Tikka Super Varmint Minimal Headspace

[RabbitSlayer]

I guess this isn't a question or a problem, I am just reporting my experience.

I load for my friend's Tikka Super Varmint in 223. The first time we took it out we shot some cheap PMC 223. It was hard to close the bolt. I thought it might dump powder when I opened it, but no. Shot like 10 or 20 at the berm to get the scope close. Didn't think much of it, figured cheap ammo was the problem.

Then he shot 300 Fiocchi vmax and mowed down piles of prairie dogs. Bolt closed fine.

I I started loading starline brass, and now it is all 1x fired. When I measured headspace with the Hornady it was .005 to .007 less than my own Tikka varmint.

So yesterday I stripped the bolt and discovered the bolt will close on a go gauge, but it requires firm pressure.

In my Tikka Varmint 223 the bolt just falls closed.

Gun shoots good. The press cams firmly, but it can touch the shoulder. I suppose it is just something to be aware of. Dont buy 5k factory rounds without testing a couple first!

I must have owned 20 factory rifles, never had a bolt be hard to close on factory ammo.

 

[Homerange]

I'll take it off your hands cheap.

 

[Turkeytider]

Sure do like my SV in 6.5 CM. Got mine for the range, but it’s probably about as close to a hybrid hunting/range rifle as you’d find. Nice array of calibers in that particular model.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

I would deep clean the chamber/throat, dry and revisit the HS gauge.

 

[K22]

I own a lot of Tikkas, including the varmint model and never experienced that issue but of course I do not shoot factory ammo. But all my fired and sized cases fit a SAMMI case gauge.

This is sad to here because that condition increases the stress and wear on the lugs, not good. That should not happen with factory ammo unless the ammo is not to SAMMI specs which these days is always a possibility.

 

[RabbitSlayer]

I would deep clean the chamber/throat, dry and revisit the HS gauge.

I did scrub it good first.