Tikka t3x action screw torque

[zion zig zag]

I picked up a Tikka t3x 7mm rem mag this spring and have been shooting on average 2 moa groups. Randomly decided to check the action screw torque this morning and found them to be at 15 inch lbs rear and 20 inch pounds front. Quick internet search shows that I should be between 35 and 45 inch pounds?

Also, there are 3 screws on the bottom of the gun, the one farthest forward towards the end of barrel was set at about 5 inch pounds. What is that screw and what should it be set at? Thanks!

 

[Deplorable77]

I just changed one of my stocks last night. With metal bottoms I do 35 rear, 45ish front. Not really sure what the 3rd screw is you're referring to. Maybe the sling stud? Or the nutsert through the side of the stock?

 

[Glockster26]

I’m on my synthetic stocks at 60 inch pounds. My tikka with a wood stock is at 45 inch pounds. I tried the wood stock at 60 inch pounds and the groups opened up. I just backed it down by 5 inch pounds until the groups tightened back up.
I would say go up to 60 and see how it shoots.

 

[Lawnboi]

The front most screw on the forearm of the stock on the T3x is for the beaver tail accessory I believe.

the two other screws are the action screws. Iv done 35-60 and everything in between. They all work.

Make sure to tap the rifle on the butt before torquing you assure thelug is seated correctly

 

[fightthenoise]

I do 55 on both. Plastic stock. 3 different rifles

 

[TxxAgg]

60 works great with my synthetic stocks

Just tinkered with a new one last night... factory had them set around 20#. I remove and degrease and tighten down to 60#. Works great.

 

[Don Qui Puncher]

I’ve had good luck at 60 on a couple

 

[zion zig zag]

I tightened down to 40ish and went to the range. Shot 5-6 3 round groups and all were 2-3 moa, shooting prone, off a pack, no wind. I'll pull the screws and degrease and reinstall at 45 pounds. I think I'll lighten the trigger while I have the stock off too. I may also need to clean the rifle as it's been about 50-60 rounds since I last put a rod through it.

But I may have to face the facts that I'm shooting like shit lately, total confidence killer right before hunting season. Against my better judgement I backed out to 300 yards today and missed a 10" steel target 3 of 3. Came back home with my tail between my legs.

 

[toddh]

I do 45 on both but I have a wood stock.

 

[Capt_Craig]

I tightened down to 40ish and went to the range. Shot 5-6 3 round groups and all were 2-3 moa, shooting prone, off a pack, no wind. I'll pull the screws and degrease and reinstall at 45 pounds. I think I'll lighten the trigger while I have the stock off too. I may also need to clean the rifle as it's been about 50-60 rounds since I last put a rod through it.

But I may have to face the facts that I'm shooting like shit lately, total confidence killer right before hunting season. Against my better judgement I backed out to 300 yards today and missed a 10" steel target 3 of 3. Came back home with my tail between my legs.

Also make sure that the action is sitting down on the recoil lug correctly when you put the stock back on. Most Tikkas shoot way better than yours does, and when they don’t it’s usually the action not set on the lug properly, the nubs at the mid forearm or stock putting pressure on the barrel, or shooting them with ammo the rifle doesn’t like.

 

[eamyrick]

I did 45 on both with great results. I sold the rifle to a friend who torqued them to 65 which is what he used on his work bolt gun. The Tikka safety and bolt would no longer work properly.

 

[Lxhuntinpa]

45 front and back for my 3 synthetic Tikkas

 

[Jellymon1]

My tikka manual said to torque the action screws to 65 inch lbs. I did and it collapsed the metal inside the plastic “bottom metal” which made the screw go in too far and interfere with the bolt. Yes I was using a reliable inch lb tool. This is obviously an issue because in the last few years tikka started putting different torque values for the stock plastic “bottom metal” at 45 in lbs, and metal bottom metal at 65 in lbs, in the manual. After seeing this I wouldn’t put any more than 50 in lbs on those screws. There is actually a void underneath where the front screw goes through the ”bottom metal” and it can collapse if too much torque is applied.

 

[amassi]

55 with a mesa precision stock and red snake tactical bottom metal. I couldn't go too high with the plastic stick and bottom metal before it would bind the action

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

 

[Sundodger]

Anything more than 30 inch lbs on my T3 adj stock and my magazine doesn't want to clip in. Been thinking of installing some pillars, because that doesn't seem right.

 

[Don Qui Puncher]

I tightened down to 40ish and went to the range. Shot 5-6 3 round groups and all were 2-3 moa, shooting prone, off a pack, no wind. I'll pull the screws and degrease and reinstall at 45 pounds. I think I'll lighten the trigger while I have the stock off too. I may also need to clean the rifle as it's been about 50-60 rounds since I last put a rod through it.

But I may have to face the facts that I'm shooting like shit lately, total confidence killer right before hunting season. Against my better judgement I backed out to 300 yards today and missed a 10" steel target 3 of 3. Came back home with my tail between my legs.

have you taken a dremel to the barrel channel? And cut the speed bumps out in the channel? It made a big difference on mine. What rings and scope?

 

[TxxAgg]

have you taken a dremel to the barrel channel? And cut the speed bumps out in the channel? It made a big difference on mine. What rings and scope?

I second this. I dremeled a new 30-06 and tightened to 60#. Here are the first 5 shots at 100 with cheap federal blue box.

 

[HighUintas]

As others have said, 45in/lbs is the spec set by Tikka for their synthetic stocks using the OEM trigger guard. When I had mine in the original stock and trigger guard I used between 40-45 WITHOUT removing the stabilizing nubs in the barrel channel. It shot great. If you go over 45, you may encounter issues like some have mentioned.

Also as mentioned, make sure the recoil lug is properly seated, bang the gun downward on the butt stock to simulate recoil and get the lug seated squarely while holding the action in place. Then torque the front screw, then torque the rear screw.

If this doesn't work, check your bolt lug contact. This is only an occasional issue with tikkas because they're usually very even in contact. There was another guy on here whose 7mm08 Tikka wouldn't shoot better than 2.5-3". His bolt lug contact wasn't even... After he fixed that it dropped to around 1-1.5" with factory ammo. If you haven't done this before, just take out your bolt I wipe off any oil or grease, cover the back side of the bolt lugs with sharpie marker, out it back in and cycle the bolt about ten times. Remove the bolt and look for how evenly the marker is worn off between the two lugs.

I recently bought a 7mm08 for my kids and made sure to check the contact in the store on each one I was looking at. I got one that was nearly perfect! And it shoots like a dream.

 

[zion zig zag]

Can you tell me how to check bolt lug contact? I didn't tighten front action screw first, I did it more like tightening scope rings, half turn on each until at 45. So I can fix that, I'll remember to tap the butt for good lug contact too.

Yesterday 3 different people shot a total of 5, 3 round groups, off of a lead sled. 2 groups were just at moa, 2 groups were 2 moa, and the last group was closer to 3 moa. The moa groups were the first and fourth string of three. Maybe not a large enough sample to tell.

 

[Ram94]

Can you tell me how to check bolt lug contact? I didn't tighten front action screw first, I did it more like tightening scope rings, half turn on each until at 45. So I can fix that, I'll remember to tap the butt for good lug contact too.

Yesterday 3 different people shot a total of 5, 3 round groups, off of a lead sled. 2 groups were just at moa, 2 groups were 2 moa, and the last group was closer to 3 moa. The moa groups were the first and fourth string of three. Maybe not a large enough sample to tell.

The post right above yours explains how to do this.