If on a budget…buy the T3x…just an improved version of the original T3…
Free float the barrel by sanding the stock,…its an easy job and thats pretty much all you need to do.

The T3x has an excellent feel with the vertical pistol grip…This would be my only mod to the rifle in addition to free floating the barrel.

Add the MT buttom metal and you got a excellent rifle…nothing else needed.

You can always pillar bed it or change the stock but honestly unless you are doing a complete custom build it's not worth it…

Shoot the rifle first and see how it goes. If it shoots well out of the box don't grind the pressure point lugs away as you could ruin the accuracy. They are made that way on purpose and the warranty will be voided if you remove them. Removing them could improve accuracy a little, but it could also ruin it. Why do it if the rifle shoots well?

Shoot the rifle first and see how it goes. If it shoots well out of the box don't grind the pressure point lugs away as you could ruin the accuracy. They are made that way on purpose and the warranty will be voided if you remove them. Removing them could improve accuracy a little, but it could also ruin it. Why do it if the rifle shoots well?

You are spreading false information…

Here we go again…this topic is like beating a dead horse…
Show me where its written or documented by Beretta that these guns are made with pressure points…it does not exist.  People please… stop saying that parts of the stock touching the barrel on a T3 is planned and it is there to improve accuracy…its a poorly designed reinforcing wall at the front sling swivel, whether it touches the barrel or not seems to vary,… and the moulded fit is tight near the action…it even stats in the T3 manuel to free float the barrel if the stock is effecting accuracy Or you want the best accuracy from the gun…AND they promote it (see attached).

I agree with you dog down , that's why all my rifles have floated barrels and every custom rifle make I know have barrels floated , I don't see Accuracy International putting pressure points on there rifles

DIRECTLY FROM THE T3 MANUEL….UNDER MAINTENANCE BEFORE SHOOTING!!!

I HOPE THIS PUTS AN END TO THE SO CALLED “PLANNED PINCH POINTS”….

Sorry this got off topic OP…

You probably won't get your money back on your vanguard but why lose money on the scope also?
If you sell or trade and the scope is OK, I would pull it and mount it to the next rifle.

Regardless of whether it's planned or not, why advise a new, young owner to make alterations to his rifle before he's even fired it?

Here's another universally accepted fact – if it shoots, leave it alone.

Just because he's a young new owner to Tikka doesn't mean he has no gun experience.
Your level of “shoots good” might be less then what some of use expect from our rifles.
The amount of shooting you do will most likely dictate your thoughts on this…shooting 1″ groups might be acceptable for some, but consistent clovers or ragged holes are better for some of us who speed time accurizing our guns.

I'm only stating what Beretta suggest you do to get 100% accuracy out of the gun…out of the 7 Tikka's I've owned or currently own, only my 308 CTR had a 99% fully free floated barrel.  All others needed to have either the sling swivel area removed or material near the action.  Though all of these rifles could or would shoot MOA it did not do it consistently,…especially when string firing anything more than 3 shots or bipod shooting.  When free floated all rifles performed better and improved cold bore POI shift…

How do you know how much shooting I do and what I find to be acceptable levels of accuracy?

As you have elevated yourself to the position of Tikka superiority and nobody else can express an opinion as you preach to your congregation, I'm going to withdraw.

I think I'll go to the range and stop wasting time on this forum. Evidently all it needs is you and your “ragged holes.”

Shoot the rifle first and see how it goes. If it shoots well out of the box don't grind the pressure point lugs away as you could ruin the accuracy. They are made that way on purpose and the warranty will be voided if you remove them. Removing them could improve accuracy a little, but it could also ruin it. Why do it if the rifle shoots well?

You are spreading false information…

Here we go again…this topic is like beating a dead horse…
Show me where its written or documented by Beretta that these guns are made with pressure points…it does not exist.  People please… stop saying that parts of the stock touching the barrel on a T3 is planned and it is there to improve accuracy…its a poorly designed reinforcing wall at the front sling swivel, whether it touches the barrel or not seems to vary,… and the moulded fit is tight near the action…it even stats in the T3 manuel to free float the barrel if the stock is effecting accuracy Or you want the best accuracy from the gun…AND they promote it (see attached).

Agreed ! The barrel “pressure points” ?? No such thing on T3´s …
The barrel needs/ is meant to be free floated. No offence to J but you´re wrong regarding that part 😉

There´s no need to remove any material anywhere IF the barrel passes the “business card test” all the way to the action but if it doesn´t then it´s not free-floating and that needs to be adressed to get it shoot with consistency and the best accuracy it can deliver.