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Well I just got this rifle finished (With help from Bullet Barn Guns) in time for Christmas. It has had its challenges but finally got finished this morning. I had gone to Bullet Barn and asked if they carried Tikka's and Brian (owner) told me that they currently didn't but he would be happy to find one for me. He made a few phone calls and found one. One. The dealer had 1 left in inventory. I ordered it, thanked Brian and headed home. Upon arriving at home there was a message on my machine that the last one had been sold 3 minutes before my order was posted and I would have to wait for another shipment (2 or 3 weeks). Grrr.
Well a week and half later got the phone call that the order was in early and my rifle had shipped. It arrived the next day and Brian called me down to do the paperwork. Ok, now I had 10 days to find some glass. After talking with a few people I decided to order a Nightforce NXS 3.5-15x50. Ordered it on Ebay and thought I would have it within the 10 days. After paying for it I received an E-Mail from the seller that he should have it in stock in a few weeks, WHAT! He didn't mention in his auction that it was a presale so I asked for my money back. He refused. After a few days and a few heated E-Mails I finnally got my money back. I ended up ordering a new one from the same company I got my rifle from (they had it in stock).
By now my rifle was out of jail and was just waiting on the glass to arrive. Several days later it arrived and I was off to have Brian install the scope for me. Got to the shop and started to get everything ready when I realized they had sent the wrong one (wrong reticle). Grrr. Packed it up and went home to make a phone call. The company sent out the correct one with a return label to send the other one back. Wait, wait, wait. New one arrives and back off to Bullet Barn to get this thing mounted. Brain gets setup and starts to install the rings and says we have a problem. They don't fit. The Tikka has a propietary rail and doesn't except regular rings. Grrr
Brian does some calling and finds out that only two companies make rails for this gun and tells what to order. Order it, wait, wait, wait. Several days into the order while waiting for it to arrive I realize I have ordered the wrong one, Doh! Order the correct one and wait, wait, wait. I am starting to think this thing is cursed, I give it the once over and now also realize I have no way to mount my bipod, this gun has euro rails on it. I asked Brian for help again and he orders me the correct adapter( I didn't want to chance I would order the wrong one). More waiting. Finnally all the parts arrive and it's time to put this bad boy together. It haul it down to the gun shop, again, and Brian sets it all up for me, finnally completed, I thought. I asked him for one last piece of help, to help me add the extra pieces to the buttplate to make it a bit longer. As were are doing this I somehow manage to crossthread one of the screws and now I cant get the buttplate back on. Grrr.
Brian says he knows someone with the proper tools and to come back in the morning before he opens and he will help me get it squared away. I showed up this morning and he had a machinst there with tools and the two of them get it squared away. What an ordeal. I have to thank Brian at Bullet Barn Guns (in Upland) for all of his help in getting this rifle together. He runs a great store and has excellant customer service. He wouldn't even take any money for all of the extra time he spent (and his machinst buddy) on fixing my mishap.
Well all in all I think it was worth it. Here are my pics, I hope you like, I sure do.
Specs: Tikka Sporter .223 24" barrel 1 in 8" twist
Well a week and half later got the phone call that the order was in early and my rifle had shipped. It arrived the next day and Brian called me down to do the paperwork. Ok, now I had 10 days to find some glass. After talking with a few people I decided to order a Nightforce NXS 3.5-15x50. Ordered it on Ebay and thought I would have it within the 10 days. After paying for it I received an E-Mail from the seller that he should have it in stock in a few weeks, WHAT! He didn't mention in his auction that it was a presale so I asked for my money back. He refused. After a few days and a few heated E-Mails I finnally got my money back. I ended up ordering a new one from the same company I got my rifle from (they had it in stock).
By now my rifle was out of jail and was just waiting on the glass to arrive. Several days later it arrived and I was off to have Brian install the scope for me. Got to the shop and started to get everything ready when I realized they had sent the wrong one (wrong reticle). Grrr. Packed it up and went home to make a phone call. The company sent out the correct one with a return label to send the other one back. Wait, wait, wait. New one arrives and back off to Bullet Barn to get this thing mounted. Brain gets setup and starts to install the rings and says we have a problem. They don't fit. The Tikka has a propietary rail and doesn't except regular rings. Grrr
Brian does some calling and finds out that only two companies make rails for this gun and tells what to order. Order it, wait, wait, wait. Several days into the order while waiting for it to arrive I realize I have ordered the wrong one, Doh! Order the correct one and wait, wait, wait. I am starting to think this thing is cursed, I give it the once over and now also realize I have no way to mount my bipod, this gun has euro rails on it. I asked Brian for help again and he orders me the correct adapter( I didn't want to chance I would order the wrong one). More waiting. Finnally all the parts arrive and it's time to put this bad boy together. It haul it down to the gun shop, again, and Brian sets it all up for me, finnally completed, I thought. I asked him for one last piece of help, to help me add the extra pieces to the buttplate to make it a bit longer. As were are doing this I somehow manage to crossthread one of the screws and now I cant get the buttplate back on. Grrr.
Brian says he knows someone with the proper tools and to come back in the morning before he opens and he will help me get it squared away. I showed up this morning and he had a machinst there with tools and the two of them get it squared away. What an ordeal. I have to thank Brian at Bullet Barn Guns (in Upland) for all of his help in getting this rifle together. He runs a great store and has excellant customer service. He wouldn't even take any money for all of the extra time he spent (and his machinst buddy) on fixing my mishap.
Well all in all I think it was worth it. Here are my pics, I hope you like, I sure do.
Specs: Tikka Sporter .223 24" barrel 1 in 8" twist
your's is the nicest I've seen.
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