Safety issue with Tikka T3 Varmint

Mick9abf

Well-Known Member
A friend has a Tikka T3 Varmint which is about two years old and by chance he found that when the rifle is upside down, IE in the landrover, and the bolt is closed when in this position, 95% of the time the action is firing.

Luckily the rifle wasn't loaded, but since checking the rifle whenever it is inverted and the bolt closed the action fires.

It appears that the sear cannot engage in this position however if cocked normally and then inverted the rifle can be knocked all day without firing. Has anyone else experienced this. He is going to contact the dealer he purchased the rifle from to get it sorted.
 
Sounds like someone may have adjusted the trigger too light.. I am not that familiar with the Tikka T3 but this is not unheard of.. I would try adjusting the trigger to a heavier pull and see it it sorts the problem.
 
Can we confirm the trigger was adjusted or is factory set?

Mine is factory set and I carry it upside down all the time. The trigger pull is nice as it is.
 
That's a weird one that!!!

The said sear will be backed up by a spring, so it needs checked defo.

Atb Buck.
 
What do you mean by "95% of the time the action is firing"?

Do you mean that the action was left cocked and has released perhaps as a result of a jolt? In which case it suggests that the trigger has been adjusted far too light and the sear has too little engagement possibly, or that there is some other problem with the trigger. In either case it's vital that the rifle is checked out by a gunsmith immediately.

I take it for granted that the rifle is always unloaded when in the vehicle, but why is the action being left cocked? Surely when you close the bolt on an empty chamber you uncock the action as you close the bolt!
 
Will speak to the lad to check if the trigger has been adjusted.

To clarify the action is firing immediately when the rifle is upside down as the bolt handle is pushed down to engage the lugs after the bolt is pushed forward. In other words as the rifle is cocked to fire. The issue does not happen when the rifle is at any other angle and happens 9 times out of 10?? Very strange.

He only found out about it by chance as he had closed the bolt on the unloaded rifle when it was in this position and heard the action firing and then checked again. I can't think of any time you would need to cock the rifle in this position but suppose nothing is outwith the realms of possibility.

If the rifle is cocked normally and the rifle inverted after, it can be knocked about and will not fire.
 
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...... but why is the action being left cocked? Surely when you close the bolt on an empty chamber you uncock the action as you close the bolt!

I tried and failed to get this step included in the Best Practice Guide. Most of the time when I mention this to folk as a good thing to do, I just get blank looks. If I had a pound for every time I have seen people applying the safety catch when a round isn't chambered, I could retire. Regards JCS
 
what do you class as upside down?

to me that is when the rifle is horizontal and the trigger guard up and scope down, but i am sure that is not what you mean.

do you mean muzzle down?

if it is firing when muzzle down without any knocking but is position dependant I cant see it just being trigger lightness being the issue.

surely if it was this light then it would fire with the slightest knock in any position.
 
Yes I,m confused also as to what is meant by upside down. I also can't envisage a situation where or why you would close the bolt with the rifle upside down.

JCS it's just good practise and done naturally by most riflemen. It would seem logical to teach this to all new shooters.
 
to me that is when the rifle is horizontal and the trigger guard up and scope down, but i am sure that is not what you mean.

Bewsher 500, yes that's what I mean :)

Can't get a hold of the lad at the mo to see if the trigger has been adjusted.

Like I said I can't see why you would require to load the rifle like this but it is more the issue of why the action fires on the bolt being closed in this position.
 
I tried and failed to get this step included in the Best Practice Guide. Most of the time when I mention this to folk as a good thing to do, I just get blank looks. If I had a pound for every time I have seen people applying the safety catch when a round isn't chambered, I could retire. Regards JCS

Totally agree, I always depress the trigger when closing the bolt on an empty chamber.

I think the reason that people are reluctant to teach this is because it can be confused with the now, thankfully, outdated practice of closing the bolt on a loaded chamber with the trigger depressed then placing it in a slip so that when a beast is seen the stalker only has to reach into the slip, lift the bolt up and down and its ready to go.

Glyn.
 
Why would it be good practice to depress the trigger when closing the bolt on an empty chamber? I can't see the need for this to be done at all. Rifle handling should be done as if loaded at all times in my opinion, that way things have less chance of going wrong and safe drills are not confused with unsafe ones. I close the bolt and apply the safety whether loaded or unloaded, good drills as far as I'm concerned.
 
Why would it be good practice to depress the trigger when closing the bolt on an empty chamber? I can't see the need for this to be done at all. Rifle handling should be done as if loaded at all times in my opinion, that way things have less chance of going wrong and safe drills are not confused with unsafe ones. I close the bolt and apply the safety whether loaded or unloaded, good drills as far as I'm concerned.

TT, there is a school of thought that says that it takes the pressure off the bolt-spring and so makes it last longer.

Its like putting the muzzle into the sandbox and proving your rifle is safe. Only it won't be three months pay that will be docked if you have a live round in there by mistake, it'll probably mean your FAC is revoked.

If you have a couple (or many) rifles with the same bolt face it is wise to keep the bolt with it's rifle at all times, not seperate in the safe. So if you regularly leave the bolt in your rifle, and it is perfectly legitimate on safety grounds to do so, it is probably wise to de-cock the bolt for storage purposes.

Simon
 
In the field I prefer not to de-cock on an empty chamber especially on rifles where the safety locks the bolt from opening.
Just a bit safer to avoid a lost bolt. At home of course the rifle is de-cocked in the safe.
edi
 
I can see why it is best practice but I dont follow the saving the spring theory.
It takes "some" pressure off the spring but compared to a shotgun spring for example it is a coil spring of significant length compared to its actual travel. I dont see how saving it 5mm in compression will actually do much.

personally I store all my rifles in the cabinet with the bolt in but with the bolt open. (never lost a bolt and dont intend to start now!)

but anyway. what about the upside down hair trigger Tikka?
 
The 'saving the spring' is an urban myth.
You only damage a spring by pushing it past its plastic deformation stage, which basically will not occur in a springs design during its normal use.
 
Out of three rugers MK2 I know two had knakkered firing pin springs.
Our friendly US member on this site kindly sent me a few to help out the lads.
Those were the only ones I ever came accross that were bust.
All the same, springs can break, just had a bolt release spring on my sako break...after 40 years use.
edi
 
Interesting, my Tikka is set at 1.75lbs and passes all the usual safety tests. I will have to give this a try tommorow.

Dave
 
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