How To Remove A Tikka Barrel - MDT Mention

Eric from the “Eric Clem” (@BrooklynBowyer) YouTube channel posted a video documenting the process of replacing a factory Tikka barrel on a Tikka rifle. While some people are under the impression that a Tikka barrel cannot be replaced without a gunsmith, Eric shows us how to do it yourself.

Before disassembling his Tikka action and barrel, Eric lists a barrel vice, one-inch, and 1.2-inch bushings, a modular action wrench, and various other tools, including a torque wrench. Eric first uses a torque wrench set to 150 ft-lbs to try and remove the barrel while it is locked into his barrel vice. The torque wrench will not remove the barrel from the action without “breaking” due to a torque overload. Eric then uses a blowtorch to heat up the action and tries using the torque wrench set to 225 ft-lbs. The second try fails, and we see firsthand how hard removing factory barrels from Tikka actions can be. Eric next uses a can of “freeze spray” to shrink the barrel’s threads before failing again at removing his barrel with a torque wrench.

Eric then uses a #2 wheeler-action wrench clamped to the action, with index cards tucked between the wrench and action to prevent marring. The host uses freeze spray, his blowtorch, and the wheeler action wrench to finally remove the barrel from the Tikka action.

Eric prepares his replacement barrel by applying grease to its threads and utilizes 1.2-inch metal bushings in conjunction with his barrel vice to clamp the barrel down and prevent barrel rotation. With a torque wrench set to 80 ft.-lbs, the host screws his barrel into place and checks the headspace of his newly assembled Tikka action and barrel—the headspace check yields successful results.

More: Building a 308 Tikka Rifle

While it took Mr. Clem quite a bit of work to complete this job, he successfully removed and replaced the barrel on one of his Tikka rifles.

BUILD RESOURCES FROM MDT

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• ACC Elite Thermal Hunting Rifle
• Building a Custom Bergara B14 for Competition
• Building a 308 Tikka Rifle
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• Building a General Purpose 300 Win Mag Rifle
• Building a 6mm GT for Competition
• Re-building a 308 Winchester from a Remington 700 SPS Tactical
• Building a Custom Remington 700 in .308 - Part 1 and Part 2.
• Premium Lightweight Hunting Build - Field Report
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• One Action Two Rifles
• The Rifle Keith Built
• Ultimate Reloader: 6mm ARC and MDT TIMBR Frontier Rifle Stock
• Anthony Amantine - Custom .223 Bolt Rifle
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