Rebarrelling a Tikka

[Bicky]

I had LRI rebarrel and cerakote my Tikka. Took 10 days, including shipping both ways. Waited 18 months for a barreled action from PVA, ordered after he said he had actions in stock.

[ar15barrels]

Ya I've heard Tikkas are a ***** to take off. I'll prob end up needing a gunsmith afterall.

If you are in southern ca, I do a rebarrel jobs in around 4 hours.
Just get your new barrel blank and setup an appointment to come over.
Threads will be fitted perfectly to your action and everything is done concentric to the bore.

[ar15barrels]

I broke a action wrench on a T3.

Was it one of the ones that slip inside the reciever and engage the lugs in order to turn the action?
I only use those kind for installing barrels.

I had to make my own set of heads for the Brownells action wrench system that holds the outside of the reciever for removing factory barrels.
Good thing is that it's basically square with a little relief on one side for the lug area around the screw hole.

[fawndog]

Was it one of the ones that slip inside the reciever and engage the lugs in order to turn the action?
I only use those kind for installing barrels.

I had to make my own set of heads for the Brownells action wrench system that holds the outside of the reciever for removing factory barrels.
Good thing is that it's basically square with a little relief on one side for the lug area around the screw hole.

Yep, sheared off an ear on that wrench. Josh said he never heard of that.

[ar15barrels]

Yep, sheared off an ear on that wrench. Josh said he never heard of that.

Some of those types of action wrenches are not heat treated so I could certainly understand them shearing off with the 250+ ft-lbs it takes to pull some Tikka barrels.

Was yours one of these marked with the 135ft-lb limit?



What do they tell people to do when 135 ft-lbs won't get the stock barrel loose?

[fawndog]

Definitely not, I have no clue. I sent him the action and bolt assembly just to check and make sure it was still straight.

[Nick Adams]

Just a suggestion, from a hunter's perspective.....

Those Tikka ultra lites are exceptional guns in the field, easy to carry and very accurate. As it sits, it would be a very desirable gun to many hunters. Instead of re-barreling it, why not just sell it to a hunter that will use it for the purpose it was intended for, and then use the money to buy another rifle that suits your needs?

It seems to me that would be easier and probably less expensive, and you woul dhave the exact gun you want rather than a "compromise" rifle in the end.

[JackEllis]

...buy another rifle that suits your needs?

It seems to me that would be easier and probably less expensive, and you would have the exact gun you want rather than a "compromise" rifle in the end.

...or if you want a project, buy a barreled action from Howa and mount it on the chassis of your choice.

I agree with bigbossman and Nick Adams. Get a rifle that does what you want instead of trying to make a rifle built for one purpose do something much different.

[Flouncer]

Did you not listen to the man when he said you will require machining to get the chamber correctly ?

[Tommy Gun]

Are Tikka actions that terrible? I purchased the blued one which isn't the most expensive option. I was planning to reuse the action as, I thought, it was a tried and true respected action. The rifle isn't special...the ultralight is just the the fact the barrel is "short" and fluted and it only cost like 550.

At first my plan was just to buy the pre cut, contoured, reamed and threaded barrel from Patriot Valley Arms and reuse the action and slap it into a chassis. Yes, I'll probably have to take it somewhere to get the barrel off but you all make it seem like the pre cut barrel is trash or doesn't exist lol.

[Tommy Gun]

OK I understand what you folks are getting at. Unless I'm willing to buy some really specialized tools just in case the barrel is not cut perfect (which most likely it won't be), with no room really to practice I'll probably just buy the barrel and take it to a gunsmith obviously I want it to be done right.

And ya AR15, I'm close to you. If and when I get this going I'll shoot you a pm.

[sigstroker]

PVA are not back alley hacks. Plenty of people are happy with their product.

[ar15barrels]

Are Tikka actions that terrible?

They are real nice actions.
They are just put together real tight.

At first my plan was just to buy the pre cut, contoured, reamed and threaded barrel from Patriot Valley Arms and reuse the action and slap it into a chassis. Yes, I'll probably have to take it somewhere to get the barrel off but you all make it seem like the pre cut barrel is trash or doesn't exist lol.

OK I understand what you folks are getting at. Unless I'm willing to buy some really specialized tools just in case the barrel is not cut perfect (which most likely it won't be), with no room really to practice I'll probably just buy the barrel and take it to a gunsmith obviously I want it to be done right.

And ya AR15, I'm close to you. If and when I get this going I'll shoot you a pm.

I can do the barrel swap for you either by machining a blank or by installing one of those barrels with a nut on it instead of a shoulder.
The machined shoulder like how the factory does it is better.

[waveslayer]

So now comes the time that I'm looking into a chassis for my Tikka T3 Ultralight. Because I want to add some weight to it I am looking at a 22 or 24 inch bull barrel for it and wanted to know if it's really necessary for a gunsmith to install. I like being able to do things myself and to me it doesn't seem to complicated. As long as I have the right tools and go/no go gauges is this something I could do myself???



Also is a bull barrel maybe the wrong choice? I don't hunt and this would be more for PRS type shooting.

Yes, you will want a gunsmith to remove it. They really put those barrels on. We have broken 3 barrel wrenches trying to get barrels off the Tikka actions! Pain in the butt.

Dane at DMR Rifles does a lot of work on Tilka. He's in Vegas. PM I will give you his info... he's a legend in the PRS world and builds most of their rifles.

My wife thinks I only have 3 guns

[kendog4570]

What is all the fuss? Never had an issue getting Tikka barrels off. Once had a Howa 1500 teach me a lesson. Proper fitting 3" long steel, aluminum, or delrin bushing, choked up close to the ring, and a proper fitting action wrench and they all pop. No damage to the finish.