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Advice please for the Newbie:
Hi … I'm new to the forum, and to centerfire shooting. I'm an ole' PCP air gun benchrest shooter for many years, coming to the real world of shooting. Starting out with a Tikka T3x Varmint .223, and want to pursue the benchrest competition (to start out) that limits your rig to 13.5 lbs, and only allows stock bedding and trigger adjustment. I haven't put a round down range yet, been too cold, but I am almost ready to go, as soon as the weather breaks. I am a stickler for pulling out the best accuracy I can … with what I have, staying within the rules of the class or division I'm shooting in, and knowing the limitations that the T3x might have as a stock rifle. I have about 10 different brands of Match ammo, and when the weather breaks, I'll go to the 100 yard range, sight in, break-in, and chrony the ammo types and measure groups. Hopefully find out what she likes to eat. Anyway, I have a few questions, hoping you can help me with:
*** I have removed the two sling studs from the stock, I'll never use a sling and I don't want the protrusions of the studs while benchrest shooting off of bags or a front rest and rear bag. The forearm stud is a machine screw thread, the rear stock stud is about a #12 screw thread. I can't seem to find OEM screws from Tikka/Sako to replace the studs with? I'm sure I can find something that will work just fine, but I would rather have OEM …. any thoughts?
*** Should I bother to bed the synthetic stock now …. or wait until I get a few hundred rounds down her. Does bedding a synthetic stock absolutely help with accuracy by reducing any flexing. I like to tinker, looks easy enough, your thoughts?
*** Will replacing the plastic trigger guard (bottom plate) absolutely help with accuracy? Makes sense that it might make the unit more ridged, help with any flexing that might be occurring.Any help would be appreciated, thanks;
Pappy -
9 Replies
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Welcome to the Forum Pappy.
We've played around with the T3 varmint for some time now and can honestly say we have not noticed any accuracy improvement by trying to bed the action in the factory stock, aluminum pillar bedding seems to be all that is needed especially with a 223…and isn't too hard to do. You can order manufactured pillars on the web or make your own…depends on your skill level. The factory stock actually resist flexing just as good as some aftermarket stocks and as held up well with the small 223 caliber.
On every T3 we have removed the stock pinch point (approximate 2″) in front of the action to fully free float the barrel. Everyone debates this but I personally have found it is more accurate and consistent when bench shooting using a bipod. Choice is yours after testing the rifle, but I have found this is really the biggest thing to pay attention to when accuracy shooting with these rifles in factory stock.
Check the barrel channel reinforcement wall they add at the front sling swivel…I normally remove this because some touch the barrel right from the factory but others have had good clearance. Again this is debated but the radius wall serves no purpose other than to add support to the sling swivel stud. Grind enough away so you have clearance.
Replacing the trigger guard with aftermarket metal does provide a more consistent base for repeatable torque setting. Cheap upgrade to do and looks good…Mountain tactical's offerings are great and what I have on my rifles.
Few ammo choices for you to try:
Hornady 73gr ELDx Match
Hornady 75gr Grain BTHP
Nosler 69gr Custom Competition
Black Hills 75gr Heavy Match Hollow PointIf you handload I can send you a few LR recipes to try.
Let us know how you make out with breaking in the rifle and testing. -
Thanks for the comeback Dog ….
Funny you should mention the “free floating” barrel, NOT being free-floating the entire way. I had already caught this. I slid a piece of paper between the stock & barrel, and sure enough, it stopped about 2″ short of the action. I marked where it was pinching, took it apart and sanded down the sides equally until I could slide the paper all the way down to the action. All good now. I will add the bottom metal, I saw that on Mountain Tactical's site. I also will definitely pillar bed the stock … easy job. I have most of the recommended ammo, and certainly will fllow up with a report after testing and chrony results.
Thanks again ….. 🙂 🙂Pappy
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A free floating barrel needs to be … Well – free floating as Doggie pointed out. Why people debate over this subject beats me. You won´t get the best accuracy out of a Tikka otherwise. Period!
I´d grind the barrel channel roomy enough for a business card = you should be able to draw a common business card all the way to the action. A dollar bill (or any other currency bill for that matter ) is , imho, too thin 😉
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A free floating barrel needs to be … Well – free floating as Doggie pointed out. Why people debate over this subject beats me. You won´t get the best accuracy out of a Tikka otherwise. Period!
I´d grind the barrel channel roomy enough for a business card = you should be able to draw a common business card all the way to the action. A dollar bill (or any other currency bill for that matter ) is , imho, too thin 😉
Well then ….. a “business card” float it shall be. Thanks for the advice. 🙂
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Yep 🙂
A business card 😉 -
One other factory load you should try is the Lapua 69 gr. Scenar It’s on sale now at bullets.com until they sell out. It’s really good ammo for 1in 8 twist barrels!
http://www.bullets.com/products/-223-Rem-69-Grain-Scenar-HPBT-Ammo-Box-of-50/BL11003 -
One other factory load you should try is the Lapua 69 gr. Scenar It’s on sale now at bullets.com until they sell out. It’s really good ammo for 1in 8 twist barrels!
http://www.bullets.com/products/-223-Rem-69-Grain-Scenar-HPBT-Ammo-Box-of-50/BL11003Thank you, will give it a try. 🙂
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Good luck!
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If you REALLY want to find out what your new, shiny T# is capable of then try 77gr Scenars or 80 gr Bergers. Loaded around 24gr/ 22 gr Vihtavuori 140 respectively.
Taken yours has a 1/8” rifling, of course.
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