Advise Needed Regarding Tikka T3

[Ranger CS]

Purchased a Tikka T3 243 and am becoming very frustrated with it's lack of accuracy. The best group size to date is just over 1 inch and some groups have exceeded 3 inches in size. Any suggestions or recommendations will be appreciated. To this point I have experimented with various cartridge combinations using 4 different bullets, 4 different powders and 2 different brass manufactures. I have removed the stock and removed a bit of material where I found uneven barrel to stock contact that was interfering with free float. This did not cause any improvement. I then experimented by putting a shim between the barrel and forstock to create a consistent pressure point. This did not create any improvement either.The scope currently on the rifle is a Vortex Diamondback 4X12 and is basically new and has only been fired at the range, never hunted or abused. The rings and bases are solid and in good condition.
Since Tikka's are renowned to shoot well, I am very disappointed in this rifle.
I am seriously considering sending it back to Tikka Canada but thought I would run it past you guys first.

[58thecat]

swap out scopes....try again.

[elkhunter11]

Have you tried different bullet weights, or just different types?

[Pathfinder76]

It’s your scope.

[koothunter]

Is it new? Is it used, and if so, what's the round count? What weight of bullets? Are rings, bases, and action screws torqued to spec? Have you tried a proven scope? Lots of things to look at.

[Dean2]

If you bought it new and you know the scope is tight and working properly then get a box of quality factory ammo and try it. If you are capable of regularly shooting under an inch and this one won't come close with good factory ammo send it back. I have seen far too many people waste a ton of time and money trying to fix something that isn't load related. Tikka guns generally shoot excellent, I have had a lot of them and never had one I could not get to 1/2" 3 shot groups but even Tikka makes the odd dud. Make it their problem not yours is my advice. Send them the target you shot and tell them what factory ammo you were using. Do not volunteer to them you shot hand loads through it as with many makes of guns that will invalidate the warranty.

[fps plus]

If your scope has parallax adjustment make sure you understand how to use it . The parallax adjustment is not a focus.

[brewster29]

If you or anyone else has dismantled the rifle you should ensure the recoil lug is correctly seated. Watched a friend go through fits with large groups on his previously accurate T3 then noticed his barrel was showing a bit more gap at the forestock than mine...

It is easy to assemble the rifle with the lug not correctly seated.
FWIW action screw torque should be 53 in lbs.

[Ranger CS]

Thank you all for your feedback. To answer a couple of your questions, yes I have tried 3 different bullet weights. One that rarely disappoints me is the Barnes TTSX. I tried it in their 80 gr. with several load weights and three different powders. The 80 gr. TSX shot a little better, in fact, the tightest of all tried. 95 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips and 95 grain Partition shot horribly. I have removed the stock several times looking for some sign of an issue. The recoil lug fit between barrel and stock is very tight. I torqued the action/stock screws to 40 in.lbs. I don't think it is me as I just shot a .260 in. group with my 280 Cooper. This morning I removed the scope to check and re-torqued bases and rings to spec. I too, am starting to question the scope. Unfortunately I don't have a spare kicking around at the present and I am reluctant to pull one off of a rig that is all set up and tuned. I agree I need to try a different scope to eliminate that possibility.

[Ranger CS]

Originally Posted by Dean2

If you bought it new and you know the scope is tight and working properly then get a box of quality factory ammo and try it. If you are capable of regularly shooting under an inch and this one won't come close with good factory ammo send it back. I have seen far too many people waste a ton of time and money trying to fix something that isn't load related. Tikka guns generally shoot excellent, I have had a lot of them and never had one I could not get to 1/2" 3 shot groups but even Tikka makes the odd dud. Make it their problem not yours is my advice. Send them the target you shot and tell them what factory ammo you were using. Do not volunteer to them you shot hand loads through it as with many makes of guns that will invalidate the warranty.

Good advise regarding shooting factory ammo Dean2. Never considered the implications regarding hand loads and warranty! Hell it's been 40 years since I purchased a box of factory loaded ammo. Do you recommend any particular brand or bullet type?

[catnthehat]

You can't take the scope off your Cooper and put it into the rings on your Tikka?
Cat

[Ranger CS]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

You can't take the scope off your Cooper and put it into the rings on your Tikka?
Cat

Good one Cat! Yes I sure can, however I just recently purchased the Cooper and am amazed how it can shoot. Different bullet weights, different powders, it seems to like them all. I guess because I have never owned rifle this accepting I am somewhat paralyzed at the thought of messing with.

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by Ranger CS

Good advise regarding shooting factory ammo Dean2. Never considered the implications regarding hand loads and warranty! Hell it's been 40 years since I purchased a box of factory loaded ammo. Do you recommend any particular brand or bullet type?

I shoot almost exclusively hand loads. The only factory ammo I have shot in the last few years is Weatherby Select, it consistently would do .5 or better in my 257 Bee when I was shooting it for the brass, loaded ammo was cheaper than empty brass. The other is Sellier and Bellot I got for the same reason. It would consistently do 1 inch or less in three different 7x57s but it isn't generally reputed to be premium ammo. If I was picking based on what I have read, but not shot, Hornady and Nosler seem to have a good reputations among Long Range shooters.

Because the scope is a Vortex and I have had every one I ever owned fail, some more than once, I would for sure swap another scope onto it before sending it back. I don't own any Vortex, sold them all new in box when they came back from warranty.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by Ranger CS

Good one Cat! Yes I sure can, however I just recently purchased the Cooper and am amazed how it can shoot. Different bullet weights, different powders, it seems to like them all. I guess because I have never owned rifle this accepting I am somewhat paralyzed at the thought of messing with.

Here's the deal - if it is that accurate it will be repeatable even if it is torn down to nuts and bolts .
I have been a match shooter for many years and have never met another accomplished shooter who was worried about tearing down a match rifle for fear of losing its accuracy .
Do it and that will either eliminate the scope issue if the accuracy improves , or put the suspicion on the rifle itself if it doesn't
Cat

[Ranger CS]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

Here's the deal - if it is that accurate it will be repeatable even if it is torn down to nuts and bolts .
I have been a match shooter for many years and have never met another accomplished shooter who was worried about tearing down a match rifle for fear of losing its accuracy .
Do it and that will either eliminate the scope issue if the accuracy improves , or put the suspicion on the rifle itself if it doesn't
Cat

Can't argue with your logic Cat. I guess I am just too obsessed with the old adage, if it works perfectly, why screw with it. I think I will compromise and
pull a proven quality scope off of one of my other rifles. Your advice is very sound and well taken.

[Ranger CS]

Originally Posted by Dean2

I shoot almost exclusively hand loads. The only factory ammo I have shot in the last few years is Weatherby Select, it consistently would do .5 or better in my 257 Bee when I was shooting it for the brass, loaded ammo was cheaper than empty brass. The other is Sellier and Bellot I got for the same reason. It would consistently do 1 inch or less in three different 7x57s but it isn't generally reputed to be premium ammo. If I was picking based on what I have read, but not shot, Hornady and Nosler seem to have a good reputations among Long Range shooters.

Because the scope is a Vortex and I have had every one I ever owned fail, some more than once, I would for sure swap another scope onto it before sending it back. I don't own any Vortex, sold them all new in box when they came back from warranty.

Thanks Dean2, I will change out the scope and if the problem persists I will purchase one of the factory types you recommend and test fire a target before sending the rifle back to Tikka.

[morinj]

Originally Posted by 58thecat

swap out scopes....try again.

X2, I’ve had similar problems with 3 Vortex scopes, swapped them out and problem solved, seems to me that people I know who had Vortex scopes mounted on Tikka or Sako experiences issues, I had a diamond back that worked great on a savage so I can’t bash Vortex, but if I were a betting man I would say your problem is with the scope not the rifle!

[Au revoir, Gopher]

Originally Posted by Ranger CS

Good advise regarding shooting factory ammo Dean2. Never considered the implications regarding hand loads and warranty! Hell it's been 40 years since I purchased a box of factory loaded ammo. Do you recommend any particular brand or bullet type?

My wife's 243 (not a Tikka) likes this stuff. I need to see if I can replicate the performance with hand loads.

ARG

[vic1]

Originally Posted by brewster29

If you or anyone else has dismantled the rifle you should ensure the recoil lug is correctly seated. Watched a friend go through fits with large groups on his previously accurate T3 then noticed his barrel was showing a bit more gap at the forestock than mine...

It is easy to assemble the rifle with the lug not correctly seated.
FWIW action screw torque should be 53 in lbs.

I'm with brewster 29 on wrong assembled rifle. If you can't tell if the action is sitting on recoil lug, lift up lug slightly from the stock before assembly and then position action over lug slot and press everything together.
Vic.

[Ranger CS]

Originally Posted by morinj

X2, I’ve had similar problems with 3 Vortex scopes, swapped them out and problem solved, seems to me that people I know who had Vortex scopes mounted on Tikka or Sako experiences issues, I had a diamond back that worked great on a savage so I can’t bash Vortex, but if I were a betting man I would say your problem is with the scope not the rifle!

I am starting to come to the conclusion that one should avoid Vortex scopes.
I am sure there are some good ones out there, however based on the number of people who have had issues, is it worth taking the chance just to buy a scope with a lifetime warranty? Having said that, their higher end scopes might be just fine.
I have a Razor Spotting scope and love it. The Razor line rifle scopes may be just fine. Anybody have one?

[Ranger CS]

Originally Posted by vic1

I'm with brewster 29 on wrong assembled rifle. If you can't tell if the action is sitting on recoil lug, lift up lug slightly from the stock before assembly and then position action over lug slot and press everything together.
Vic.

I am well practised at assembly. I have had the barrel and action out of the stock several times. I know what your saying regarding having everything in perfect alignment before pressing together, its a bit finicky. Thanks for the feedback never the less.

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by Ranger CS

I am starting to come to the conclusion that one should avoid Vortex scopes.
I am sure there are some good ones out there, however based on the number of people who have had issues, is it worth taking the chance just to buy a scope with a lifetime warranty? Having said that, their higher end scopes might be just fine.
I have a Razor Spotting scope and love it. The Razor line rifle scopes may be just fine. Anybody have one?

The issue, by the time you pay for a Razor you could by a Nightforce, which is still probably the toughest scope made or a top end leupold that has every bit as good a lifetime warranty and WAY FEWER failures. I own dozens of Leupold, never had to send one back, whereas the multiple Vortex i have owned have100% failure rate

[cbc_anderson]

Sorry, Ranger. A T3 that won't shoot -- that must be very frustrating. If you are looking for some factory loads to use as a test case, I'd recommend Federal Blue Box in 80 and 100 grain. They are usually pretty cheap and I have found them to be consistently accurate in 3 different 243's that I shoot. Hope this helps and good luck!

[BigJon]

As others have more or less said, if something is amiss with a rifle that is seemingly mechanically sound, I always assume the scope is at fault. Especially so if it's one made anywhere other than USA or Japan.

[Ranger CS]

Swapped out the Vortex Diamond Back with a proven Zeiss Conquest 3x9 this afternoon. Weather permitting I plan to give it a text tomorrow. Will report back with the results. Thanks guys, for your suggestions and recommendations. It is good to have someone else either confirm what you suspect might be the case or broaden your thinking to include other possibilities.

[KazIce]

I picked up a T3X in 7mm RM last year. Out of the box I was not impressed with how it was shooting compared to the A bolt it was replacing. The groupings weren’t as erratic as yours; but 1 inch groups at 200 was the norm. I had it glass bedded by a gun smith and then it was shooting 1/4 inch groups at 200. I was happy then.

I used factory load hornady interlocks for all the shooting.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Pathfinder76]

Impressive.

[H380]

Originally Posted by Dean2

If you bought it new and you know the scope is tight and working properly then get a box of quality factory ammo and try it. If you are capable of regularly shooting under an inch and this one won't come close with good factory ammo send it back. I have seen far too many people waste a ton of time and money trying to fix something that isn't load related. Tikka guns generally shoot excellent, I have had a lot of them and never had one I could not get to 1/2" 3 shot groups but even Tikka makes the odd dud. Make it their problem not yours is my advice. Send them the target you shot and tell them what factory ammo you were using. Do not volunteer to them you shot hand loads through it as with many makes of guns that will invalidate the warranty.

Not trying to be an azz , but OP openly admits to having altered the stock and using handloads so warranty is already compromised so sending back is a not an option ..especially if he is honest.
Like you ive had good luck with my tikkas but a nephew purchased one that shot like the OP's when used with factory ammo but was sub moa when we reloaded for it ..hope he can find a cure but i think returning it isnt gonna happen .

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[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by KazIce

I picked up a T3X in 7mm RM last year. Out of the box I was not impressed with how it was shooting compared to the A bolt it was replacing. The groupings weren’t as erratic as yours; but 1 inch groups at 200 was the norm. I had it glass bedded by a gun smith and then it was shooting 1/4 inch groups at 200. I was happy then.

I used factory load hornady interlocks for all the shooting.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If you are consistently shooting 1/4" groups at 200 yards using factory loads, you should take up competitive benchrest shooting. You could be the next world champion.

[sako1]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

If you are consistently shooting 1/4" groups at 200 yards using factory loads, you should take up competitive benchrest shooting. You could be the next world champion.

Agreed