Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Tikka T-3 Based Custom Rifles ?

Anybody tried to build or shot, built, played with, etc a custom rifle based on the Tikka T-3 action?

Thanks for the input,
HBB

I couldnt even find a custom stock for mine when I looked awhile back.

Jamie

Seems like I remember reading somewhere that somebody was making an aftermarket stock for the T-3. I'll do some checking and see if I can find anything.

HBB

They're so good out of the box why bother customizing???

Its a Rifle Looney Thing Its a rifle,thus it must be tinkered with


HBB

Sounds interesting, more or less.......

If I had one, I think that "good" stock would have to go.

I wonder, since the T-3 is a derivative of the Tikka 595/695 action, could it be possible to adapt one of those stocks for the T-3?

It might take some real creativity with the recoil lug arrangement.

What thinks the gallery?

HBB

I'm doing a Tikka LSA-55 custom. But I kind of had to. I replaced the standard stock with a McMillan. The idea was to cut the wood stock down to fit my girlfriend at the time. I had a tough time getting the magazine to stay in the McMillan stock and that took a long time to get right. So long, I'm not dating the girl anymore.
The original barrel shot well but fouled very easily. So I ordered a new barrel for it. Once again getting the barrel contour took more time and effort since I wanted it to match the original. And my gunsmith hurt his back and has been in and out of the hospital.
Right now I'm thinking of changing from an external magazine to a floorplate. However, I don't know who is able to do this since it will have to be built from scratch.
The reason I'm doing this. I'm not sure. However, when done it's going to be a nice little rifle. The action is true from the factory and sized for the 308. And it has several features I like, such as an integral recoil lug and flat bottom reciever.
Here is what you want to think about. I paid a lot of money for something that will have little to no resale value since most people don't know what a LSA 55 is. The T3 is the same in that people don't view it as a customizing base. So little to no resale value. Don't forget that finding parts, like the magazine, for my gun is almost impossible. In a few years and a new model comes out, you'll be in the same boat. That is why Remingtons are so popular and most custom actions mimick the Remington design.

Very sound advice..Thanks for the input


HBB

I actually had a T-3 in 300WSM that wouldn't shoot. Had it rebarreled with a 24" Hart #5 fluted barrel. Also had the locking lug put on the barrel instead of the floating locking lug that Tikka uses. I reused the Laminate stock the rifle came with and it is now a consistent .5 shooter. I know that some Tikka T-3 factory rifles that shoot that good but this one didn't.

I've had two Tikka T-3s, both in .30-'06. The first one was spooky accurate. I just shot the living crap out of it and ended up selling it to a friend who shoots at the same range that I do (Douglas Ridge Rifle Club, near Estacada.

After several months, I missed my T-3 dreadfully and bought a second one that was just like the first, stainless/synthetic. Again, spooky accurate, though I've shot it very little.

Joe, your question is interesting to me. I can no longer shoot my second T-3 because of my shoulder. I've been looking to sell it ($500-ish) and replace it with a T-3 in .25-'06.

It never occured to me to rebarrel/restock the T-3. Obviously, a Remington-type captive recoil lug would be nifty. Other than that, the rest would be straight-forward. Stock selection prolly sucks, but it is only a matter of time until that product vacuum is filled.

Interesting idea.

Steve

I have a closet full of stuff for my M70 and M700 rifles, but last year I bought my first T3 and it has warmed its way to my heart. Flawless smooth operation, perfect trigger and top notch accuracy. It will be the rifle I take on any important hunt.
Only problem, the stock is just plain double ugly. That said I do like the stocks grip with the swollen palm and wide flute for the thumb.
I am not aware of any fiberglass stocks for it, but a guy could probably get an old fashioned custom wood stock made from a stock maker who has a shaper. They could copy the inside from your stock and then shape the outside into a your custom.
Personally I have evolved away from wood stocks but many may still like them.

Robertson Composites inlets their stocks for the T3.

Wood stock = On a quiet night you can hear it warp ..... or rot.

Good news that Robertson makes a composite.

Steve

Great news on the Robertson T-3 stocks

Oh, and there will be some breaking developments on the T-3 custom shortly

HBB

Look What I found:


[img]http://[IMG]http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p170/hillbillybear_2006/TIKKA3006.jpg[/img][/img]

Gory Details:

Tikka T-3 Stainless action and their varmint- version stock

Shilen #7 Barrel finished @ 22 inches

Chambered: .30/06

recol lug arrangement redone to a more conventional setup

glass bedded

Burris Signature mounts

I put a 3.5-10 x 50 Pentax Gameseeker on it.

Weighs just shy of 11 pounds with the bipod attached.

The plan is to kill two birds with one stone. Evaluate the rifle and wring out the Pentax too.

It was put together by a local gunsmith for a retired LEO from California who has decided to spend his Golden Years in NC.

This fella subsequently traded it at the neighborhood shootatorium on a a Springfield Armory M-14 Socom version.

The previous owner had targets that were sub MOA at 100 yards and about 1.5-1.75 @ 300 yards


The proprietor of the shootatorium took a shine to one of my rifles and we worked a trade.

If the weather and work schedule cooperate I plan to range test either Tuesday or Thursday.

HBB

Okay Friend Steve, give out with all your magic handloading goody for the .30/06


Your buddy Joe, the one that's too lazy to work up his own load data

Friend Joe,

Have tried one load, and one load only, in the new rifle. And it is the same load that shot spooky-good in the old one.

165-grain Hornady Spire Point Interlocked
58.0 grains H-4350SC
Winchester Brass
WLR Primers

MV = 2,875 fps @10ft.

Here is a zero target. And it never shot worse.

Steve