**update** Roadkill tikka--odd situation

[willfrye027]

My friend ran over his tikka t3 30-06. The bolt is broken (the back of it is sheared off). From my research, not only are new bolts expensive ($369 and out of stock), they also should have the headspace checked by a gunsmith for safety. So to me it does not seem like a great option to replace the bolt vs just buy a new gun for him.

Here's where it gets interesting... I have the same gun in 30-06. My bolt seems to operate fine in his gun (dry fires, cycles rounds, etc). So I think the chamber is OK. Everything else seems to be intact and functioning. With the recent threads on tikka prefit barrels, I am considering getting the thing rebarreled into something more interesting, and sharing the bolt between the two guns. Plus, I have no need for two 30-06's that share the same bolt! My initial thought was 25-06, but I also am unsure of what other options there would be for keeping the same bolt face and changing the bolt stop on the new gun.

Is this a bad idea? Am I crazy? Thoughts??

 

[Ram94]

280ai or 7mm-08 would do well for that. But I’m partial to 7mm projectiles.


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[willfrye027]

280ai or 7mm-08 would do well for that. But I’m partial to 7mm projectiles.


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Thought about the 280. I think it’s too similar to my 30-06. I like the idea of a fast twist 25-06 for a dedicated long range/deer gun. I love my 30-06 too much to retire it at this point...but something with lighter recoil would be fun.

 

[Newtosavage]

My friend ran over his tikka t3 30-06. The bolt is broken (the back of it is sheared off). From my research, not only are new bolts expensive ($369 and out of stock), they also should have the headspace checked by a gunsmith for safety. So to me it does not seem like a great option to replace the bolt vs just buy a new gun for him.

Here's where it gets interesting... I have the same gun in 30-06. My bolt seems to operate fine in his gun (dry fires, cycles rounds, etc). So I think the chamber is OK. Everything else seems to be intact and functioning. With the recent threads on tikka prefit barrels, I am considering getting the thing rebarreled into something more interesting, and sharing the bolt between the two guns. Plus, I have no need for two 30-06's that share the same bolt! My initial thought was 25-06, but I also am unsure of what other options there would be for keeping the same bolt face and changing the bolt stop on the new gun.

Is this a bad idea? Am I crazy? Thoughts??

Considering it's a Tikka, the chances are very good that a new bolt will headspace just fine. If it's the back, are you talking about the bolt shroud? Or the handle? Those are both replacable. I can't think of any other part of a Tikka bolt that couldn't withstand being run over.

 

[willfrye027]

Considering it's a Tikka, the chances are very good that a new bolt will headspace just fine. If it's the back, are you talking about the bolt shroud? Or the handle? Those are both replacable. I can't think of any other part of a Tikka bolt that couldn't withstand being run over.

I could attach a pic of the bolt body, but I can tell you that a good sized chunk of metal is sheared off and missing. Not the shroud or handle, a chunk of bolt body just behind the bolt handle. The firing pin is also bent.

It’s been sitting in his safe for 6 years now and he doesn’t seem interested in spending the money for a new bolt vs just getting a new gun. Plus I can’t find a new bolt in stock anywhere.

So at this point I’m mostly looking at my options for rebarreling it and using my 30-06 bolt..

 

[tdhanses]

Since you’ll be rebarreling it they’ll just headspace it to your bolt, I wouldn’t fire it as is though with your bolt.

 

[robby denning]

I ran over my Athen’s bow if it makes your friend feel any better. Always lay your weapon on the hood!!!!!

I wouldn’t shoot that gun unless I had a string tied to the trigger and I was hiding behind the truck


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[willfrye027]

I ran over my Athen’s bow if it makes your friend feel any better. Always lay your weapon on the hood!!!!!

I wouldn’t shoot that gun unless I had a string tied to the trigger and I was hiding behind the truck


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My friend recommended the string method. But I am not willing to risk MY tikkas bolt exploding in his roadkill gun!!!

 

[Spoonbill]

My friend recommended the string method. But I am not willing to risk MY tikkas bolt exploding in his roadkill gun!!!

It may just be worth sending that gun to the scrap heap. Don’t want an unseen crack on the action turning that gun in to an ied.

 

[ST52v]

Send the gun to Chad Dixon at LRI. He will be making tikka bolts shortly and have him check it out.

 

[Newtosavage]

Since you’ll be rebarreling it they’ll just headspace it to your bolt, I wouldn’t fire it as is though with your bolt.

without checking headspace....

Look, there are a LOT of bolts that will headspace correctly, whenever a manufacturer makes literally thousands of rifles of the same model.

Use your bolt, and check the headspace with a headspace gauge. Chances are, it will be fine and you can shoot the rifle safely with your bolt. If it doesn't headspace correctly, then go a different route. But at least check first.

 

[tdhanses]

without checking headspace....

Look, there are a LOT of bolts that will headspace correctly, whenever a manufacturer makes literally thousands of rifles of the same model.

Use your bolt, and check the headspace with a headspace gauge. Chances are, it will be fine and you can shoot the rifle safely with your bolt. If it doesn't headspace correctly, then go a different route. But at least check first.

Zero manufacturers will say switch bolts without head spacing even if the same model, buy one and you’ll clearly see where they say rifle must be properly head spaced to the new bolt.

Every rifle is headspaced when built to the bolt in it, doesn’t matter if thousands of parts are mass produced.

But he is rebarreling the action, every gunsmith headspaces on a barrel install so its a mute point as he’ll have to supply his bolt when it happens.

And yes he could check headspace on his friends action but why, why take the chance of even messing with it? Who knows if the barrel is damaged or not. He could also just have a gunsmith check it all about be Moore rebarreling and adjust the headspace on the factory barrel if needed, it would be pretty inexpensive to do this.

 

[willfrye027]

Chambering my handloads in his gun are definitely a little tighter fit than mine. I’m doing a pretty minimal bump so I’m guessing the headspace is a little shorter. I don’t feel the need to test it out at this point...I’ll have a smith make sure there are no cracks or other issues before putting a new barrel on.

At this point I’m leaning towards a fast twist 25-06 to shoot hammers and the 131 blackjacks. I know it’s not the most efficient caliber but I like the idea of having the extra few hundred fps for hunting compared to something like a 6mm creed or 25 creed.

 

[Billy Goat]

How much are you really going to save once you swap barrels? I'm just saying risk might not be worth it. For as cheap as I hear about some tikkas getting sold seems like your only looking at $200 or so savings after you get another barrel on it. Maybe not. I'd just shop around for one that wasn't damaged to the point that the firing pin is bent. I'm assuming the bolt must have been open when it was driven over, if it bent the bolt it might have twisted the action a bit as well.


Write your expenses down, total them. Then start looking at what you can purchase another one for. I hate for something to get junked as much as anyone, but that might be best case here.

 

[Newtosavage]

Zero manufacturers will say switch bolts without head spacing even if the same model, buy one and you’ll clearly see where they say rifle must be properly head spaced to the new bolt.

Every rifle is headspaced when built to the bolt in it, doesn’t matter if thousands of parts are mass produced.

But he is rebarreling the action, every gunsmith headspaces on a barrel install so its a mute point as he’ll have to supply his bolt when it happens.

And yes he could check headspace on his friends action but why, why take the chance of even messing with it? Who knows if the barrel is damaged or not. He could also just have a gunsmith check it all about be Moore rebarreling and adjust the headspace on the factory barrel if needed, it would be pretty inexpensive to do this.

Have you ever set the headspace on a rifle? If you haven't, you might be surprised to find out how many bolts will work on the same chambering at the same headspace.

The manufacturers have to tell us that no other bolt will work. They are required to, in order to keep from being sued. But the fact is that their own manufacturing tolerances are so close these days that a lot of bolts are "swappable" while still maintaining proper headspace. I just did this recently with a Howa bolt. Bought a new one, threw it in my 1500 and it headspaced perfectly. Actually, to be honest it headspaced better - according to my gauges - than the original bolt which I'm sure had experienced a little stretching and wear since it was new.

If a person knows what they are doing and has the proper headspace gauges, this is not an unsafe thing to do. It will of course void any warranty, but I do that every time I tear down a Savage rifle and so do thousands of others who do the same, literally every day.

 

[willfrye027]

How much are you really going to save once you swap barrels? I'm just saying risk might not be worth it. For as cheap as I hear about some tikkas getting sold seems like your only looking at $200 or so savings after you get another barrel on it. Maybe not. I'd just shop around for one that wasn't damaged to the point that the firing pin is bent. I'm assuming the bolt must have been open when it was driven over, if it bent the bolt it might have twisted the action a bit as well.


Write your expenses down, total them. Then start looking at what you can purchase another one for. I hate for something to get junked as much as anyone, but that might be best case here.

You have a good point about cost. If I do have it rebarreled, it will be something that I can’t buy factory (fast twist 25-06, maybe 6mm creed or 25 creed). Plus it should theoretically be a more accurate barrel. It might cost me the same as a brand new tikka, but I will end up with something I couldn’t just go out and buy. Plus I feel like it’s a waste to toss his gun in the trash if only the bolt is broken.

 

[Billy Goat]

You have a good point about cost. If I do have it rebarreled, it will be something that I can’t buy factory (fast twist 25-06, maybe 6mm creed or 25 creed). Plus it should theoretically be a more accurate barrel. It might cost me the same as a brand new tikka, but I will end up with something I couldn’t just go out and buy. Plus I feel like it’s a waste to toss his gun in the trash if only the bolt is broken.

I agree. Just make damn sure it only has a broken bolt, I suspect if that much damage was done to the bolt, other things have been atleast tweaked.

 

[rayporter]

man if you guys are so worried about this rifle and have any like it you can send them to me.

i would rebarrel it in a heartbeat. the smith will check the action automatically [ at least mine does] and the bolt will fit like a glove.

 

[eLightfoot]

If you want to shoot blackjacks and use factory mags I’d consider a 25-284

 

[willfrye027]

If you want to shoot blackjacks and use factory mags I’d consider a 25-284

Think I could get them to fit some of the more popular aftermarket mags? I’ve been trying to find an OAL/load data for the 25-06 and blackjacks with no luck.