Tikka M55 bolt disassembly and reassembly

[Tikkafan]

Hi Everyone,
I want to disassemble the bolt on one of my Tikka m55’s and was wondering if anyone could explain to me how to go about it and also if there any exploded views of the bolt available as I haven’t been able to do so?
Thanks
Tf

[No1Mk3]

Do you really NEED to? Or is this just a fancy to see and clean? I ask because it is easy to disassemble but not so easy to reassemble, requiring the firing pin spring to be compressed and then turned after compression. If you actually need to do this then look up Ithaca LSA 65 bolt disassembly, the tool to reassemble can be made simply from a block of hardwood with a hole for the cocking piece and a slot for the sear (looks like a keyhole) and you assemble the bolt upside down ie: cocking piece in the hole with firing pin pointing up, push body down over the assembly and twist. There were instructions on the sakocollectors forum a few years back. I will post an exploded view of the rifle shortly, take me a few minutes to find it.

[No1Mk3]

Book.JPG (471.3 KiB) Viewed 272 times

Ithaca.JPG (524.21 KiB) Viewed 272 times

Ithaca, and book it came from.

[Wapiti]

If you have access to a vice mate, and have a good look-see first, you'll find it's easy. I did anyway.

It was for a mate's M55, I had a look around the internet and YouTube and couldn't find anything that helped me.
Once you've done it, you'll see what I mean, you need three hands. Hence the vice, the way I worked it out at least.
There might be some tool that helps. I know with the Sako's of the last 10 years at least, they give you a tool to do it in the box when new.

[Tikkafan]

Thanks for the info, I made a tool for it and opened it up. I now have it back together after a bit of mucking around. I now see what you mean with the firing pin. This rifle is on its 3rd barrel. I bought it in 1982 after I sold a heavy barrelled Sako that I spent a year on and couldn’t get it to group. The Tikka shot well straight out of the box and exceptionally after a bit of development so much so I have 4 and have never considered a Sako since.

[Fester]

Even the std modern Tikka bolt s**ts me, not remembering the tricks or which way to hold my tongue when re-assembling.

Jason Selmes, the first Aussie hunting podcaster, did a great short vid on the procedure that I will watch before I pull that bolt down again.
I don't do them often, so never remember the tricks.

[Wapiti]

Thanks for the info, I made a tool for it and opened it up. I now have it back together after a bit of mucking around. I now see what you mean with the firing pin. This rifle is on its 3rd barrel. I bought it in 1982 after I sold a heavy barrelled Sako that I spent a year on and couldn’t get it to group. The Tikka shot well straight out of the box and exceptionally after a bit of development so much so I have 4 and have never considered a Sako since.

Geeze mate, hope you've got your safety glasses on. That axe grinding is sure throwing a lot sparks, maybe you're sharpening your tools different from me.
I never knew the Sako factory made their economy rifles more accurate than their premium lines. With barrels off the same hammer-forging machines.

[Tikkafan]

Didn’t come to stir s**t or grind any axes , just information.
I think you may find Sako had nothing to do with Tikka until they bought them out in 1983 or 4 from memory. Maybe I’m wrong

[/quote]
Geeze mate, hope you've got your safety glasses on. That axe grinding is sure throwing a lot sparks, maybe you're sharpening your tools different from me.
I never knew the Sako factory made their economy rifles more accurate than their premium lines. With barrels off the same hammer-forging machines.[/quote]

[GQshayne]

Yep, originally they were competitors. My rilfes were made in the early days too, both from the 1970's.

[No1Mk3]

Didn’t come to stir s**t or grind any axes , just information.
I think you may find Sako had nothing to do with Tikka until they bought them out in 1983 or 4 from memory. Maybe I’m wrong

Geeze mate, hope you've got your safety glasses on. That axe grinding is sure throwing a lot sparks, maybe you're sharpening your tools different from me.
I never knew the Sako factory made their economy rifles more accurate than their premium lines. With barrels off the same hammer-forging machines.[/quote][/quote]

Sako did not buy out Tikka, both companies were owned by Nokia who bought Sako in 1967 and Tikka in 1974 and then merged the businesses in 1983, which still operated seperate facilities until 1989 when all production moved to Riihimaki. Valmet was merged with Sako in 1987.