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Thread: Tikka T3 Bedding Questions

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
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    Pensacola , FL
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    100

    Tikka T3 Bedding Questions

    I'm attempting to bed a Tikka T3 Hunter with a wood stock . This will be my first time bedding a rifle . I've already made & fitted a pair of pillars & have some headless action screws & a set of stockmakers screws coming from Brownell's . I've gotten different advice on best way to bed , but some of it is contradictory . Would the best method to epoxy pillars in place & when they dry , then remove stock material where I want bedding ? I did wrap electrical tape around barrel 2” in from end of forearm so action sets same as it came from factory & if I leave a good bit of factory wood under action tang my height will be correct , that along with pillars installed should pretty much locate action where it should be . Should I use 5 min epoxy to set pillars or use same epoxy as I'm going to bed with ? I've also replace factory recoil lug with a steel one . I plan to use Devcon Steel Putty & either JPW or Kiwi neutral for a release agent . I've also plugged all action holes with plumbers putty & shaved it with a razor knife , masked the stock off with painters tape etc . Action has a rounded bottom & square sides , factory inletting is pretty good with no fore & aft or side to side play so I'm thinking I only need to bed aft of mag well to a bit past rear pillar , around fwd pillar , recoil lug & 1” of barrel channel just past that , also plan to free float barrel . Any areas of stock I don't want bedding I plan on coating with release agent , also plan on plugging stock mag well cut out with plumbers putty , along with all recesses in bottom metal . Can I melt some wax & paint it over top of the plumbers putty so bedding won't stick ? Does this sound like a good plan ? Any advice / suggestions gratefully accepted .

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    What the world calls "Global Warming", we in Arizona call "Summer Time."
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    I turned a couple of metal pillars on my lathe and did my Tikka hunters' pillars using Acra-Glass I bought from Brownells. The rifle was already accurate right out of the box but I figured a little bedding wouldn't hurt. I just sanded the areas directly underneath the receiver and skim-bedded it; meaning, that the inletting already pretty much hugged the bottom and sides of the receiver. The sanding was just to give the thin layer of Acra-Glass I was using something to hold onto after it set up.

    My Tikka came with the standard aluminum recoil lug. I milled a replacement lug out of some stainless steal I had in my scrap box. Honestly, all of that work didn't seem to make a whole lot of difference in accuracy. As I said before, this Tikka Hunter was already pretty accurate out of the box. I just have this internal drive to always try to make things better. I couldn't begin to count all of the toys and appliances I've ruined over the years because of this.

    Fortunately most of the guns I've worked on have shown some improvement but, not all. This Tikka work I consider to be more of a placebo-type of improvement. Just knowing that it's now bedded and it has a sturdier recoil lug is reassuring enough to make me feel like it shoots better.

    HollowPoint
    Last edited by HollowPoint; 01-15-2018 at 10:03 PM.

  3. #3
    Moderator
    Texas by God's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
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    Texas
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    14,334
    I applaud your work, guys. But I've left my Tikkas alone because they are the most accurate box stock rifles I've ever owned. And I've just put another one on layaway! Some people decry the factory aluminum rings- but no problem there either so far.

    Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master

    Join Date
    Mar 2013
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    Northwest Ohio
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    I either use the bedding material ( Bisonite here) or a long cure epoxy for the pillars. The 5 min epoxies are quick and not enough work time if things go sour. I install the pillars into the stock with a thick washers between them and the receiver. (you want the washer under the dia on the pillar or the same dia) this leaves a recess so you get a solid uninterrupted coat in the bedding when done. I also remove some wood from the back of the recoil lug recess and sides so there is a thicker layer there also for strength. I have done jobs just roughing up the surface and removing the finish that worked very good. I do prefer to remove some wood and cut 1/8" channels 1/8" deep in the bedding to get a good cross section on the bedding. I cut the first one bottom center leaving small pads to support action. The cut the next 1'8" grooves 1/2" each side then one just below the edge of the stock. The big thing is plug all holes cut outs with clay and don't forget release agent, a couple coats to be sure.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check