Tikka Tac A1 Accuracy Help

[Hogg0494]

Hi all,I have had a tikka tac a1 for a little over a year now.since i do not reload i found hornady 147 eld works great.sub .5 moa all day with some .25 groups.following tikka’s reccomandation and i find cleaning the rifle after every range trip works best.about 600 rds through it now and out of the blue it has become very inconsistant.it shoots 2 sub .50 groups,then one or two 1.5 groups(see pics below).i have had 2 good shooters try it with same results,although it loves the 147 eld,i tried 4 other ammo’s,i made sure the recoil lug is seated and also tried tightening the receiver bolts from 35 lbs to 62lbs(tikka recc)in 5lb intervals.i removed the optic and remounted(athlon cronus & seekins rings)i am out of ideas and would appreciate any input or ideas,thanks all

 

[mildot326]

Check the muzzle crown? maybe it's gotta "nick" and how clean is the chamber? Did this start before or after you took the action out of the stock? or you didn't and just re-tightened the stock screws?

 

[jcmullis2]

I’m Not a Tikka expert. I’d check out firing pin Assembly and trigger anything that will cause ignition problems.

 

[dimar1492]

Try mounting a different scope to eliminate that variable. Also, confirm that there is no carbon ring.

 

[Hogg0494]

Dont see any nicks in crown(pic added below)chamber clean,this started prior to removing action from stock(i removed to make sure recoil lug was seated)
Unfortunately i dont have another 34mm optic to try.i have 30mm optics on my hunting rigs but with the season coming up dont want to start swapping them(if nothing else works i would do that after hunting)when you say carbon ring,are you refering to the crown?

 

[Hogg0494]

Pic crown

 

[Hogg0494]

Pic crown

 

[Hogg0494]

Second pic is after cleaning it up a little
Pic below is last 10 rounds i shot today

 

[BPGuru]

I would do a thorough cleaning. Have you checked with a bore scope? Since you have tightened everything that would be my next step. Good luck as they are great rifles.

 

[Hogg0494]

Unfortunately I dont have a bore scope

 

[jcmullis2]

Intermittent problems are a PITA. Other tikkas with the same problem appear to be few and far between. A couple of guys on the web said bedding corrected the problem with their rifles. I would fiddle with it a bit more then send it in. Once its been repaired and determined to be safe I’d sell it. You shouldn’t have any problems getting most of your money back. Once I lose faith in one I get rid of it. Sometimes they make a bad one and throwing money at it is just sending good money after bad.

 

[Hogg0494]

2 things i would also like to get opinions on.tikka manual says use a copper brush and use a push-pull motion 12-15 times.i have always been told never pull the brush backwards towards the action & i usually use nylon brushes.maybe my cleaning method is not good enough,whats everyones input on push-pull opposed to push only?

 

[mildot326]

2 things i would also like to get opinions on.tikka manual says use a copper brush and use a push-pull motion 12-15 times.i have always been told never pull the brush backwards towards the action & i usually use nylon brushes.maybe my cleaning method is not good enough,whats everyones input on push-pull opposed to push only?

Maybe I'm "old school" but I couldn't see myself using a nylon brush on a rifle of any type? I usually do a "back and forth" motion using a bore guide, and them take a shorter brush with a cloth patch wrapped around it to clean the chamber?
If your using a bore guide (which is mandatory IMO) then pulling the brush back won't result in dirt getting back into the chamber which is what you don't want.

Unless your using a powerful solvent , I'm not sure how you are getting the copper fouling and carbon out of the barrel and chamber?

 

[BPGuru]

I concur with the recommendation to use a quality copper/bronze brush. Use a bore guide as recommended above. I remove the rod and wipe it down and the brush and apply more solvent after ten passes. Then run a couple dry patches and repeat a couple more cycles. From your pictures I could see copper in the barrel. Getting the carbon out will require a carbon remover solution and lots of elbow grease. Likely this is your problem. You won’t hurt your rifle using a bore guide and one piece cleaning rod. Just carefully restart the brush as it renters the bore at the muzzle. Good luck!!

 

[Hogg0494]

Will give it a shot. Thanks guys

 

[Shane431]

First how many times have you cleaned the barrel? You may be your own enemy.

 

[Precision Underground]

Pic crown

You can see copper from the muzzle. Not that that matters all the time but if it’s acting funny I’d be cleaning ALL copper out and trying again. You’d be surprised at how long it can take to get it all out. Use boretech eliminator. Brush, soak, brush, patch and repeat until you think it’s clean. Then do it all over again. Without a borescope you are guessing when it’s clean. I’d grab one of the teslong scopes so you know when the copper is gone. Well worth the $50.

 

[Precision Underground]

If you are shooting it suppressed try it without.

 

[Hogg0494]

As per Tikka,cleaning it after Every range trip regardless of rounds.been to the range about 8x since new.about 80 rds per trip.So cleaned it 8x,gonna order the bore scope,use copper brush and eliminator.clean the piss out of it and try it.

 

[Precision Underground]

As per Tikka,cleaning it after Every range trip regardless of rounds.been to the range about 8x since new.about 80 rds per trip.So cleaned it 8x,gonna order the bore scope,use copper brush and eliminator.clean the piss out of it and try it.

You don’t need to clean every trip. And my guess is you cleaned carbon every trip and didn’t touch the copper depending on what with and how you were cleaning. I’ll typically strip all copper after the first 2-3 trips with the thought that I’m allowing the bullet to smooth the bore out. After that I don’t scrub hard until it acts weird. Are you shooting suppressed?

 

[jcmullis2]

I don’t think fouled barrels alternately shoot sub moa groups then 2-3 moa groups and back to sub moa but I suppose it could.
The recoil lug, or scope/ scope mount seems more likely to me.

 

[AKMarty]

I have the same rifle with great results using the Hornady 147’s. I have read in multiple places that when you change bullets in your barrel that it will take 10-20 rounds to settle down.
I only use a boresnake for cleaning (2-3passes after a range visit ) 1700+ rounds and it still is 1/2 MOA.

 

[Hogg0494]

Not shooting suppressed,normally after a range trip i would use hoppes #9 for a few passes then mc7 or boretech eliminator for a few passes the hoppes again one pass then dry patches until clean,i let the eliminator sit for 15 minutes today and alot of copper came out

 

[Hogg0494]

Just ordered a borescope

 

[jcmullis2]

I have the same rifle with great results using the Hornady 147’s. I have read in multiple places that when you change bullets in your barrel that it will take 10-20 rounds to settle down.
I only use a boresnake for cleaning (2-3passes after a range visit ) 1700+ rounds and it still is 1/2 MOA.

I think it’s best to keep cleaning to a minimum also. It’s relatively easy to ruin the accuracy with an over zealous cleaning regimen. However I don’t think the OP is dealing with a fouled barrel or a barrel with damaged rifling. If it was one of the aforementioned he wouldn’t get sub moa groups at times. It seems more likely to me that something is moving. Either the barreled action in the chassis because of the recoil lug or something related to his optic.
Post like this are what makes the Hide great and why I joined. Whenever I googled a problem or had a question the answer was always in a post on the Hide from years earlier. Hopefully when the OP gets it figured out and fixes his rifle, he’ll post whatever the problem was. That type of information is invaluable to so many others, and will be for years to come.

 

[Hogg0494]

Will do

 

[clubsportmark]

Does it always start grouping well, then end up grouping badly. Or have you even taken it to the range and start off poor, then gets better?..... or neither and can randomly and inconsistency group from one to other?

 

[Hogg0494]

Random

 

[EJ1001]

I feel for you Hogg, these problems are the hardest to solve sometimes. Very frustrating. You have received some good advice so far, but my 2 cents is you really need to rule out scope issues by trying a different known good scope. I had a similar problem a while back on a .22. Scope was the issue.

If you don't completely rule out one variable at a time, then test, you could end up chasing your tail.

 

[jcann]

Try replacing the recoil lug

 

[Hogg0494]

Finished a thorough cleaning,going to range and my next option is to try a different scope
I found some rust on the barrel lip where it meets the action(pic below)dont think that has anything to do with the problem but any ideas how to remove it?i tried a few barrel cleaners and a q tip but no luck

 

[salks]

On my Tikka Tac A 1 I found the lands eroded rather quickly on the original barrel. Since your not reloading, chasing lands, you may be out of the sweet spot. A good cleaning could also fix the problem.

 

[Hogg0494]

Pic of the rust

 

[blues2o]

Try a different lot # of ammo could be an inconsistent batch. Shoot what you have over a chronograph and look for velocity swings.

 

[308pirate]

As per Tikka,cleaning it after Every range trip regardless of rounds.

Stop doing that

 

[308pirate]

The recoil lug has to be changed in these rifles? WTF?

And to hear some idiots on here, Tikka is superior to just about any mid priced rifle out there............

Luckily the recoil lug on Howa rifles is a steel forging and integral to the receiver. I don't think I'll ever need to change it.

 

[blues2o]

I doubt it’s the lug they are hardened key stock but anything is possible. I’d bet the aluminum chassis would give before the lug or action.

 

[Gee Kay]

i dont remember when i cleaned mine last. sub moa, just, with factory hornady tap rounds and sub half moa with reloads.

 

[DownhillFromHere]

Intermittent, random bad groups? Does this happen more frequently after an elevation (or windage) change on the scope? My Vudoo would shoot a tiny group or two, I'd dial in a click or two or three of change, and the next group would be huge and in the wrong place. Scope was bad, and was replaced.

I had a TAC A1 for over a year and 1200 rounds. Never had any problem with poor accuracy. Ever.

So, I'm thinking bad scope or something loose.

The biggest revelation the Teslong bore scope revealed to me was how to "target" my cleaning effort.

• Some cleaning products... don't.
• Most of the fouling occurred in the first 8 inches or so in front on the chamber.
• Remington 40X is far more effective at cleaning than Hoppes (and care must be taken to get all of it out of the bore, and I suspect its effectiveness is related to its being petroleum-based).
• The carbon ring that builds immediately in front of the chamber is a witch to remove once it's established.
• CLR is far and away the easiest way to remove carbon - as well as bluing, cerakote, furniture finishes, or anything else this vicious stuff is left in long contact with. So I use it very very sparingly and carefully.
• CLR doesn't touch copper fouling.
• I need to try the Bore Tech products, since many here speak highly of them.
• Don't even think of trying to determine remaining barrel life based on what the bore looks like in the scope.

 

[.50 Cal Cow]

Did you change to a new lot of ammo. You said you shoot factory only. Is it possible you switched to a new lot that just doesnt shoot well with your gun?

 

[Hogg0494]

Tried 3 different lots of ammo.just cleaned it real good with bore tech eliminator,hopefully next weekend to the range,if problem persists,I will swap out the scope and see what happens.

 

[Hogg0494]

Any input on what to use to remove the rust on the barrel breech?

 

[Wospinay]

just use oil, as long as it's not pitted, it will come off. Just make sure to remove the oil before going to the range and run a light patch of oil before storing and clean before the next range trip. I clean my rifle also after each match and usually foal the 5 rounds before the match. Make sure your scope rail is not lose, also had consistency problems with the factory ammunition in the past. I've used hornady match before and at times I get inconsistent groups