[Dog Down]

Help for a new Tikka T3 owner.  Took the barreled action out of the stock to adjust the trigger weight.  Went  very smooth up to that point.  The issue I’m having is that when placing the barreled action back in the stock & following recommendations  offered by 10 Spot Terminator the following happens.  When tightening  the tang screw the folded bill slides easily forward/back side/side.  As I begin to tighten the front screw I can see the wings of the bill folding up.  No matter what I seem to do the issue remains.  Tried to torque the rear screw down to 15in pounds then  the front to the same but the situation remains.  Even at the 15 in# number  I can only get the bill to flow  4.5 inchs from the end of the stock so I imagine that the 35”# would be equally problematic.  I am used to having a free float down to 1-2 inches from the chamber not 5.5 or 6”.  Some mention was made of the cross rib being removed to aid in the free float.  Taking that out is a one way step that I do not wish to take until I am relatively sure that this will correct the issue.  Can’t put the composite back once it’s out.  This is my first composite stock so am doubly nervous.  I’m probably doing something wrong but it’s got me buffaloed.  I know there are wiser heads out there & I sure could use some of there expertise.

If your guns pressure point is touching the barrel when the rifle is assembled (from the factory) there is no way to adjust or free float the barrel by this method you are trying or what was previously suggested you do.

Once the guns action is placed back in the stock, it will seat back in the factory position when torqued down with pressure below or above spec.  The action screws do not have adjustability or play in them that would allow the barrel to be manipulated in the way previously described to you.

If you want a free floating barrel with the T3, you have to remove material from the stock, its that simple.  Removing the pressure point on my rifle did not “hurt” accuracy or “increase” it.  All it did was  allow me to shoot and maintain a 3-5 shot group with the same single shot accuracy I was getting with a semi cool barrel.

If you have a gun where the material touching the stock is “more than average” from the factory and putting more pressure on the barrel when torqued down, this would cause accuracy issues especially when you heat up the barrel.

ALSO…when guys talk about removing the pressure point from the stock people think its a huge deal….its NOT.  All you have to do is touch the area with any Dremel and remove a “little” material. You aren't cutting into the stock and removing massive amounts of material by no means. 

[Dog Down]

How about a version to fit longer hand loads for 75gr Amax and 80-90gr….I'd buy one in a heartbeat!

[Dog Down]

Don't be too discouraged with the gun yet…After hearing and seeing how accurate the T3 should be,.. I was also disappointed at times at the range.  I've since figured out my rifle and improved my shooting with it.

I have a 1-8 twist 223 T3 lite and I love the rifle.  It will out shoot any gun at our hunting camp out to 500 yrds…I only shoot these rounds:

Hornady 55gr Vmax
Hornady 53gr Superformance (GREAT AMMO!)
Hornady 75gr BTHP Match
Nosler 77gr BTHP Custom Competition Match

The gun groups consistently .5″ – 1″ at 100yrds with just about any “good” ammo and pretty much the same at 200yrds with “great” ammo if conditions are good.  I shot 1 of my best groups ever with Nosler 77gr a few weeks ago, it was under .5″ at 200yrds. Almost all touching…it by far the best group to date with the gun.

The Hornady 53 – 55gr shoots very well and its easy to find on the shelves where I live so thats my go to ammo for coyote hunting.  I've attached a picture of a 6 round group of 53gr…first 5 all to the right but grouped well, the 6th shot is me adjusting for wind to see if i could sneak one in the bull.

I have also removed the pressure point in the stock which really does help and improve accuracy.  I had read about this mod to cure fliers and it worked.  The gun will string 3 – 5 rounds without a flier if I do my part. I shoot a lot and make sure everything is torqued to spec and have had no issues once the gun had about 50 round through it. 

I love the gun so much that I also went and bought a 308 T3 Battue, and a 300WSM…all 3 gun are great shooters.

I'm sure you will get it to shoot.  I'd try some quality ammo in 40 – 55gr (Hornady) and find one it likes…

[Dog Down]

Hi guys, I have a T3 lite stainless synthetic in 25-06. The gun shot under one inch almost all the time, but every once in a while it would shoot a flyer an inch out of the group. I took the stock off of the action and found out the gun is not free floated, there is a small pressure point about half way. After removing the pressure point I have had no flyers yet 20 shots later.
Hunting load is 100 grain TTSX, 57grains RL22, Federal 215 primers, Win brass.

Good luck this fall guys, I hope this helped.

I had a similar problem with a .223 T3 Lite…
It would always shoot fliers ruining some very tight groups. I had originally thought it was ammo but after some reading I discovered the topic of removing the pressure point in the stock. Some said it was there for a reason and others had gone ahead and removed it with good success.

So, I said what the hell and got out the Dremel and removed the rib that was touching the barrel.  I took my time and cleaned up the area with a buffing wheel and you would never know anything was touched or removed.  I also gently sanded the inside on the stock all the way down the barrel length to the action and buffed the area as well.  Now you can slide paper down to about 1-2″ from the action.
The barrel is free floated as mush as possible without removing more of the stock.

Took the gun shooting and was very pleased with the range session.  No random fliers as before and groups stayed tight, only me the shooter being the issue of they opened up.  Was able to keep Hornady 53gr Super Performance in consistent groups averaging 1″ – 1.5″ at 200yrds using a shooting rest / bag combo.  The gun would not shoot this consistent before, there would always be that one flier after a few shots that would drift 2-4″ outside a nice group.

I would suggest this simple stock modification to anyone having similar issues with fliers.

I'm shooting a Tikka T3 Lite .223 / Prostaff 3.5 x 14 x 40mm combo…we were coyote hunting this past week and it was a slow day so we hung several 8″ balloons from 200 – 450+yrds, around the frozen lake bed we were hunting.  Nikons BDC reticle worked amazing!!! I had the print out for the low temp weather we were in and the gun had no problem popping balloons.  We had 1 guy who had never shot far before and was hitting at 400yrds , he was pumped!  The longest shot of the day was by my friends 12 year old son, 455yrds on his second try…he loves shooting my Tikka.  Considering the slight cross wind, the 53gr ammo shot very well but we had to hold for varying wind drift… so I would think we were shooting pretty much at max range for accuracy with this round in any kind of wind condition.

Note: Its worth the effort to plan ahead and calibrate a chart based on the correct conditions.  Its the difference from “high fives” and laughs to being the worst shot in the group.
We also found after zeroing at 200, adjusting the scope or fine tuning for dead on hits at 300yrds or 400yrds (meaning your first or second circle) makes the entire reticle more accurate for all shots at 200, 300, 400, 500, & 600 yrds…