T3 Twisted Bravo

Ronin

Distinguished Member
Patient client requested a Rebarrel and makeover of their well used foxing rifle that will double as a longer range practice rifle.

Once stripped out, the action was checked and whilst didn’t need bolt lugs or action face recutting, I lapped the lugs for better contact with the lug abutments

The bolt was then sent to JR Firearms to be helically cut - as Eve, Jack did a brilliant job with it. A shame I can’t do it in house but I’ve no equipment for helical milling.

The barrel, a Spiral fluted Phoenix 8 twist (from memory) was prepped and set up in the lathe, then machined to fit the action, the chamber cut using a 243 Min spec match reamer

The muzzle cut and threaded for mod and a protective cap was fitted.

Proof testing complete, the action was then bedded into a KRG Bravo chassis

The chassis was supplied by the client and was used, so was stripped down to parts whilst the main spine was bedded using Devcon to allow a 100% contact fit with the action.

Noticable there was some galvic corrosion on the skin attachment bolts where steel and untreated alloy had been allowed to react

So I treated the bolts and threaded areas of the spine with CF50 corrosion inhibitor

The Bravo chassis is similar in concept to the Sako TRG chassis - stiff yet light

Will be interesting to see how it shoots

Some images of the finished rifle and some of the work in progress

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If you could quantify it, how "much" did the Bravo need bedding ? I have one to go on a T1x, but I'm impressed with how it fits my hand, and was pondering one for a jack of all trades deer/gong gun on a T3 rifle I have.
 
That looks lovely, I’m sure it’ll shoot brilliantly. Great pics of the bedding and interesting to see you mating the action to the recoil lug - I’ve done two of my Tikka’s with Devcon and glued the lug into the action with a tiny amount of superglue, just enough to hold it fast when pressing in, but pops right off when the Devcon is cured and you separate. Needless to say your result looks perfect, just interesting to see how you’ve done it.
 
If you could quantify it, how "much" did the Bravo need bedding ? I have one to go on a T1x, but I'm impressed with how it fits my hand, and was pondering one for a jack of all trades deer/gong gun on a T3 rifle I have.
I have 3 of them . One on a tikka t1x and the other on a tikka ctr 308 and the other on my remington action 204.
I'm sure bedding will probably give a better fit but mine all shoot great as they are.
 
I have 3 of them . One on a tikka t1x and the other on a tikka ctr 308 and the other on my remington action 204.
I'm sure bedding will probably give a better fit but mine all shoot great as they are.
Define "shoot great" ? I've seen chassis types with a lot of tension...
 
If you could quantify it, how "much" did the Bravo need bedding ? I have one to go on a T1x, but I'm impressed with how it fits my hand, and was pondering one for a jack of all trades deer/gong gun on a T3 rifle I have.


If you look closely at the chassis pre bedded / pre prepped state there are clear witness marks forward of the recoil lug and one either side of the tang area - that’s it

Whilst the KRG is a decent quality chassis, the simple fact is that neither the chassis or the action will mate perfectly without bedding and once the action screws are torqued to 55 inch pounds there will be movement in either the action or chassis due to the torque applied

This will affect accuracy / consistancy

Bedding the mating surface will prevent this

Quite some time ago, in another era, Andrew Evans Hendrik (Riflecraft) contributed an article to Target sports magazine (when it was printed) the gist being a test of accuracy of HS Precision (alloy spine chassis) and a McMillan stock in base (as they come from factory) and with skim bedding (HSP) and pillar bedding(McMillan)

There were noticeable improvements in both with bedding

Manufacturers wuite often bang on about chassis not requiring it - that’s their opine

Mine is different - accuracy and consistency is improved with it in most instances
 
Too late to add in last post, but all points of contact are circled here

I emphasise this is pre bedded

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Suspect many chassis will have witness marks similar showing marginal contact with the action
 
That looks lovely, I’m sure it’ll shoot brilliantly. Great pics of the bedding and interesting to see you mating the action to the recoil lug - I’ve done two of my Tikka’s with Devcon and glued the lug into the action with a tiny amount of superglue, just enough to hold it fast when pressing in, but pops right off when the Devcon is cured and you separate. Needless to say your result looks perfect, just interesting to see how you’ve done it.


The lug on the bravo is pressed in place

A case of a little experience and judicious placement of release agent

Perhaps luck too 😂
 
If you look closely at the chassis pre bedded / pre prepped state there are clear witness marks forward of the recoil lug and one either side of the tang area - that’s it

Whilst the KRG is a decent quality chassis, the simple fact is that neither the chassis or the action will mate perfectly without bedding and once the action screws are torqued to 55 inch pounds there will be movement in either the action or chassis due to the torque applied

This will affect accuracy / consistancy

Bedding the mating surface will prevent this

Quite some time ago, in another era, Andrew Evans Hendrik (Riflecraft) contributed an article to Target sports magazine (when it was printed) the gist being a test of accuracy of HS Precision (alloy spine chassis) and a McMillan stock in base (as they come from factory) and with skim bedding (HSP) and pillar bedding(McMillan)

There were noticeable improvements in both with bedding

Manufacturers wuite often bang on about chassis not requiring it - that’s their opine

Mine is different - accuracy and consistency is improved with it in most instances

It’s an interesting point you make about bedding a chassis. I think it’s particularly relevant with the Tikka actions and their style of recoil lug. I’ve bedded two T3 stocks, a Manners and a KKC, both have shot consistently and held point of impact. I recently purchased an MDT XRS stock which shoots brilliantly but I’ve had two instances of significant unexplained zero shift. I do wonder if the flat bottom and slack recoil lug (it’s not tight in its pocket) is the reason.
 
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