Tikka T3x Tac A1 question

This might be a stupid question / situation, but I still need an answer.

I have a Tikka T3x TAC A1 in .308. 20" barrel with a Sandman L can on it.

I've tried mounting two different optics on it, a Sig Tango6 4-18x and Nightforce 4-14x SHV F1.

Both of those optics came right off of two other precision builds where I had no problems with them.

The gun shoots and is grouping great, 1 MOA or better accuracy right out of the box with no break in... but its printing about 8"-12" high at 100 yards. .... and i can't adjust either optic's elevation turret to get it any lower. I've bottomed/ maxed them both out. (my zero stop is not the issue)

I was initially zeroing with a zero MOA cantilever mount before I found out the Tikka has a zero moa base by default. I reinstalled my scope into a 20 MOA base cantilever mount and I still have the same problem.

Shooting great groups but printing several inches high and I cant adjust elevation any further. Never had this problem before with a rifle.


Am I missing something or is there something else going on?

Thanks for any ideas.

Well for starters your 20 MOA mount is going to raise impact by 20 MOA…

So go back to a 0 MOA mount on your 0 MOA base.

Have you counted the optic's elevation clicks to determine that they have their full elevation at your disposal.

I'm still betting on the zero stops being the reason. A zero MOA base and zero MOA rings should put the POI nowhere near the bottom of the travel.

True.

Take the elevation turret cap off and adjust the zero stop all the way to the top.

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Originally Posted by Coal Dragger

Well for starters your 20 MOA mount is going to raise impact by 20 MOA…

So go back to a 0 MOA mount on your 0 MOA base.

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Yep you right, Im gonna do that.

as for the zero stop comments,

the Nightforce SHV doesnt have a zero stop, it just lets you loosen the cap to re set it to zero,
The Sig Tango 6 does and the zero stop is not engaged although after watching a few videos on it im wondering if mine is broken.

I switched back to the 0 MOA mount and remounted it again and ill try again. If its the same results I might contact Sig.

Thanks all.

Good luck.

The SHV does have a zero stop function. I have a 4-14 F1 on a rifle. It's not as precise as the Zero stop on the NXS/NX8 but it works.

Uninstall and reinstall to make sure everything is set properly. It sounds like the base is not set correctly to the rail.

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Originally Posted by dmd08

The SHV does have a zero stop function. I have a 4-14 F1 on a rifle. It's not as precise as the Zero stop on the NXS/NX8 but it works.

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The SHV has a zero set, which is a little bit different than the Nightforce Zero Stop (what the ATACR series has).

Maybe its semantics but its two different systems but thats how NF refers to it as.

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Originally Posted by MegademiC

Uninstall and reinstall to make sure everything is set properly. It sounds like the base is not set correctly to the rail.

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Done that 3 times, same problem. (and its torqued properly).

Ive re-centered the topic to where its mechanical center should be for elevation and windage. One by taking the max adjustment range and dividing by 2 and also by using the mirror trick. So my zero stops are def. not engaged when I was bottomed out. Im beginning to wonder if something is messed with the rifle top receiver rail or something maybe. Now that ive used two different scopes and several different mounts. Still shoots great, just consistently high.

Is it possible for the top rail to be installed backwards?

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Originally Posted by georgeib

Is it possible for the top rail to be installed backwards?

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No, the top rail can only go on one way from the factory due to the screw hole placements and the cut out for what looks like a barrel nut type of thing (not the right term but for the point of conversation). The receiver rail where u mount the optic base is about 0.5mm higher than the rail on the handguard though. Not sure if its supposed to be flush but it is very slightly higher.

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Originally Posted by TACAV

No, the top rail can only go on one way from the factory due to the screw hole placements and the cut out for what looks like a barrel nut type of thing (not the right term but for the point of conversation). The receiver rail where u mount the optic base is about 0.5mm higher than the rail on the handguard though. Not sure if its supposed to be flush but it is very slightly higher.

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Maybe call Tikka and see what they say at this point.

Do you have a way of posting a picture showing where the optic base is barely higher than the handguard? I know it might be challenging to capture that in a photo.

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Originally Posted by georgeib

Maybe call Tikka and see what they say at this point.

Do you have a way of posting a picture showing where the optic base is barely higher than the handguard? I know it might be challenging to capture that in a photo.

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Attachment 71436

Are you the same guy who posted a problem on arfcom a problem with his Tikka taca1? Maybe they are related..

https://www.ar15.com/forums/Precisio...-Help/3-13302/

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Originally Posted by TACAV

Attachment 71436

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Just to be sure, you're not attaching the scope mount between the handguard and the top of the receiver, right? The scope should be mounted to the receiver only.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by georgeib

Just to be sure, you're not attaching the scope mount between the handguard and the top of the receiver, right? The scope should be mounted to the receiver only.

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Correct its not touching the handguard.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by INMY01TA

Are you the same guy who posted a problem on arfcom a problem with his Tikka taca1? Maybe they are related..

https://www.ar15.com/forums/Precisio...-Help/3-13302/

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Nope not me.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TACAV

Nope not me.

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Any news from Tikka?

Make sure there is a gap between the front of the rail and the rear of the handguard. There is no specific spec for how wide of a gap, but there needs to be a gap. Filing the front of the scope mount until there is is the way to do it.

If there isn't a gap, the scope rail and fore end rail can wedge together and lift the front of the scope rail.

MJN1957

Im thinking that amount of deflection would be visually obvious if you know what you're looking at, and actually evaluating the setup.

Have you tried a different scope/sight?
Maybe throw something on there just to see if it points to anything.

I agree, time to send to/call tikka

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MegademiC

Im thinking that amount of deflection would be visually obvious if you know what you're looking at, and actually evaluating the setup.

Have you tried a different scope/sight?
Maybe throw something on there just to see if it points to anything.

I agree, time to send to/call tikka

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Yes I used my Sig Tango 6 (4-18x) and my Nightforce SHV 4-14 in 3 different mounts. I actually sent the sig Tango 6 back to Sigs optics in Washington State so they could look at the zero stop on that one just to be sure so Im waiting to get that back.

If it comes back and im still getting the same issue after remounting it Im calling Tikka.

I've never had this problem before with a scoped precision rifle.

On the precision rifle side, I have a decent amount of experience with a Gen 2 Ruger Precision Rifle, a Rem 700 LTR, a Bergara B14 HMR and a Sig 716 DMR Gen 2. All good experiences. The Remington is by far the crappiest rifle regarding the factory trigger (and the general limitations of the platform) but its still a tack driver.

Sell all of them and buy an AI. Problem solved.

.....

Problem solved.

The keymo suppressor mount was misaligned when the gunsmith put it on. Not enough to cause a baffle or endcap strike but enough to cause the problems I was getting. Got it fixed. Took it to the range today. Everything shot great with the suppressor.

Sweet!

Thanks for the update. Glad you got it worked out.