Tikka in Bell & Carlson Stock issues

Recently I bought a Tikka 7mm Rem Mag with muzzle brake which came with a Bell & Carlson stock.

I topped the rifle off with a VX-5 3-15 which is by all accounts so far a great scope in Sako optilocks.

Over the past few weeks I’ve run some range tests with various loads… privi brass, 162 gr A-Max, RE26 powder but results have been inconsistent, one load would be 1 1/2 inches where I’d try the load another day and it would be 4 inches.

I have the rounds at recommended COAL of 3.29 inch

I did run some loads at magazine length but groupings were worse.

Last night I stripped the rifle & retightened everything.

I thought I’d post up a thread here before I shoot off too many components as some brighter spark might have the answer.

I’m thinking of running another couple of loads through the rifle after reassembling the rifle.

Or… should I look at getting the rifle bedded?

Thoughts?

I have a 30 06 which I put into a Bell and Carlson Alaskan 11 stock, it came with an inbuilt aluminum bedding block
It was a BDL so original stock was wood and as a near 50 yr old BDL which was Remington's flagship model it was put together pretty well.
I never shot it in the new stock without bedding and used a compound called Acraglas, a Brownells product , available, or was, from Steve's wholesale to bed the action and first 2 inches of barrel.
It worked pretty well as I'm satisfied with the accuracy.
And, I'm a bit fussy about that.:)

You & I are like minded as we’re both fussy on accuracy 👍

The stock I have also has the aluminium bedding block

I brought a 2nd hand Weatherby Fibreguard years ago that had a B&C stock and it shot like crap. Previous owner had sanded out the pressure point bumps at end of barrel channel to free float it but hadnt bedded it. I got it bedded and it was a great shooter after that.

How does the rifle shoots with good factory ammo?( Sako ammo, federal or hornady precision hunter)
Has the brake, thread and crown being done properly? Have you properly cleaned the barrel with copper/ carbon remover?
Most tikkas bolted in those bell and Carlson stocks tend to shoot to their full potential . You should not need to bed it .

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Originally Posted by Friwi

How does the rifle shoots with good factory ammo?( Sako ammo, federal or hornady precision hunter)
Has the brake, thread and crown being done properly? Have you properly cleaned the barrel with copper/ carbon remover?
Most tikkas bolted in those bell and Carlson stocks tend to shoot to their full potential . You should not need to bed it .

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I have only tried a packet of 145 gr privi factory ammo which shot 2 inch groups so it wasn't good. Brake, threading all done by gun works and rifle is cleaned in the same manner as my other tikkas.

Like you i would have figured it would shoot fine once screwed into a carlson stock especially with an aluminium bedding block.

I do have a spare tikka plastic stock i might also try in the interim :thumbsup:

Don’t over torque the screws on the plastic stock. No more that 1/10 th of a turn once you come to a stop. And see how she goes.

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Originally Posted by Seventenths

You & I are like minded as we’re both fussy on accuracy 👍

The stock I have also has the aluminium bedding block

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Just because it has the bedding block it doesn't mean it wont benefit from bedding. It will still need a skim bed. Have a read and follow Nathan Fosters instructions and it will shoot like a demon.

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Originally Posted by Friwi

Don’t over torque the screws on the plastic stock. No more that 1/10 th of a turn once you come to a stop. And see how she goes.

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Good advice. 35 inch pounds is the recommended torque setting.