Life or a rifle is?

carlthetrapper

Well-Known Member
Hi guys I got a question regarding my Tikka .222 T lite stainless. when I changed from my old CZ to the Tikka a few years ago I was told how good the Tikka was but that the barrel life was limited to around 4000 rounds, by the gun shop owner who I was dealing with at that time. I recently had a problem with it after a thorough clean after replacing the barrel, it didn't cycle the rounds some time and the mag was very tight to install. A check revealed the aluminium bedded stop was impressed from the action recoiling by nearly a mil, and the plastic bedding around the screw holes was compressed a little. An easy fix to get me away was done, both were shimmed to lift the barrel and the alley was turned over this sorted the loading problem. I checked the amount of powder I've used and done the maths to find its had nearly 5000 rounds through it, it is still accurate though but wondered if its about worn out or worthy of a more permanent fix? Can anyone advise please.
 
Others with more knowledge will be along shortly - but I'm astonished that you needed to rebarrel a treble after 4000. I wonder if the RFD was confusing .222 and .22-250!
 
Others with more knowledge will be along shortly - but I'm astonished that you needed to rebarrel a treble after 4000. I wonder if the RFD was confusing .222 and .22-250!

I would agree with what Mungo says either that or the RFD is talking absolute claptrap.
 
Regardless of barrel life the issue right now is collapsed bedding. Looks like a bedding job is in order and is made more complicated by the separate recoil lug. Were it mine I would sell it or if that was not possible weld the lug to the receiver before the new bedding job.

FWIW: The Remington with a large recoil lug would never have this problem.
 
4000 may well cook a 222, but I think you would need to shoot all 4000 over the course of two or three days, not years.
 
surely its only shot out when it is shot out
if it shoots it shoots

get the bedding fixed and carry on.

Unless you are shoving 35gr rounds at 3500-3600fps and burning the throat out with fast pistol speed powder I see no reason why it would have a 4000 round limit
 
hmmm just my 2 p worth ,
you are the only one that will know if it go's if it went wonky !! i always have said its up to me if i spend the cash and not some guy trying to spend it for me,
 
Thanks guys, lots of food for thought. I should have said it has a synthetic stock, I think I'll see if a replacement is viable, or maybe a better alternative, as it does shoot straight, I load 50grn ballistics' @ 3000 by the way.
 
I also have a compressed Alu T3 recoil lug lying here but was told on this forum that it can't be.
A few days ago a customer came to us with a new T3 tac in 308 that had 60 rounds through it. The imprint on the alu recoil lug was very visible. I didn't measure it. Of course his next stock is being fitted with a hardened stainless recoil lug.

Marcbo has a point, out of the box the remmy recoil lug is better than the alu T3 solution.
edi
 
I also have a compressed Alu T3 recoil lug lying here but was told on this forum that it can't be.
A few days ago a customer came to us with a new T3 tac in 308 that had 60 rounds through it. The imprint on the alu recoil lug was very visible. I didn't measure it. Of course his next stock is being fitted with a hardened stainless recoil lug.

Marcbo has a point, out of the box the remmy recoil lug is better than the alu T3 solution.
edi

Yep I was surprised at the ally lug on the Tikka as its cleaned every month and all screws are checked, it does get a lot of work, also a good service about six monthly but the compressed stock was a shock, as a former engineer I know how not to over tighten screws too but what can we say?
I just had an ill thought I changed my .308 to a Sako Finnlight 6.5 a couple of years ago and am thinking this rifle may have same ally stop set up, a check is in order I feel, eh.
 
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My Model 70 .222 must have twice that many rounds through it and it's shooting fine. The Deuce burning barrels? Unlikely.~Muir
 
I believe aftermarket custom recoil lugs are available for both Tikka and Sako. There has been some discussion about this on here before but afraid not sure when.

I would get one of these and bed the action however I'm not sure how successful this can be with the plastic stocks rather than a premium synthetic fibreglass/resin stock. Worth investigating though.
 
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