Tikka recoil lug bedding

[turkeynut]

When bedding the recoil lug do you permanently bed into the stock or put tape on the bottom, front, sides, so it can be removed? I’ve never done a tikka so any advice would help. Thanks

 

[Big Mc]

When bedding the recoil lug do you permanently bed into the stock or put tape on the bottom, front, sides, so it can be removed? I’ve never done a tikka so any advice would help. Thanks

It,s the same as any other lug. What you said is spot on. Tommy Mc

 

[K22]

Don't ask me why they work so well but I have owned a bunch of Tikka's from 223, 243, and 308 and they all shot in the 1/2 moa range out of the box with only a trigger adjustment.

I did replace the factory pistol grip on the T3X's with their aftermarket vertical pistol grip which enabled me to shoot them better, but it didn't change the inherent accuracy of these rifles. These rifles just shoot even with that unconventional recoil lug design which gave me hives the first time I purchased a Tikka.

Therefore, I never found it necessary to change anything regarding the bedding which is rare in my experience. Almost all my other rifle brands required some level of bedding improvement to reach their full potential accuracy wise, especially Remington's.

 

[turkeynut]

I purchased 243 hunter model with 8 twist barrel and getting weird groups. I’ve tried several different bullets from 85-100gr with h4350-imr4350, I put one of my benchest scopes on to see if it was the scope, that didn’t help. I have never had a tikka do this just thinking bedding may help. Thanks

 

[joshb]

I bedded a 595 this afternoon. I put tape on the front and bottom, but……
On the T3s and 595s, I drill a hole in the bottom of the lug recess thru the stock and out the bottom so I can punch out the lug if I need to.
The T3 lug just gets waxed. No tape.

 

[joshb]

I purchased 243 hunter model with 8 twist barrel and getting weird groups. I’ve tried several different bullets from 85-100gr with h4350-imr4350, I put one of my benchest scopes on to see if it was the scope, that didn’t help. I have never had a tikka do this just thinking bedding may help. Thanks

Have you tried Sierra 85 grain BTHP? K22 swears they’re magic. Also, check your action screws torque.

 

[turkeynut]

No I haven’t them but the recoil just flops around in the stock. I’m just wondering if that has something to do with it. The other tikkas I have you have to push the lug into the stock.

 

[K22]

I purchased 243 hunter model with 8 twist barrel and getting weird groups. I’ve tried several different bullets from 85-100gr with h4350-imr4350, I put one of my benchest scopes on to see if it was the scope, that didn’t help. I have never had a tikka do this just thinking bedding may help. Thanks

My 243 Tikka was a 10" twist. I had considerable success with the 85 Sierra BTHP and Varget or IMR 4064, Federal 210 primers. Groups where in the 1/2 to 5/8" range which isn't too bad for a lightweight sporter.

With my rifle, this bullet had to be seated to 2.620 (base to ogive) to prevent the bullet from sticking in the lands. This is due to the ogive of this bullet and the short throat in the rifle I had. I just thought I would mention this in case you try it so you should check the maximum COL in your rifle with this bullet.

 

[cptjack]

I upgraded the bottom plastic to metal ,used bedding pillars and titanium block took up the slack with a fitted piece of step flashing an adjusted trigger to2.5 lbs

 

[Dimner]

When bedding the recoil lug do you permanently bed into the stock or put tape on the bottom, front, sides, so it can be removed? I’ve never done a tikka so any advice would help. Thanks

I've done 4 Tikka beds. I have bedded the lug permanently. Easy peasy.

And.it has helped my tikkas become even better shooting.

 

[Scalloper]

I've done 4 Tikka beds. I have bedded the lug permanently. Easy peasy.

And.it has helped my tikkas become even better shooting.

Factory stocks?

 

[Gary in MD]

Tikka 8 twist 22-250, I bedded my lug into the stock permanently. Also floated the barrel.
Shoots pretty good.

 

[JEFFPPC]

I purchased 243 hunter model with 8 twist barrel and getting weird groups. I’ve tried several different bullets from 85-100gr with h4350-imr4350, I put one of my benchest scopes on to see if it was the scope, that didn’t help. I have never had a tikka do this just thinking bedding may help. Thanks

I know it's popular but 4350 for me was never THE powder.

 

[K22]

I know it's popular but 4350 for me was never THE powder.

I found this to be the case also with bullets about 85 grains and lighter. IMR 4350 is not terrible with these bullets but didn't produce the optimum performance I was seeking. Varget and IMR 4064 performed better with these lighter bullet weights. Even IMR 4895 performed better especially with 70 grain Nosler BT's.

However, at the 100-grain bullet level, IMR 4350 did perform on par if not better than the aforementioned powders depending on the brand of bullet chosen.

 

[RabbitSlayer]

I also bedded it permanently. Put a drop or 2 of super glue to hold it in place on the action as you set the action into the epoxy.

 

[turkeynut]

I going to put pillars in and a different lug, hopefully it will help. Thanks

 

[Gary in MD]

How many rounds do you have down the barrel?
Mine shot noticeably better after about 100 rounds down the pipe.

 

[Dimner]

Factory stocks?

Well I guess I have done it 5 times.

I did the factory t3x stock my very first time, didn't use enough Marine tex for my liking, so I redid it. On that 2nd attempt I salvaged the recoil lug I epoxied in and then finished that stock only Marine tex as the lug. It shoots great!

The 2nd stock i did was a hunter stock (wood with no Monte Carlo) used an oversized Lumley lug epoxied in. Everything worked out great.

The last two were aftermarket stocks

 

[Dimner]

I going to put pillars in and a different lug, hopefully it will help. Thanks

One thing I noticed with my t3x stock as I was getting ready to pillar and bed the stock. There were some plastic tabs that were interfering with the stock action screws and the bottom metal. Also another raised plastic burr type thing on the side where the action is. I'm not a plastic moulding engineer, but they looked like the remnants of the plastic moulding process that someone forgot to cleanup. This was the rear action screw hole through the stock. Front was fine. The reason I had wanted to bed it was because I was clearly getting double groups on two different loads.

So I cleaned those up with a drill bit. However I never went back to retest if it fixed the problem. My mind was set on bedding and I had already switched out the barrel to something I liked better. The 270 win factory pencil barrel was just too Flippy on the recoil side and heated up far too fast. So I'll never know if I fixed the problem before bedding.

However the new 7x57 barrel rocks the house. And I got addicted to how easy it is to bed a Tikka.

 

[drover]

I going to put pillars in and a different lug, hopefully it will help. Thanks

Before getting too deep into redoing things I have a suggestion.

I have encountered two Tikka T3 that were scattering shots like yours. In both cases the owners had removed the action from the stock and when they re-installed it they were not careful in making sure that the recoil lug had engaged the slot in the action, they simply tightened down the screws and in both instances the rifle scattered shot like yours. You would think that not having the lug seated into the action would be noticable with the rifle assembled but the difference is so slight that unless one is very observant it is not.

Before changing things out remove the action and when re-installing be sure and that you can feel the suble little "click" as the recoil lug seats into the action. Not getting the recoil lug properly seated is a simple error to make and it results in the action riding on top of the recoil lug rather than the lug being in the slot.

drover