Bedding a tikka t3 lite?

[RabbitSlayer]

Going to glass bed both of my Tikka t3 lite in their factory stocks. They both shoot moa with moderately priced ammo or a little better, but I think they can do better. Watched a few youtube videos and looked around a bit. Just wondering if anyone who has done this particular rifle has any tips for me? I got a couple of steel recoil lugs on clearance at midway for 7 bucks each.

I have successfully bedded a number of rifles and the groups have always tightened up, but never a plastic stock or tikka.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Those stocks are extremely soft and benefit more from forearm stiffening or experimenting with contact patches under the barrel to be predictable

 

[JFrank]

^^^+1

 

[mikecockcroft]

https://www.ballisticstudies.com/Blog.html
scroll down to Tikka info about bedding and forearm support

 

[GSPV]

The best way to bed it is in a Manners drop in.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

View attachment 1071397 The best way to bed it is in a Manners drop in.

I've got a gun crush for that little rifle.

 

[GSPV]

It’s a cool little rifle and, I think, a cool cartridge.

 

[370bc]

My Tikka Lite, rebarreled to a 6-284 goes half MOA with the factory stock. I too will be getting a aftermarket stock. My bud should be ready to build me a hybrid stock with a wide forearm with vent holes, adjustable cheek riser & butt plate with a vertical pistol grip. Plain-Jane walnut. Mine is for sniping coyotes. The factory 270 win made the recoil seem like a 300 mag. Now that Im shooting 55 grain ballistic tips @ 4320, it's now just a pussycat.

 

[joshb]

I’d go ahead and bed it. Might help. Won’t hurt.

 

[GSPV]

Create some room in that forearm and lay in a sheet of carbon fiber...better yet two in different orientations...in an epoxy matrix.

 

[RabbitSlayer]

I am hesitant to go to a new stock for 3 reasons. First, I would have to buy two, as my guns are twins and I plan to keep them that way. Two, I do not want to add any more weight. Three, I have not seen any stocks that really float my boat. If anything, maybe I would pick up a couple used t3 hunters stocks.

I have always felt the factory stock is fairly solid for a plastic factory stock. Sure as heck better than the savage or ruger factory stocks.

 

[GSPV]

HS Precision makes one that isn’t too expensive.

Another idea is to stiffen the factory with carbon fiber. When you do it that way, you have to create sufficient space for the carbon fiber material and for sufficient space to free float the barrel.

 

[RabbitSlayer]

HS Precision makes one that isn’t too expensive.

Another idea is to stiffen the factory with carbon fiber. When you do it that way, you have to create sufficient space for the carbon fiber material and for sufficient space to free float the barrel.

I just looked at HS Precision and did not see any tikka stocks. Looked through everything at stocky's didn't like those either. The BC is just ok. I do not like cheek rests or the tactical toe hook, so that rules out Boyds. Since I shoot these guns mostly from shooting sticks I like a round forearm too. I think I would be better of with a factory wood stock if I wanted to stiffen it up. I have good luck with wood stocks after I poly all exposed wood and glass bed them. I also live in the desert, humidity and precipitation is rare. If its raining, I am going back to the truck.

 

[GSPV]

My bad. It was a B&C.

Look on Optics Planet for stocks. A quick google search shows one for $140. “Classic Tikka T3 Lite”. I think that it’s a Boyd’s.

Brownell’s has the OEM laminate, but it’s $312.

 

[RabbitSlayer]

My bad. It was a B&C.

Look on Optics Planet for stocks. A quick google search shows one for $140. “Classic Tikka T3 Lite”. I think that it’s a Boyd’s.

Brownell’s has the OEM laminate, but it’s $312.

Every boyds has a cheek rest except the rimfire hunter and precision varmint, lame.

 

[GSPV]

Saw that after I posted. There is the Tikka OEM, on closeout, on Brownell’s for $312.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

I have adopted the policy with the tikkas that I will only bed them if I face the action and install a "normal" recoil lug. Bedding the factory lug ends up with a recoil surface thats too small and the bedding will chip. I think I would just leave it alone, they do pretty well for what they are.

 

[RabbitSlayer]

Well, I went and did it. I generously floated the barrel with a sockets wrapped with sand paper. Then I relieved the action with a dremel and router bit, putting extra holes to anchor the marine tex. The one thing is that this stock just already has some deep voids that will have to be filled, and that will take some extra epoxy. Plan to do as I have seen in some tikka bedding tutorials, put a drop of super glue on the lug to temporarily hold it to the barrel while setting it into the epoxy. I found that the lug was dinged after only 1,000 ish rounds of .223. That is pretty lame. Glad I got the steel lugs.

I Discovered that the bolts and nuts I use to bed my CZ rimfires fit the tikka. If you have never done it like this, using long bolts with a nut works way better than surgical tubing etc. They ensure everything is aligned, make it easy to tighten it down, and they also give you a place to tap on if its hard to remove the stock after its dry.

The way I see it, it will either do nothing or make it better. If it doesn't work out I will try a different stock. Unfortunately, I lost my job. But I have 12oz of marine tex, a dremel, and too much time on my hands lol. If it works I will do the same to the .243.

 

[GSPV]

 

[jsthntn247]

Put a drop of super glue on the lug to stick it to the action and bed as normal without tape on the lug. Mine turned out great and poi doesn't shift anymore.