baldie Posted October 9, 2019 Report Share Posted October 9, 2019 This week's Tikka is a 595. It came in for a re barrel in .204 Ruger. The blank is a Sassen 1-10" twist, which have always been exceptional in .20 cal....they just plain shoot. Its a varmint contour with the usual muzzle thread and cap fitted, 11 degree crown. The action was decidedly shabby, so that got bead blasted , along with the barrel, and came up like new. Its a great finish, is bead blast. A wipe over with oil, and it always looks like new. The trigger was completely stripped, and all internals polished. Re sprung, it now breaks at 1.5 lbs. The customer had picked up a GRS stock for it, so I made a new recoil lug, which incorporates the front pillar. A far better, more rigid way of doing the job I think. All in all, a very nice old warrior, which should give many more years of service, turning crows into something out of a Goth wedding....😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronin Posted October 9, 2019 Report Share Posted October 9, 2019 Nice job Dave I have workshop envy 😎 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One on top of two Posted October 9, 2019 Report Share Posted October 9, 2019 The tikka tuna ! loving your work ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Re-Pete Posted October 9, 2019 Report Share Posted October 9, 2019 So was it blued beforehand, or is the action stainless steel? Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baldie Posted October 10, 2019 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2019 Who would bead blast a chrome moly action ? Its stainless Pete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Re-Pete Posted October 10, 2019 Report Share Posted October 10, 2019 I've had a chrome-moly barrel that'd been stripped and polished. No sign of rust after years. The only maintenance needed was an occasional oily rag. The action on my Musgrave is the same. I just pop it out of the stock from time to time to check the underside. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baldie Posted October 10, 2019 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2019 I wouldn't trust Tikka's chrome moly not to rust. Their stainless does....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malcolm Posted October 12, 2019 Report Share Posted October 12, 2019 WOW what a great surprise, its my rifle and I am absolutely delighted with it. What a transformation ( I cant get over the shock of seeing it ) Dave has worked his magic again.Now comes the good part of working out a load for it so I can give the foxes and long distance crows a run for their money.Thank you ever so much Dave, I will phone you Monday. What a great surprise to start the W/end Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clover Posted October 14, 2019 Report Share Posted October 14, 2019 Love that - looks grand. Nice work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malcolm Posted October 23, 2019 Report Share Posted October 23, 2019 Had to wait until yesterday to get a new set of picatinney rail scope rings to enable me to fit the scope and zero the rifle. Bore sighted the rifle and away to the field ( with no stock in it ) and set up the target at about thirty yards just to get the shots on the paper, four shots later and we were ready for 100 yrds. I decided on Nosler ( the brass is better for reloading ) 40grn and was delighted with the outcome three rounds in the bull and all were touching,the group was about 4mm. I tried some home loads that I had lying around, they were quite good but require a little fine tuning. My confidence was sky high now and decided to put out a metal gong ( bought off here) at about 250 yrds, what a thrill to hear the bang and see it swinging on the chains.To say that I am delighted with the rifle in an understatement, it is a joy to shoot ,the bolt is silky smooth, the trigger breaks like glass. If I can find a night vision scope that suits this rifle I will be like a dog with two tails. Thanks very much Dave . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCS1993 Posted October 23, 2019 Report Share Posted October 23, 2019 Looks a cracking set up Malcolm , glad to see the stock has been put to good use Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob57 Posted October 23, 2019 Report Share Posted October 23, 2019 A Thermion XM50 would look perfect on there, good that you had it re barreled in a great caliber too😃 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elliott Posted October 31, 2019 Report Share Posted October 31, 2019 Great calibre. How long is the barrel, if you don't mind me asking? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malcolm Posted October 31, 2019 Report Share Posted October 31, 2019 Hi Elliot sorry I didn't reply sooner, I was out with the rifle ( another dog fox ) it really is a joy to shoot. Anyway the barrel is a varmint barrel at 26 inch's long.To be fair it may be a bit long for some folk but I am too old to walk across the fields at night. I have several huts placed around the farm, one on wheels which can be towed to where it is needed using the quad bike and I let the foxes come to me.Using a thermal spotter and a pvs14 the system is very productive we didn't loose any lambs due to fox predation last year. This year I may look at a digital night vision for the 204 and keep the pvs 14 for the shorter 223 it would probably be handier. Regards Malcolm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob57 Posted October 31, 2019 Report Share Posted October 31, 2019 If you're going digital Malcolm the drone (env10) is just great on a .204 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malcolm Posted October 31, 2019 Report Share Posted October 31, 2019 Maybe you can advise me I looked on the Optical Solutions website and the env10 and env15 have been removed as being no longer for sale,I do hope that he hasn't gone the same way as the company in Ireland, I forget the chaps name Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elliott Posted October 31, 2019 Report Share Posted October 31, 2019 1 hour ago, malcolm said: Hi Elliot sorry I didn't reply sooner, I was out with the rifle ( another dog fox ) it really is a joy to shoot. Anyway the barrel is a varmint barrel at 26 inch's long.To be fair it may be a bit long for some folk but I am too old to walk across the fields at night. I have several huts placed around the farm, one on wheels which can be towed to where it is needed using the quad bike and I let the foxes come to me.Using a thermal spotter and a pvs14 the system is very productive we didn't loose any lambs due to fox predation last year. This year I may look at a digital night vision for the 204 and keep the pvs 14 for the shorter 223 it would probably be handier. Regards Malcolm Well done, Malcolm. Top job! Sounds like you've got a great setup there. 26" barrel sounds just about perfect to me. I'm running a 25" barrel in the CZ527 204. Love the look of that rifle though, Malcolm. I bet it's an absolute tack driver and should spit out 39gr Blitzkings at a good speed. It's left me wondering what magic could be done to my CZ. Not sure they use them much for custom work, though? Be nice to get the action trued up, trigger polished, custom barrel and bedded into an adjustable stock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob57 Posted October 31, 2019 Report Share Posted October 31, 2019 47 minutes ago, malcolm said: Maybe you can advise me I looked on the Optical Solutions website and the env10 and env15 have been removed as being no longer for sale,I do hope that he hasn't gone the same way as the irish guy I forget his name That's a shame if they have stopped selling them, I've not heard anything yet!! Have you looked at the digiceptor from night vision store, supposed to be a very good n/v unit too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob57 Posted October 31, 2019 Report Share Posted October 31, 2019 As you have a standard piccatiny rail allready fitted the digiceptor would fit straight on to that, the drone really needs a rear extended rail, so no need to change pic rail with the digiceptor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob57 Posted November 1, 2019 Report Share Posted November 1, 2019 23 hours ago, malcolm said: Maybe you can advise me I looked on the Optical Solutions website and the env10 and env15 have been removed as being no longer for sale,I do hope that he hasn't gone the same way as the company in Ireland, I forget the chaps name Good news, cliff ray who sells the env10 and 15 has said they will be back online for sale soon😃 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malcolm Posted November 2, 2019 Report Share Posted November 2, 2019 Thanks for the heads up Bob.I take it you have a ENV 10 or 15 using a laser what kind of range can you comfortably shoot at, taking into account weather conditions etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob57 Posted November 2, 2019 Report Share Posted November 2, 2019 3 hours ago, malcolm said: Thanks for the heads up Bob.I take it you have a ENV 10 or 15 using a laser what kind of range can you comfortably shoot at, taking into account weather conditions etc. I bought a drone pro 10x from Carl Moore a few years ago, when you got a free XLRM led ir with it😀, and mounted it on a .204 , 320 yds is the longest fox to date with this rifle/drone combo, which the xlrm is about run out of steam at, shot another one at 300 recently which was sitting front on and could see it no probs so comfortable at 300 with an led ir and good conditions, but a good laser would probably push that out to more like 400yds from what I've read, but who needs to shoot foxes in the dark at 400!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malcolm Posted November 3, 2019 Report Share Posted November 3, 2019 You are spot on Bob who needs to shoot foxes in the dark at 400 ydrs plus, a lot of these keyboard warriors kid themselves on.I have been shooting more years than I care to remember, shooting one at 100 yrds with an old headlight and humping a motor bike battery was an achievement, ah the bad old days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob57 Posted November 3, 2019 Report Share Posted November 3, 2019 You're right there Malcolm, there's a lot of bull💩 out there, like you I've been shooting foxes for more years than I care to remember and don't take on 300+ yarders unless i have to, most of the time there's just no need to, but the good thing now when it's pitch black with no lamp shining around except the ir on, the drone/digiceptor etc will allow you to take that long shot when you do need to, you'll love it . I still think you should check out the Thermion scopes as so many shooters are saying good things about them and changing from digital to thermal, I don't know if you've looked through a thermal spotter, you soon get used to what a fox looks like compared to a badger etc, and some shooter do it the other way round, spot with digital, shoot on thermal, maybe some Thermion shooters on here will give you their thoughts. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxinmad Posted November 3, 2019 Report Share Posted November 3, 2019 8 hours ago, malcolm said: You are spot on Bob who needs to shoot foxes in the dark at 400 ydrs plus, a lot of these keyboard warriors kid themselves on.I have been shooting more years than I care to remember, shooting one at 100 yrds with an old headlight and humping a motor bike battery was an achievement, ah the bad old days Haha been there done that, even stripped an old rucksack to the bare frame so I could carry a motor battery on it so I could stay out longer 👍🦊 I have moved on a bit now. Spot with an XP 50 and there is an XM 50 Thermion on top of the 22/250 now as I punted my 15 Drone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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