Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting I think my Tikka may be crooked

It's common for a barrel bore to be crooked to some degree, even very good ones. Thats why barrels need to be correctly indexed to the receiver for long range work. Its an easy fix for a competent gunsmith, but no factory that I know of does this.

If that is your only issue, yours is a too large variation and I would want it to be fixed.

But if everything else is true, and it is just the set of the bore, the correct way to fix is to re-index the barrel so that it is centered and points up.

That should be able to be done locally, and not cost a lot.

But first, someone competent has to look at your rifle and confirm if that is the actual problem.

I know the Signiture rings only come in Medium height and higher...But why not buy the regular Zee rings in low, and buy the posi-align kit to use there. I don't see how you can bee running out of cheek weld this way.

Also, Leupold makes the STD windage adjustable bases for the T3...why are these not a consideration?

Good info and worth investigating.

I was thinking that the OP could get a blank rail and have a competent gunsmith D&T new holes in the receiver. Drill and counterbore holes in the blank to match. But the barrel indexing seems like the better route.

I'd just send the sucker in, play with other rifles, and be done with it.

That can be done. Probably doesn't require a blank rail, if upgrading to #8 screws the holes can be milled off center and several thou of windage can be dialed in, but that is a fix for off-center scope mounting holes, not barrel/receiver issues. I'm very practical minded, but I don't recommend patching a problem when fixing it might be easier.

Either way, it shouldn't be the owner's problem, as the rifle or the barrel was defective from the factory, and Beretta needs to fix it or replace it as they see fit...it's their problem.

If it was my company I'd want to do what was the best outcome for the customer.

It might not be timely now, but IDMilton should be able to walk into the dealer where he bought it, tell him the rifle isn't right, and walk out with a new rifle. The dealer should just swap out the stock if he modified it.

Going from a #6 to a #8 doesn't allow for any wiggle room. The tapped #6 hole is a perfect pilot for #8 tap. Just did this upgrade on a rifle last evening. I forget what size the Tikka receiver holes are but I thought they were roughly #6 or M3.5.

No matter what, if indexing, tapping, etc. doesn't fix the issue (i.e. the root cause is not what we think it is) then the warranty will be void.

I appreciate all the ideas. Since this is my only hunting rifle left, I'm going to keep it around until after spring bear.
If I send it in, I'll post what they say. (I was actually told to send it their service center in California.)
I don't think I'll pursue taking it back to the shop I bought it at. The guy isn't carrying Tikkas anymore, that's why I got it for $560 NIB, he was closing them out. I guess I could, but I'm kind of curious what Beretta will do after having heard so many comments.
Anyway, if I send it in I'll let you know.

Any chance the shop you purchased from is a Davidson's dealer? They have a lifetime warranty in addition to what the factory provides.