Tikka - to bottom metal or not to bottom metal? That is my question.

[Huntsalot]

I have a Mesa on order

Insightful thread. I was curious about this as well. On another note, can i ask why you went with the Mesa stock over others? I'm trying to decide which stocks to look into. Thanks for your help.

 

[amassi]

The mountain tactical is on back order. That may be my answer there. I am not sure I care to hold up my build for them, but I guess I don’t know when the mesa stock will show. They quote 4-6 weeks.

If you want one, I think I'll have one for sale shortly.

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[Cant hit em]

I did a Lumley bottom metal , didn’t notice a difference


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[Ronb]

Mmmm‍…….starting to feel its a waste of money


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[sndmn11]

From a cool material perspective, I think the Lumley one bests most.
https://www.tacticalworks.com/tikka-t3-parts/

I have no idea if they help anything other than feeling better about higher torque values on action screws.

The mountain tactical is on back order. That may be my answer there. I am not sure I care to hold up my build for them, but I guess I don’t know when the mesa stock will show. They quote 4-6 weeks.

Stainless action screws and pillars included

 

[Antares]

The mountain tactical is on back order. That may be my answer there. I am not sure I care to hold up my build for them, but I guess I don’t know when the mesa stock will show. They quote 4-6 weeks.

Midway has them in stock. In the past when MT has been backorder, I've called them and they've told me to just get it from Midway.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1022419289

 

[Desk Jockey]

Insightful thread. I was curious about this as well. On another note, can i ask why you went with the Mesa stock over others? I'm trying to decide which stocks to look into. Thanks for your help.

I am not really a “rifle nut”. Apart from some magpul stocks, i don’t have any experience restocking guns. I run my tikka with a wide foreend, vertical grip, limbsaver and a mountain tactical cheek riser. I had wanted to keep my tikka close to “factory” but I got a little stock envy playing with my buddies kimber this year. FWIW I read about 6 million posts here and on some other forums, along with some reviews. I knew I wanted something that was roughly comparable in weight and that might improve accuracy and ergos. My head was spinning, but the short version is this:

- wildcat doesn’t sell in the US
- AG seems to require ordering through a gun smith
- i opted not to go chassis (but liked XLR)

I was down to McMillan, manners, grayboe (phoenix) and Mesa. Mcmilan and manners order forms are a bit complex, they were more $$$ and it seemed like much longer lead times - up to 8 months. I wanted to do this over the winter and use the gun in the spring So I started looking at “in stock” options and the classifieds and also focusing on grayboe and Mesa.

I missed a Mesa on the classifieds here and then they had their sale and I bought one on a bit of impulse Because it was “in stock”. After I ordered, I found out “in stock” means 4-6 weeks For Mesa. Not a jab at them, just something that wasn’t obvious to me (I must have missed it on there site). Of course, right after I ordered there were several posts about Mesa QC so, who knows if I made the right choice.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Midway has them in stock. In the past when MT has been backorder, I've called them and they've told me to just get it from Midway.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1022419289

@Antares did me in with this. bought some mountain tactical bottom metal and action screws off midway. Time will tell if it will make any difference.

thx for the input.

 

[huntsd]

i heard the benefit to this is you can torque it down tighter? Is there any truth to this?

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

I am not really a “rifle nut”. Apart from some magpul stocks, i don’t have any experience restocking guns. I run my tikka with a wide foreend, vertical grip, limbsaver and a mountain tactical cheek riser. I had wanted to keep my tikka close to “factory” but I got a little stock envy playing with my buddies kimber this year. FWIW I read about 6 million posts here and on some other forums, along with some reviews. I knew I wanted something that was roughly comparable in weight and that might improve accuracy and ergos. My head was spinning, but the short version is this:

- wildcat doesn’t sell in the US
- AG seems to require ordering through a gun smith
- i opted not to go chassis (but liked XLR)

I was down to McMillan, manners, grayboe (phoenix) and Mesa. Mcmilan and manners order forms are a bit complex, they were more $$$ and it seemed like much longer lead times - up to 8 months. I wanted to do this over the winter and use the gun in the spring So I started looking at “in stock” options and the classifieds and also focusing on grayboe and Mesa.

I missed a Mesa on the classifieds here and then they had their sale and I bought one on a bit of impulse Because it was “in stock”. After I ordered, I found out “in stock” means 4-6 weeks For Mesa. Not a jab at them, just something that wasn’t obvious to me (I must have missed it on there site). Of course, right after I ordered there were several posts about Mesa QC so, who knows if I made the right choice.

Did you look at Stocky's?
https://www.stockysstocks.com/tikka-vg-61765.html

 

[amassi]

i heard the benefit to this is you can torque it down tighter? Is there any truth to this?

You can tighten as much as you like with a bottom metal, I and others have ripped holes in the factory bottom plastic over 45”#


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[mxgsfmdpx]

i heard the benefit to this is you can torque it down tighter? Is there any truth to this?

The Sako version of Tikka rifles (mostly identical) all come with much higher torque spec on their bottom metal.

The bottom plastic from Tikka comes with what seems to be right at about half the torque of the metal Sako variants, based on taking apart 6 factory tikkas and 6 factory sakos and using a torque wrench.

I replaced all of my tikkas bottom plastics with a factory clone made out of aluminum, made by a guy in New Mexico who makes probably the best fit and finish bottom metal. The company is High Desert Rifle Works.

I’ve torqued the Tikka T3s all down with the same factory torque specs as the Sako 85s which makes me feel warm and fuzzy.

 

[Marbles]

From a cool material perspective, I think the Lumley one bests most.
https://www.tacticalworks.com/tikka-t3-parts/

I have no idea if they help anything other than feeling better about higher torque values on action screws.

I ordered a Lumley with arctic trigger guard. The enlarged trigger guard was my only good excuse for getting it. Coming with stainless bolts helped though as I wanted those anyway.

 

[NSI]

Is it really 10 freakin ounces?! The aluminums are 3 if memory serves.

-J

 

[Marbles]

Is it really 10 freakin ounces?! The aluminums are 3 if memory serves.

-J

No, per Lumley they are 3 ounces, the weight from Tactical Works is probably wrong, or includes bedding pillars and screws, which are steel and included.

 

[ElPollo]

i heard the benefit to this is you can torque it down tighter? Is there any truth to this?

All my Tikkas are factory bottoms and are torqued to 65#. I’ve never had an issue with them and don’t see this as a reason to swap. The factory mag is better than the alternatives too.