Tikka T1x re-barrel worth it?

[beetroot]

There has been a few threads and different posts since the introduction of the T1x about re-barreling, seems like there are a few companies now offering prefit barrels.
Leaving out any difficulties in removing the old barrel, how have folk been finding the new barrels?
Have you found the replacement barrel to be more accurate/consistent than the original one, or did you replace it for other reasons like length, contour etc?

I have a 16" T1x that I thought I wanted but as time goes on realise I should've got the 20".
I could either sell my current T1 and get a 20" model or considering going custom and going longer and thicker for NRL type events.

 

[littlepod]

For reference, my T1X factory barrel shot pretty well out of the gate as does the 2 other T1X's I've shot. Factory chamber is loose, and it seems to just feed everything pretty well. I'm honestly surprised at how well the factory barrels shoot. I had a 20"

I swapped barrels because...

1. I thought major increase in performance. $320 barrel which is 2/3 the cost of the rifle, that has to be good! In actuality, a match grad quality barrel got me about a 20% decrease in group sizes. That is nice, but I mean I was shooting 1" averages at 6x5 with SK+, and now it shoots .8". With higher end ammo, same thing... .8" average with center-x, now .7" average. Comparing my 100y groups with my Tikka match barrel and the Vudoo, the groups are pretty similar.

2. Changing to a tight 'prefit' chamber in a action that doesn't have the highest tolerances made feeding a bitch. I'm not a gunsmith so the action has this egg-like opening where the barrel fits in and then you tigthen it down with set screws. If you had a gunsmith that could perfectly center the bore to the bolt and cut the tenon perfectly, that'd be awesome, but for myself I just kind of stuck it in there and screwed it on. Feeding was no where near as good.

After a bunch of back and forth with a gunsmith I was able to chamfer the edges and get things to work well but it took a lot of work.

3. It looks a whole lot better and balances better than the factory barrel. This was a good bonus.

I shot it with the new barrel and an ACC chassis for 3 months, won a few matches, and then I ended up ordering a Vudoo. I sold my Tikka to my friend who used it for 6 months, and then ultimately saved up for his own Vudoo and sold it.

The barrel wasn't the issue for selling it. Over a lot of use, I find the T1X magazines unreliable and the ejector mag well a piece of crap design. No easy 12-round modification for the T1X magazines either and I wasn't getting competitive enough that it mattered.

Sorry for the long winded answer... in short. I wouldn't rebarrel it. I'd buy a different rifle

 

[beetroot]

Sorry for the long winded answer... in short. I wouldn't rebarrel it. I'd buy a different rifle

Cheers, that was kind my thoughts too.
I'm thinking maybe just change to the 20" Tikka for the short term and maybe upgrade in the future.

You now have a Vudoo do you not?
Whats your opinion on the action performance improvements of V22 over the T1x, both factory and after re-barreling?

As much as I like the sound of a V22 I've had really good luck from my T1x; shoots well, mines been reliable, the rifle matches all my other rifles (T3s).
The biggest thing I don't like (on paper) with the Remington style actions is they all seem to be 90° bolt lift, I have a swept Sterk handle on my T1x and when I compare it to my CZ 452s I couldn't dream of going back to a bolt lift like that.

 

[littlepod]

Cheers, that was kind my thoughts too.
I'm thinking maybe just change to the 20" Tikka for the short term and maybe upgrade in the future.

You now have a Vudoo do you not?
Whats your opinion on the action performance improvements of V22 over the T1x, both factory and after re-barreling?

As much as I like the sound of a V22 I've had really good luck from my T1x; shoots well, mines been reliable, the rifle matches all my other rifles (T3s).
The biggest thing I don't like (on paper) with the Remington style actions is they all seem to be 90° bolt lift, I have a swept Sterk handle on my T1x and when I compare it to my CZ 452s I couldn't dream of going back to a bolt lift like that.

I run an 18" Vudoo. Personally I'd go with a 16" Tikka if I had the option to when I bought it. I don't think there's any accuracy differences between 16-20".

For my next Vudoo, because I love running an MDT ACC, and it's so butt heavy, I'd probably end up getting a 20" MTU just to balance it w/o having to throw so many weights on the rifle.

The rebarelled Tikka with an Eley EPS chamber will shoot with my Vudoo. My best 6x5 records with a good lot of matched ammo is still with my Tikka... though to be fair I have only run like a single 6x5 with my Vudoo. I just don't shoot groups anymore.

Vudoo is going to be taking their single shot and making a repeater version 60 degree lift. Your Tikka shoots, so just keep it. In a few months get the new Vudoo.

I ran a TIkka T3X in an ACC, and the T1X. I swapped to R700 - Terminus Zeus 60 degree throw, and yeh it takes me a few minutes to get used to the different throws when I swap rifles. I'll be upgrading to the 60 degree Vudoo when it launches.

 

[beetroot]

I run an 18" Vudoo. Personally I'd go with a 16" Tikka if I had the option to when I bought it. I don't think there's any accuracy differences between 16-20".

For my next Vudoo, because I love running an MDT ACC, and it's so butt heavy, I'd probably end up getting a 20" MTU just to balance it w/o having to throw so many weights on the rifle.

The rebarelled Tikka with an Eley EPS chamber will shoot with my Vudoo. My best 6x5 records with a good lot of matched ammo is still with my Tikka... though to be fair I have only run like a single 6x5 with my Vudoo. I just don't shoot groups anymore.

Vudoo is going to be taking their single shot and making a repeater version 60 degree lift. Your Tikka shoots, so just keep it. In a few months get the new Vudoo.

I ran a TIkka T3X in an ACC, and the T1X. I swapped to R700 - Terminus Zeus 60 degree throw, and yeh it takes me a few minutes to get used to the different throws when I swap rifles. I'll be upgrading to the 60 degree Vudoo when it launches.

Cheers, great info!

I went for for the 16" T1x because I shoot suppressed 100% of the time, though as time has gone on I've found suppressors causing me headaches with regards to not cleaning them and causing groups to open up. Add to that the thread by Orkan about longer barrels giving more consistent MV which I've since tested with my 16" T1x and 22" CZ and found it to be true.
I'll still use a suppressor for shooting at home but would run un-suppressed at matches.

Maybe in the future I'll upgrade to the 60° Vudoo.

 

[Baracuda22]

Mine threaded action barrel from my gunsmith open up the receiver to accommodate the 1" oad straight barrel @ 26" before theaded together for very stable shooting.I love long barrel so i go this route "LILJA CHAMBER" 2.I got 1" oad bec. the grs stock channel is 1.250" if i go thin oad barrel it looks like a toothpick and ugly looking for the stock.

 

[Krob95]

I run an 18" Vudoo. Personally I'd go with a 16" Tikka if I had the option to when I bought it. I don't think there's any accuracy differences between 16-20".

For my next Vudoo, because I love running an MDT ACC, and it's so butt heavy, I'd probably end up getting a 20" MTU just to balance it w/o having to throw so many weights on the rifle.

The rebarelled Tikka with an Eley EPS chamber will shoot with my Vudoo. My best 6x5 records with a good lot of matched ammo is still with my Tikka... though to be fair I have only run like a single 6x5 with my Vudoo. I just don't shoot groups anymore.

Vudoo is going to be taking their single shot and making a repeater version 60 degree lift. Your Tikka shoots, so just keep it. In a few months get the new Vudoo.

I ran a TIkka T3X in an ACC, and the T1X. I swapped to R700 - Terminus Zeus 60 degree throw, and yeh it takes me a few minutes to get used to the different throws when I swap rifles. I'll be upgrading to the 60 degree Vudoo when it launches.

Where is the info on a 60 degree repeater from vudoo? I’ve only seen the single shots advertised to any extent.

 

[FormerFarmer]

I think that I read on here somewhere, that after they release the single shots, then they were going to work on that action for a new repeater. I don't remember where I might have read that info though.

 

[GBMaryland]

I put a Lothar-Walther drop in barrel on my T1X and I noticed it really likes subsonic CCI Clean 22.

 

[Big Bo]

Tried to remove the barrel from my Tikka T1X .22, got screws 1 & 3 loose. Broke 8 or more T15`s and stopped. Figuring a barrel change will not get me the accuracy I would like to have. Put her back together. Will upgrade to a more suitable unit in time.