Tikka T3 problems

[Topshot]

Both of my sons have Tikka T3 Stainless Laminates in .338WM. One rifle shoots about 1" with just about any load. The other rifle is newer and shoots about 3" groups at 100 yards.

I have tried a number of loads in the problem rifle with no luck and today I swapped out the scope and mounts and fitted different mounts and a Nightforce scope to the rifle in the hope that it was a scope or mount problem.

Unfortunately the rifle still does not shoot anywhere near as accurately as the other rifle..

Any ideas? The rifle seems solid in its laminate stock, trigger is good and the bore cleans up very easy.

 

[zupatun]

Have you done a ladder or other ammo test (load your own) or trying out factory loads?

FWIW I used Tubbs Final Finish to bring in a 1.25MOA Tikka 308 into about a 3/4moa 308...it loved 175grains behind 41.5gr of varget -- about 0.5" ten shot group the best...but I liked to hunt with 165 grain pills and groups with 44.5gr Varget were slightly larger.

Other than that, beyond going to a good Smith to blueprint/true the action--...I'm sure others have better suggestions.

Matt

 

[TikkaShooters]

The Tubbs kit definitely helps. Just know that it will erode the throat a bit.

Most of the larger caliber Tikkas suffer from the aluminum recoil lug, in the laminate stocks, from the recoil lug slot being too big.

If the recoil lug is loose and comes out freely when you remove the action, then the action is moving too much from shot to shot. There are many causes but most derive from the high recoil damaging the recoil lug or the stock.

I highly recommend bedding the recoil lug on all Tikkas to improve accuracy.

Currently we bed each recoil lug on the stocks we turn out and customers love it.

 

[Pdvdh]

Most of the larger caliber Tikkas suffer from the aluminum recoil lug, in the laminate stocks, from the recoil lug slot being too big.

If the recoil lug is loose and comes out freely when you remove the action, then the action is moving too much from shot to shot. There are many causes but most derive from the high recoil damaging the recoil lug or the stock.

I highly recommend bedding the recoil lug on all Tikkas to improve accuracy.

Currently we bed each recoil lug on the stocks we turn out and customers love it.

Questions? Do you bed the recoil lug in the plastic tupperware factory Tikka T3 stocks? What bedding resin/compound do you use to bond the lug securely into these stocks? I agree that this should yield an improvement in accuracy.

 

[TikkaShooters]

I personally like Devcon for all bedding. There are other compounds out there that work well as well.

The tupperware stock is actually very strong and well made. That being said, the recoil lug can still damage the stock under heavy recoil. Devcon seems to be strong enough the prevent this damage in both laminate and plastic T3 stocks.

Hope this helps!

 

[Pdvdh]

I personally like Devcon for all bedding. There are other compounds out there that work well as well.

The tupperware stock is actually very strong and well made. That being said, the recoil lug can still damage the stock under heavy recoil. Devcon seems to be strong enough the prevent this damage in both laminate and plastic T3 stocks.

Hope this helps!

Thanks,
I just visited the two links you've provided under your User Profile. Look's like some good information and a good resource for aftermarket stocks too. Just beginning to read the information at those links.

So the Devcon adheres well to the Tikka factory tupperware stocks? That was my concern with hogging out the recoil lug recess in these factory T3 stocks. Getting a bedding compound to adhere well to the plastic.

 

[TikkaShooters]

I should clarify that you need to take a dremel and rough up the plastic to give the Devcon something to adhere to.

The sites are just taking off and I haven't been able to load our full product line into the store yet so keep checking in. I also have plans to start manufacturing parts for Tikkas not currently offered in the US.

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[Topshot]

The Tubbs kit definitely helps. Just know that it will erode the throat a bit.

Most of the larger caliber Tikkas suffer from the aluminum recoil lug, in the laminate stocks, from the recoil lug slot being too big.

If the recoil lug is loose and comes out freely when you remove the action, then the action is moving too much from shot to shot. There are many causes but most derive from the high recoil damaging the recoil lug or the stock.

I highly recommend bedding the recoil lug on all Tikkas to improve accuracy.

Currently we bed each recoil lug on the stocks we turn out and customers love it.

j-man,
That sounds interesting.
When I first picked up the rifle I removed the rifle from its stock and gave it an inspection. The recoil lug was very loose in its slot and just fell out.

I will give the lug and action a bedding job and see how this effects accuracy.

What torque do you tighten each of the action screws to on the grey Laminate timber stocks?

 

[TikkaShooters]

I torque mine to 35 in/lbs with a Wheeler Fat Wrench. There are members on my site that say 40 is better but I've eliminated signs of movement with 35.

I'll be testing our new laminate ultralight stock next week. It weighs the same as the stock tupperware one but is substantially stronger.

 

[Topshot]

I torque mine to 35 in/lbs with a Wheeler Fat Wrench. There are members on my site that say 40 is better but I've eliminated signs of movement with 35.

I'll be testing our new laminate ultralight stock next week. It weighs the same as the stock tupperware one but is substantially stronger.

J-man,
Thanks for the help and advice.
Is that torque setting of 35in/lb for both the front and rear screws or just the front?

 

[TikkaShooters]

I tighten both front and rear to 35. I've played with different settings for the front and rear but Tikkas didn't care like my other guns do.

 

[Tikkamike]

try switching stocks and see if the 3" rifle starts shooting better and if the 1" gun shoots worse I would say you have found your problem. It would be a free way of finding the problem or at least eliminatling one possibility

 

[Topshot]

try switching stocks and see if the 3" rifle starts shooting better and if the 1" gun shoots worse I would say you have found your problem. It would be a free way of finding the problem or at least eliminatling one possibility

Tikkamike,
Thanks for the idea but my old man once said to me "Son if it ain't broke, don't fix it".
I think I will leave the good shooting Tikka alone and just work on the bad shooting Tikka.
I don't want to end up with two rifles that don't shoot!

I am sure that I will work out the problem with the rifle. Tikka's are well made rifles and this is the first one that has given me trouble out of quite a few that I have tested. I suspect that recoil lug or bedding might be the trouble.

 

[Forrest Ebert]

I bought my wife a Tikka T3 lite 7mm-08 and had accuracy problems for a while until the barrel finally broke in. I also put a Limb saver recoil rubber anti-vibration whatever on the barrel and this brought the rifle into the sub-moa shooter it is today. I did check the recoil lug but it was snug so I left it alone and that rifle has taken some nice Whitetails with my handloads but for some reason it just doesn't shoot factory loads at all!