Tikka T3 Lite Barrel Squib

I've got a friend with a T3 Lite in .30-06 who was having accuracy issues, and sent her rifle back to Tikka and was told there was bore damage from a squib load that left a bullet in the barrel to be ejected by the next round. Sounds fishy to me. Usually a moving object at .30-06 velocities that impacts a non-moving object would cause more damage than just a few dinged rifling lands. I have not seen the rifle yet, but Tikka told her the damage was ~3" from the end of the bore. Am thinking the 22" barrel could be shortened to 18" with only a small loss of velocity, but regain the accuracy with a new crown.

New Tikka barrels are, well, spendy.

Thoughts?

A local 'smith said cutting the barrel back would be on the order of 200 simoleons.

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Originally Posted by Scorpion8

I've got a friend with a T3 Lite in .30-06 who was having accuracy issues, and sent her rifle back to Tikka and was told there was bore damage from a squib load that left a bullet in the barrel to be ejected by the next round. Sounds fishy to me. Usually a moving object at .30-06 velocities that impacts a non-moving object would cause more damage than just a few dinged rifling lands. I have not seen the rifle yet, but Tikka told her the damage was ~3" from the end of the bore. Am thinking the 22" barrel could be shortened to 18" with only a small loss of velocity, but regain the accuracy with a new crown.

New Tikka barrels are, well, spendy.

Thoughts?

A local 'smith said cutting the barrel back would be on the order of 200 simoleons.

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A barrel bulge would be obvious from the exterior. The bulge could be removed by draw filing and the barrel refinished but the bulge would remain in the bore. IF this was a new rifle I'd say it is a manufacturing defect because the squib would have to be driven out. You can't shoot one out.

IF the rifle was used then your friend got taken.

You really must look with a borescope to see if the damage is from a barrel bulge, such as a squib load or a laser bore sighted someone forgot to remove before firing or damage from manufacturing. Could even be some idiot tried some amateur gunsmithing and damaged the bore.

So the reality is without looking with a borescope it's not possible to decide what the damage is.

Stuck bullets can be successfully and safely shot out of a barrel. However, it must be done with a bulletless case containing powder only and not bullet or anything else to hold the powder in.

I'd find another gunsmith. Cutting the barrel back and recrown shouldn't cost more than $100. It is a pretty simple operation with a correct lathe. Even can be done by hand with a few tools from Brownell's.

Check on ebay for Tikka T3X takeoff barrels. 7mm and .300 magnum barrels are the cheapest, but I’ve seen 30-06 and others available as well.
I rebarreled my T3 22-250 to 30-06 using a new takeoff T3X barrel that I paid $70 for.
If the ring is obvious and 3” from the muzzle; I’d cut it and re- crown it and carry on.


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I would not choose to remove a squib with a loaded cartridge with no projectile. I would round the edges of a slightly undersized section of drill rod, apply 1" double wraps of masking tape in 1" intervals and drive it out.
The only exception to that is that I would apply a 2" double wrap of masking tape to the section of the rod where it enters the bore and continue to add more tape wraps as the projectile is driven out. Stopping often to check for any damage to the tape wraps.

This is just my personal opinion and worth exactly what you paid for it.

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Originally Posted by Hannibal

I would not choose to remove a squib with a loaded cartridge with no projectile.

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I don't think the owner knew that there was a bullet lodged in the barrel. And it is out now, so there is no issue except the current accuracy sucks with inconsistent groupings.

As for the squib damage, I haven't seen it so unsure if it can be removed by fire-lapping the bore or have to be physically cut off.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Scorpion8

I don't think the owner knew that there was a bullet lodged in the barrel. And it is out now, so there is no issue except the current accuracy sucks with inconsistent groupings.

As for the squib damage, I haven't seen it so unsure if it can be removed by fire-lapping the bore or have to be physically cut off.

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If it is damaged by a barrel obstruction the the barrel is bulged oversize in that spot. Lapping of any kind can not correct that. The owner knows if there was an obstruction of some sort when it was fired. Impossible to not know something bad just happened upon firing the weapon.

Was the rifle new when your friend aquired it?

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Originally Posted by Hannibal

Was the rifle new when your friend aquired it?

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No, it has been hers "for some time". I think the process is over, information is not very forthcoming and after 2 weeks I still haven't seen it. Moving on....

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Originally Posted by Scorpion8

No, it has been hers "for some time". I think the process is over, information is not very forthcoming and after 2 weeks I still haven't seen it. Moving on....

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Ah. An initial misrepresentation of the true facts by your friend.

Details matter. Someone did something stupid I suspect. A laser bore sighter that was not removed before firing is my primary guess. Perhaps your friend got 'a bargin ' that was no bargin.

Doubt it was a squib or stuck bullet
If I was a handgun maybe , seem plenty of bulged 38’s, 9mm’s etc but even at low handgun velocities the barrel is sufficiently bulged on the outside to be seen with the naked eye. At modern rifle pressures, a serious bore obstruction will cause major damage and has blowback to the shooter, she would have remembered the event .
More than likely was some trash/ patch/ ice/ rust/ mud in the bore enough to push out but slow the bullet and expand the barrel. Last one I fixed was on a win 94 in 30 30 that all of a sudden “ wouldn’t group”
Looking in the bore with a scope showed good clean rifling except for a dark ring about 1” from the muzzle. Measuring the outside of the barrel with a micrometer showed only .003-4 of a bulge
Cutting off past the bulge , re crowning / and shortening the mag tube fixed it. The owner remembered no event shooting but did hunt from a boat and theorized it may have been rust or ice. I cut the barrel piece I removed in half and while there was pitting, it was mostly carbon and junk so I can’t say for sure.
Moral of the story
Clean and check your bores

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Scorpion8

I've got a friend with a T3 Lite in .30-06 who was having accuracy issues, and sent her rifle back to Tikka and was told there was bore damage from a squib load that left a bullet in the barrel to be ejected by the next round. Sounds fishy to me. Usually a moving object at .30-06 velocities that impacts a non-moving object would cause more damage than just a few dinged rifling lands. I have not seen the rifle yet, but Tikka told her the damage was ~3" from the end of the bore. Am thinking the 22" barrel could be shortened to 18" with only a small loss of velocity, but regain the accuracy with a new crown.

New Tikka barrels are, well, spendy.

Thoughts?

A local 'smith said cutting the barrel back would be on the order of 200 simoleons.

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As TBG wrote.
Tikka takeoff barrels are usually available on flea bag. Just saying that might be an option especially For lite barrels. Heavy barrels almost never. :/