Tikka T3x Lite not shooting well

[LikeAsNotNeverWillBe]

Hey guys,

I've been shooting my T3x CTR in 6.5 Creedmoor and I've been getting very acceptable results with factory Hornady ammo . I shot 140 ELD-M's for a couple matches last summer and 143 ELD-X's for hunting season, though didn't get a chance to use them (besides on a grouse). My 5 shot groups are coming in at about 0.7" at 100 yards with the ELD-M's. I don't have an exact number with my ELD-X's but it was sub-MOA.

My buddy bought a T3x Lite for his first hunting rifle but we aren't getting anywhere near the same group size with it. I swapped my scope over to his rifle to be sure. Tightened everything to manufacturer spec and then shot groups adjusting the action screws starting at 25 in-lbs up to 45. I shot most of the groups so we were sure it wasn't just his shooting but the best we could get was 1.5 MOA with the average being about 2 MOA.

Any ideas of what to try next? Different ammo, increase action torque, send back to Tikka? I'm also considering whether I'm just good at shooting my own rifle because I have a bunch of practice on it and his rifle is just different enough that I can't shoot it as well. Any thoughts?

 

[nobody]

Can somebody else other than you two shoot it?

Poor recoil control?

Are you using a bipod? If so, did you try shooting without one? If you’re not, did you try shooting with one?

If you’re using a bipod, are you pre loading it?

Are the scope bases tight?

Is the action seated properly on the recoil lug?

Barrel floated?

Just trying to paint a more complete picture, not trying to accuse you! My money is on either loose scope bases or poor recoil control.

that CTR (love mine) is more forging of poor fundamentals because of the weight. The SL will show you the holes in your shooting technique and fundamentals because of it’s low weight and less than stellar ergos. I don’t know your skill level, so forgive me if I’m out of line, but that’s my guess.

 

[General RE LEE]

Don’t clean it and keep shooting it. It’s possible this Tikka is an anomaly and needs a break in.

 

[LikeAsNotNeverWillBe]

Can somebody else other than you two shoot it?

Poor recoil control?

Are you using a bipod? If so, did you try shooting without one? If you’re not, did you try shooting with one?

If you’re using a bipod, are you pre loading it?

Are the scope bases tight?

Is the action seated properly on the recoil lug?

Barrel floated?

Just trying to paint a more complete picture, not trying to accuse you! My money is on either loose scope bases or poor recoil control.

that CTR (love mine) is more forging of poor fundamentals because of the weight. The SL will show you the holes in your shooting technique and fundamentals because of it’s low weight and less than stellar ergos. I don’t know your skill level, so forgive me if I’m out of line, but that’s my guess.

No offense taken in any of the questions!

I shoot better than my friend so that's why I was shooting it.

Using a Harris bipod, preloading as well as I can on gravel, I didn't try shooting without it. Using a rear bag as well. Tightened the base and rings to spec with a torque wrench. I haven't looked at the recoil lug, we'll pull the stock off and look soon. I assumed the barrel is floated but I haven't checked - I'll check that too.

I'm fairly new to precision shooting. Plinked my whole life and shot a ton of AR and pistols but only been into bolt guns and hunting a year and a half ago. I shot about 550 rounds last year and did a NRL Hunter competition and a PRS competition.

I only really shoot my CTR, which being a 12 lb 6.5 creed with a brake has nearly no recoil. Recoil control could definitely be it.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

No offense taken in any of the questions!

I shoot better than my friend so that's why I was shooting it.

Using a Harris bipod, preloading as well as I can on gravel, I didn't try shooting without it. Using a rear bag as well. Tightened the base and rings to spec with a torque wrench. I haven't looked at the recoil lug, we'll pull the stock off and look soon. I assumed the barrel is floated but I haven't checked - I'll check that too.

I'm fairly new to precision shooting. Plinked my whole life and shot a ton of AR and pistols but only been into bolt guns and hunting a year and a half ago. I shot about 550 rounds last year and did a NRL Hunter competition and a PRS competition.

I only really shoot my CTR, which being a 12 lb 6.5 creed with a brake has nearly no recoil. Recoil control could definitely be it.

There is no need to load most bipods. The purpose of loading is to take up slack, which harris bipods do not have. It may be causing the barrel to touch the stock. I would ditch the bipod and use a front and rear bag, with the bag closer to the magazine than the forend.

 

[Tmac]

After you do all the above, I’d try a couple more types of ammo. If no joy, I’d switch scopes. Then maybe play with action screw torque, but not too much. I‘ve never had one not shoot well at least one type of factory ammo when I have tried 3.

My only Tikka that went south, was after lots of shooting, the old soft recoil lug got indented by the action slot I guess. I flipped the lug over and the clouds parted & the angels sang. New ones use steel.

 

[nobody]

No offense taken in any of the questions!

I shoot better than my friend so that's why I was shooting it.

Using a Harris bipod, preloading as well as I can on gravel, I didn't try shooting without it. Using a rear bag as well. Tightened the base and rings to spec with a torque wrench. I haven't looked at the recoil lug, we'll pull the stock off and look soon. I assumed the barrel is floated but I haven't checked - I'll check that too.

I'm fairly new to precision shooting. Plinked my whole life and shot a ton of AR and pistols but only been into bolt guns and hunting a year and a half ago. I shot about 550 rounds last year and did a NRL Hunter competition and a PRS competition.

I only really shoot my CTR, which being a 12 lb 6.5 creed with a brake has nearly no recoil. Recoil control could definitely be it.

From the sounds of it, it’s probably recoil control. If it was shooting 5” groups then I’d say you have a major issue. But where you’re getting .75-1 MOA 5 shot “groups” from a 12 lb gun, 1.5 MOA 5 shot accuracy from a hunting weight 6.5 creed lines up if recoil control is less than perfect. With practice it should tighten up. But it’ll really show the holes in your shooting techniques.

 

[sdupontjr]

2 things that helped my 308 greatly:

1) make sure the action is not not rocking on the recoil lug? Meaning if it's not bottomed out, when tightening up the front and rear action screws, it will rock back and forth thus having the action screws take all the recoil.

2) free float barrel. Contrary to what Tikka or anyone else says, nothing should be touching that barrel. I took a dremel and slowly removed material all the way down the barrel channel until I could slide 3 stacked dollar bills down it all the way to the action.

I do hand load but after both of those, it would shoot factory ammo damn near in same hole.

 

[Braaap]

What cartridge is his rifle? My buddy and I both shoot T3x rifles but mine is 6.5cm and his is 30-06 and his rifle is not as accurate but in my opinion it’s just the additional recoil. He also used to use a Harris bipod and switched to bags and it improved but I still suspect that the recoil is the main issue for him.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

I would try to avoid sending it back to Tikka, their warranty is a nightmare to deal with.

What’s the chambering and what ammo have you tried in it? It may very well just really not like that ammo. It could also be a bad barrel, it happens.

It seems like you know what you’re doing by troubleshooting and swapping optics and torquing the action screws.

I would scrub the shit out of the barrel and remove as much copper and carbon as you can and go back with different ammo.

Do you have any pics of the groups by chance? Are they stringing horizontally, vertically, diagonally, or are they just large groups?

 

[redneckbmxer24]

There is no need to load most bipods. The purpose of loading is to take up slack, which harris bipods do not have. It may be causing the barrel to touch the stock. I would ditch the bipod and use a front and rear bag, with the bag closer to the magazine than the forend.

Uhh, no. Loading the bipod is precision rifle 101 and it makes no difference how rigid the bipod is or not. Harris bipods are not rigid, you can flex the hell out of the legs loading one up. Loading a bipod also will not cause the forend to touch the barrel, it pulls it away.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

Uhh, no. Loading the bipod is precision rifle 101 and it makes no difference how rigid the bipod is or not. Harris bipods are not rigid, you can flex the hell out of the legs loading one up. Loading a bipod also will not cause the forend to touch the barrel, it pulls it away.

Lol, no its not. Its an old school way of thinking that is irrelevant with most bipod designs. Lots of information out there on it, a little research will go a long way.

 

[sndmn11]

What is wrong with a 1.5-2moa rifle and shooter combination that is 8lbs?

Tighten the action screws to 65 and go shoot with the purpose of improving with that rifle.

 

[bruceleroy]

I have been on the internet for 20+ years and have been bombarded with the awesomeness that is Tikka, despite not owning our Lords rifle myself, and find it un-possible to have an inaccurate Tikka.
Despite some good, odd, and outright bad recommendations, your rifle just might suck.
Have fun with customer service.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

Lol, no its not. Its an old school way of thinking that is irrelevant with most bipod designs. Lots of information out there on it, a little research will go a long way.

You don't have a clue what you're talking about. It's basic prone shooting fundamentals that every precision rifle instructor teaches because it's the best way to shoot off of a bipod. If you don't load a bipod the rifle will bounce all over the place and not recoil straight back. But you keep thinking it's old school.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

You don't have a clue what you're talking about. It's basic prone shooting fundamentals that every precision rifle instructor teaches because it's the best way to shoot off of a bipod. If you don't load a bipod the rifle will bounce all over the place and not recoil straight back. But you keep thinking it's old school.

You can’t be serious…the rifle won’t recoil straight back unless you load the bipod?

 

[redneckbmxer24]

You can’t be serious…the rifle won’t recoil straight back unless you load the bipod?

How about you show me one article or video or anything saying to not load a bipod by an experienced precision rifle shooter or instructor. You said there’s lots of information out there on it and I can find none.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

How about you show me one article or video or anything saying to not load a bipod by an experienced precision rifle shooter or instructor. You said there’s lots of information out there on it and I can find none.

You need to look harder. Are you talking about shoulder pressure into the gun? That is important for consistency. You are going to have to maintain that in every shooting position for consistency and you can get that without loading the bipod. What bipod has so much slack you need to load it nowadays? That was the purpose of loading, to take up slack in the bipod.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

You need to look harder. Are you talking about shoulder pressure into the gun? That is important for consistency. You are going to have to maintain that in every shooting position for consistency and you can get that without loading the bipod. What bipod has so much slack you need to load it nowadays? That was the purpose of loading, to take up slack in the bipod.

So you can't provide a single article or anything backing up what you're claiming? If there's so much info out there than show me.

You can't because you don't know WTF you're talking about and don't understand the basic fundamentals of shooting off a bipod.

 

[Macintosh]

What caliber is your buddies rifle? Is it also a 6.5 or? I have a ctr and a lite, and the lite is noticeably harder to shoot well simply because its lighter. Add additional recoil and that becomes an additional issue.
That said, they dont all shoot. I had a t3x purchased new that either didnt shoot as well as my others or was incredibly finicky. Traded it on a different tikka (identical) and it shot groups half the size. Not the likeliest problem but it COULD just be a friday afternoon gun.