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Remove Tikka T3X series rifle factory barrel?
- Thread starter thexman
- Start date
Here is a little video I made of myself removing one. The action wrench has it be in the right position or you can damage the action.
Someone mentioned to be sure the action wrench was attached properly. Sure would be nice if someone could post an actual photo of a properly attached external action wrench aka Wheeler #1.
I’m about to remove a shot out barrel on my Tikka, though it’s not the factory barrel (Proof). No clue what the smith torqued it to. Is the PVA action wrench good for this (already have one), or should I go external like the wheeler?
Edit: based on what I re-read in here, I’ll get an External.
Edit: based on what I re-read in here, I’ll get an External.
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Just removed my T3X barrel. External action wrench (Wheeler #1) is needed and a good barrel vise like the PMA Gen II. I had to stand on the handle of the wrench and jump a bit to get it to snap free. It was TIGHT!
Action wrench flat side on the top of receiver. The radiased side did mar the finish, but you can't see it with a stock installed. Used thick paper on top.
Don't waste your time with the Wheeler barrel vise. The oak blocks could not keep the barrel from turning, and they were crushed after a few attempts.
Action wrench flat side on the top of receiver. The radiased side did mar the finish, but you can't see it with a stock installed. Used thick paper on top.
Don't waste your time with the Wheeler barrel vise. The oak blocks could not keep the barrel from turning, and they were crushed after a few attempts.
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The PVA internal wrench is all you need. An external wrench would not be needed. Save your money. One was used to torque that barrel on so it will surely remove it.
The T3x factory barrels can be removed easily with an internal wrench. I bought an external wrench because of the horrors I’ve read. I got it ready and wacked the handle with my hand to make sure everything was good to go before I went to war. The barrel broke from the action. This happened on all three rifles. No cheater. No relief cut. I think guys are cranking down on the action when tightening the bolts on the external wrench which puts added friction through compression on the threads. A simple hand tight is all that is needed. I wasted money on the external wrench.
Isn’t there a possibility of bending the action if you use an internal wrench and the barrel is really stuck? I do not know that for a fact that is why I’m asking. I’ve only removed one barrel with an external wrench on a 700.
Good question. Just stick with an external wrench for the benefit of increased external leverage for really tight factory barrels. I originally tried a Bugholes internal, but no luck at all with my barrel. Apparently, others have had success with only an internal.
If it happens to be really tight factory barrel then i would agree. Was yours a T3x? I’m trying to figure out if the tight barrels are on the older T3 actions. The factory T3x barrels on the few I have done come loose as any other barrel tightened in the 75ft/lb range.
i think i posted upstream, but my recent t3x factory barrel was on TIGHT, even after soaking in kroil for 24 hours prior. did i say TIGHT!? if i do this again i'll have to look into those relief cuts. man i'd love to just find a basic action (less $$, no banging) but those seem oos for a righty and that means super oos for a lefty.
In stock
jaoutdoors.com
jaoutdoors.com
jaoutdoors.com
T3X short action 308
T3X short action 308. Chromoly blued steel. Aluminum 20 MOA picatinny rail with integrated opti-lock recoil lug. Billet knurled handle.
jaoutdoors.com
T3X S.S. short action 308
jaoutdoors.com
T3x short action 308 -
T3x short action 308. Chromoly blued action. Spiral Fluted bolt with billet aluminum oversize knob. 3 roung magazine included.
jaoutdoors.com
In stock
T3X short action 308
T3X short action 308. Chromoly blued steel. Aluminum 20 MOA picatinny rail with integrated opti-lock recoil lug. Billet knurled handle.T3X S.S. short action 308
T3x short action 308 -
T3x short action 308. Chromoly blued action. Spiral Fluted bolt with billet aluminum oversize knob. 3 roung magazine included.
Wow, that place is a racket and a half! Take an $800 gun and part it out for 2X? People must be paying it, though....
-Stooxie
Most factory stocks are worthless (in the sense that no one will buy it). Even the CTR stocks struggle to pull $100.
Then you are left with the factory barrel that they sell for $100.
$590 action, trigger, bottom metal, mag
$100 barrel
Now I'm bad at math but I'm not seeing $1600
Then you are left with the factory barrel that they sell for $100.
$590 action, trigger, bottom metal, mag
$100 barrel
Now I'm bad at math but I'm not seeing $1600
259 for a camo factory stock? 100 for the barrel. 800 for a ctr action? 400 for a bolt? A smart person would by the darn rifle themselves and part it out.
Whatever, glad it works for them.
-Stooxie
I’ve had all three of mine break with a bugholes action wrench, barrel vice, and a little heat on the barrel. No problems.
I was able to remove and replace a Tikka CTR barrel today. I used a viper vise and a Wheeler #1 wrench with the jaw reversed to the flats. I torqued the vise bolts down to 50 ft lbs. I was able to actually just use C-clamps to attach the vise to my work bench. I used drywall tape between the barrel and vise to protect the barrel finish and between the action wrench and action. The barrel didn't spin at all. With a few hits from a rubber mallet the barrel came free. I didn't mark up the barrel or action at all. I clamped the barrel as close as I could to the action. The first 1" of barrel is actually a constant diameter there. It made a very good place to clamp. I also clamped the action in the action wrench as close to the barrel vise as possible (at the very end of the receiver, i.e. where the barrel threads into the action). Having the barrel vise and action wrench as close to each other as possible will reduce stress on the action and reduce your chance of tweaking/twisting the action and/or bending the barrel you are removing.
P.S. I just wanted to add this information in case it helps someone. I replaced a Tikka CTR barrel with a take-off Super Varmint barrel. When I first made the replacement, I was very concerned because the text on the new barrel wasn't in the correct orientation. That said, I checked the headspace with go and no-go gauges and it was fine. I also read elsewhere that this often happens when installing takeoff barrels. So, just be aware that if you're swapping T3X barrels, the text orientation may be different between different receivers. It should go without saying you should check that headspace is correct after installing a new barrel.
The Receiver
Before
After
P.S. I just wanted to add this information in case it helps someone. I replaced a Tikka CTR barrel with a take-off Super Varmint barrel. When I first made the replacement, I was very concerned because the text on the new barrel wasn't in the correct orientation. That said, I checked the headspace with go and no-go gauges and it was fine. I also read elsewhere that this often happens when installing takeoff barrels. So, just be aware that if you're swapping T3X barrels, the text orientation may be different between different receivers. It should go without saying you should check that headspace is correct after installing a new barrel.
The Receiver
Before
After
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OOOOK! After perusing this thread, I will not pass “ go “ , will not collect $200, and will head directly to a competent gunsmith if/ when I arrive at the point at which It is time to change out the barrel on my Tikka. Not only do I not have the gear necessary, but just in general it sounds like opportunities abound to screw the pooch on this little operation! I like the gun too much to risk it.
Yeah, if I had access to a smith who I knew could do it, I probably would have just given it to them (especially since this is the first time the barrel has been taken off). That said, I live in the middle of nowhere (the local smith can only change AR barrels) and I know for a fact I will probably be replacing this barrel in a couple years (I shoot 1,500-2,000 rounds down this rifle per year), so I'd rather buy the tools ($75 barrel vise and $55 action wrench) and figure out how to do it. It was a lot easier than I thought it would be. I literally had the thing off in 30 minutes from when I started setting up. It was so easy I'm thinking of getting a 308 barrel and swapping calibers between 6.5 and 308.
I really think that's the key, taking as much flex out of the system as possible. On the normally tapered barrels (lite, etc), the flattest taper is quite far down the barrel so I would clamp there but then support the base of the barrel with a 2x4 of the right length. Then, when I pushed down on the wrench, nothing flexed and spins right off.
That, and using a piece of paper between the vice and the barrel.
-Stooxie
Yes, I think that's right. The other key I would say is NOT torquing the snot out of the action wrench bolts. Since the barrel threads into the receiver right under where the action wrench clamps down, if you torque it too much you'll probably increase the friction between the barrel threads and the receiver. I basically just tightened the action wrench bolts enough so that I knew the wrench wouldn't slide. That's it.
Yep, sounds like you didn’t have a whole lot of good choices. Glad to hear it worked out for you. I may or may not shoot out the 6.5 Creed barrel on my range gun. I have a couple of other guns that I enjoy shooting plus I am soon to be 77 so I don’t know how many more years the good Lord will give me to do this. Plenty I hope! Anyway, my plan is to let someone who knows what the hell they’re doing do this.
I hope you get to wear out many more barrels, Sir. I took the rifle for a spin this morning. Below is the first group out of the gun (5 shots at 100 yards). It looks like I didn't tweak anything replacing the barrel. She's shooting good.
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I did the same for the first 3 tikkas i had rebarreled. If you're having a smith chamber a barrel, might as well have them break off the factory one too. Did the last one myself because it was just getting a ctr take off barrel swapped on and it wasn't that bad.
