. In this case, the improper re-assembly of the trigger assembly likely caused the issue when you placed it into a third party chassis or replaced the bottom metal. It is not a Tikka issue and these stories never are a Tikka issue. They are all an issue of users either messing with the rifle, or someone else messing with the rifle at a prior point.

 

[wind gypsy]

I have a Tikka T3x light. I had the barrel shortened, fluted, and threaded. I put a Stocky carbon fiber stock on.
I was on a pig hunt recently. I chambered a round but didn’t fire. When I put the safety on, it fired by itself. The guys thought I had my finger on the trigger but I didn’t. Thankfully I always keep the muzzle pointed a safe direction. Later I put the safety on again but had everyone watch. It fired again. “Terrifying” is how several people described it. The gun was clean and the temperature was about 50 degrees F.
Later at home with snap caps I could reproduce this every time I put on the safety. I removed the trigger guard and stock and found that the single Allen bolt that holds the trigger assembly on had unscrewed about 1.5 turns. I tightened it up and the issue was fixed.
I was wondering whether this was due to the aftermarket aluminum trigger guard or CF stock, so I completely removed them. I was able to loosen the Allen bolt and, with the trigger assembly just wrong, could make it fire again by activating the safety. I have a video but cannot post it here. This proves that it was not an issue with my mods. I have now added thread locker and cranked the bolt down tighter.
I must have caused this by not sufficiently tightening the bolt after I got the barrel back from shortening. Still, I don’t understand how any trigger-safety assembly could be designed so that this could ever happen.

It looks like the bolt holding the trigger to the action is not factory? I've never seen one that looks like that.

But yeah, you gotta crank them down tight!

 

[HuntHarder]

As mentioned, this is a possibility with Tikka's. Dare I say, something is wrong with the design when a loose screw can cause a negligent discharge. Anyone know what Tikka actually specs the torque value on that particular screw? I tighten mine insanely tight to prevent this very thing.

 

[Formidilosus]

As mentioned, this is a possibility with Tikka's. Dare I say, something is wrong with the design when a loose screw can cause a negligent discharge. Anyone know what Tikka actually specs the torque value on that particular screw? I tighten mine insanely tight to prevent this very thing.

Hmmm. So if I remove or loosen a trigger sear weight screw beyond what the manufacturer ever intended- and in fact put a block so you couldn’t/shouldn’t… and then the trigger slam fires because I screwed with that screw- something is wrong with the design? It what if I remove one of the pins holding a trigger housing to the action, and then the sear releases the firing on- is that something wrong with the design?

Or could it be- don’t mess with triggers, especially ones designed very well to be extremely reliable at a 2.5’ish lb pull weight.

 

[HuntHarder]

Hmmm. So if I remove or loosen a trigger sear weight screw beyond what the manufacturer ever intended- and in fact put a block so you couldn’t/shouldn’t… and then the trigger slam fires because I screwed with that screw- something is wrong with the design?

Aren't we talking about the screw that holds the trigger to the action? Maybe I misread the post that brought this thread back to life.

 

[Castle Rock]

It looks like the bolt holding the trigger to the action is not factory? I've never seen one that looks like that.

But yeah, you gotta crank them down tight!

He has ground the standard screw head back, some “experts “ suggest doing that so you can back the trigger screw out further, but that’s really dumb because it weakens the bolt so it can’t be torqued properly

 

[Castle Rock]

What I do is torque the attachment bolt to about 80 pounds then back the trigger pressure screw out till it mashes against the trigger bolt, neither of them are moving after that unless I want them to.

 

[HuntHarder]

Do you know what Tikka's torque spec is for the screw that holds the trigger to the action?

Hmmm. So if I remove or loosen a trigger sear weight screw beyond what the manufacturer ever intended- and in fact put a block so you couldn’t/shouldn’t… and then the trigger slam fires because I screwed with that screw- something is wrong with the design? It what if I remove one of the pins holding a trigger housing to the action, and then the sear releases the firing on- is that something wrong with the design?

Or could it be- don’t mess with triggers, especially ones designed very well to be extremely reliable at a 2.5’ish lb pull weight.

 

[Formidilosus]

Do you know what Tikka's torque spec is for the screw that holds the trigger to the action?

TIGHT

 

[HuntHarder]

TIGHT

Thats what I do with all mine. I honestly don't know if the guy messed with his trigger. Does a loose bolt that mounts the trigger to the action cause ND's?

 

[Formidilosus]

Thats what I do with all mine. I honestly don't know if the guy messed with his trigger. Does a loose bolt that mounts the trigger to the action cause ND's?

Yes- on every single bolt action rifle made that has a separate trigger housing. If the trigger housing comes loose, the firing pin will be released.

 

[Southern Lights]

The one thing I'll add to this discussion because it's relevant for the Sako TRG and may be relevant to the Tikka as it's a close cousin:

You must always make sure you remove the bolt before attaching the trigger group, or tightening if you think it is loose. You will damage the trigger sear immediately if you put in the trigger group and then tighten it with a bolt in the rifle. I had someone ruin a TRG trigger by not doing this.

 

[HuntHarder]

Yes- on every single bolt action rifle made that has a separate trigger housing. If the trigger housing comes loose, the firing pin will be released.

Interesting. You would think they could change the design to not have that happen. Loose screws are probably 1 of the most common issues. Clearly, if it happens on every bolt action rifle, it is not an easy design to change.

 

[Formidilosus]

Interesting. You would think they could change the design to not have that happen. Loose screws are probably 1 of the most common issues. Clearly, if it happens on every bolt action rifle, it is not an easy design to change.

You either attach the trigger by a screw or a pin- removing either one of those, and the sear isn’t holding the firing pin. I am failing to see how this is an issue? You remove or loosen a part required to hold a firing pin, hammer, or striker jack- and it’s going to fire.

 

[HuntHarder]

You either attach the trigger by a screw or a pin- removing either one of those, and the sear isn’t holding the firing pin. I am failing to see how this is an issue? You remove or loosen a part required to hold a firing pin, hammer, or striker jack- and it’s going to fire.

You are good, there is no issue.....

 

[Southern Lights]

These issues on modifying Tikka/Sako triggers come up from time to time, so I decided to make this handy flow chart to help people decide when it is appropriate to modify their rifle triggers.