[37L1]

35-40 in/lbs should be plenty for the action bolts.  I set mine to 35.

You have already shot a lot of rounds through your rifle so break in is moot at this point. No, you didn't hurt it any.

Get a copper removing solvent like Bore-Tech, or Sweet's or any of the foam copper removers.  Don't use a brass brush when using these type solvents, as you will get false copper reading from the brush and the solvents will eat the brush up, use one with nylon bristles.  Tikka bores are pretty good, after break in, copper is easily removed as it doesn't build up. Since your rifle is new there will probably be more copper then a seasoned barrel.  Copper attracts copper so it's best to remove it before it builds up too much but don't go crazy.  When using a copper removing solvent, your patches will be blue or blue green from the copper in the barrel.  If you shine a light in at the muzzle you will see copper “stripes” in the “grooves” after your first copper solvent patch.

Tikka's manual says “patches only” FWIW but when my rifle was new it needed to be brushed to remove the copper, not so much in the 22-250 but the 30-06, coppered up badly.

I still have the torx head bolts in both of them, no need to change out if you use the proper tools.

Let us know how your rifle turns out, it should be a shooter, 1/2 MOA when you get things sorted out and find bullets that it likes.  The 52 SMK mentioned would be a good start, you might want to try Federal Gold Medal Match 69 gr Sierra Match Kings  in your 1/10, it's a great factory load and shoots well in every rifle I have ever tried it in with a 1/9 or 1/10 twist barrel.

Good luck!

[37L1]

Thanks for the procedure. I will do that before the next time I shoot. My barrel length extends around 21.25″ total from the receiver. The length of barrel that has stock beside it is 9.75″. Of that 9.75″, a dollar bill will slide down about 6″ of it. Does this sound about right? I don't have it apart right now, but I remember seeing a “rib” in the stock that looked like it was there to support the barrel. Could this be what I'm hitting with the bill? If so, should I be able to float past that with a dollar bill?

Those “ribs” were put there to support the barrel on the synthetic stocks.  Many of us have removed them to get the barrel to free float up to the lug and have improved the accuracy of the rifle by doing so.

Right now I think your issue may be your rings if you are using the stock ones.

Did you break in your barrel on your first trip or did you just go shoot?

When you cleaned your rifle did you notice if there was a build up of copper in the barrel?

When you remove the action from the stock and then replace it, make sure you get the lug lined up correctly. It sits in the stock and fits into a notch on the bottom of the barrel.  Put your action screws in, snug them up but not tight, take the rifle and tap the butt on the ground a few times to set the lug/action then tighten the front action screw first then the rear.

Your rifle should shoot 1 MOA and better.

Good luck and keep us posted on how it goes.

[37L1]

I have a M695 in 30-06 and got a LimbSaver pad that slips over the end of the stock.  You do have to remove the factory butt pad.

http://www.limbsaver.com/store/product.php?productid=16253&cat=0&bestseller=Y

Sorry that I don't recall which size I used but the link gives measurements.

[37L1]

I'd jump on it if I were you.

[37L1]

First make sure that the barrel is free floating and not touching anywhere until close to the action.

Next try seating the barrel lug and action using the procedure in the below link:

https://tikkashooters.com/public_html/gunsmithing/tightening-the-action-screws-on-a-t3/msg1049/#msg1049

Let us know how it goes. . .

[37L1]

http://www.midwayusa.com/find?userSearchQuery=uncle+mike%27s+sling+swivel+stud

[37L1]

Way to get after them, Dave!

[37L1]

Sounds like you have the barrel making contact with the stock, check to see if they are free floating.

[37L1]

You should not be maxed out or near maxed out on windage.  I suspect that you have an alignment issue with the rings/base.  Get your gunsmith to look at the problem since he's the one that did the set up.

JFYI, I had the same issue from a scope that was set up by BassPro, fixed it myself at the range.  😮

[37L1]

There are two pinch points on which the barrel rests right about where your note is stopping.  Supposedly Tikka engineers put them there to improve accuracy.  Apparently they are not there on the Hunter model  wooden stocks, just the synthetic.  I removed the ones on mine and it didn't hurt accuracy one bit, in fact, for repeat shots, it helped.

Here's a typical target shot with my 22-250 at 100 yards.  It will do this consistently as long as I do my part.

 

[37L1]

Buck,

First off your barrel should be free floating almost to the lug.  I would take the action out of the stock, put it back in, correctly torque the action in and find where exactly the barrel is touching the stock and why.  If after doing that, it still is touching the barrel, take the barrel/action back out, carefully sand the stock with sandpaper wrapped around a dowel the width of the barrel and take out the high spots evenly so that you can fit a test paper all the way down the barrel to the lug area once its back in the stock.

Secondly, are you sure that the stock is being twisted in your shooting sticks so that it changes your POA/POI?  Have you field tested this to confirm?  I have not experienced this myself, that's why I ask.  If it is so, you might be better off getting an after market stock instead of trying to stiffen up the one you have now.

[37L1]

1/12 will probably like 50-55 grain bullets.

[37L1]

I own a M695 in 30-06 and I also own a T3 in 22-250.  Both are shooters.

So there is no reason why you shouldn't buy a M695 that I can see.

[37L1]

Start with a 223 or a 22-250, virtually no recoil so you can concentrate on other things. 

Don't scrimp on your glass either, good optics is as important as a good rifle. 

You don't have to go crazy but don't go for any of the el cheapo's either.  You can get good used glass for a reasonable price but you must shop around.  Look for shooters who are moving up and want to finance their upgrade by selling their old optics.

Welcome to our addiction!

[37L1]

Another coyote falls to the Tikka T3 22-250.  40.86 lbs.