Need Tikka build advice/info

Father Hood

Father Hood

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Hey all...I have scoured google for information and although there is lots there..I am still having a hard time finding out some details.

My desire is to build my next rifle in .284 win. I shoot long range so I want to use the 180's and want to also take it hunting for certain applications. I have no experience with Tikka T3 actions other than over the counter handling. But I have a growing desire to build this with this action as it just has so many positives and such smooth action. But I am running into the same roadblocks that I have with my Savage rifles. Stocks/Chassis etc! The bonus for the Tikka is the long action and flexible magazine lengths for the longer than short caliber I am choosing. In a perfect world I would also like to be able to change my own barrels like I have done with my Savage. I know they make the Remage barrels for Rem 700 so wondering if this could be done for the Tikka as well.

So here is where I could use some general help...

Stocks..my preferences are the Manners T4A (possibly McMillan too), and would also like to be able to try the AICS finally!!!! (was suppose to happen for Savage but never did). So the question here is ..is this possible with the Tikka T3 action for long caliber magazines and if so where do you guys source these from? Already looked at the KRG and they can't do it for the Tikka T3 and long action mags. I have seen some pics of the Tikka in an AICS..can anyone confirm this?

Barrels.. as mentioned, I would love the ability to have pre-fit barrels so I can swap or install them myself. I also shoot 6.5 CM so would like to add this to it also. Anyone doing this with their Tikka?? Also if you could share great source for barrels.

Gunsmith..I live in the lower mainland and could use input on who might be the go to guy for this kind of stuff.

I know the quick answer is to just buy a Rem 700..lol. Yes, I know and I have already been looking on EE for a donor but I need to exhaust the Tikka route first as it just appeals to me more than the Rem.

Thanks in advance.
 
MDT is the only one doing long action AICS style mags and chassis for the T3 - modification free.
you can get CDI precision bottom metal in long action but you need to do some inletting on the underside of the action to get the mags to work properly.

I talked with KRG recently about the MDT Tikka long action mags and they said that it is definitely on the cards to make a version of either the whiskey 3 or Xray that will take Long action MDT mags.

if you strap your "long" tikka action onto a "short" action stock and single feed.. thats no issue, but for the time being, if you're using any chassis other than an MDT LSS or HS3, you're out of luck on the AICS side of it.

The Manners stocks have the standard tikka bottom plastic as an option, so you can just run the tikka mags, which are butter smooth anyway.
 
Give Julien at down range precision a call he has tons of options for the tikka t3, he has personally built me a hand full of rifles with the tikka action. As for a switch barrel it is possible as long as the barrels you want switch are all head spaced correctly with the action and bolt. Xlr makes a good chassis, grs makes a fantastic stock for the tikka, manners and McMillan both inlet stocks for factory bottom metal that work great, here's a pic of my 260ai in a McMillan a5 that I switched the bolt stop and mag to long action so I could seat my bullets anywhere I wanted. ImageUploadedByCanadianGunNutz1440040585.707404.jpg

Bell and Carlson is another option for a stock for the t3 and Boyd's as well
 

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Very nice Shawn.. Thanks for the contact. And that ability to change oal with the bolt stop and mags is a great feature.


Agreed Fenix..I just know that would be great for my creedmoor, but am just going to want to stretch out the oal with the .284
 
Well if you dont feel like outlaying the money for a manners, a bedded Boyds Tacticool/Pro Varmint stock is very comfortable.. at $100 its hard to look past.

My tactical .223 in the boyds. 0.3" groups with 69gr SMK's all day long ( at 100 of course.. )
the stock is currently being chopped up and remade to look more like a Mcm A4

IMG_0455_zpsvtdp1woe.jpg
 
For long action, the grs bolthorn with aics mags, mdt with their mags, or a cadex with the factory tikka mags.

I am running a 6.5x55 sporter (set trigger) in an mdt hs3.
Great cartridge, it spits 160 grain matrix vld's at 2800 fps, and the swede has enough freebore that you can seat the 160's on the lands and not lose any case capacity as you would with the short action 6.5mm cartridges.
I went for the tikka for the same reasons you're thinking about, no loss of rigidity in the reciever with a long action cartridge due to the t3's one size fits all reciever.



The cadex and the bolthorn were a 4 month wait, so I went with the hs3.
It gets the job done, but if I could have a do over, I'd definitely go with the bolthorn.
The hs3 trigger position is a little high in relation to the grip, and the mdt mags, although functional, need fiddling to run, and still do not fill me with confidence...
 
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Really love the pics!! Had not even considered the Boyds but after seeing it and hearing the price, seems
Like a no brainer even if its just to tie you over while you wait the long wait times for some of these other stocks. I've personally owned one from JP enterprises before and chose that over the XLR and also used the Cadex a fair bit which just seems like the top of the chassis systems. As nice as they are, I am feeling the need to go with the manners/McMillan style this time. Too bad about AICS. Just never had the chance to try one yet. Oh well. Just nice to know there are some decent options for the Tikka. Definitely seems like the way I will go.

Fenix, can I ask where you found the Boyds for your Tikka.

Ntm - that's a great round. I am getting 2890 with 140amaxs and real accurate but no way can I run 160's like you are ..sweet.
 
When I rebarrel my Tikkas I will be going to a Remington style recoil lug thats pinched between the barrel and action.

I my opinion the recoil lug on the tikkas are the only down fall.
 
Father Hood said:
Too bad about AICS. Just never had the chance to try one yet. Oh well. Just nice to know there are some decent options for the Tikka.
Click to expand...

I managed to get a Roedale RCSII chassis for a Tikka T3 s/a from a nice CGN member in the EE. It was a l/h but was very easy to switch to r/h. I know that there's a few long action Tikka T3 RCSII in the States. Maybe post a WTB at sniper's hide....for the right price, you never know.

Roedale RCSII is basically a AICS 1.5 inletted for a Tikka T3 action.

P1010337.jpg
 
K0na_stinky said:
When I rebarrel my Tikkas I will be going to a Remington style recoil lug thats pinched between the barrel and action.

I my opinion the recoil lug on the tikkas are the only down fall.
Click to expand...

There is no difference with a rem style recoil lug. I tried that out of curiousity.
The important thing with a tikka lug is to make sure it's firmly backed, soft wood is bad, best to bed it in solid. That's why I like the alloy chassis with them.
 
Hey Kosmic, I have seen that chassis by Roedale as well, and it looked like you could put the classic style AICS skins on it (which I prefer) so it is where I first got the idea of asking if anyone has gone that route. It just seemed to be a bit of a long haul or dead end but who knows like you said, maybe I could find something on the used market sometime.

A little more digging on the Boyds as well and I see that they are also offering an adjustable cheek riser option. So thats cool.
 
ntm said:
There is no difference with a rem style recoil lug. I tried that out of curiousity.
The important thing with a tikka lug is to make sure it's firmly backed, soft wood is bad, best to bed it in solid. That's why I like the alloy chassis with them.
Click to expand...

There is quite a large difference. :)

I think the rem style is much easier to bed and work with. So thats the way I will be going and you would be silly not to if your rebarreling.
 
K0na_stinky said:
There is quite a large difference. :)

I think the rem style is much easier to bed and work with. So thats the way I will be going and you would be silly not to if your rebarreling.
Click to expand...

There's little difference in accuracy I mean. I tried the same barrel with the tikka style and then cut for the rem style. It was actually a little more accurate with the standard style t3 lug.
I agree that rem lugs are easier to bed properly though.
 
K0na_stinky said:
There is quite a large difference. :)

I think the rem style is much easier to bed and work with. So thats the way I will be going and you would be silly not to if your rebarreling.
Click to expand...



and once that bedding is done, how often do you "work with" it ?
its a waste of money... but then again, its your money to waste

I have also had a tikka fitted out with a rem lug out of curiosity, no accuracy gain and then having to custom inlet stocks etc. Once a rifle is bedded, it doesnt matter because you generally dont touch it again.
 
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