Let's See Your Semi-Custom Tikka Builds

[Reburn]

Using stock R700’s and blueprinting/trueing then is out all together anymore. By the time you fix everything on them, you absolutely would have been money ahead and with a better gun to just get a custom action.


With the vast majority of custom actions that are based on the 700-

Adverse weather and adverse conditions reliability. Number one is the trigger. Almost all use Remington 700 triggers. Up until the TriggerTech and Tubb, reliability was suspect with any of them. Trigger failures are easily the #1 issue that plague bolt actions. Have a group of rifles out in windy dusty/sandy conditions and it is good odds that all of the guns that have trigger issues will be Remington 700 based.
Next is most customs are built more like a bench action than a field action. Blowing dust/sand will show a bunch of rifles that don’t work. Then there is extraction and ejection. Some try to fix weak extraction with a Sako style, but a lot don’t. In any case it’s mostly a bandaid.


Last, is smoothness during rapid bolt manipulation. Americans don’t generally do speed shooting with bolt actions, and therefor do not really have an appreciation for how slick an action is when ran fast. Most Europeans are sensitive to this however. Between some of their rifle sports and driven game hunting- actions that cycle smoothly and without hitches are almost a requirement. I’ve shot with foreign people that are shocked with how a lot of our “custom” guns feel and that we tolerate it. I agree with them. This is shown in how most of the rifles feel- Tikka, Sako, Accuracy International, Blaser, Sauer, etc. They are all easy to run very fast.


In the end- reliability and feel. There are very few actions that the manufacturer designed from the outset to make as reliable and bombproof as possible. The notable exception is ARC. The Mousingfield is a 700 footprint done right- except for the trigger. Combine the ARC with a Tubb, and possibly a TT and you start to have something. With smoothnezs of the action... most American companies just don’t even know it’s a thing.



Now why Tikka-

1). Trigger

2). Action

3). Barrel


Trigger- The Tikka trigger is extremely reliable with sand/dust/debris/ice/snow. This is a big deal to me because I’ve seen a lot of problems with triggers. I’ve had a partner have an ND at sniper school when his 700 trigger failed and fired when the safety was disengaged (Walker trigger”). I’ve had multiple mates/buddy’s have triggers locked up due to sand or debris on work rifles. I and a partner lost a major match because his very highly regarded trigger totally failed during the match. Not too long ago I was on a range with quite a few issues sniper rifles. 6-7 were Surgeons, Stillers, etc. A couple 700’s, a few Tikkas and a couple AI’s. In the desert and the wind picked up to 25-30 mph with blowing sand. Within a short time- less than an hour I think, somewhere around half of the guns with 700 based triggers failed. Locked up from the blowing sand. They had to be completely taken apart and blown out to get functioning again. The Tikkas and AI’s had no issues.


Action- the T3 is does well in adverse conditions. Finland does generally have “extreme” weather after all. Like the way an action feels- Europeans are less tolerant of rifle malfunctions. I’ve seen a bunch of shooters that after thier customs fail in bad weather, shrugg it off to needing to be cleaned. The Europeans don’t do that. As a whole they expect even “budget” rifles to work correctly every time.

They are one of the smoothest rapid bolt manipulation actions on the market. Combined with a center-feed, single stack mag, and you have an action that works like it’s on ball bearings. I believe in rapid bolt manipulations and running a bolt fast to be ready for a second/third/fourth shot and they are far and away better than almost all custom actions at this.


Barrels- From the factory they are generally very, very good. 6-7 years ago I had a dozen plus custom actioned 700 based competition rifles because they all had to have Brux/Bartlien/Hart/etc barrel to be competitive. With Tikkas is the barrel is chambered and twisted correct I just shoot the factory barrels until they’re gone.


If Tikka T3’s were introduced to the US this year and were $1,000-1,200 people wouldn’t bat an eye. But because they were brought over at $450-500 years ago, people act like they are budget guns.


I prefer Tikkas if the cartridge fits because it’s hard to name an action from any of the US makers that is actually better. They almost all use a 700 trigger, they almost all are not as tolerant of debris and sand, and almost none/none are as good during rapid bolt manipulation. If it’s a hunting rifle, the integral rail in conjunction with Sportsmatch rings is one of the strongest mounting systems made, while still giving a good cheekweld.

This....
Basically its cheaper to buy a tikka gun, Just to use the action then build from there as you would a custom rem 700 clone. In the beginning you get a stainless action that is ready to roll for <$750 that is lighter then most all out there on the market. You can trim 1.38 ounces off the bolt alone with fluting -.6oz, lumely ti bolt handle and carbon fiber knob -0.5oz, and a sterk ti bolt shroud -0.28oz. If you chasing a ,7lb gun finished with scope and rings this helps and will help get you there with a 16oz scope which isn't generally considered a light weight scope. Not to mention as Formidilosus stated. The action is argueably better right out of the box and the trigger needs basically nothing but if you want lighter it only takes a little bit of work you dont need to drop a timney in it the stock trigger is pretty darn good.

 

[Lawnboi]

Good to hear on the tikka action. I was thinking the same thing when dinking with my 300wm based on a 700 action then going to my tikka where Its so smooth I have to check to make sure it chambered a round

 

[unclericco]

Agree with the last few posts points. I already decided that when I buy my next rifle it will be a Tikka stainless fluted. I’ll put a carbon fiber stock and titanium/CF knob on it and be done with it. Tikkas are my favorite brand of rifle for sure

 

[Jaden Bales]

Just finished up my Tikka T3x Lite in 300 WSM!

Wouldn't put it on the masterful 301 level like most of these semi-customs in the thread, but had Mike at HCA put a brake on it and add in his new short mag billet magazine and topped it with the Maven RS.2.


Mike has a new stock he's coming out with that's going to be money to put on there next, followed by scope upgrade and probably an HCA barrel...and here comes rabbit hole.

For this fall, it's an incredible upgrade to great grandpa's old .270, though!

I did a little video about the whole deal here if you are into that kinda thing:

 

[Wiscat]

My Tikkas

Top: 300WM Lite stainless, 4-16x50 Vortex HSLR, Tally rings, BC stock, Colt coyote CeraKote. 8#2oz with an empty mag. This has been my primary rifle for the last 5 seasons. Its been out West, Up North in WI, and to Alaska.

Bottom: 270 Win Superlite, 4-16x44HSLR, Tally rings, BC stock, Black Graphite CeraKote, 7#11oz with an empty mag. Bolt is off at Longrifles for fluting and CeraKote to match. Just put this rifle together to serve as a lighter caliber version of my primary. The 300 can be alittle much on deer sized stuff under 100yds(and the shooter). Also I have a Pronghorn hunt again this year and that's as good of an excuse for a new rifle as I need.

They both shoot incredibly well. Groups run from 1/4-3/4 moa with RL-22 handloads in both. 180gr Accubonds in the 300; 130 gr Ballistic tips in the 270.

 

[nomad108]

Tikka T3 300 WSM, Cut barrel to 22", McMillan Game Hunter Carbon Fiber, Leupold VX-5 3-15.

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What was your muzzle thread pitch? I have a t3x lite in 7mm rem mag, but the muzzle at 24" is too thin to have any shoulder left. , would need to chop down to 22" at least as well to thread anything

 

[Justin Crossley]

What was your muzzle thread pitch? I have a t3x lite in 7mm rem mag, but the muzzle at 24" is too thin to have any shoulder left. , would need to chop down to 22" at least as well to thread anything

The Gen 1 Micro Bastard with 1/2x28 is the perfect brake for that rifle. There is no need to cut anything off the barrel.

 

[Muttly]

What was your muzzle thread pitch? I have a t3x lite in 7mm rem mag, but the muzzle at 24" is too thin to have any shoulder left. , would need to chop down to 22" at least as well to thread anything

Also running a T3x in 7 Mag, had the barrel threaded for an Area 419 Hellfire, didn't have to cut the barrel down.

 

[nomad108]

Also running a T3x in 7 Mag, had the barrel threaded for an Area 419 Hellfire, didn't have to cut the barrel down.

Threaded at 1/2 x 28 as well? Curious about the thread pitch used. Ill end up going to a different smith in my area because the first one I went to basically said "Cannot be done!" - So ill go else where and tell them that some of you fine folk have done it with success.

Also for the 419 Brake, which self timing brake did you use? Or did you use the Direct thread option?

Looking at their site Im considering the Hellfire 2 port Self timing brake.

 

[wind gypsy]

Threaded at 1/2 x 28 as well? Curious about the thread pitch used. Ill end up going to a different smith in my area because the first one I went to basically said "Cannot be done!" - So ill go else where and tell them that some of you fine folk have done it with success.

Also for the 419 Brake, which self timing brake did you use? Or did you use the Direct thread option?

Looking at their site Im considering the Hellfire 2 port Self timing brake.

There is a lot of info out there about gunsmiths and aftermarket muzzle device makers who require more meat on their barrels than what people in common practice actually use. For example, thunderbeast says minimum of 9/16" on 6.5's and up. https://thunderbeastarms.com/tech/thread-specifications

Further input on possible negative impacts of muzzle threading: http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2015/04/muzzle-threading-dont-remove-too-much-steel/

That said, you've got rifle manufacturers like browning, fierce, and kimber using threads in the 1/2" realm on their rifles and I haven't heard of catastrophic failures. Who knows if there is a measurable impact on accuracy impacts from "trombone" issues, it doesn't seem like it.

 

[Muttly]

Threaded at 1/2 x 28 as well? Curious about the thread pitch used. Ill end up going to a different smith in my area because the first one I went to basically said "Cannot be done!" - So ill go else where and tell them that some of you fine folk have done it with success.

Also for the 419 Brake, which self timing brake did you use? Or did you use the Direct thread option?

Looking at their site Im considering the Hellfire 2 port Self timing brake.

Ten four on the 1/2x28. Went with the 3 port Hellfire, self timing. My gunsmith threaded the barrel, did the installation, didn't mention anything about it being problematic..
I know there are a lot of good brakes out there, but I gotta say, next brake, probably gonna be either another Hellfire, or a Sidewinder, dependent on barrel size.

 

[khuber84]

Here is my finished 6.5 saum from Mike @ hells canyon. 26" heavy hunter carbon, 150 freebore, ti beast brake, Mesa alt stock, Hawkins low 30mm rings, leupold 3-18x44 vx6hd, trigger just under 2#, sterk ti bolt knob, hells canyon billet mag. Weighs 7.2# bare, 8.5# scoped and 9.3# with bipod.

 

[Fonkie]

That looks sweet! Can’t wait to have mine built in a few months. What bullet are you planning on shooting?

 

[Jaden Bales]

Here is my finished 6.5 saum from Mike @ hells canyon. 26" heavy hunter carbon, 150 freebore, ti beast brake, Mesa alt stock, Hawkins low 30mm rings, leupold 3-18x44 vx6hd, trigger just under 2#, sterk ti bolt knob, hells canyon billet mag. Weighs 7.2# bare, 8.5# scoped and 9.3# with bipod.

Yeah gonna have to get that stock for sure. Whole rig looks money.

 

[Justin Crossley]

I'm just about done with this 6.5-06 Ackley. I started a sepperate thread here for the stock review.

Sent from my E6833 using Tapatalk

 

[khuber84]

That looks sweet! Can’t wait to have mine built in a few months. What bullet are you planning on shooting?

7.5tw barrel, so either 156 eol, or 150 smk. It's throated for the smk.

 

[Fonkie]

That should be a deadly combo. Keep us posted on the accuracy & performance of the build

 

[Jmac]

6.5 creed
Element chassis
Benchmark Barrel
Silencerco omega
Tikka trued action and trigger work.

 

[Bobbyboe]

6.5 creed
Element chassis
Benchmark Barrel
Silencerco omega
Tikka trued action and trigger work.

What’s the weight on that rig?

 

[Jmac]

What’s the weight on that rig?

It’s heavy. 13 lbs empty.