Calibre and Barrel Length Decision......

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Originally Posted by Shearer

I had assumed that if the rifle was decocked the spring was NOT under tension???
Hopefully someone will try it to see if it will actually happen.:)

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ok tried it today with a primed case spent just under an hour and couldn't get it to go off I would of nearly fuked my scope and rifle if I got rougher with it

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Originally Posted by JWB

It seems as though you have acquired a couple of bad habits and haven't thought through what is actually going on. Firstly, calling a trigger blocking lever a safety is where the head problem starts. A mechanical device is not a safety. If you think that a firearm is safe after engaging a mechanical block then you trust that it won't fire and will end up pointing it in all sorts of unlikely directions. The only safe rifle is an empty one that you treat as loaded at all times. The safety for a firearm is what is happening between a shooters ears.
A primer is a delicate explosive device, designed to be detonated by having the compound crushed between the anvil and the cup by the impact of the firing pin. A de-cocked firing pin spring is always under compression. De-cock your bolt when it's out of your rifle, then try pushing the firing pin back flush with the bolt face if you doubt this.
It is the inertia of the firing pin assembly that could allow it to travel away from the primer under the impact of a fall or being dropped, and return under spring pressure with enough force to set off the primer. Some firearm designs have a floating firing pin, some times held away from the primer by a light spring. These floating pins are in turn hit by a hammer which energises them. Your Tikka in not made this way. When you close your de-cocked bolt on a live round your firing pin is sitting on a live primer, under pressure, waiting for a jolt or knock to energise it.
Firearms safety is about good habits.

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Seems to me you comment is full of contradiction.
Mechanical safety's DO work. Try and fire my T3 with the safety engaged. I have known shooters to nearly straighten their trigger trying to shoot game with the safety on. Americans firearm manufacturers condone their safety devices and in the liability capital of the world, they would be stupid to make one that doesn't work. The only reason it will not work is if it is not engaged.
I am VERY conscious of where I point a firearm - loaded or not, and having (and using) a safety has not and does not alter that fact.
If it is not possible to push the firing pin back when a rifle is decocked, how is the inertia from a fall going to push it back enough to detonate the primer???
You are correct. Firearms safety is about good habits, not misguided paranoia.

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Originally Posted by Shearer

Seems to me you comment is full of contradiction.
Mechanical safety's DO work. Try and fire my T3 with the safety engaged. I have known shooters to nearly straighten their trigger trying to shoot game with the safety on. Americans firearm manufacturers condone their safety devices and in the liability capital of the world, they would be stupid to make one that doesn't work. The only reason it will not work is if it is not engaged.
I am VERY conscious of where I point a firearm - loaded or not, and having (and using) a safety has not and does not alter that fact.
If it is not possible to push the firing pin back when a rifle is decocked, how is the inertia from a fall going to push it back enough to detonate the primer???
You are correct. Firearms safety is about good habits, not misguided paranoia.

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Mechanical locks work when they leave the factory. They will work until they don't work. Murphy is a bastard! Take risks with your own safety by all means, but be considerate when among others.

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Originally Posted by JWB

Mechanical locks work when they leave the factory. They will work until they don't work. Murphy is a bastard! Take risks with your own safety by all means, but be considerate when among others.

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Thanks, I will. As I said in a previous post, when hunting with others I always have an empty chamber until I am ready to fire. This is not because I feel how I normally hunt is unsafe, rather it is for the other persons peace of mind. I would expect the same in return.

Interesting...I'm happy to resign that one to a theoretical high road. Thanks Northdude, I hope your scope reticles aren't shaking around loose after your testing.
How about the old chestnut of the "half cock" bolt position. Safe? I find that when moved down a little with the trigger pulled it will slam fire. I think this could inadvertently happen in the bush and would only use it in combo action with the safety on.

Combination

Should I stop using the hand brake on my car

As long as your car is pointed in safe direction ;-)

NZ is the only country in the world that uses a "half cock". Every where else in the world uses the safety.
To solve the issue just get a Blaser, the decocker does just that, decocks the firing pin.

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Originally Posted by stug

NZ is the only country in the world that uses a "half cock".

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And as most rifles fully cock on opening we cant even get the name right.

I've had some advice from more than one person that I should set aside my Sako obsession, and consider one of NZHunter's carbon stocked, T3 based builds. So interested (and appreciative) of any informed views on that?

You get the weight and performances of the sako at a much cheaper price.
Just start with a factory fluted tikka( cheapest weight/price, and cheaper than a carbon barrel or a barrel fluted afterward), get a carbon stock on it and you can get the bolt fluted if You want. Barrel cut at whatever suit your boat , suppressed eventually, and the rest of the money can go toward a very good scope and the amo.

If you already own a sako just get a carbon f stock for it

Talking of stocks........

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Originally Posted by Pengy

Talking of stocks........

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Not yet :)

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Originally Posted by Gibo

If you already own a sako just get a carbon f stock for it

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Yes, I have a handful of them, but none currently stainless.

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Originally Posted by Maxx

Yes, I have a handful of them, but none currently stainless.

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If you already have a few Sakos I doubt you will be happy with a Tikka....or maybe thats just me.

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Originally Posted by Maxx

Yes, I have a handful of them, but none currently stainless.

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Get a carbon stock and get the rifle coated for about $250. The coating is pretty hardy, better than blueing anyway. Why do you need it to be ss to get a carbon fibre?

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Originally Posted by Maxx

Yes, I have a handful of them, but none currently stainless.

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Search Tikka carbon stock on TM, and have a look. They're bloody nice in the flesh, send the barreled action to him and he'll bed it for you

B

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Originally Posted by Maxx

I am about to take the plunge and buy my first plastic and silver rifle. It will also be the first that has a suppressor.... It will be a Sako Finnlight, and all I now need to decide is whether to get a .260 or .308...and what will largely determine that is which will allow the barrel to be shortened while giving up the least performance? I already have a .260 and .308 so am familiar with them, but haven't bothered myself with the implications of chopping them in the past, hence this question. And I expect this rifle to do everything, from bush hunting to as far as it can reasonably reach.

Thanks in anticipation.

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There are better options IMO if you want to go Sako, than shortening a Finlite or an '85 Hunter.

This is THE nicest Sako I've handled, available in NZ and in .308. No need to chop, and easily threaded by removing the factory open sights and blanking the threaded holes that are exposed with grub screws.
Medium profile factory fluted barrel, nice soft touch stock, points beautifully.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y20...6119C2BB6B.jpg

A competent gunsmith should be able thread it without shortening it, and fit an 'invisible' thread protector that will allow you to refit the factory sights if you decide to sell it down the track.

I'm sure @10-Ring will chime in if you want load data etc.

B

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Originally Posted by Gibo

Get a carbon stock and get the rifle coated for about $250. The coating is pretty hardy, better than blueing anyway. Why do you need it to be ss to get a carbon fibre?

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Simple answer is I had assumed that coatings do not offer any additional protection to the bore, hence the inclination to go ss.

You are supposed to maintain your weapon...
The black bear from sako is very nice but might be a bit heavy for what you want to do?

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Originally Posted by Friwi

You are supposed to maintain your firearm...
The black bear from sako is very nice but might be a bit heavy for what you want to do?

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Its extremely easy to get rust in/on a chrome moly barrel/action whilst hunting in NZ for a few days :(

Specially when hunting in Stewart island...
How ever I got two customers sakos this week, a 222 L461 and an A2 in 243, both with original barrels and their bore where in immaculate conditions inside.

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Originally Posted by Kiwi Greg

Its extremely easy to get rust in/on a chrome moly barrel/action whilst hunting in NZ for a few days :(

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one of mine (and you know which one) rusts in the bloody gun safe and yet none of the other rifles / shotguns do

The bore on chrome moly barrels take a little extra effort, like a minute or two. In damp conditions just pull a lightly coated oil patch through the barrel before beddy byes and a clean patch through in the morning. Nothing that hunters haven't being doing for over a hundred years. Stainless will rust too but not as fast as CM. I've seen a few SS bores that were pitted; it's not the same stainless as the kitchen sink is made of.

Personally, I would never base the purchase of a rifle on whether it's stainless or not.

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Originally Posted by shift14

There are better options IMO if you want to go Sako, than shortening a Finlite or an '85 Hunter.

This is THE nicest Sako I've handled, available in NZ and in .308. No need to chop, and easily threaded by removing the factory open sights and blanking the threaded holes that are exposed with grub screws.
Medium profile factory fluted barrel, nice soft touch stock, points beautifully.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y20...6119C2BB6B.jpg

A competent gunsmith should be able thread it without shortening it, and fit an 'invisible' thread protector that will allow you to refit the factory sights if you decide to sell it down the track.

I'm sure @10-Ring will chime in if you want load data etc.

B

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I bought a Black Bear based on it's handling - preferred it to the Finnlight because of this. Super accurate too and so is a mate's one. A little heavier than a Finnlight but not a huge amount more.

I am rethinking my attitude to weight having recently gone from tikka to a Blaser. It's 500 g heavier (4.6kg v 4.1 all up). It's easier to shoot. Have yet to take it on an extended walk but was up and down some steep hills yesterday and can't say I really noticed a difference.