Tikka T3x Front Action Screw - 20lbs Torque Enough?

[heritagehd]

Tikka T3x Hunter Wood Stock - 6.5 Creedmoor

I recently replaced my stock trigger spring and recoil lug with the Mountain Tactical versions.

After putting everything back together my magazine wouldn't lock into place. I watched the mountain tactical video on this issue but no fix.

I put the stock lug back in and no luck. I took the lug out completely and still no luck. I tried installing with and without the bolt in - same thing. I did the "slam test" to make sure everything was seated. No luck.

The issue seemed to be that I was flexing the bottom plastic when torquing the action bolts. This caused the lip where the magazine catches to be raised up too high into the gun. Originally I was torquing to 45lbs front and 50lbd back.

If I torque to 20lbs in the front and 35lbs in the back, everything works fine.

Is this too low of torque for the action screws?

 

[ScottP]

My action screws came from factory very loose and gun wouldn’t shoot worth a damn. Took a while to diagnose. I put in the MT bottom metal in addition to the trigger spring. Torqued to 40/35 back and front. Perfect groups.

have you tried shooting it yet at 35/20?

 

[kickemall]

No, thats not enough. I have several with MT lugs and you shouldn't have an issue at 40-45 lbs.. Something isn't right. No idea what.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

I torque mine higher than that for sure. Mine all have bottom metal now instead of plastic and 45 inch lbs is what I use. You’ll see lots of answers here for a spec. I would start around 35 inch lbs and see how it groups.

 

[Macintosh]

If mag is bottoming out up against the action before it latches then you need more space between the bottom metal and action. If 20in/lb allows it to latch but 45 bottoms out then the difference in torque is drawing the action and bottom metal too close together, and the stock isnt preventing this as it should. Is your barrel still floated? If action is seated on the lug and barrel is still floated then its unlikely to be the recoil lug or action inlet causing this—if the action was too deep in the stock it would probably be touching wood on the forend.
Try cutting a washer out of a pop can and put it between the bottom metal and the stock at the front action screw, and then tighten to 35-45lb. If that fixes it, then something changed—height of recoil lug in its recess, bottom metal is thinner or hole is deformed, wood crushed, etc. if you verify, at that point could be worth installing pillars and bedding, imo, there is supposed to be a solid object under the bottom metal (the stock) that prevents it from flexing too far toward the action.

 

[heritagehd]

The barrel is still floating.

I was thinking about buying the pillar kit....great idea to start with a washer. I'll try that and see if it works.

Just to clarify, the bottom "metal" is the stock one made of plastic.

 

[swavescatter]

These are awesome bottom metal kits that come with washers.

TIKKA T3/T3X Aluminum Bottom metals

Tikka T3 Bottom Metal Kalix Teknik Blackhound Optics

highdesertrifleworks.com

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

These are awesome bottom metal kits that come with washers.

TIKKA T3/T3X Aluminum Bottom metals

Tikka T3 Bottom Metal Kalix Teknik Blackhound Optics

highdesertrifleworks.com

For sure my favorite bottom metal for the tikkas!

 

[heritagehd]

If I do the pillar kit, can I just install without bedding?

 

[heritagehd]

These are awesome bottom metal kits that come with washers.

TIKKA T3/T3X Aluminum Bottom metals

Tikka T3 Bottom Metal Kalix Teknik Blackhound Optics

highdesertrifleworks.com

Looks like they actually just sell the shim kit too....sold out though.

Rifle opener is on the 15th here in Michigan....with shipping delays and then still needing to sight in, I won't have time to get the actual shim or pillar kit. I'll have to try regular washers and hope that works. Or torque to spec and then hand load a single cartridge at a time.

 

[swavescatter]

I would give them a call. He's a one man shop and FAST. I bet you'd get it in time. I'm semi-local and he offered to deliver it to me in person and install it. Great business.

 

[sdupontjr]

Tikka T3x Hunter Wood Stock - 6.5 Creedmoor

I recently replaced my stock trigger spring and recoil lug with the Mountain Tactical versions.

After putting everything back together my magazine wouldn't lock into place. I watched the mountain tactical video on this issue but no fix.

I put the stock lug back in and no luck. I took the lug out completely and still no luck. I tried installing with and without the bolt in - same thing. I did the "slam test" to make sure everything was seated. No luck.

The issue seemed to be that I was flexing the bottom plastic when torquing the action bolts. This caused the lip where the magazine catches to be raised up too high into the gun. Originally I was torquing to 45lbs front and 50lbd back.

If I torque to 20lbs in the front and 35lbs in the back, everything works fine.

Is this too low of torque for the action screws?

I recently had this happen when i changed stocks on my CTR. 1st, make sure there is no debris in the recoil lug slot that would prevent the lug from sliding all the way in. Ever so slightly sticking up would cause this. If you have never pulled the bottom metal before you could have my problem. The stock has a "void" or bad spot in it so that the bottom metal didn't sit right. So to fix, I installed SS pillars so now the pillars sit on the action and the metal washers in the bottom metal. Now I can torque to whatever without the fear of snapping the plastic bottom metal. Youll see i measured the washer recession and left the pillars that long so they extend pass flush with the stock.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

^ that's how I do it too. Lamp nipple is real cheap and makes a great pillar starting point. I also bed after doing pillars.

 

[heritagehd]

I recently had this happen when i changed stocks on my CTR. 1st, make sure there is no debris in the recoil lug slot that would prevent the lug from sliding all the way in. Ever so slightly sticking up would cause this. If you have never pulled the bottom metal before you could have my problem. The stock has a "void" or bad spot in it so that the bottom metal didn't sit right. So to fix, I installed SS pillars so now the pillars sit on the action and the metal washers in the bottom metal. Now I can torque to whatever without the fear of snapping the plastic bottom metal. Youll see i measured the washer recession and left the pillars that long so they extend pass flush with the stock.

View attachment 623205View attachment 623206View attachment 623207View attachment 623208View attachment 623209View attachment 623210View attachment 623211View attachment 623212

Appreciate the detailed response and pics

 

[doverpack12]

I ordered a hells canyon tikka make for WSM.
I couldn’t get it to seat either. Mike answered the phone when I called and said it’s a Tikka tolerance problem, he uses the middle of the range but still sees some issues. He recommended a flat washer between bottom metal and bottom of stock.
I bought a few different thicknesses. Didn’t take much and I can still torque to Form spec and seat factory and HCA mag

 

[sdupontjr]

Appreciate the detailed response and pics

Stardard pillars will not work because they are too short. I made these from some 3/8 SS tubing I had lying around and pressed them into place. Didn't know about the lamp nipple, will have to remember that.

 

[heritagehd]

Well it took some trial and error but I was able to shim it out "properly." Not sure what they're actually called...almost like a thin lock washer...one of those in the back and front then an additional brass washer in the front.

Was able to get to 40lbs on both. I had to try about 6 different combos before I found one that worked. While making adjustments I noticed the washer was starting to imprint/sink into the wood. Pillars are on the wish list.

The stock magazine works smooth. The mountain tactical one not so much.

On a side note, after playing with the MT magazine a bit I don't really care for it. At half the price of a bottom metal, I wish I would have just stuck with the stock one.

Headed to the range tomorrow to sight in.

Appreciate everyones insight and help!

 

[AXMC]

I recently had this happen when i changed stocks on my CTR. 1st, make sure there is no debris in the recoil lug slot that would prevent the lug from sliding all the way in. Ever so slightly sticking up would cause this. If you have never pulled the bottom metal before you could have my problem. The stock has a "void" or bad spot in it so that the bottom metal didn't sit right. So to fix, I installed SS pillars so now the pillars sit on the action and the metal washers in the bottom metal. Now I can torque to whatever without the fear of snapping the plastic bottom metal. Youll see i measured the washer recession and left the pillars that long so they extend pass flush with the stock.

View attachment 623205View attachment 623206View attachment 623207View attachment 623208View attachment 623209View attachment 623210View attachment 623211View attachment 623212

What stock is that?
Thanks

 

[sdupontjr]

It's a tikka ridgline that I picked up here on the site from another guy. Basically a new takeoff. When I picked up a CTR, I couldn't get use to the stock nor the mag sticking way out the bottom. I had a spare L mag lying around so i decided to pick up just a standard tikka stock. This one has a larger barrel channel than my T3 lite 308 stock. So it was minumal sanding to get the clearance / freefloat for the CTR barrel. Then i just picked up a stock plastic bottom metal from Mountain tactical.

I picked up the CTR for the additional weight and add a brake so the little ones could shoot it. Well, that didn't work. So, i went a different route. Swapped the stock, sold the CTR stock. Did all that above, pulled the CTR rail, sold the heavy Arken 5-25x56 and mounted a much lighter Trijicon Credo with some Unknown Muntions new Tikka rings. Hell, it right at 3/4 lb heavier than my T3 lite. Gonna supress it now. My Lite is set up for low light hunting mostly so it has a heavier Schmidt Bender Polar on it.

 

[AXMC]

It's a tikka ridgline that I picked up here on the site from another guy. Basically a new takeoff. When I picked up a CTR, I couldn't get use to the stock nor the mag sticking way out the bottom. I had a spare L mag lying around so i decided to pick up just a standard tikka stock. This one has a larger barrel channel than my T3 lite 308 stock. So it was minumal sanding to get the clearance / freefloat for the CTR barrel. Then i just picked up a stock plastic bottom metal from Mountain tactical.

I picked up the CTR for the additional weight and add a brake so the little ones could shoot it. Well, that didn't work. So, i went a different route. Swapped the stock, sold the CTR stock. Did all that above, pulled the CTR rail, sold the heavy Arken 5-25x56 and mounted a much lighter Trijicon Credo with some Unknown Muntions new Tikka rings. Hell, it right at 3/4 lb heavier than my T3 lite. Gonna supress it now. My Lite is set up for low light hunting mostly so it has a heavier Schmidt Bender Polar on it.

View attachment 624798View attachment 624799View attachment 624800View attachment 624801View attachment 624802

Thanks. Is that the 20" CTR?