Need direction on a barrel swap

[pharmseller]

A decade ago I bought my first Tikka in .223 Rem. Not my first Tikka, mind you. She's a T3 Lite stainless with a 1-10" twist. Screaming accurate with just about anything 64 grains and under. My son named her Blue Lightning. I'm more interested in shooting the heavies these days, primarily 75 gr ELDM, which she doesn't stabilize well.

Instead of buying a new Tikka in 1-8", I'm thinking about buying a new barrel and paying a gunsmith to make the swap. Has anyone done this? Looking for advice.




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[Certaindeaf]

Didn't really read the whole thread but probably counter-clockwise.










Lool!

 

[pharmseller]

There's always one window-licker…

 

[Greenbug]

If you have a good shooting rifle, why mess with it? Just go buy another rifle in the appropriate twist rate for the bullets you want to shoot, you will probably save money, and definitely time. $600+ for a good barrel blank and another $500 for the gunsmith bill, seems like $1100 is a great start towards a new rifle.

 

[NeoBlackdog]

If it was me and I had the money to replace the barrel and all that mess... I'd put another gun in the safe.

 

[orygun]

A decade ago I bought my first Tikka in .223 Rem. Not my first Tikka, mind you. She's a T3 Lite stainless with a 1-10" twist. Screaming accurate with just about anything 64 grains and under. My son named her Blue Lightning. I'm more interested in shooting the heavies these days, primarily 75 gr ELDM, which she doesn't stabilize well.

Instead of buying a new Tikka in 1-8", I'm thinking about buying a new barrel and paying a gunsmith to make the swap. Has anyone done this? Looking for advice.




P

Personally I would call @Velzey and get his thoughts and price the work you want done.
But I have to agree with the other two posters. It's probably more cost effective to buy another rifle, selling the one you have if you want to offset costs.

 

[Member 66129]

If you are set on replacing the barrel I would look at the tikka prefits from Oregon mountain rifles. It is a pretty simple swap that you would be able to do yourself or you can send it into them for 150 bucks. It will be a far better barrel than the one that comes with the rifle, but it is only marginally cheaper than buying another rifle altogether.

 

[pharmseller]

I know I could sell Blue Lightning, but she was my second Tikka and I've probably shot her more than any other rifle, ever. I'm letting emotion get in the way.




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[orygun]

I'm letting emotion get in the way.




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That's a common problem and the reason behind why our house contains way too much "stuff"
.
In response to that, I say buy another rifle and let Blue Lightning do what it already does best.

 

[Kruel J]

I know I could sell Blue Lightning, but she was my second Tikka and I've probably shot her more than any other rifle, ever. I'm letting emotion get in the way.




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Just buy another one. Tikka makes plenty.

 

[Pepe-lepew]

Probably a wash or cheaper to buy a new rifle if you not looking for a custom chamber in 223.

Cheaper options is try pushing the eldm's harder to increase spin rate, go to a different bullet or change to the AR platform and get a good quality service rifle barrel in 6.5 to 7.5 twist.

 

[NeoBlackdog]

try pushing the eldm's harder to increase spin rate

What you talkin' 'bout, Willis? Pushin' 'em faster won't make them spin at a faster rate, they'll still only do 1 rotation every 10 inches, they'll just cover that 10" a little quicker.

 

[Certaindeaf]

There's always one window-licker…

There's always one sad toad.

 

[Koda]

I know I could sell Blue Lightning, but she was my second Tikka and I've probably shot her more than any other rifle, ever. I'm letting emotion get in the way.




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Then get it rebarreled.
It will be more expensive and takes time waiting but its far better than having a favorite sit in the safe doing nothing. With a new barrel in the new twist you will shoot it far more than a different rifle. The new barrel you can select and will be higher quality than a factory bbl.
Its what I did...

 

[awags_86]

I loathe that rifle manufacturers dont spin ALL barrels to accept modern bullets. You can still shoot the old standby loads that many have no doubt shot for years and know nothing about barrel twist but you pick up a whole new crowd of shooters that want high BC.

Bought a tikka 22-250 this year with an 8 twist. It shoots 50, 55, 62, 69, 75, and 77 grainers with boring consistency. I feel like I'm cheating with 75 eldm though.

 

[pharmseller]

Probably a wash or cheaper to buy a new rifle if you not looking for a custom chamber in 223.

Cheaper options is try pushing the eldm's harder to increase spin rate, go to a different bullet or change to the AR platform and get a good quality service rifle barrel in 6.5 to 7.5 twist.

Pepe,
Read the original post. She's screaming accurate with just about anything 64 gr and under.

Neo is right, 1-10" isn't an option for the bullet I want.

 

[pharmseller]

There's always one sad toad.

Old GF tried to nickname me Toad, it didn't stick.




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[Kruel J]

If I had a rifle fondly named "Blue Lightning" I think I would just leave it unmolested and buy another rifle. You would probably do OK financially taking that route as well.

 

[pharmseller]

If I had a rifle fondly named "Blue Lightning" I think I would just leave it unmolested and buy another rifle. You would probably do OK financially taking that route as well.

You're right, anyone who counsels buying a new rifle is always right, BUT…

If anything, I'm trying to go the other way on my rifle inventory. Heresy, I know, but after losing my dad 4 years ago I realized how little I really need. If I have rifles that I haven't fired in years, why keep them? There's some guy out there who would shoot the heck out of my safe queens.

And before you say shoot more, I already do, just with different loads.





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[awags_86]

Tikka prefit, barrel vice, torque wrench, and YouTube. It can be done at home!