-
Free Floating Factory Synthetic Stock
I sanded out the barrel channel of my synthetic T3 Lite stock before ever shooting it. Probably not the smartest thing to do. I have been having trouble getting my gun to live up to the sub MOA guarantee that Tikka gives the gun. Did I ruin the accuracy my modifying the stock, or is this just user error on my part?
-
21 Replies
-
No I don't think you ruined it. I will tell you my experience with the T3 molded stock and take what you can from it. I bought the T3 243 for my daughter. I couldn't get it to shoot sub MOA. Here are some modifications that I made.
–free floated the barrel
–bought an aluminum trigger guard. (The plastic one with washers was very sensitive to torque)
–bedded the barrel with aluminum pillar blocks and SS recoil lug
–use right bullet. The 243 had a slower twist rate and did not like the heavier bullets I used at first.I'm not sure what the made the most differance but think it was bullet selection. I went from 2″ groups with 95 gr bullets to .8″ groups with 90 gr bullet or lighter.
-
What gun you shooting and what ammo you using to test accuracy?
So many factors here to dive into… -
Thanks for all the advice. I appreciate it. I just found a great deal on a Boyd’s walnut stock, so I’m going to bring the gun to the range and try it with the factory stock and the Boyd’s. Hopefully the results give me some answers.
-
It’s a 30-06. T3 lite stainless with synthetic stock. I’ve tried a number of store bought loads. My best luck so far was with Hornady Superformance 165 grain SST. Do you have any ammo recommendations?
-
I'm no expert on the 30-06 so you only get my 1 cent worth. That rifle shows a 11″ twist rate so it is going to like the lighter. Based on stability alone I would stay under 185 grain for jacketed and lighter for all copper. But with that said just because a bullit is within its stability range does not mean it will be accurate, only means it is stable. The T3 light has a thinner barrel which means it is a little more sensitive to harmonics. When you buy off the shelf ammo you are limited but I would stay under 185 gr and try bullets with different speed or fps.
-
Try Barnes TTSX 168gr….shoots really well for factory ammo in my buddies gun.
-
It’s a 30-06. T3 lite stainless with synthetic stock. I’ve tried a number of store bought loads. My best luck so far was with Hornady Superformance 165 grain SST. Do you have any ammo recommendations?
FWIW I have a Tikka T3 superlite in 30-06. I shoot 180 Nosler Accubond over 58.5 of Superformance .050″ off the lands and it will shoot less that 1″ at 200 yds with a 9x scope.
If you roll your own you can get better results.Darrell
-
Did you shoot the gun before modifying stock? If didn't get MOA before mod, then not after mod, it probably isn't the stock.
-
I thought I needed/wanted to bed and free float the bbl on my superlite because of sporadic groups with a bullet I really hoped it would shoot. Loads would show promise, but were hard to back up. Before taking the plunge on the factory stock I swapped the bbl'd action in my CTR therefore floating the bbl. It grouped worse, not terrible, but clearly worse. It's back in it's original stock, and with a change to a better bullet the load development work was easy.
The gun has shot numerous 3 shot groups in the .1's , with the best being 5 into .188 . I consider my load a 1/4″ load on a good load development day with no wind to speak of. My vote is put it back an unaltered factory stock.
-
I thought I needed/wanted to bed and free float the bbl on my superlite because of sporadic groups with a bullet I really hoped it would shoot. Loads would show promise, but were hard to back up. Before taking the plunge on the factory stock I swapped the bbl'd action in my CTR therefore floating the bbl. It grouped worse, not terrible, but clearly worse. It's back in it's original stock, and with a change to a better bullet the load development work was easy.
The gun has shot numerous 3 shot groups in the .1's , with the best being 5 into .188 . I consider my load a 1/4″ load on a good load development day with no wind to speak of. My vote is put it back an unaltered factory stock.
Its interesting you have experienced these results…sort of the opposite of what me and others have seen.
I have to defend that free floating the barrel does work for a gun that won't group…we proven it over and over again.I have to challenge how you tested your theory and then gave advice based on a bad test…
– its seems you have worked up loads for your 223 (guessing from your other post) specific to a factory stock and harmonics, meaning you have done no work with your barrel channel or any other mods, so most likely your barrel is pinched…you have specifically worked up loads based on this stock.
– taking this barrelled action and placing into a CTR stock which is most likely “almost” free floated to the action is not a good test at all…the stock harmonics will be completely different and it will not group the same at all…This should stand out to you as not being a true test…The advice we have given guys over and over…”if it shoots well factory, don't mess with it”…but if its shoots poor and and you are looking to achieve the most repeatable accuracy start with free floating the barrel and develop loads…Especially in the larger calibers where we have found this has greatly helped.
I can't speak for everyone and there are so many variables to why a factory gun does not shoot well, but most times its actually the shooter and the lack of knowledge to understanding what is exactly going on with the rifle and the ability to make small changes that will improve the gun.
-
I own 6 tikkas and all barrels have been free floated.
All shoot lights out.
Free float your barrel, then develop your load.
Biggest issue with tikkas are the long throat in chamber.
Also, don't forget the torque of your stock will have an affect on your groups as well.My .02
-
I have several monolithic bullies on hand and if you hit the shoulder you are good.
I have a friend that does not agree and he has had more than one elk pencil through.he uses a 338 mag and prefers the nosler accubond. I have no basis for disagreeing with him -
Looks like the original question was about a T3 3006 not shooting well.
After doing all the simple stuff like making things tight and ensuring it is not the scope, cleaning the barrel then re-fouling some….I would then consider a bedding job for the rifle. Tikka rifles don't normally require bedding but of the 3 I have one needed a bedding job. If you search YouTube for Tikka bedding job you will find a gunsmith tutorial on how to bed your rifle. This is just a simple suggestion. Like all rifle accuracy issues every rifle is different and the best approach is eliminating variables one at a time.
Another option is torque spec…MT/Tikka shooters has been leading the way with great advice on how torque specs affect your accuracy. YouTube tikka shooters stock torque and you will find some great tips. Good luck
As far as ammunition my 3006 T3x loves my hand loads and Winchester XP 150 grain.
-
I thought I needed/wanted to bed and free float the bbl on my superlite because of sporadic groups with a bullet I really hoped it would shoot. Loads would show promise, but were hard to back up. Before taking the plunge on the factory stock I swapped the bbl'd action in my CTR therefore floating the bbl. It grouped worse, not terrible, but clearly worse. It's back in it's original stock, and with a change to a better bullet the load development work was easy.
The gun has shot numerous 3 shot groups in the .1's , with the best being 5 into .188 . I consider my load a 1/4″ load on a good load development day with no wind to speak of. My vote is put it back an unaltered factory stock.
Its interesting you have experienced these results…sort of the opposite of what me and others have seen.
I have to defend that free floating the barrel does work for a gun that won't group…we proven it over and over again.I have to challenge how you tested your theory and then gave advice based on a bad test…
– its seems you have worked up loads for your 223 (guessing from your other post) specific to a factory stock and harmonics, meaning you have done no work with your barrel channel or any other mods, so most likely your barrel is pinched…you have specifically worked up loads based on this stock.
– taking this barrelled action and placing into a CTR stock which is most likely “almost” free floated to the action is not a good test at all…the stock harmonics will be completely different and it will not group the same at all…This should stand out to you as not being a true test…The advice we have given guys over and over…”if it shoots well factory, don't mess with it”…but if its shoots poor and and you are looking to achieve the most repeatable accuracy start with free floating the barrel and develop loads…Especially in the larger calibers where we have found this has greatly helped.
I can't speak for everyone and there are so many variables to why a factory gun does not shoot well, but most times its actually the shooter and the lack of knowledge to understanding what is exactly going on with the rifle and the ability to make small changes that will improve the gun.
I'm well aware of what I'm doing, so in this case you certainly can't speak for me . According to your condescending post… either I can't shoot, or my test is not up to your standards. What I posted is what happened. My superlite stock is untouched, still has the pressure point. The SL bbl'd action was “free floated” when placed in the CTR stock. Other than the triggers being lightened both guns are bone stock. No bedding! So that seems apples to apples to me, and it kept me from removing the pressure point in my SL when I didn't need too. It didn't shoot terrible when it was free floating in the CTR stock, but it didn't shoot quite the groups it did in the factory SL stock. It definitely proved to me that “bedding” wasn't the issue.
As far as shooting abilities go. I'm not a long range guy, but I shoot short range BR out to 300yds with the SL in factory class score shooting. After moving to a new/better bullet and working up a new load I “solved” my issue with a mere 30-40 rds of load development I went on to win the next 6 or 7 matches in a row including one with a perfect score. I won the score agg for the second half of the year as well. ( mostly because of that 6 or 7 match run) All that said… I ain't saying floating won't work, just that it didn't help in my case. Almost every rifle I own I float the bbl on, but not my Tikkas .
-
Don't think your understanding my reply to your test…not saying you can't shoot or reload, just saying that the what you experienced is not a good test if you are critiquing accuracy from one stock to another and giving advice to the OP's question
The CTR stock has a different barrel channel than the SL stock…the pinch point in front of the action is different, this little change will mean the difference in how the rifle will group if a load as been developed for 1 specific combo…we should be able to agree on that. And torque settings from 1 stock to another even being equal will not alway produce the same results with groups.
Log in to reply.