Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Tikka T3 recoil lug??

I have read in many forums of peening and deformation especially with heavier recoiling calibers. The 223 I have is OK - No issue. However the 30-06 I have has an issue. I have tried to call Beretta but they deny and problem exists and one of their guarantee service shops also deny it is a big issue. I have heard of issues in guns as light as 25-06. Meanwhile on this and other forums people talk about. I guess I didn't expect much from Beretta but to stonewall me is unbelievable.
I have also visited Tikka's Facebook page and posted but have heard nothing. Will all of you Tikka users please provide feedback to me. Thanks in advance

I'll have to check my .300 Win T-3 Lite and see if the lug is getting damaged or deformed. It certainly bounces off the bags, so the first things I did were use Talley rings and put a Limbsaver pad on it. Due to its light weight and resultant recoil, I don't shoot if off the bench much but it is a joy to carry in the field.

I heard and seen a couple of T3 magnums that had bent and deformed recoil lugs. I changed my T3 stocks out to B&C Medalists and haven't noticed it with my 270 WSM.

I have a T3 338 win mag. in a BC medalist and don't have any problems to date. I probably only have 60 rounds through it.

What is the issue your 30-06 is having?

Is the Tikka recoil lug the same type as on the Kimber Caprivi?
I think it is...

Can someone post a picture of the damage. I was considering a T3.

The receiver makes an imprint on the aluminum lug as it seats in.

I noticed this imprint on mine at around 150 rounds but it never went any further and accuracy was never affected as the gun continues to shoot half inch groups regularly.

The T3 has a perfect and very tight fit in its stock. My suggestion is keep the action screws tight (I keep the front at 55" lbs) and don't worry about the lug unless there is a problem with the output of the rifle. Basically don't look at it

The recoil lug in a Tikka is a free floating aluminum lug. the piece sits in a mortise in the stock. It fits into a slot in the bottom of the receiver. It is unusual. During recoil, it is held securely in the mortise but the slot in the bottom of the receiver only engages the lug to the depth of the slot - about 1/8 inch. The force applied is enough to leave a peening mark n the aluminum. After about 20 or 30 rounds, it is quite obvious. one of my kids wrecked my digital camera so I cant take a picture.

And how does it shoot?

I have owned four T3s and that printing was typical of all of them but it never adversely affected accuracy. One of them has been re-barreled and bedded in a custom stock so that has not been the case with that one.

I had to make a another lug for a spare factory stock for the custom gun so I made it out of 7075. I suspect it will never have the printing, but now I wonder if Tikka knows the receiver "seats" into their softer alloy lug and intended it to do so. It would not surprise me. They seem to have everything else figured out and have been at this a while.

Stolen...

IMO the older Tikka models 558, 658, 595 & 695 had better designed recoil lug.

I'd bet the newer dovetail/mortise reciol lug design was a cost cutting decision.

May be cost cutting but to me it looks like a pretty good design.
Don't see how enough peening could have an affect. If the lug worked loose in the slot, epoxy it in and keep going.
If someone has a pic of peening bad enough to cause accuracy problem, please post a pic or link.

Tks,
g