Tikka thoughts

[kpk]

Tikka posts always turn into a dumpster fire - Lets avoid that. I don't care if you love them or hate them. This is more of a curiosity/machining/QC ramble with Tikka as the subject. If it's not in response to the last sentence - just move on.

Putting some sportsmatch rings on a Tikka I just got last night and started thinking. The first Tikka I bought may well have been one of the first off the boat into the US. I ventured from shotguns (pheasant) to rifles (to shoot coyotes). Went to a well known and well respected shop at the time to buy brand X. Owner pretty much told me NO. Buy this Tikka instead. They had just gotten them and had been passing one around the shop to shoot and were very impressed. Knowing absolutely nothing of rifles at the time I took his advice and took a Tikka 223 home.

Years go by (and lots of rifles from several brands). I end up with a Tikka varmint in 6.5 creed.

More years go by (and lots of rifles from several brands). I end up with a superlite in 7mm RM.

So, I now own 3 Tikkas that span 15- 20 years. Round counts vary from thousands to zero.

Now, imagine they are configured in the same stock, same bolt stop, same mag. Blindfolded and gun to my head - I don't know if I could tell which was which by running the bolt, mag insertion/extraction, pulling the trigger, etc. I feel like everything else I've owned I could probably identify pretty quickly in a line-up due to their "personalities"? (excluding custom actions)

From a machining perspective how does this happen over such a period of time - especially from a large company. Is this a result of high end machines? changing tooling often? the people operating the machines? All of the above?

 

[Antarctica]

Its not the machines. Any of the machines used by any of the suppliers can cut to a better spec that any of us could measure. It a function of the specified tolerance, the design of the part and the builder's (Tikka in this case) willingness to absorb the cost impact to hold that tolerance on the shop floor.

 

[AK_Skeeter]

I like Tikkas. They are accurate and relatively inexpensive.
I think their use of plastic allows them to be inexpensive and to focus production costs on a smooth action and accurate barrel.
By plastic, I mean plastic stock with no pillars or aluminum bedding block, plastic trigger guard, plastic magazine.

 

[FLman]

this is common with gun manufactures. through out the years engineers learn what little things can change to make a gun better or cut production cost. so that is why you may see subtle changes in the same type of gun model depending on year. also companies being bough out by other manufacturers can be the reason for changes too.

 

[dieselchessy]

Tikka’s are so accurately machined and held to such a tolerance that outfits can make pre-fit barrels for them.
They build a great barreled action, and then go cheap plastic all around to keep price down.
Now that aftermarket support is getting to be available they have more interest.
I’ve not played with enough of them to know how they do in OAL, chamber throat, ect.... Barrels seem twisted to the same crappy old school twist rates.

Now that aftermarket parts support is coming on scene they seem more viable.
In the past I’ve bought them just cause they were the best stainless left hand rifle option.

I’ve had problems with light primer strikes with them. Have to keep the bolt clean and lightly lubed, and freezing temps can still get you.

 

[Dos Perros]

The design definition is the definition. Assuming that the product is defined well, and that the definition doesn’t change, the output (product in your hands) will be consistent over time.

That is to say...the manufacturer is willing to scrap everything that doesn’t explicitly meet the print (or, do some engineering evaluation and make a justification of why a deviation from the drawing set doesn’t impact form/fit/function). They only ship good product.

I think the basis of this consistency is good design, and stable design, and probably some risk averse behavior when it comes to design changes. They likely believe “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

 

[JakeSCH]

Tikka’s are so accurately machined and held to such a tolerance that outfits can make pre-fit barrels for them.
They build a great barreled action, and then go cheap plastic all around to keep price down.
Now that aftermarket support is getting to be available they have more interest.
I’ve not played with enough of them to know how they do in OAL, chamber throat, ect.... Barrels seem twisted to the same crappy old school twist rates.

Now that aftermarket parts support is coming on scene they seem more viable.
In the past I’ve bought them just cause they were the best stainless left hand rifle option.

I’ve had problems with light primer strikes with them. Have to keep the bolt clean and lightly lubed, and freezing temps can still get you.

Remove the grease on the firing pin under the spring. That gunks up in cold temps causing the light primer strikes. Once removed you will not have an issue.

OP I agree with what others have said. They have identified the "key" areas to keep tight tolerances and good quality control / checks. Hats off to their engineers.

 

[eightyeight mag]

Beware of the gunsmith that trues Tikka actions.

 

[Spoonbill]

Tikka posts always turn into a dumpster fire - Lets avoid that. I don't care if you love them or hate them. This is more of a curiosity/machining/QC ramble with Tikka as the subject. If it's not in response to the last sentence - just move on.

Putting some sportsmatch rings on a Tikka I just got last night and started thinking. The first Tikka I bought may well have been one of the first off the boat into the US. I ventured from shotguns (pheasant) to rifles (to shoot coyotes). Went to a well known and well respected shop at the time to buy brand X. Owner pretty much told me NO. Buy this Tikka instead. They had just gotten them and had been passing one around the shop to shoot and were very impressed. Knowing absolutely nothing of rifles at the time I took his advice and took a Tikka 223 home.

Years go by (and lots of rifles from several brands). I end up with a Tikka varmint in 6.5 creed.

More years go by (and lots of rifles from several brands). I end up with a superlite in 7mm RM.

So, I now own 3 Tikkas that span 15- 20 years. Round counts vary from thousands to zero.

Now, imagine they are configured in the same stock, same bolt stop, same mag. Blindfolded and gun to my head - I don't know if I could tell which was which by running the bolt, mag insertion/extraction, pulling the trigger, etc. I feel like everything else I've owned I could probably identify pretty quickly in a line-up due to their "personalities"? (excluding custom actions)

From a machining perspective how does this happen over such a period of time - especially from a large company. Is this a result of high end machines? changing tooling often? the people operating the machines? All of the above?

Out of curiosity, have you tried putting different bolts in the different actions to see if they would all fit? I know they are different rounds but my understanding is that all tikka actions are the same minus the bolt stop and bolt face.

 

[Sundodger]

Obviously only a few Finnish engineers truly know, but as an engineer I have a few ideas:

Development:
-A comprehensive understanding of customer use cases
-A design that was optimized for customer applications
-Effective validation team that can cover use cases and failure modes
-Robust GD&T strategy
-High effort put into minimizing complexity
-Refusing to launch a product that has "gaps" until they are resolved.
-Robust specifications (material, coatings, machining, etc.)

Running business:
-Minimal supplier changes
-Strong control of supply chain.
-Minimal running changes

Manufacturing:
-Proper maintenance schedules on tooling
-Effective QC dept
-High detection of out of spec parts/assembly's.

 

[kpk]

Out of curiosity, have you tried putting different bolts in the different actions to see if they would all fit? I know they are different rounds but my understanding is that all tikka actions are the same minus the bolt stop and bolt face.

Correct. Grab any tikka bolt and bolt stop and it'll drop in to any other tikka. Guys have been trading bolts for years and I've personally not seen nor heard of any issues.

Like mentioned above there are several reputable barrel manufacturers spinning up shouldered pre-fit barrels for them now. Again, I haven't heard of any issues. That speaks volumes to the tolerances that they're putting out IMO and what really got me thinking last night.

 

[snowcamoman]

I run a couple of my Tikka down into the -40 temps and they all fire every time. I just Brakeclean all grease out of the bolt and then very lightly drylube them. Tikka runs a tight ship and their quality control must be exceptional.

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