Tikka recoil lug installation

[Ucsdryder]

Any tips or tricks? The "hole" that the lug slides into has a tiny bit of slop front to back, maybe 1/16-1/32". Should I seat it at the back? Middle? I have pro bed from skorehi. I assume that works?

 

[Ucsdryder]

Anybody?

 

[Tac-O]

Anybody?

So you're saying your recoil lug isn't a tight fit into the stock? What stock is it?

Either way, yes, score hi is awesome bedding compound. If your lug isn't already glued in and isn't tight, I'd definitely bed it in but it has to bed done a certain way. I recommend searching Tikka bedding ballistic studies. The ballistic studies site has a great tutorial on how to deal with the recoil lug.

In a nutshell, you need to put a piece of electrical tape on the top of the recoil lug that goes into the action slot. Trim it so it is only on the top. This provides relief from the action so it doesn't bind up when you torque on the action screws. Then put a bit of release on that tape and use some 5min JB weld to secure the lug onto the action where the front surface(recoil surface) of the lug is solidly up against the recoil surface of the action slot. So you basically have to temporarily glue the lug in place up against the muzzle side of the action slot. Make sure it's placed evenly left/right. Hold it there for 5 min.

then widen the lug slot in the stock so when you bed it and set the action down in there there is plenty of room and you don't knock the lug off the action.

when you pull the action out, the lug will be bedded Into the stock, without expoxy covering it and it will be perfectly square to the action.

research it, because there's a few more details to it to have it come out nicely

 

[Ucsdryder]

So you're saying your recoil lug isn't a tight fit into the stock? What stock is it?

Either way, yes, score hi is awesome bedding compound. If your lug isn't already glued in and isn't tight, I'd definitely bed it in but it has to bed done a certain way. I recommend searching Tikka bedding ballistic studies. The ballistic studies site has a great tutorial on how to deal with the recoil lug.

In a nutshell, you need to put a piece of electrical tape on the top of the recoil lug that goes into the action slot. Trim it so it is only on the top. This provides relief from the action so it doesn't bind up when you torque on the action screws. Then put a bit of release on that tape and use some 5min JB weld to secure the lug onto the action where the front surface(recoil surface) of the lug is solidly up against the recoil surface of the action slot. So you basically have to temporarily glue the lug in place up against the muzzle side of the action slot. Make sure it's placed evenly left/right. Hold it there for 5 min.

then widen the lug slot in the stock so when you bed it and set the action down in there there is plenty of room and you don't knock the lug off the action.

when you pull the action out, the lug will be bedded Into the stock, without expoxy covering it and it will be perfectly square to the action.

research it, because there's a few more details to it to have it come out nicely

It's a AG composites aftermarket stock. They include a lug loose.

 

[Cutback]

Many guys also use superglue, to temporarily glue the lug to the action. (This way you get full contact purchase.)

 

[Idaho Lefty]

Any tips or tricks? The "hole" that the lug slides into has a tiny bit of slop front to back, maybe 1/16-1/32". Should I seat it at the back? Middle? I have pro bed from skorehi. I assume that works?

We have 4 Tikka's in our Family,. Here's WHAT, we do,..
Replace, the Old Alum Recoil Lugs with Steel ones, we put Elay Precision or, Yo Dave, Trigger Springs in them and adjust trigger pull while apart, Check the Free float, "clearance" around, Barrel at THIS Time, as once in a while, they can "Touch" ! De-grease Take Down Screws and Threads in Action, put a Tiny drop of, Blue Loctite on them and Torque about, 5 Pounds heavier than, spec, BEFORE, Final tightening we gently "slam" the Butt of, stock against, Work Bench ( Muzzle UP ) Twice, to SEAT the Recoil Lug "firmly" to, the Rear. Let Loctite Dry overnite ! ALL, 4 Rifle Barrels were, Carefully "Broke in" and now shoot from, 3/8 ths to, 3/4 MOA, Groups. Neither, my .270 WSM with 140's @ 3,185 FPS or, my son's 7MM-08 with Heavy 168 grain Bullets @ 2,765 FPS, have ever, shot, "loose" with this, method !

 

[Cutback]

^^^ Hey Lefty, with my Tikka's, exactly what I do...

 

[Tac-O]

Th

^^^ Hey Lefty, with my Tikka's, exactly what I do...

That's exactly what I do too! Haha. That blue loctite and degreasing does wonders

 

[Ucsdryder]

Ok I'm tracking. How tight do you tighten the action screws while waiting for the bedding to set? I've seen some people say tight and others say just enough to keep it in place.

 

[Tac-O]

Ok I'm tracking. How tight do you tighten the action screws while waiting for the bedding to set? I've seen some people say tight and others say just enough to keep it in place.

It's highly recommended you don't use the action screws to tighten the action into place when bedding because it can cause stress in the action.

My preferred method is to use some lag bolts of the M6 size that I cut the head off of and then slotted the end with an angle grinder. Wrap those up with E tape and screw them into the action. You want just enough on there so that the tape makes the fit in the stock action screw hole just barely snug. Not even snug but just touch. Cover the e tape with release agent. Use those headless screws as a guide for action placement. When you get it squeezed down into place, use E tape wrapped around the action and stock to secure. Pretty tight.

 

[Ucsdryder]

I think I understand. You still need some version of a bolt to keep the action straight but you don't want heads on the bolts because you don't want them to cinch down the stock and action together. Then you use electrical tape to tape the action and barrel together? Is that correct? Do you wrap the electrical tape over the action? I assume you need to make sure the action lug is seated all the way down tight or else it won't push all the bedding compound out of the lug hole and then it'll dry and you won't be able to tighten it down all the way. Does that make sense?

 

[Tac-O]

I think I understand. You still need some version of a bolt to keep the action straight but you don't want heads on the bolts because you don't want them to cinch down the stock and action together. Then you use electrical tape to tape the action and barrel together? Is that correct? Do you wrap the electrical tape over the action? I assume you need to make sure the action lug is seated all the way down tight or else it won't push all the bedding compound out of the lug hole and then it'll dry and you won't be able to tighten it down all the way. Does that make sense?

Yes you wrap the tape around the action and stock once you get the action pushed down to whatever height reference you're using, but only the action and not the barrel. The reference height for the action depends on how you're bedding it... Using pillars, tape wrapped on barrel and using tang, etc

I'm not sure what you mean about the recoil lug

 

[slamfire94]

We have 4 Tikka's in our Family,. Here's WHAT, we do,..
Replace, the Old Alum Recoil Lugs with Steel ones, we put Elay Precision or, Yo Dave, Trigger Springs in them and adjust trigger pull while apart, Check the Free float, "clearance" around, Barrel at THIS Time, as once in a while, they can "Touch" ! De-grease Take Down Screws and Threads in Action, put a Tiny drop of, Blue Loctite on them and Torque about, 5 Pounds heavier than, spec, BEFORE, Final tightening we gently "slam" the Butt of, stock against, Work Bench ( Muzzle UP ) Twice, to SEAT the Recoil Lug "firmly" to, the Rear. Let Loctite Dry overnite ! ALL, 4 Rifle Barrels were, Carefully "Broke in" and now shoot from, 3/8 ths to, 3/4 MOA, Groups. Neither, my .270 WSM with 140's @ 3,185 FPS or, my son's 7MM-08 with Heavy 168 grain Bullets @ 2,765 FPS, have ever, shot, "loose" with this, method !

what torque spec are you tightening to before you slam the rifle down on the bench and then what are you tightening to after you slam it?

 

[Idaho Lefty]

Since I started Gunsmithing Well before anyone used, Torque Spec's, I still use, the gooten'tite method ( Hand Feel, tight enough, "just before",.. Stripping Threads / breaking screws, method ).
Sorry that, I don't know or, use the Tikka Spec's, but I'm sure that, some younger guys, on "Here",.. DO or maybe, look in the Owners Manual.
I lightly tighten screws, just before "slamming" butt on work bench and then, Final Tightening, as I want the Lug and action, "set", all the way, Back.