Tikka T3x Bolt not locking while on safe.

kimberyote

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 18, 2011
Messages
210
Location
Madison County Illinois
I have a new Tikka T3x that when the bolt is cocked, and the safety is on, the bolt opens freely. The bolt should be locked down when safety is engaged. Any thoughts on why this is happening?? Thank you in advance!!
 
What was the issue?

I had an unintentional discharge when I flipped the safety from safe to fire.
Every once in a while I mess around and can't repeat it. Always looking for a way to screw up lol
 
Love some more feed back on bolt lock issues. My buddy and I both had bolts come partially opened while crawling on final leg of a long stalk. Different premium guns but both are 700 style 2 position safety.
Should I get a Feirce or Sako?
 
What was the issue?

I had an unintentional discharge when I flipped the safety from safe to fire.
Every once in a while I mess around and can't repeat it. Always looking for a way to screw up lol
I have a T3x do the same accidental discharge while moving the safety from safe to fire. I found that when I had changed trigger springs i did not use lock-tite on trigger screw. After approximately 350 rounds the screw holding the trigger screw loosed. I applied lock-tite torqued screw and no problems any longer. So check your trigger screw and apply lock-tite and torque. I don't remember the torque setting.
 
Love some more feed back on bolt lock issues. My buddy and I both had bolts come partially opened while crawling on final leg of a long stalk. Different premium guns but both are 700 style 2 position safety.
Should I get a Feirce or Sako?
I had a Cooper and while hunting moose in Newfoundland crawling through thick brush my bolt opened up on me twice. I sold my Cooper and purchased a Fierce Long Range Fury - best decision I ever made on a big game hunting rifle. Before I purchased the Fierce I spoke to John Mogle (owner) at length regarding the bolt experience and he assured me the Fierce was safer (Not only does the bolt lock with the safety on - I can remove a cartridge from the chamber without taking the safety off). I attended the long range class in Utah and found out how well my Fierce shoots with factory ammunition. Several of my friends have also purchased Fierce rifles and all of them are extremely pleased. PLEASE BE AWARE: It is my understanding that Fierce now sells some rifles that are not the Sako action and I would only buy the type I have for the reasons described previously. Make sure the Fierce you buy has the action you want. My experience is from a few years ago. Hope this helps. I should also add that my Fierce is also much lighter than my Cooper was:)
 
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I am left-hand shooter. I installed the "old" style safety on my LTR and one my daughter used, she's also a lefty. The issue was the bolt opening while being carried. Remington was sued because a person shot someone else when the safety was moved to unload a rifle. Remember, "Do not point point the firearm at any-thing,one, etc. You are not willing to destroy." Both rifles still function well and have taken many critters. I suppose it's all dependent on what train on and use.
 
I have a T3x do the same accidental discharge while moving the safety from safe to fire. I found that when I had changed trigger springs i did not use lock-tite on trigger screw. After approximately 350 rounds the screw holding the trigger screw loosed. I applied lock-tite torqued screw and no problems any longer. So check your trigger screw and apply lock-tite and torque. I don't remember the torque setting.
Which could be construed as a design flaw. Just like Rosebud said "Thats how Remington got sued out of existence.".
 
Which could be construed as a design flaw. Just like Rosebud said "Thats how Remington got sued out of existence.".
Maybe not a design flaw, he did say he changed trigger springs. Was the new spring Tikka approved, the modification Tikka approved?. I don't remember which TV network it was that ran the segment about Remingtons' "Walker Trigger", but it looked to me like those triggers had been adjusted outside of the factory. But hey! It's said that a ham sandwich can be indicted. Put that in front of a jury that know nothing about firearms and you can get the result the plaintiff and his lawyers want. Seems to me one of those deaths caused by the so called faulty Remington trigger was from a ricochet, the rifle supposedly pointed in a safe direction while unloading. Light triggers are nice, and demanded by many, but the chance of a AD increases as pull weight decreases. Not something I just pulled out of my butt, but from a formal gunsmithing education and 30+ years of 'bench' experience.
 
Maybe not a design flaw, he did say he changed trigger springs. Was the new spring Tikka approved, the modification Tikka approved?. I don't remember which TV network it was that ran the segment about Remingtons' "Walker Trigger", but it looked to me like those triggers had been adjusted outside of the factory. But hey! It's said that a ham sandwich can be indicted. Put that in front of a jury that know nothing about firearms and you can get the result the plaintiff and his lawyers want. Seems to me one of those deaths caused by the so called faulty Remington trigger was from a ricochet, the rifle supposedly pointed in a safe direction while unloading. Light triggers are nice, and demanded by many, but the chance of a AD increases as pull weight decreases. Not something I just pulled out of my butt, but from a formal gunsmithing education and 30+ years of 'bench' experience.
I don't consider them design flaws in either, but they can be construed as design flaws. And that's how they won the lawsuit IMO. The Tikka's screw that attaches the trigger can come loose and that seems to cause the rifle to fire in the same manner the Walker trigger did. The Walker trigger has a hardened section that isn't attached to the trigger. I haven't had any issues with mine after thirty two years. But if improperly adjusted or dirty with crude then it can have issues. So they blame it on design flaws. I say poor maintenance for trigger malfunctions and poor muzzle discipline for the deaths and injuries.
 
After me and my buddy both having bolts partially open on an elk ( crawling), I think my next gun is going to have three positionsafety or equivalent. I posted this before, both of our guns are high dollar production guns with two position safety .
Six years drawing a tag plus all the incidental expenses,a three *** safety is a minor expense.
 

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