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> Tikka T3 Custom recoil lug design
Tikka T3 Custom recoil lug design
@ 12:35 pm (GMT) |
Jacob JensenHi Nathan (and other fellow forum members)!What du you think about this custom recoil lug design? http://www.tikkashooters.com/al-quasts-284-winchester-throws-down-the-hammer-august-2013-tikka-of-the-month/ Would it be worth trying - if i was to rebarrel a Tikka T3 - or is it not worth the effort? I am thinking that the bedding procedure would be easyer (like the Remington 700) utilizing this design. J. |
Replies
@ 08:25 pm (GMT) |
Nathan FosterRe: Tikka T3 Custom recoil lug designI had a drop in client yesterday. He had a stock Tikka and had made up loads following the reloading book and cartridges book. The goal was to develop a long ranging 150gr load. There are no 150gr SST bullets in country at present so he settled on the ultra soft 150gr Speer BTSP and worked up loads to 55gr 2209. My job was to test shoot the rifle and look over everything.The rifle shot the 53gr load inside a half inch. It shot the 54gr load into one ragged hole. Some Tikka rifles improve with bedding, this one was just a stock rifle. It wore a suppressor, a complete POS. This one trapped heat badly and will most likely become problematic later on if great care is not taken to keep heat levels down. Nevertheless, it was the client's choice and in the space of one session, we had a 650-700 yard rifle ready to roll. I think that as much as this workmanship (in the link you posted) is very good, there is a lack of understanding and therefore a lack of trust in the Tikka design. I know this because I felt the same way when I first encountered this rifle. I spent a lot of time getting to know the design. I asked why, I asked how. I experimented with and pioneered the current bedding methods which are now passed around Tikka forums. I almost went with a Remington style recoil lug but am glad that I got to know the design and was able to pass this info on. It took me quite some time to get my head around all of this so I can certainly see how a person would opt for a fitted recoil lug. More importantly however, folk need to understand that as long as they keep allowing shooting technique to slip, these rifles will end up being cast more and more into a bad light. I see so much crap added to these rifles, all the latest whistles and bells. They are not a frelling tactical christmas tree. Just take the rifle, learn to shoot the rifle properly, and you will have a good rifle for as long as it lasts. There are certainly some good customizations to be made, new stocks (although the B&C needs heavy mods), bottom metal rather than plastic. These are good things. Tikka now also offer bottom metal on certain models rather than plastic. The shooter cannot just go about this rifle as he can with others. Yet by focusing on the very basics, the majority of these rifles can produce outstanding performance and can be a joy to shoot. They also have their limitations- such as action / magazine length. I also wish Tikka would make a mid weight barrel. But these are separate issues. Hope that helps. |
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@ 09:18 pm (GMT) |
Nathan FosterRe: Tikka T3 Custom recoil lug designActually, that last post sounds almost too noble- as though I really "went with" the Tikka design when asking why and how.Truth is, I was dragged kicking and screaming. Forum poster Im2lazy turned up at our place with one of the early rifles for a hunt. I said "what a pile of plastic shit". The jibing then continued back and forth for weeks. But he was the better man. As much as I disliked the lack of a recoil lug, he just wouldn't let up- taking pot shots at me about his wonderful rifle with a cheeky grin. The son of a bitch even bought me a Tikka T3 T-shirt. So I could not just put it aside as he would not let it go. Following this, he asked me to bed and work on the rifle. It was already accurate and by now he had two of them. My job would be to accurize the rifle and study it more to my benefit than his. So I bedded it- and I stuffed it up. The job looked good, so I had to ask why. I now disliked the rifle design even more, but I stuck with it and learned until I had a set of bedding procedures for this rifle design. All thanks to one mans constant ribbing, unending enthusiasm and humor. I received the potential job from hell just as I had finalized how the system worked, both the whys and hows. I owed a man a favor and he really wanted his rifle bedded. This T3 rifle did not need a bedding job, it was already grouping a .4 to .5"- the sort of thing you don't want to mess with, the relationship of the stock to action fit already seemed optimal. A bit of load fiddling could have been the solution to get groups down further. But the man insisted, so I bedded the rifle without any enthusiasm but taking great care. The result was a one hole grouper without further load work. To be honest, I was glad to get that job off my bench even though it really solidified past theory and experimentation. Nowadays I quite like the Tikka design. And I still have that Tikka T-Shirt. |
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@ 06:41 pm (GMT) |
Jacob JensenRe: Tikka T3 Custom recoil lug designThnaks Nathan!I follow you all the way. Actually i'm not concerned about the deisgn of the Tikka T3 - just wondering if the bedding process would be easyer with that custom recoil lug (if the action was to be rebarreled anyway). I'll stick to the original design and follow your bedding instructions! Thanks again! J. |
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@ 08:43 pm (GMT) |
Nathan FosterRe: Tikka T3 Custom recoil lug designI guess you have to weigh up both. If a lug is to be fitted to the action, the front of the T3 action has to be faced off, the barrel altered or replaced, then a lug machined and fitted. After this, the bedding would be relatively straight forwards. The old lug recess would need the front and top face masked off to prevent pinching- or fill the entire void with plasticine and tape it off. If left as is, the resulting raised section of bedding would be prone to being chipped or scraped during action fitting and removal due to the way the parts come together. So something would have to be done to prevent problems- or the rifle will double group or produce fliers.This versus perhaps a half hour aligning and setting the Tikka (or aftermarket) lug in place prior to bedding. |
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@ 07:09 pm (GMT) |
Jacob JensenRe: Tikka T3 Custom recoil lug designRoger - got your point!If it works - don't fix it (too much) ha ha... J. |
@ 10:18 pm (GMT) |
Im2lazyRe: Tikka T3 Custom recoil lug designBahahaha.Now the Tikka battle seems to have been won......next to convert Nathan from 308 to 7-08! Haha We all owe you heaps, Keep up the great work Nath Ps; after that I might go to work on the Swarovski conversion...Sightron vs Swarovski. Now I have gone to far, Nath will wash my mouth out with mustard |
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@ 08:39 pm (GMT) |
Nathan FosterRe: Tikka T3 Custom recoil lug designI have to admit Im2lazy, those cuts on your eyebrow do give you a tough guy appearance. Thanks Swaro. |
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