08-30-2024, 01:58 PM
Hi everyone,
I’m new to this forum and just wanted to share some info; I’ve been handed so much good info over the years on forums that it’s only right to contribute when I can. So here goes, in case this wasn’t known prior (and I’m not the first to do this by any means).
I took a Tikka T3X chambered in 223 Remington. Removed the barrel, stripped the bolt. Sent bolt of to Kinport Peak Rifles to have the bolt face reamed to accept the 6ARC case head. Ordered a barrel from PBB.
Just assembled the rifle a couple weeks ago. Tested the Tikka S, M & M+ magazines, had heard from all my research that the M was the most reliable but in a couple hundred feedings I couldn’t get any of them to cause issue.
Ejection with SWFA 3-9x42 and Athlon Midas TAC 4-16x44 were non-issues, both in medium rings. No dings in case mouths, no marks on windage turrets. Did run into a snag when testing for CBTO (I use the Wheeler method), but that isn’t the fault of the barrel maker. Personally I disagree with that dimension from Hornady engineers, subsequent testing will determine if I’m right or wrong as the barrel has now been pulled off & sent to be throated. I’ll update that when I get it back & test it.
Took it to the range prior to sending barrel off to be throated, because who can resist when they get a new gun? Everything functioned flawlessly, but it was a short trip just to get it out of my system; before throating load dev was a waste of time.
Anyway there you have it; the Tikka T3X is a viable option, runs flawlessly…and I’ll report back regarding chamber dimensions in-depth along with accuracy results. If done right it isn’t expensive. Buy the gun, then the barrel can be covered by the sale of the 223 barrel in certain circles, bolt face is about $100-150…so not much more than the original cost of the rifle in the end.
I’m new to this forum and just wanted to share some info; I’ve been handed so much good info over the years on forums that it’s only right to contribute when I can. So here goes, in case this wasn’t known prior (and I’m not the first to do this by any means).
I took a Tikka T3X chambered in 223 Remington. Removed the barrel, stripped the bolt. Sent bolt of to Kinport Peak Rifles to have the bolt face reamed to accept the 6ARC case head. Ordered a barrel from PBB.
Just assembled the rifle a couple weeks ago. Tested the Tikka S, M & M+ magazines, had heard from all my research that the M was the most reliable but in a couple hundred feedings I couldn’t get any of them to cause issue.
Ejection with SWFA 3-9x42 and Athlon Midas TAC 4-16x44 were non-issues, both in medium rings. No dings in case mouths, no marks on windage turrets. Did run into a snag when testing for CBTO (I use the Wheeler method), but that isn’t the fault of the barrel maker. Personally I disagree with that dimension from Hornady engineers, subsequent testing will determine if I’m right or wrong as the barrel has now been pulled off & sent to be throated. I’ll update that when I get it back & test it.
Took it to the range prior to sending barrel off to be throated, because who can resist when they get a new gun? Everything functioned flawlessly, but it was a short trip just to get it out of my system; before throating load dev was a waste of time.
Anyway there you have it; the Tikka T3X is a viable option, runs flawlessly…and I’ll report back regarding chamber dimensions in-depth along with accuracy results. If done right it isn’t expensive. Buy the gun, then the barrel can be covered by the sale of the 223 barrel in certain circles, bolt face is about $100-150…so not much more than the original cost of the rifle in the end.
