Misfires in a Tikka T3

[little hawk]

I have had this annoying misfire issue with my Tikka T3 .308 Win that's 12 years old. This involves a light strike sometimes. It happens when I quietly lock the bolt shut when I know there is animal about somewhere that I do not want to alert. I do shut the bolt positively, just quietly as possible. Of course this is the critical edge of rifle use. At the range or starting out at the truck I can cycle the rifle robustly and all is fine. The obvious is to now replace the firing pin and spring assembly, and try that. Though I am still concerned about this intermittent issue. Has anyone out there experienced the same with a Tikka?

 

[Utectok]

Mostly light primer strike with tikkas is caused by not having the bolt all the way down “in battery” as it were. It’s a very easy mistake to make

 

[scotch_egg]

Have you stripped the bolt and trigger and given it a good clean.

 

[Malxwal]

As above, strip firing pin assembly out of bolt body, and give both a good clean. If that doesn't sort the issue, the firing pin assembly is maybe £50- £60 ?

 

[little hawk]

I have forgotten to say that I have really cleaned the bolt after stripping, and it still is happening. And I positively turn the bolt shut too.

 

[HonestJohn]

Speed at closing bolt means nothing, it’s either cocked or not. If cleaned out well with brake cleaner and lightly re oiled etc. you are down to mainspring replacement or ammo issues.

Make sure you get all dirt out from inside the bolt body, use one of them kitchen scrubbing brushes on a twisted wire

 

[Jagged77]

Had the same, a new firing pin and spring assembly fixed it. £50 or thereabouts.

 

[HonestJohn]

Had the same, a new firing pin and spring assembly fixed it. £50 or thereabouts.

Did you get it checked after fitting with a firing pin protrusion gauge? Or just expect it to be spot on?

 

[wabbit warren]

when your cleaning the firing pin and spring ass are you oiling it after?
I've been told this can cause problems sometimes

 

[ashray]

is the rifle indicator showing its cocked when the bolt is closed ? i have found a lot of people replace the trigger spring /adjust the trigger to very light and the spring allows the firing pin to move forward a small amount ,reducing the firing pin force so you get a light strike

 

[jthyttin]

Check also your stock, that bolt handle is fully down when in battery.

I.e. compare the situation with barreled action in the stock and removed from the stock. Try to find some kind of reference point from e.g. bolt handle cut in the action.

 

[Jagged77]

Check to make sure all is well with the roll pin holding the case ejector. If this has come loose and inserted too far I think (from memory) it has the potential to interfere with the smooth operation of the firing pin and could cause or help to cause intermittent issues.

 

[little hawk]

I have really thoroughly cleaned the bolt all disassembled now twice, with the same problem. I also positively make sure the bolt is closed before firing. The bolt is showing it is ready to fire, yes, to all of these.

I'll go for replacing the firing pin and spring assembly as it is known in Tikka language. The roll pin holding the case ejector sounds a possibility. And try a new kind of ammo too. I will quietly close the bolt and test.

 

[Ranger22]

Buy a decent rifle

 

[22ppc]

I had the same problem it was the trigger was set to light.

 

[jcampbellsmith]

Have you cleaned the bolt lug recess?

Regards

JCS

 

[little hawk]

I haven't set the trigger lightly. I will look at the bolt lug recess.

 

[little hawk]

Maybe a different ammo can solve my intermittent misfire problem too. If the Federal cases I have been shooting are too short, they could light strike. I have heard too of primers being set too deep and this causing a misfire too.

 

[Twodogs]

Could be caused by excessive Cartridge Head Space. Your explanation is a classic example of, though other factors may cause/contribute.

 

[Bowland blades]

If you de-cock the firing pin and check the condition of the pin and check out the inner of the bolt for crud , this rules a few things out . Is the primer being hit and leaving a reasonable strike on the primer ? Then it will be down to poor primers ( very common at present )