Anatomy of the Tikka T3x - Episode 6: The Barrel

We are crazy about Tikkas!
In this video, we go into a deep dive of the Tikka T3x Barrel, how it is made, and why it is superior to other factory barrels.
Get a Teslong Bore Scope here: amzn.to/3VJsykQ
(We do receive Amazon affiliate commissions)
Special thanks to Canada in the Rough for providing excellent Tikka manufacturing content.
Check out their full tour of Sako/Tikka here: • How Rifles Are Made | ...
Join us for the series as we disassemble a Tikka T3x and review each component and describe how it fits into the entire rifle system.
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Comment below if we missed anything!
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Do not attempt any of the processes or procedures shown or described in this video or on this channel.
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Gunsmithing procedures should only be performed only by a licensed gunsmith.
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[@dominicemole6546]

Has been a great dive into Tikkas. Makes me appreciate mine even more. Looking forward to next episode. Thanks

[@mountaintacticalcompany]

You are welcome! This has been a fun series to film.

[@richcotte]

Great video as always! I’ve always wondered why the barrels are so difficult to remove. Would love to see a video on tips and techniques for removing the barrel without destroying it.

[@mountaintacticalcompany]

Thank you! We have a plan for that video. YT does not like that type of firearm content and we think we've mapped out a way to present the material without violating their terms of service. I'm embarrassed to say we have damaged actions in the past before we had our process dialed.

[@danpats1]

Amazing series. I’m shopping for a tikka 3x in 7mm rem mag so this is very informative.

[@mountaintacticalcompany]

That’s a great cartridge!

[@azriverrat]

Love your vids and products!!! keep it coming

[@mountaintacticalcompany]

Thank you for your business and support!

[@user-yf7gj4xz1s]

Simply and effectively put, thank you.

[@mountaintacticalcompany]

Glad it was helpful!

[@user-gb8gg6ho4q]

Another great video

[@mountaintacticalcompany]

Thank you!

[@Muschka01]

I am surprised how the rifling has survived so long with my hot 270 WSM doing 3150 FPS. Did extend the free-bore to the lands.

[@mountaintacticalcompany]

My first Tikka was a 270WSM! I played with some 90 grain Sierra Varminters going 3600. It was pure mayhem on prairie dogs! After that season, I wisened up and went back to my 165 grain Matrix Ballistics. Other than some throat erosion, that barrel still shoots great!

[@derekmcmurry]

I bought several carbon fiber stocks to use with my Tikkas. Some say no need to bed while others insist it's best to bed them, even though some have aluminum blocks in them (Stocky's for example). I also have one in an AG Composites stock and the builder said it didn't need to be bedded. Thoughts? Also, I'm fond of the Tikka wood stocks that come with their hunter model. Should I get those pillar and skim bedded?

[@mountaintacticalcompany]

A wood stock should absolutely be bedded. Pillars are helpful, but they are difficult to install on a Tikka because you must machine the 3 degree angle into the bottom of them where they contact the bottom metal. Carbon fiber and fiberglass are different beasts. They do not change shape when the temperature, humidity, or mood changes like wood does. That said, the quality of the inlet needs to be precise. You can determine how good the inlet is by the fitment of the recoil lug. If your lug is nice and tight, most likely the rest of the inlet is cut well. If it is loose, bedding would not hurt. Please be sure to watch our magazine trouble shooting video before bedding a Tikka. They are very sensitive to alignment issues caused by improper bedding. Cheers!

[@derekmcmurry]

@@mountaintacticalcompany Shall do. Thanks

[@mountaintacticalcompany]

How do you like the Stocky’s carbon fiber stock?

[@derekmcmurry]

@@mountaintacticalcompany All but one appear to be hydro-dipped with the former being painted. After 3 decades of buying very expensive stocks such as McMillan, AG Composite, Rimrock (from back when Jim Borden was making his own), I will say in terms of function, it's just like any other. But the Stockys are very light weight. All of mine are their latest ULTRA carbon with the accublock. So far, all the ones I have are total wins and half the price as the other brands. And the wait time is, in my experience, around 8 weeks or less if they have to make it, avg 6 weeks. The McMillan, Rimrock, AG Compsite brands feel and appear to be of highest quality but maybe that just because I've never had, or felt, a hydro-dipped stock before. Regardless, the Howa ultra lite riles come with the Stocky's stock so I wanted to try them. Thus far, I'm pleased and have saved considerable money because my rifles in the Stockys are just as accurate.

[@ericwilson3053]

You mention a constriction right at the muzzle. Would this mean that shortening a tikka barrel and therefore eliminating the constriction cause an increase in bullet dispersion due to the loss of the constriction?

[@mountaintacticalcompany]

Great question! Because of the stored hoop stress in the barrel, when you cut it down, the muzzle would constrict a couple ten thousandths of an inch. The barrel would be more accurate because there would also be fewer barrel harmonics.

[@kyley808]

I've done 6 tikka's it's not hard to remove the barrel it was about 150lbs to remove and its true no tikka barrels I have or friends have we never had to break in the barrels

[@mountaintacticalcompany]

Agreed. We've never had to break in a Tikka barrel either. Cheers!

[@robcday1]

I know that the Tikka T3X Superlites in .300 WSM will be offered in a 1:10 twist for 2024. The barrel will be stamped “1:10”. For 23’ and prior models, it is a 1:11 twist, but the twist is not stamped on the barrel. I am currently trying to purchase a new, 2024’ 1:10 twist version of this exact model and caliber Tikka. Every single Sportsman’s Warehouse that I have called to source this version ONLY has the 1:11 twist available. Do you know how I might source the new 2024 1:10 twist version of this model and caliber? Thanks

[@mountaintacticalcompany]

Where did you see the WSM was coming out in 1:10 twist? All our docs we were given show 1:11 except the 300WM which is 1:10

[@robcday1]

On the tikka website, click “show more” under the caliber of Superlite you want to see twist info for. The .300 WSM, .30-06, .308, .270 WSM, and perhaps one or two more all list 1:10. Also, I confirmed with Beretta tech support last week that these calibers in T3X Superlite are switching to 1:10 for 2024 and beyond.

[@mountaintacticalcompany]

Gotcha. You’ll have to inspect each rifle until the 2023s are off the shelves. The 2024s just landed last month so I may be a bit.

[@robcday1]

I’m about to pick up my new Tikka T3X Superlite .300 WSM. What brands and types of cleaning rods, attachments, and solvents, oils, etc do you recommend I use before shooting? And at which round count intervals do you recommend I clean it? I plan on shooting factory ammo.. probably Nosler Accubond or Partition. Thanks!

[@mountaintacticalcompany]

This is a deep dive series of questions, haha! You can't go wrong with Accubonds. I've dropped 6 elk with the ABLRs. My favorite cleaning rod is the coated Montana Xtreme rods and their nylon brushes and brass jags. I exclusively use Bore-tech cleaner and use their recommended process for cleaning my barrels. Rand CLP is becoming hard to find, but it's my favorite all around lubricant. I only clean my barrels when I begin to see accuracy start to decline. After my initial clean, I have been able to see hundreds of rounds between cleanings using quality ammo. The barrels foul minimally because of how smooth the bores are. There are no tool marks for carbon and copper to get caught in. Happy trigger time!

[@robcday1]

I really appreciate you taking the time to answer this.. very helpful!

[@derekmcmurry]

BoreTech makes excellent coated cleaning rods and the handles are colored per caliber. I've used several including Tipton but my BoreTech rods are as good as it gets. I also use BoreTech carbon cleaner, BoreTech eliminator, and the Wipeout products with excellent results. Oh, and also the KG products are excellent I'm taking my 300WSM Tikka shooting tomorrow. 180 Accubonds with StaBall 6.5. 3070fps. ES and SD single digits

[@mountaintacticalcompany]

You are welcome!

[@mountaintacticalcompany]

That sounds like a great load! I have not used the Bore-Tech rods, but if they are as good as their cleaning products, I bet they are awesome.

[@davidfarrell4289]

I love the hammer forged barrel on my Tikka 6.5! I bought a second Tikka action and I want to put a 22BR barrel on it. Are there after market cold hammer forged barrels available? What barrel manufacturer do you recommend for replacing Tikka factory barrels?

[@mountaintacticalcompany]

I wish there was a source for hammer forged aftermarket barrels in the US, but there is not. There are, however, many fantastic barrel manufacturers. Brux, Bartlein, Kreiger, McGowen, just to name a few. I have run all of these and they have all shot extremely well.

[@davidfarrell4289]

I really appreciate the videos and feedback. Makes me want to try out your products. Keep up the good work👍🏻

[@mountaintacticalcompany]

Thank you for the encouragement! We're a little nuts about Tikkas. I was looking at our first video about them I uploaded in 2012... from a dark basement, haha!

[@BornAgain2019]

Why does Tikka still insist on using 1:11 twist on all .308 caliber barrels? Especially with the move towards ultra high BC bullets in the last 10 to 15 years they seem a little behind the curve or do they know something the rest of the industry doesn't?

[@mountaintacticalcompany]

Tikka has gone back and forth on their .308 twist rates over the years. All of my 308 Win and 300 Win Mag barrels from Tikka are 1:10 except one of them. Last year they went back to 1:11. This year they are running 1:11 for non magnum cartridges and 1:10 for magnum cartridges. They do not listen to the US market at all which is frustrating since we set the trends for the world.

[@BornAgain2019]

@@mountaintacticalcompany I remember some special purpose target rifles in the Remington 700 lineup years ago going with 1:11 twist. Actually I would think lower velocity cartridges (IE) 308 Win would always benefit from a faster twist barrel in order to stabilize the bullets at the heavier end of the spectrum.

[@mountaintacticalcompany]

I agree completely! Modern projectiles benefit all cartridges, especially old ones like the 308. You can’t go wrong with a faster twist.