Attempting to fix my failed bedding job - Tikka T3 in an Axial/Alterra

[fatbacks]

So long story short, I got an Axial/Alterra stock a while back. Bedded the lug, the tang and the pillars. Rifle shot great for a while and then groups started to open up bigger and bigger... Tear down the rifle to check everything and sure enough, stock is cracked, lug is compressed into the foam and action is moving. Feel free to make fun of my shit bedding job... it does suck and I am not really into the arts and crafts thing. The tang area was bedded as well but forgot to get a photo of that.



Stock was cracked behind the front pillar as well:



Alterra told me I suck at bedding and that they would not even look at it for repair - nor would they recommend any shop to do so. Worst customer service I've had in a long time. Well crap now I have an expensive piece of carbon fiber and foam that is useless. I am not a gunsmith and I am generally terrible with projects like this but what the hell, I'll give this stock fitting thing a go. Got to work with the dremel and got the old lug out and routed out a lot of that foam around the recoil lug area.





I created a huge cavity for bedding compound around the front pillar and recoil lug. The way the Alterra comes with the Tikka recoil lug sitting right against the white foam is poor design in my opinion. All my other stocks to include Mesa Precision, McMillan, Proof all are more reinforced in this area. I had to solve the problem of getting the recoil lug stuck in the right spot when barreled action is attached. I used tiny globs of gorilla super glue to adhere the recoil lug to the barreled action. I also drilled tiny dimples on the bottom of the recoil lug so it would stick in the bedding compound a bit better. Then I put a small amount of Marine Tex in the void around the recoil lug and stuck the barreled action on hoping that after it dried I would be able to pop off the action and recoil lug would be back in the stock.





24 hours later...

 

[fatbacks]

Also, got rid of a bunch of the old bedding compound in a rear tang area. I scored the area and dremeled some holes to ensure the new bedding compound would adhere to the old stuff. I also filled all the voids with silly putty.







Then I spread the bedding compound front to rear. I don't have much experience with other bedding compounds, but marine tex is kinda tough to work with... it's like working with sticky/runny bubble gum. Didn't look to pretty, but had the stock taped off and the action sprayed down with one shot. Here we go. Slapped it in the action and then waited 24 hours. Drum roll....



Popped out like it should and seems to securely fit in the stock. I need to clean up some edges and do some sanding, but it just might work. I'll get it all assembled and report back how it goes. I'll probably shoot 10 rds or so and then inspect the stock. My fear is that the initial damage may have permanently affected the stock's integrity.

 

[Rob5589]

Looks like there was poor contact between the action and the bedding surface. That caused the lug and pillars to loosen up. Take a look at some proper bedding pictures and you'll see what I mean.

 

[Buffinnut]

Did you also rough up your new marinetex holding the lug in place before the 2nd layer of marinetex?

 

[fatbacks]

Did you also rough up your new marinetex holding the lug in place before the 2nd layer of marinetex?

Yeah, and there were enough voids that I am pretty confident the second layer will adhere to the first layer.

 

[fatbacks]

Looks like there was poor contact between the action and the bedding surface. That caused the lug and pillars to loosen up. Take a look at some proper bedding pictures and you'll see what I mean.

I agree. I have seen some beautiful bedding jobs and that's why I am embarrassed to share my cut rate work

 

[Rob5589]

Man, I don't like that new bed job. There is compound on the lug and gaps around the pillars, all of which can crack off and cause issues.

 

[Rob5589]

I agree. I have seen some beautiful bedding jobs and that's why I am embarrassed to share my cut rate work

Not at all, that is how we all learn.

 

[wapitibob]

I've done my rifle a half dozen times. Costs basically nothing but time and each one will be better than the last.

 

[Glockster26]

That really sucks man. I want to learn how to bed a rifle I just don’t wanna learn on any of mine. LOL

 

[DCAN]

Nathan Foster of Terminal Ballistics Research has really good info on bedding Tikka rifles.

 

[OutdoorAg]

I think, twas it me...I'd tell Alterra to pound sand, that their lug design is total shit bc its got zero reinforcement, and that you plan to take those photos around the web. Post em on SnipersHide, 24hourcampfire, LR Hunting, FBook, Instagram, etc. If someone at Alterra cares enough, they will track you down on one of those places and offer to make it right. If they dont care, then you - and everyone else on those sites - will know to avoid them in the future.

Again, thats if it was me. And I like to hold people accountable for bad work.

 

[BBob]

Warming up the epoxy with a heat gun will get it to flow better and make it much easier to work with. It'll speed up the set a little so beware.

 

[wind gypsy]

I think, twas it me...I'd tell Alterra to pound sand, that their lug design is total shit bc its got zero reinforcement, and that you plan to take those photos around the web. Post em on SnipersHide, 24hourcampfire, LR Hunting, FBook, Instagram, etc. If someone at Alterra cares enough, they will track you down on one of those places and offer to make it right. If they dont care, then you - and everyone else on those sites - will know to avoid them in the future.

Again, thats if it was me. And I like to hold people accountable for bad work.

I'd damn sure let folks know who are inquiring about a new stock. That nonsense with not having the lug reinforced is enough to avoid them on tikka stocks for sure.

 

[MuleyFever]

I think, twas it me...I'd tell Alterra to pound sand, that their lug design is total shit bc its got zero reinforcement, and that you plan to take those photos around the web. Post em on SnipersHide, 24hourcampfire, LR Hunting, FBook, Instagram, etc. If someone at Alterra cares enough, they will track you down on one of those places and offer to make it right. If they dont care, then you - and everyone else on those sites - will know to avoid them in the future.

Again, thats if it was me. And I like to hold people accountable for bad work.

OP did the work. He did a poor job and Alterra should be responsible? Has anyone heard of any issues with an Alterra stock done professionally for a TIkka?

 

[OutdoorAg]

OP did the work. He did a poor job and Alterra should be responsible? Has anyone heard of any issues with an Alterra stock done professionally for a TIkka?

Alterra sells the stock as a ready to go, bolt in and shoot stock.

NOT a needs finishing and fitting and prepping semi mold.

Did OP alter the stock? Yes. Did OPs alterations lead to the failure. Haaaail no. The failure was due 100% in part to the poor design by Alterra.

Have you seen what they charge for a Tikka stock? Now go look at the other companies in that price point and find me one with that glaring weakness. I’ll save you the trouble: there ain’t one.

Sure, Alterra has it well within their right to stick it to the OP and say: you bedded it, we can’t prove the crack was our fault bc your changed our stock, too bad so sad. I’m 100% on board that Alterra has that right.

But.

BUT.

This is a design flaw. Not an OP bedding flaw, no matter how imperfect the bedding job. And as much as I hate the freaking long wait for a Manners Tikka, I’ll wait double to avoid an Alterra after seeing the design. And I’d wait triple now that I’ve seen how Alterra treated OP

 

[BBob]

Unless Alterra instructs customers to dig out all that soft foam and replace it with epoxy then yes I'd say it was on Alterra. There's a reason McMillan and Manners (others I'm guessing too) use a different material in laying up the stocks around the recoil lug area. That white foam is junk and of course it' going to blow out eventually.

 

[wind gypsy]

There's a pic of a Tikka bedding job by Alterra in the Tikka build thread that's not exactly brag worthy.

@fatbacks - did the stock come with a lug in place or did you have to put it in place? The only way i could think of you being at fault is if you bed the lug too far down to where it didn't engage the receiver properly and that just pushed it down in a direction that the stock wasn't designed for?

 

[sndmn11]

That's a crock of poo that they didn't warrant that stock. I would 100% share the quality of their customer service and products with anyone inquiring.

 

[MuleyFever]

Alterra sells the stock as a ready to go, bolt in and shoot stock.

No, they do not.

"Comes with aluminum pillars to be installed and bedded by a qualified gunsmith or by AllTerra Arms."