Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Guns N Gear Tikka T3x problem

I bought a Roughtech Ranch 308 from Europtic last year. I put a scope on it, got it zeroed with Winchester factory ammo. It shot a 1 inch group at 100 yards with no problem and I shot it 12 - 15 times. Finally got the brass deprimed and cleaned. When I was inspecting it I found all the cases had rifling marks on the case mouth and some cases with cracks on the neck. I'm thinking headspace or other chamber issue. I got on a chat with customer service and they said to mail it to a service center in Missouri. I'll get my scope and rings off and put it in the mail next week, will see what they make of the problem.

Looks like intentional bullet crimp marks on the case mouth to me. Is the bolt hard to close? It would be crazy hard if the case neck was all the way into the rifling, plus you'd have several other problems. As for the cracks, crappy Winchester brass would be my first guess. Try some different ammo.

That was my first thought too, seen some LC 7.62 brass with crimps just like it. Was this ammunition older or new? I've had older winchester brass crack and split in 22-250 with just a few loadings. Probably not the worst the let them check it and make sure it's good.

You would have to stand on the bolt to close it if the brass neck was into the rifling. Not sure what the issue is. Bad factory chambers do happen, ive had a Winchester with a messed up chamber.

The bolt was not unusually hard to close. The ammo is from a case I bought years ago and has been used to sight in no less than 8 different 308s, and none of them had issues. I will try to go to the range and shoot a couple Norma and Federal before I send it back. I didn’t pay any attention to the fired brass before I deprimed so I don’t know if it had pressure problems. I would think if it was seating in the rifling when fired, it would bulge the primer.

could it have happened when you deprimed them..

Where is the cracking occurring on the case neck?

Is it splitting vertically or is it circumferential around the case neck?

If it is the latter I suspect the bullets have cold welded to the brass. This can happen with older ammo.

It’s vertical cracks, I’m down to one 308 right now or I would shoot the ammo in another gun. The same box of ammo did fine in my old Ruger a couple years ago.

The few Tikkas I’ve loaded for including my 7-08 all seem to have a little longer throat. I’d have to look at my notes but I know I can load bullets very long. Especially my buddies 6.5 Creedmoor.

all my t3x chambers are a little tighter than my older t3 chambers . my fire formed cases from my t3 wont chamber in the t3x chambers . not that this is in anyway your issue . could your rifling marks on the case just be blow back marks , if the throat is a bit longer that might cause that.

Pics of an unchambered, unfired round and a CHAMBERED, then unloaded unfired round (both at the case neck) would help. The throat should be free of rifling. Confirming the crimp style and any marks to the bullet itself will help. I’ve seen a lot of tight throats on other stuff over the years, that grab the bullet ogives on some rounds, even pulling them and dumping powder upon unloading in a few. Cleaning up these areas is often the issue. PO Ackley was the genius on barrel throating. You could load however long or short you wanted on much of his stuff.

I should have time tomorrow to do this and go to the range and shoot some different ammo. I’ll post what I find out.

You have 💩 brass and a perfectly good Tikka

This is the answer, although I've been reloading Winchester brass for years without any issues. I had some time to shoot some Norma, Hornady and miscellaneous Mill Spec, they were all fine, no split necks. I looked at the unfired ammo and the crimp on most of what I have left is not consistent in how far down the neck it comes. This is box 9 of a 10 box case I bought about 10 years ago, the last box is the same. I have reloaded most of the first 8 boxes and couldn't see any of the factory crimp on them. I guess this may be a different lot and when I sized them it took what little crimp they had out. I have a bag of 250 Winchester once fired brass that does not have this type of crimp on them, no idea what load it was. Here is a picture of the unfired compared to one of the fired split cases. Thanks for everyone's help, I'll cancel my service request with Beretta.