Tikka T3 Lite...let's make it lighter!

[dirtytough]

If you are planning on spending $400-500 to flute the barrel, chop it, and flute the bolt why not just buy a super light? It would cost a little more but then you would have 2 rifles. Or sell the original and you would have the money to flute the bolt and chop the barrel. Still seems like you would come out ahead.

 

[Mtnboy]

The smiths I've talked to would rather chop the barrel then do the fluting. I'm guessing something to do with keeping the right distance between the end of the fluting an the end of the barrel?

I paid significantly less than retail for this gun up front (2 years ago) so I figure I got some built in budget there! Ha

 

[edg1967]

I'm wondering what to do with my T3 also. I bought a T3 Lite in 7mm Rem Mag a year and a half ago because it was a "good deal". It has sat in my safe since then, but over the last month I've gotten an urge to semi-customize it. My original intent was to lighten it by taking the Nikon Monarch off and put a Swaro 3-9x36 which saved a few ounces, but then I didn't like the rings that came with it so I got a DNZ mount instead which cost me the weight that I saved on the scope, but feel it is a much better system. Then I thought I would scrap the plastic stock and get a B&C which gained me a few more ounces over the standard stock, but again, I think it will improve the gun overall and feels much more comfortable. I'm coming in at 7.5 pounds now without sling. I'm debating on whether I should cut and/or flute the barrel or leave it be. I don't think I will save that much by fluting or cutting, but my goal was for a sub 7 pounder…which I would probably have been at until I started F*%&ing with things! Anyway, I like how it looks and feels…now I just have to see if it shoots.

Just how much can a guy expect to save by fluting and voting, and how much does it generally cost?

 

[Dammlm]

I put a Manners Hunterlite stock on mine. That thing is crazy solid and light. Awesome fit too.

 

[ol490]

Dammlm - do you know what the weight of the Manners Hunterlite is compared to the tikka original?

 

[KINGSNAKE]

I would seriously consider a savage lightweight hunter. At 5.5 lbs and at $700ish price tag. I think that would be the way to go if you want a really light rifle.

 

[Mtnboy]

Has anyone confirmed the weight on those Savage Lightweight Hunters? Seems too good to be true with a wood stock, but I am FAR from a gun expert.

Anyway, back on topic, put my bolt in the mail to get fluted this morning. Hopefully it'll be back next week.

10.3oz on my scale, pre-fluting

 

[GKPrice]

Luke pretty well covered it. The Tikka is a trim gun to begin with, so you don't have much to improve on.

The barrel lends itself to fluting (long, straight taper), and that might net you 6-7 oz of wt loss. The factory stock is pretty light already (mine is 28 oz) so the best you can get from a Manners or McM Edge is maybe 4 oz at best. If you really want to shell out the cash, you might do slightly better with a MPI carbon fiber stock, but I haven't heard of anyone that's tried one of those. I'm not aware of any currently produced Ti bolt handles, but the factory knob is already extremely trim and drilled out so that wouldn't net you anything measurable. Even so, fluting and possibly a slightly lighter stock will get you well under 6 lbs, which is probably all the further you really want to go with a magnum gun.

Leupold scopes are usually the lightest thing going if you want to get that picky. Stick with a 40mm objective to keep it lighter.

My personal Tikka is as factory issued and mounted with a "heavy" Zeiss Conquest 3-9x40 on it. Thus far I've managed to drag it up the mountain ok, but when get around to modifying it it I'll buy a decent stock first. Not really for the weight savings, but because I like the feel of a high quality composite vs the relatively slick plastic.


Yk

I've had a couple of the MPI ultra light stocks (I grew up in Portland where MPI is) a bit spendy but as light as Doc says and the quality is definitely there, he's been doing ultra lights as long as anyone in the industry and has built many stocks for the likes of Dakota - I would not hesitate to give MPI more business and very likely might in the future

 

[GKPrice]

If you are planning on spending $400-500 to flute the barrel, chop it, and flute the bolt why not just buy a super light? It would cost a little more but then you would have 2 rifles. Or sell the original and you would have the money to flute the bolt and chop the barrel. Still seems like you would come out ahead.

OR just have your Tikka rebarrelled with a premium barrel, THEN you know better what you are getting and to flute a custom barrel runs typically $100-200 - I've had several factory barrels fjuted in the past (when I could talk a smith into doing that) and the returns are not consistent)

 

[GKPrice]

I'm wondering what to do with my T3 also. I bought a T3 Lite in 7mm Rem Mag a year and a half ago because it was a "good deal". It has sat in my safe since then, but over the last month I've gotten an urge to semi-customize it. My original intent was to lighten it by taking the Nikon Monarch off and put a Swaro 3-9x36 which saved a few ounces, but then I didn't like the rings that came with it so I got a DNZ mount instead which cost me the weight that I saved on the scope, but feel it is a much better system. Then I thought I would scrap the plastic stock and get a B&C which gained me a few more ounces over the standard stock, but again, I think it will improve the gun overall and feels much more comfortable. I'm coming in at 7.5 pounds now without sling. I'm debating on whether I should cut and/or flute the barrel or leave it be. I don't think I will save that much by fluting or cutting, but my goal was for a sub 7 pounder…which I would probably have been at until I started F*%&ing with things! Anyway, I like how it looks and feels…now I just have to see if it shoots.

Just how much can a guy expect to save by fluting and voting, and how much does it generally cost?

TIKKA stocks are not "plastic" .......

 

[GKPrice]

Dammim - how thick is the pistol grip on the Manners ? compared to the original Tikka I mean ...

 

[Justin Crossley]

TIKKA stocks are not "plastic" .......

Is that helpful? I'm pretty sure he knows it's not really "plastic".

 

[Mtnboy]

OR just have your Tikka rebarrelled with a premium barrel, THEN you know better what you are getting and to flute a custom barrel runs typically $100-200 - I've had several factory barrels fjuted in the past (when I could talk a smith into doing that) and the returns are not consistent)

Aftermarket barrels are something that is pretty foreign to me and I hadn't really considered, but I wouldn't rule it out.

What would you recommend that would be lighter and possibly even a little shorter than my Factory .270wsm?

 

[GKPrice]

I think the 270 WSM chambering is a good one - As far as barrels are concerned the sky is pretty much the limit - there are a number of good barrel blank makers out there, PacNor - Douglas - Lilja - Kreiger - Douglas has been a great one with very reasonable prices for a very long time - they have a website and also an outstanding customer service dept - As an added note, recently I was talking with a very experienced gunsmith I've known for a long time, we landed on barrel steels as a topic and "HIS" opinion is that stainless steel is not necessarily "better", that carbon (chrome-moly) is generally stronger and yields a better product due to workability, summarily meaning a more "accurate" barrel but that SS has been sold to the shooting public for monetary reasons - when I asked "what about rust and corrosion resistance ?" he said CERAKOTE is a better protection than stainless steel anyway and the end cost is so close not be relevant - I'm not a metallurgist but I personally am going to try his suggestions since it HAS been my lifelong experience that looking back, my most accurate rifles have been Chrome Moly barrels and 2 CM Douglas barrels stand out distinctly - just my 0.02 worth, take it at face value

 

[GKPrice]

don't know Justin, do ya think he knows fer sure ?

 

[rayporter]

i was surfing and noticed that a full cerakote job cost 290 bucks, about the cost of stainless. can you DIY and make it stick?

 

[GKPrice]

rayporter - not CERAKOTE but there are other "systems" I've read about on the Alaska Outdoor Shooters Forum that you can bake in the oven after application (don't do a stock though !)- $290 seems high for a cerakote job to me ? I would think $150-$200 would be more in line but I've not had one done YET ... As I said above, a very accomplished gunsmith friend told me just the other week that CERAKOTE is better than SS IHO - I have one of the "boys" SS T3 sitting in my safe that has rust pock marks ALL over it from sitting in a non golden rod protected safe - I'm gonna give a CM T3 a Cerakote job and test it I think (although a light film of RIG grease has always worked well for me too)

 

[Mtnboy]

Got my bolt back from fluting today.

Took it from 10.3oz to 9.8oz

Cost: $45

 

[Cranny]

Looks nice! Mine is there getting fluted as well, can't wait!

 

[GKPrice]

here is another vote for Tikka T3 rifles "out of the box" - I have a CM Tikka T3 in 270 WSM that I picked up used - I haven't worked with it very much but it shoots 130 Accubonds well enough - I took it to an "old school" gunsmith buddy of mine to true the action and shorten and recrown the barrel - He told me today when I picked it up that he pulled it apart and checked everything ... lugs have 100% contact and barrel to action is absolutely square, nothing he could do to improve it but put it back together and shorten / recrown the barrel - Tikka T3 out of the box - Finns know how to build a rifle apparently