Tikka troubles

kevin g

kevin g

CGN frequent flyer
Super GunNutz
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Location
Hfx, Nova Scotia
Hi gang!..I got got myself a new TIKKA 223 Stainless Varmint a couple of weeks ago. I'm having problems with the feeding of rounds off the mag into the chamber. The bolt slides over the top of them, and won't pick up the next round. It doesn't do it on all rounds...but it usually misses one (sometimes two !) per each loaded magazine....HOWEVER....The LAST ROUND out of the mag...ALWAYS works flawlessly! I've popped the mag in and out, hundreds of times making sure it's locked in properly...forced it back, forced it ahead...always checking the latch mechanism...to be sure....when I push up on the front edge(next to latch) of the mag..it WILL go up in another 1/8th to 3/16ths or so...BUT, this WILL STOP the feeding problems!..WORKS GREAT EVERY TIME!!!...My First thought is a weak follower spring....Just wondering if any of you on here had a similar issue and if it was in fact a follower spring ??...ThankX in advance!!
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ps...we had the same prob last month with a new Savage 270 (MODEL# 11 FCXP3...THE ONE WITH THE MAGAZINE )...called Savage, explained what the gun was doing, told em I thought it was a mag spring and they sent a new spring and follower..it came a week LATER!...cured the problem right away!...Hoping this Tikka prob will be soooo easy too!
 
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I was going to say mag spring as well. Sounds like your rounds aren't getting pushed up high enough for the bolt to take them or the spring is weak and the action is able to push the rounds back down. You MIGHT also have something binding down halfway or so, judging by the fact that the last round always loads flawlessly. I never tried to take my Tikka mags apart though, so I don't even know if it's a likely cause or if the spring is replaceable on them, though it definitely should be.
 
I've been lookin at em....pushin...squeezin...prying a wee bit...heh heh...don't want to fudge it up in case they want it back!...but...sometimes...I just can't help my self!!
 
You can take the follower out by tipping it back by pushing down on the back with a pencil or something, the front lips have to go just back a bit to pop over the edge hold downs. The pull the follower forward but not to hard bend the spring and out it comes sping and all. Then you can check out the insides and spring. When you put it back together there is a little tit at the bottom front to hook the spring on as it goes back in.
 
look to see if your action tang screws are fully tightend. the two screws by the trigger guard. had the same prob and went away after i tightend up the screws.

sorry for spelling iam lazy and proper grammer is for rich people.:slap:
 
kevin g said:
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ps...we had the same prob last month with a new Savage 270 (clip model)...called Savage, explained what the gun was doing, told em I thought it was a mag spring and they sent a new spring and follower..it came a week LATER!...cured the problem right away!...Hoping this Tikka prob will be soooo easy too!
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Savage makes a clip-fed rifle? news to me...
 
Gringo...thank you...rather easy once I put my hammer and vice-grips down and took it out of the vice!..hahaaha
hane..thankx...I did in fact check the action screws at the range and here at home too. alls good there.
AByotecaller...thank you as well!...I did that too....just now in fact again. it usually(not always)grabs the first off the mag.....never the second one...and always the last one. slowly or quickly, don't make any diff. The arse end of the case seems just a tad too low in the mag...hopfully the spring!
 
my t3 in 7-08 does the same thing... one day at the range, by mistake I grabbed the bottom of the mag when I went to cycle the bolt, slightly pushing up on the mag, and voila!!! Cycles all 3 rounds no problem. So I'm not sure if it is the spring, or maybe a clearance issue with the mag.
 
YEA...I can hold up on the mag...kinda forcing it past the latching point, and it works GREAT!!...as soon as I relax my grip...it does the same thing!...I think I'll send an E-Mail to Finland in the morning...and contact my Dealer here...see what he says. I see Stoeger Canada is the only Dealer/importer listed in Canada. Perhaps I'll rattle their cage as well. It's my first TIKKA...I thought I researched everything out well enough...but alas...I was gonna go with the Savage LRPV Right bolt, left port...starting to second guess myself!
 
kevin g said:
YEA...I can hold up on the mag...kinda forcing it past the latching point, and it works GREAT!!...as soon as I relax my grip...it does the same thing!...I think I'll send an E-Mail to Finland in the morning...and contact my Dealer here...see what he says. I see Stoeger Canada is the only Dealer/importer listed in Canada. Perhaps I'll rattle their cage as well. It's my first TIKKA...I thought I researched everything out well enough...but alas...I was gonna go with the Savage LRPV Right bolt, left port...starting to second guess myself!
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Other than your dealer, you should probably contact Stoeger first since you'll probably have to deal with them in the end anyway. The number I have for them is (905) 436-9077.
 
It could be a mag spring but could also be the COL. Do you handload? If so, make sure the rounds clear the mag cleanly and there is enough space to move cleanly in the mag. There might also be a problem with the latch nub on the mag itself? Damaged or not in the right position. Just a thought.
 
Amphibious said:
Savage makes a clip-fed rifle? news to me...
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Are you serious? They made lots of clip modeled guns over the years. I own or have owned 3 different types. A savage 99, a savage 340 , and a 116 weatherwarrior (with removable clip) The cheap savage 111's, and the stevens 200's have the internal box mags, but there are definately lots of removable magazine guns made by savage.
as to the OP's question, I'd say you have some grit in the mag and the follower is getting hung up on its travel the the resting position with 0 loaded rounds. Once it pops over the grit, the follower seems to have enough power in the spring to feed the last round, generally where a spring will have its lowest remaining power. Just my guess. If it weren't for the last round feeding well, I'd be at a loss.
 
Carefully check you mag follower spring... if it's mounted on the wrong side, it's kind of problems you will find. Both ends of the spring should point to the front of the mag, so the tension is at the rear (case head).
 
kevin g said:
The arse end of the case seems just a tad too low in the mag...hopfully the spring!
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Try removing and re-installing the follower. I had a T3 Varmint in 308 that I had improperly installed the follower. Fed like crap. Looked right though. Removed and re-installed the follower and all was well again.
 
I took the follower and spring out of the magazine.....everything looked good, nuthin seemed bent or kinked, looked for plastic stubs on the follower...anything that could cause a problem...NUTHIN!..:(.put it together againnnn and loaded the mag....same thing!..s l o w orrr fffast, don't make a diff in chambering the round.:mad: I got on Tikka site last nite, and got Stogers info....Well, at the crack of 10 AM, I called Stoeger in Ont, talked with the service tech...he said he had some of the same issues with his 223 T-3..:eek:..he said they were mag related!...pheeeeew I thought !...Heh..Heh...then he says to me..."Jeeeze, I just read a few posts on CGN about THE VERY SAME THING"!!..ROLLMAO....I asked him if that's where he went to figure out HOW to fix his warranty problems!!..:D.He had a good laugh. I said small world eh?..I started the thread, and I guess I'm not alone!......and Told me to send the mag back to them, they'd either fix it, or replace it...NO PROB!...He also said that They're supposed to be a 5 shot mag...you can hardly get 4 in mine...you can do it, but it's real hard!...So off to the Post Office I skipped..ha:.. Canada Post just raped me!!..H:S:.. for 12.00!!...as a bubble wrap envelope...it costs 1.22 to send it..BUT...no signature or no insurance.....so if it gets lost = "tough tit"....$11.86 for a priority post package...GARRON-TEEED 2 days!...needless to say, IT'S GONE!! Hopefully my troubles will be over!...we'll see;);)
 
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