Breaking in new rifle

C.Smith · Feb 10, 2009

I'm wondering if I need to do the break in procedure with a brand new Tikka? I have to say during it's first cleaing that the bore felt a lot more smooth than my Savage was.

Corey

bullet · Feb 10, 2009

C.Smith":kv4q5b68 said:
I'm wondering if I need to do the break in procedure with a brand new Tikka? I have to say during it's first cleaing that the bore felt a lot more smooth than my Savage was.

Corey

The reason it felt smoother than your Savage is that the Savage is button rifled and your Tikka is hammer forged. The hammer forged barrel will many time be smoother but does not mean it is a more accurate barrel. Some times the stress in hammer forged barrel is different in different parts along the barrel. That is why you do not see hammer forged barrels winning precision matches. But the up take is that the hammer forged barrel will more than likely last longer than cut rifling or button rifling barrels.

Now to answer your question, I would not do anything but shoot that Tikka, and it being Hammer Forged will more than likely not need any kind of break in except go shoot it. You do not have to clean it every round. Go shoot it 10 to 20 times and clean it if you want but even then it might not be needed. Go shoot it and have fun.

Antelope_Sniper · Feb 10, 2009

Tikka triple stress relieves their barrels. That's one of the reasons they shoot so good.

The equipment to make a hammer forged barrel if VERY expensive, but can make barrels really fast. Sako even has a technology where they can forge the barrel, rifle it, and shape the chamber all in one process. Take about 6 seconds. Sako/Tikka/Beretta has been a real inovator in this area, and, consequently, imo makes one of the best hammer forged barrels. This type of a process is great for the mass manfacturing, but not great for making customer barrels.

C.Smith · Feb 10, 2009

Wow, I did not know any of that. Thanks for the additional information. I guess I will just work up some loads in it and go shoot it. Hopfully Thursday.

Corey

Antelope_Sniper · Feb 10, 2009

I suggest you start with this one:

140gr NBT
Win case
57gr H4831
CCI 200 primer.

Here's how it shoots in my wife's tikka:

C.Smith · Feb 11, 2009

I thought that was your wife's 270? I will probably end up using RL22 with a 165 grain AccuBond, since I have several hundred of them. I will use Nosler's very fine brass and I'm not sure what primer I will use, I have Federal GM215M (which I used in my savage, but I'm sure is over kill), CCI Benchrest primers or I have standar Federal magnum primers.

I might work up with the Federal GM215M and then when I find a safe load fire that same load only using the other two primers to see which one is the most acccurate.

Coery