Having trouble with my Tikka

[Wags]

+ 1 on checking the lug fitment and crown. I would bet the rub mark is from stock flexing into the barrel not rubbing during recoil. Make sure your checking for free float with the gun on a bipod with your shoulder pushed into it. I bet it's free floated just sitting there but not when your behind it.

That makes sense, it's the factory stock and where that's rubbing there's a a piece that is carved for the barrel that it sits up against. I'll take a picture later, but I think i'll sand that down a bit to give it more clearance.

 

[Wags]

Is this a new or used gun? Any chance the barrel is shot out?

I'm the only owner and it's got maybe 200 rounds through it.

 

[dirtytough]

I have a Tikka in 30-06 and it shoots the HSM factory ammo very well. I believe the bullet is the 168 Berger in that ammo. If you haven't tried that ammo it might be worth trying. Good luck

 

[Spoonbill]

I think that because of the wound channels. We're talking softball sized entry wounds with no exit. Not exactly what I'd expect on a doe @ 200 yards. All 4 animals had similar wound channels. Huge entry wounds, no exits.

Were the vitals destroyed? If the heart and lungs were destroyed, then I would keep shooting that round since it is doing the job.
i have had good luck with 165 sierra game kings out of my tikka, could be worth a try.

 

[Wags]

Were the vitals destroyed? If the heart and lungs were destroyed, then I would keep shooting that round since it is doing the job.
i have had good luck with 165 sierra game kings out of my tikka, could be worth a try.

My concern would be the bullet not performing on a longer shot, say 4-500 on a deer or 400 on an elk.

I'm going to try it again this season unless I find something else. Maybe I'll have a different experience.

We had this happen years ago when my dad hit a mulie at 100 with a 7MM Sirocco in the neck. It didnt even break the spine. He had a fist sized hole in the neck. When we got about 50 yards away he got up. My dad hit him again in the shoulder, same result, huge wound, no penetration. He didnt go far and I finished him off. I wish I had pics on my phone but this was back in the flip phone days. Im guessing it was the combination of too much speed on a thin jacketed bullet at too close a distance. That's not an experience I wish to repeat.

I hit him a tad low, the wind was blowing about 30mph. The bullet did not hit the leg bone, it went in between the bone and tendon then grenaded on the rib cage. He only took about 10 steps and dumped over but I wouldnt expect the bullet to explode from hitting a rib.... dead is dead but It gave me cause for concern at a further distance if I hit a shoulder blade on an elk would it perform and push through. I dont like the thought of wounding something.

I could be over thinking it, this year will tell the tale.

 

[Spoonbill]

My concern would be the bullet not performing on a longer shot, say 4-500 on a deer or 400 on an elk.

I'm going to try it again this season unless I find something else. Maybe I'll have a different experience.

We had this happen years ago when my dad hit a mulie at 100 with a 7MM Sirocco in the neck. It didnt even break the spine. He had a fist sized hole in the neck. When we got about 50 yards away he got up. My dad hit him again in the shoulder, same result, huge wound, no penetration. He didnt go far and I finished him off. I wish I had pics on my phone but this was back in the flip phone days. Im guessing it was the combination of too much speed on a thin jacketed bullet at too close a distance. That's not an experience I wish to repeat.

I hit him a tad low, the wind was blowing about 30mph. The bullet did not hit the leg bone, it went in between the bone and tendon then grenaded on the rib cage. He only took about 10 steps and dumped over but I wouldnt expect the bullet to explode from hitting a rib.... dead is dead but It gave me cause for concern at a further distance if I hit a shoulder blade on an elk would it perform and push through. I dont like the thought of wounding something.

I could be over thinking it, this year will tell the tale.

View attachment 298431View attachment 298432

Damn, you weren’t kidding about explosive.

 

[NevadaMike]

I did not read all of the comments so I hope this is not a duplicate. I also have a Tikka stainless 30-06. I bought several boxes of ammo and it liked the 180 grain Barnes VOR-TX. I posted a similar complaint here when I first got it. My problem ended up being the flex in the front of the stock. I would grip tight or rest the front of the stock on a bag and get wild flyers. My inexperience and the flexibility of the stock spelled trouble for me. After my hunt last fall I sent it off to Hill Country Rifles for a new Mcmillan stock, bedding and accurizing. After they do whatever they do they test several weights and brands of factory ammo and let you know what works. My rifle is now shooting .51 groups with Choice 180 grain Accubonds. That is a long way of saying be careful with the flexing of the stock and try 180 grain projectiles.

 

[Wags]

I did not read all of the comments so I hope this is not a duplicate. I also have a Tikka stainless 30-06. I bought several boxes of ammo and it liked the 180 grain Barnes VOR-TX. I posted a similar complaint here when I first got it. My problem ended up being the flex in the front of the stock. I would grip tight or rest the front of the stock on a bag and get wild flyers. My inexperience and the flexibility of the stock spelled trouble for me. After my hunt last fall I sent it off to Hill Country Rifles for a new Mcmillan stock, bedding and accurizing. After they do whatever they do they test several weights and brands of factory ammo and let you know what works. My rifle is now shooting .51 groups with Choice 180 grain Accubonds. That is a long way of saying be careful with the flexing of the stock and try 180 grain projectiles.

Thanks, I am definitely going to replace the stock at some point. Funny, I have a box of those same Barnes and it HATES them. Thats one of the loads I was hoping it would eat.

 

[Gila]

30.06..... It shoots the Hornady 178 ELDX lights out.

That’s what I thought. I have an original T3 in 270 win. I went through a half dozen before I found the rifle liked Hornady custom magnum loads with 130gr interbonds. Hornday quit that line and i had to switch to superformance 130 gr GMX. It shoots laser beams again. I have a 22 inch barrel that likes to shove a bullet out at 3100fps. I think it might be that the old T3 barrels have a shorter CBTO but I haven’t measured. Most of the T3 owners I know of lean toward Hornady fodder. I think a good recoil pad is better for recoil than a muzzle brake when hunting, but that’s just one man’s opinion. Definitely want to protect that target crown.

 

[wind gypsy]

Factory tikka stocks have contact points intended to contact the barrel I.E. they aren't free floated. It looks like that mark on the barrel is probably from one. It's common to remove them.

I'm a tikka fan but tikka accuracy is way overhyped on the internet IMO.

 

[ARK_Ginger]

Remove the contact points with a knife. That's what I did anyways.

I think your ELDx bullets are working as intended. Massive wound channel in the vitals and no wasted energy passing through. If that's not what you're looking for I'd personally recommend trying some fusions.

 

[Harvey_NW]

I would be prepared to buy a quality stock if you're going to remove those contact points.. Remember, they're designed that way for a reason. I've read about tons of experiences where it worked out fine for the person, but my personal experience was it ruined my setup. Even bedded, in the perfect position it would shoot lights out, when torqued and flexing however it did it would shoot about 3 MOA.

Currently being dropped into a Mesa Precision Altitude. Only about 4-5wk wait from time of order, just sayin.

 

[Wags]

I would be prepared to buy a quality stock if you're going to remove those contact points.. Remember, they're designed that way for a reason. I've read about tons of experiences where it worked out fine for the person, but my personal experience was it ruined my setup. Even bedded, in the perfect position it would shoot lights out, when torqued and flexing however it did it would shoot about 3 MOA.

Currently being dropped into a Mesa Precision Altitude. Only about 4-5wk wait from time of order, just sayin.

I'm going to pull the Trigger on a McMillian and get it coming. I like the Mesa, but I really like having an adjustable cheek riser.

When I get the brake pulled I'll check the torque on the action screws. I believe they are supposed to be set at 30 Inch LBS. Is that what you set yours at?

 

[Tmac]

I had replaced it with a steel one already knowing they have been the weak point but I'll try that and see if it helps.

I missed that, sorry. If you replaced it already, I’d skip flipping it and consider making sure the new one is in tight and mated to the barreled action properly. It’s possible the recess in the stock is too lose or it’s not matching up to the notch on the BA.

Where the flip works is when the T3 had shot well then starts to open up and a flip cures it, then I put a new steel lug in. You can actually see the indent on the old soft lug.

Another quick check is the crown, a visual and I’ll use a q-tip looking for a burr.

 

[Harvey_NW]

I'm going to pull the Trigger on a McMillian and get it coming. I like the Mesa, but I really like having an adjustable cheek riser.

When I get the brake pulled I'll check the torque on the action screws. I believe they are supposed to be set at 30 Inch LBS. Is that what you set yours at?

From what I could gather there doesn't seem to be a manufacturers "spec" torque value, but 30-40 in/lbs seemed to be common recommendations for an unbedded factory stock.

 

[Rob5589]

I'm going to pull the Trigger on a McMillian and get it coming. I like the Mesa, but I really like having an adjustable cheek riser.

When I get the brake pulled I'll check the torque on the action screws. I believe they are supposed to be set at 30 Inch LBS. Is that what you set yours at?

Nothing wrong with a new stock. I wouldn't expect miracles, however. It already shoots one load very well and several loads have acceptable accuracy. IMO, I'd spend my money on reloading gear in order to wring out the most the gun is capable of.

 

[madcalfe]

id say those 178gr eldx are working fine considering it was shot through the shoulder. i use them in my 300wsm and everything ive shot with them has died instantly

 

[Steve from GA]

I have a T3X lite 30-06. Groups definitely open up after the barrel heats up. I can shoot a sub MOA 3 shot group with a cold barrel - but the groups definitely start opening up after that.

 

[MightyMatt]

I would be less concerned at longer distance honestly. The ELD-X is a bullet designed for long range meaning that it's softer than standard giving it the ability to expand at lower velocity. It was not intended for the average deer hunter shooting a couple hundred yards. The farther the shot the less it will expand. The more speed you shed the less strain your putting on the bullet. I would look for a standard cup and core bullet if your looking to shoot no more than 2-300 yards. The ELD-X was really designed for guys shooting 400 yards to wherever your bullet slows to the minimum velocity the bullet was designed to expand at. Your just putting a lot more strain on the bullet than is optimal. That's why your seeing the "splashing". Not saying it won't work because Hornady did taper the jacket to give the bullet the ability to still be used at the ranges you have used it at but it's a bullet made for the long range crowd. Attached is a 162gr. ELD-X that I used to shoot my mule deer with in Montana last fall with a Tikka t3 7mm rem mag at 400 yards laser ranged. Final weight was 112 grains. Bullet entered front of the chest and angled to the back of the rib cage where I found the bullet balled up under the hide. He dropped in his tracks but slid down a pretty steep hill another 30 yards in the snow. I might be worried shooting critters closer than you have been but shooting at longer range you have the right load. If it were me I would keep shooting the round and keep collecting critters with a single well placed shot. Good luck.

 

[Newtosavage]

I pulled it apart tonight. The recoil lug looks fine. However there’s a shiny spot on each side of the barrel where the stock is contacting it. The finish is worn from it rubbing under recoil.

Anyone think this could be the issue?

View attachment 298381View attachment 298381

As soon as I read "nothing is touching" I was like uhmm, you sure? Tikkas come from the factory with a "ring" in the stock that contacts the barrel. I have absolutely no idea why, but the first thing I've done on all four of the Tikka's I've owned was pull the stock and grind down that plastic ring so the barrel would not make contact (as in the photos above). Start there. If that doesn't change anything (and it might not) then remove the brake. If that doesn't change anything, then have the barrel recrowned or recrown it yourself. It isn't hard or expensive to do. There are plenty of threads here, including one I started myself, on how to do this.

If after those three things you aren't getting sub-MOA with more than one load, then you got a lemon. Every single one of those four Tikkas I have owned shot under an inch with multiple loads. Many shot much better than that. I had a .243 Tikka that routinely shot my handloads (plain old 100 grain interlocks) into .3's and .4's I wouldn't be satisfied with worse than MOA from a Tikka personally.

Good luck.