Tikka feeding jams with Ballistic Tips

[hiyoh]

Hi Guys,

A mate of mine has a Tikka T3 in .308 and is having some problems feeding it at times.

He's using Nosler Ballistic Tips, not sure if he's tried others but that's what he wants to shoot so...

Anyway it shoots fine and ejects fine, when he pushes the new round forward though sometimes the bullet goes into the back of the barrel instead of the throat and is jammed between the bolt and the barrel.

He has to back to bolt back a bit to release it then it will chamber fine on the second forward push.

Is that normal? Is he doing something wrong or does the rifle maybe have a problem? It's new.

Thanks.

[petemacsydney]

I've got a T3 in 308 and haven't had any issues, but its only had about 400 rounds through it.

Might be worth checking his total overall cartridge length (in case its not coming out of the cartridge smoothly), other than that, I don't know what it could be

Sorry I couldn't be more helpful...

[Chronos]

What cartridge is it chambered for?

Is he using factory ammo?

How many rounds have the mags fired?

I'm sure I know what the issue is, let me know the answers to the above

[Lorgar]

I can make my 7mm-08 Tikka to do this if I work the bolt forward too fast.

(FYI standard COAL for 7mm-08 is 2.800" and mine are set to 2.820" so that could be factor too. But I suspect this may be the case anyway.)

If you get your friend to watch slowly how the cartridge is loaded from the mag he'll see the following:

While the cartridge is coming out of the magazine it's held firm by contact between the magazine brass and the base of the action with the bullet. The tip of the bullet doesn't go into the throat of the barrel before this control is released.

The bullet comes forward pointing upwards while the rear of the brass is still held in the magazine, it then pops out of the magazine and levels out and there is a small window where the cartridge moves freely inside the action, then the bolt pushes it forward into the throat and everything closes together.

If I push the bolt forward fast though, I catch the cartridge between the bolt and the barrel before it's "levelled out" in the action.

I does have to be quite fast though, doesn't happen with what I'd calling 'regular' loading and shoot, and as mentioned my cartridges are a fraction over standard length so that could be playing a part. I'd suggest first thing is try slowing his forward motion down by a fraction.

See what impact that has on the problem or if it eliminates it.

[RDobber]

I shoot a 300 Win Mag not a .308, but haven't had this problem either.

[hiyoh]

Pete Mac,

His is only new too. I don't know the exact number but he would have only put about 50 rounds or something through it or something. Definitely not hundreds anyway.

Pretty sure for his OAL he just did it as long as they could be while fitting and feeding smoothly out of the mag. Dunno what this number is but he did test feeding a few through and seemed consistent at the time.

It's all helpful, if other people aren't having the problem that's still good info

[hiyoh]

Chronos,

Answers to your questions...

1) .308

2) Using hand loads, not factory ammo.

3) Fired 50 or so. In setting his OAL he's put through a bunch more without firing... Maybe 100-150 uses of the mag?

Thanks.

[hiyoh]

I'll get him to go through that process, Lorgar.

Thanks.

Any other info from people appreciated in the mean time too

[petemacsydney]

I use a COAL of 2.805" and she works nicely.

[Lorgar]

So does mine at 2.820" really.

Like I said I have to be intentionally moving it fast to induce the problem. At casual speed it's not a problem.

No rush at the range.

Hunting you only get 1 more reload and shot after the initial one in the pipe. Better to be smooth and controlled there instead of a fraction faster anyway.

[Chronos]

Ok, this has me stuffed.

I have a tikka in 7-08. I have loaded 120gr nosler balistic tips,150,168 and 175 gr HPBT bullets, 140,150 soft points and 162gr Amax and all fed from the magazine fine. Slow and deliberate like on the bench or rapib bolt cycling in highpower matches it didn't matter.

I was thinking the feed lips on the plastic mag could have been by sharp extractor grooves on factory ammo but you say the rifle hasn't done much work. This would more likely cause failure to load as the round sits tip up in the mag causing the bolt to skip over the round

Hope he gets it sorted

Chronos

[Lorgar]

I was thinking the feed lips on the plastic mag could have been by sharp extractor grooves on factory ammo but you say the rifle hasn't done much work.

You've actually got me wondering now... Mine was doing it from day one, but I also did my first loads and was mucking round with the seating depth straight out of the box.

You've half got me convinced I'm remembering it wrong and it only happened when I had the COAL too long while toying with hand loads.

It's loaded perfectly since when going at normal speed, but I wonder if I haven't been doing it for now reason now...

I'm going to have to have a look at it tonight and make sure I'm remembering correctly

I will test tonight and report back.

[Westy]

Could just be another piece of Tikka s**t???? Happens I had a 6.5x55 that was plain crap from the factory,we tried everything and in the end they said it was just plain old me not able to shoot????Funny how they gave me a brand New Rifle and a 100 rounds of ammo to shut me up.till now!!!!

[Chronos]

Could just be another piece of Tikka s**t???? Happens I had a 6.5x55 that was plain crap from the factory,we tried everything and in the end they said it was just plain old me not able to shoot????Funny how they gave me a brand New Rifle and a 100 rounds of ammo to shut me up.till now!!!!

and did the new one shoot?

Chronos

[Lorgar]

So after all that... I couldn't get it to happen again

Same cartridges, same coal, same everything. I have a couple of dummies loaded up and cycled them through literally as fast as I could and no jam.

I can only assume the initial problem was some breaking-in issues of the magazine then.

Hiyoh, I guess I'd tell your friend to just keep shooting a bit longer and see if the jamming clears up.

Apparently mine has...

[Chronos]

So after all that... I couldn't get it to happen again

Same cartridges, same coal, same everything. I have a couple of dummies loaded up and cycled them through literally as fast as I could and no jam.

I can only assume the initial problem was some breaking-in issues of the magazine then.

Hiyoh, I guess I'd tell your friend to just keep shooting a bit longer and see if the jamming clears up.

Apparently mine has...

one thing that crossed my mind is that there may have been some issue with either the action seating in the stock or the magazine retaining spring

it's common for owners to remove the the action from the stock and when replacing it fail to seat the action correctly over the recoil lug, it's my opinion that this is where 90% of recoil lug damage happens. it's possible this could also cause magazine misalignment leading to feeding problems

the other thing is that the spring on the front of the trigger assembly is held with one screw (trigger mounting screw) and can turn slightly as the trigger screw is tightened. i've had this cause problems seating the magazine until i identified it and now it's the last thing i check before the action goes back in the stock

in this pic from an article i posted on another forum on the Yodave trigger spring swap. you can see the flat stainless spring on the front of the trigger that puts forward pressure on the magazine

Chronos

[Westy]

and did the new one shoot?

No, but I just keep it for s**ts and giggles!!!

Of course it shot just like a Tikka should 1/2 Moa with some tweaking and working up a load or 3

Can't complain about Tikka's warranty plan although it did take some convincing it was Buggered

[grainweight]

Can't complain about Tikka's warranty plan although it did take some convincing it was Buggered

I suppose they have there share of people with bad loads or who can't shoot come back and blame the rifle...

[hiyoh]

Chronos,

I don't know if he's actually taken it out of the stock yet. I'll pass it along and see if the info is relevant.

Thanks again.

[Chronos]

I suppose they have there share of people with bad loads or who can't shoot come back and blame the rifle...

That's possible but for a tikka it would be a simple process of beretta taking the rifle back, striping it to check a few things, putting it back together and throwing a scope on it and putting a box of Sako ammo through it. If it don't shoot sub 1" replace it. Should be that simple and in Euroe or America it would be but not in Australia with our poor customer service culture

Chronos

[Westy]

That's possible but for a tikka it would be a simple process of beretta taking the rifle back, striping it to check a few things, putting it back together and throwing a scope on it and putting a box of Sako ammo through it. If it don't shoot sub 1" replace it. Should be that simple and in Euroe or America it would be but not in Australia with our poor customer service culture

x 2 After living in the U.S it was sad to see how little Ozzy Retailers and Wholesalers care for their paying customers ,this is by no way contained just to the firearm industry!!!!

[Lorgar]

one thing that crossed my mind is that there may have been some issue with either the action seating in the stock or the magazine retaining spring

it's common for owners to remove the the action from the stock and when replacing it fail to seat the action correctly over the recoil lug, it's my opinion that this is where 90% of recoil lug damage happens. it's possible this could also cause magazine misalignment leading to feeding problems

I can't speak for hiyoh's setup, but I can tell you my action has definitely not been removed from the stock between the feeding glitch and now feeding flawlessly.

My rifles only for hunting to as you know so doesn't get a lot of shooting. Was something like 50-60 shots from 'problem' to 'fixed'.

Dunno... I'm stuck for suggestions as well.

Will keep my eye on it in the future as I strip/rebuild/shoot the rifle and if anything comes of it I guess.

[Arth]

x 2 After living in the U.S it was sad to see how little Ozzy Retailers and Wholesalers care for their paying customers ,this is by no way contained just to the firearm industry!!!!

It's not exclusive to shooting, but it is made worse by our licensing systems and the resulting limited shooting industry I think.

If the guy at the shoe store gives you s**t service, you go to any of the other 10 shoe stores in the centre.

If your local firearms dealer gives you s**t service, there may not be another store for an hour or more away and you'll just put up with it.

Too many guys are complacent with service due to this IMO.

[Weepy]

If your local firearms dealer gives you s**t service, there may not be another store for an hour or more away and you'll just put up with it.

4-5 hours away if you're in the sticks