Load development/Gun Smith

Engineers blue if they still make it works better as it stays "wet"and may detect bind points better.
Dont get hung up on cleaning the bore, its not a muzzle loader burning black powder, a barrel needs a bit of fouling to settle in. Clean a 22 and its all over the show for 50 or so, target shooters fire a fouler before competition. Check your action screw tension when reassembling someone here will know the recommended torque for tikkas.
Finally change one variable at a time and rule it out before going on to the next or you will be chasing your tail forever.

I don't know Tikkas (and bugger all about anything else either!), but....
Does that recoil lug look right? In the photos it doesn't seem to have a lot above the bedding to engage with the action, and the edges look worn/chipped too.

that first group of 3 shows the rifle/shooter is capabale of good accuracy.
What changed in the course of week prior to shooting next 6 ? cleaning regime ? did you tighten or loosen any of the screws ?

I'm no expert on bedding but the bedding around the recoil lug looks pretty rough. One thing that is absolutely critical with Tikkas is that floating recoil lug & its ability to return to battery (exact same position) after firing. If the lug is even slightly mis aligned or not able to "float" correctly you'll have accuracy issues.
Also be very careful not to over torque the action screws. Double grouping in a Tikka is highly likely to be a roil lug &/or torque issue.
Do you have access to another standard Tikka stock you could swap you action into ? if its not bedded then 35lbs max torque is my rule of thumb for plastic stocks

Here’s a close up of recoil lug, it’s firmly in place...
Attachment 105407

Hey @Dev just make double sure no part of the barrel is touching your rest when firing, you won't believe the amount of people that swear they aren't touching the barrel on their rest yet they do. I know it is such a basic thing but it will throw your bullet all over the place. I did this myself a couple of times in my early days of shooting and I refused to admit I could do it but I did and it is the first thing I make sure of before I pull the trigger now. Good luck

Yep nothing is touching barrel when using bipod or rest and is fully floating.
Have just inspected the recoil lug closely. The lug is 6mm thick and the lug grove on chamber is 6.14mm.
The .14mm Clarence is on the front of the lug which is where I would think needs to be hard up given the way it recoils.... stock try’s to stay put against shoulder and chamber/barrel moves back where the recoil lug would take the hit otherwise it’s relying on the action screws?
Here’s a pic of chamber lug grove, can even see bedding compound on front of grove where the clearance is, which I feel should be hard against the recoil lug...?
Attachment 105417

If there was a problem with the rifle as the way its beded or lose scope etc it would be consistently Inaccurate and wouldn't shoot a 1moa group one week and shoot like scattered buck shot the next.

My advice put it back together, torque the action down correctly. Don't use anything with copper remover to give it a clean, go shoot a box of ammo down range, go home clean it with solvent like carb cleaner. Keep doing that till you notice the groups starting to open up (probably after 150 rounds) once that happens your copper equilibrium is to much so youl have to really get stick in with your hoppes 9 and bore brush to clean it out. Now the accuracy and groups will be up the shit again till you have resettled the copper equalibrium again (my tikka took 20 rounds to Settle down). It is not necessary to clean the copper out after every hunt or trip to the range. You must be the only person with an Inaccurate tikka if this is not the case.

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Originally Posted by Dev

Yep nothing is touching barrel when using bipod or rest and is fully floating.
Have just inspected the recoil lug closely. The lug is 6mm thick and the lug grove on chamber is 6.14mm.
The .14mm Clarence is on the front of the lug which is where I would think needs to be hard up given the way it recoils.... stock try’s to stay put against shoulder and chamber/barrel moves back where the recoil lug would take the hit otherwise it’s relying on the action screws?
Here’s a pic of chamber lug grove, can even see bedding compound on front of grove where the clearance is, which I feel should be hard against the recoil lug...?
Attachment 105417

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That gunk on the front face of recoil lug groove looks like a problem to me. And suggests the bedding job might be source of your issues.
Can you get your hands on (borrow) another stock to try your action in? Preferably a B&C or carbon fibre stock. Your POI will change but groups should improve and settle down in consistency

Not being a tikka owner, it seems wierd that the recoil lug is not part of the action.

Looking at the photo's of your stock I think the problem may be that the forend of the stock is not stabilized. All plastic stocks that are pressure bedded in the factory should have the forend stabilized once they are free floated.
And yes clean the gunk from the recoil lug slot in the action, it is normal to have clearance between the lug and action.
To stabilize the forend you can either buy this product or use something like Devcon or JB Weld and maybe a bit of carbon fiber arrow shaft to really stiffen it up.
As a test tap the forend of the stock under the barrel with you hand, if you can here it hitting the barrel with only a light tap more than likely that's your problem and would explain the varied group size's.

Looking back it’s quite common for it to group 2 then I flyer which I’ve considered it to be, normally the first shot so assume it’s just the clean barrel or me, then sometimes it just sprays everything
I know the clearance in the recoil lug/action recess would be normal but really feel that the Clarence should be at the back of the lug, as when it recoils it would do bugger all..?

The barrel is fully floating and the stock doesn’t come close to touching the barrel, I would have thought a flexi stock could be more a problem if it was pressure bedded like factory?

I do have another stock there, will consider that when time allows.

2 shots close together and a flyer is usually a bedding issue. Take it to a good gunsmith for a second opinion

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Originally Posted by Dev

.....I know the clearance in the recoil lug/action recess would be normal but really feel that the Clarence should be at the back of the lug, as when it recoils it would do bugger all..?

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Yes, clearance is at the back and top of the lug. Full contact at the front i.e. needs to be square on to action slot. Check if there is movement between the barrel and stock when undoing the action screws, particularly the front one. A very small amount is usually acceptable but not anymore than that.

Sorry can't help you with this one on one as I live in the NI.

I may have brushed over a few comments, but firstly that lug looks like its set to low in the bedding. Suggestion: Try/borrow a different stock and see how you go? Individual round loads can also affect POI.

@Dev how are you getting on with this issue?

Cleaned out the broken bits of bedding compound and made sure the recoil lug is hard against the action recess this time as it should be.
Done one quick trip to the range with 4 rounds which grouped well.
Pretty confident it’s good to go now so have loaded more rounds up to re-check, hoping to get to range this week.
Will update....
Cheers

Bloody good one @Dev I hope it all goes well for you :thumbs:

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Originally Posted by Dev

Cleaned out the broken bits of bedding compound and made sure the recoil lug is hard against the action recess this time as it should be.
Done one quick trip to the range with 4 rounds which grouped well.
Pretty confident it’s good to go now so have loaded more rounds up to re-check, hoping to get to range this week.
Will update....
Cheers

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Awesome to hear


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Thanks to everyone who gave advice and all the good offers.
Was the bedding/recoil lug that gave me the dramas.
Tried the same loads again today and they punched though the same group as last week, tried some 200y shots and were bang on.

Looking back at results etc it all makes sense to me but never really considered it to be the bedding as it was bedded by a gunsmith...
However on the plus side After all this have learnt a fair bit about reloading and shooting the rifle.

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Originally Posted by Dev

I’m based in Christchurch.

Yea that’s the problem is how many variables there are and range access.
Don’t have another scope to try, my others are 25mm the vx3i is 30mm tube.
It has shot some good groups though but probably should look at trying another scope.
As far as cleaning, pretty sure I did give it a good copper clean with bore tech after that 3 shot group.

That’s half my problem now is I’ve gotten lost in my cleaning procedure etc.
IF I do get some time and love back for the rifle I think Im best to start from scratch with new projectiles and new brass.
Maybe give the barrel a good clean?
Ditch the TGK and try another projectile? AccuBonds or Berger’s?
Stick with the 2217?
My Hornady brass has 3 firings (necksized, no annealing)

Here’s a pic of bedding
Attachment 105399
Attachment 105400


Will also consider the factory ammo idea, started of with the factory loaded Hornady 154 sst and get really good consistent horizontal hits but they tend to be spread quite left/right.
Also Have a couple of offers from some good forum members so that’s looking like the best option

One thing from all this is I now feel real comfortable behind the rifle/recoil

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From the pics above it might just that letter S in the bedding that is sitting proudly as well as this round holes. Take a needle file and carefully sand them flush with the rest of the bedding. Sometimes it’s just those small things that throw the spanner in the works.