Got a recommendation. Do what I did. I took a Tikka T3x Stainless 300 Win mag to my gun builder along with a Stocky's stock made for Tikkas and inletted for the Tikka pre-fit Proof carbon barrel. I got mine at year end clearance for $751 (barrel), and $350 for the stock. He removed the factory Tikka barrel and spun on the pre-fit Proof barrel. Checked head space. I screwed the Stocky's ultra carbon stock on it then took it to the range to test fire. Stocky's advised I shoot it first and if it does well enough to my satisfaction, leave it. If not, then bed the action in the stock. Everything I put through it from the first bullet shot half MOA except ONE box of factory Hornady ELDM ammo with a LOT number different that my other 4 boxes. My Tikka 7PRC weighs the same as your CA and has no cons at all. I replaced the factory Tikka trigger spring with an aftermarket and now it pulls just over 1 pound. Would prefer one pound as that's what I've used for 25 years now. Anyway, good luck if you keep that CA. Even if you do, I still recommend converting a Tikka magnum to a 7PRC as I did. Proof barrels are also a substantial upgrade compared to the CA. My rifle builder told me he has replaced at least 80 CA carbon fiber barrels in the last 18 months, primarily due to poor accuracy as well as CA CF barrels are known to delaminate near the muzzle brake over time - that's according to THREE gunsmiths I spoke with in 2023 when I was considering a CA Ridgeline rifle My costs: New tikka rifle $820 Trigger spring $8 Stock $350 Proof pre-fit barrel $751 Shipping total $25 Builder fee to swap barrels $40 Total: $1994 Pros: every aspect of the rifle Cons: NONE
@joemarkivich635
Ай бұрын
How did you find someone to swap barrels that cheap? Only locals I called were 120-200. I am considering this exact same upgrade. Happy with it?
@Accuracy1st
Ай бұрын
@@joemarkivich635 If you have a gunsmith/rifle builder local to you that wants $120 to $200 to swap a barrel, then the first thought that comes to mind is he just recently bought a lot of new lathes or other equipment for the shop and needs to pay the bank loan. I make no apologies for saying this but to take a barreled action, lock it into a barrel vice, spin off the action, clean the Tikka action threads, twist on a pre-fit barrel, torque it, test with a go and no-go gauge, which took AT MOST 18 minutes while I watched, probably less, and wants that kind a cash, then I suggest you broaden your search. I want to qualify one thing. The builder I used is top tier and he did build 6 rifles for me in a year, told me his usual fee for what he did is $50 but charged me $40. Am I happy with it? YES. One of the best cheapest, lightest weight builds I ever had done and it shoots on par with all of my other builds using very expensive actions like Defiance, Stiller, Terminus, Lone Peak Arms, Pure Precision. Frankly if I knew years ago what I know now, I'd have ALL Tikka actions and ONE Terminus. It's a sweet action with the QC option so I can swap barrels myself. I can't think of any words compelling enough to put on the internet to convince you to do the same. You'll be very pleased. You can find pre-owned Tikkas all over the gun auction sites and even new ones for $550 and under. I bought 3 new Tikka T3x Lites, 2 in 7RemMag and 1 in 270WSM all around $500 delivered to my FFL. All are going to be converted to 7PRC and 270-7PRC. AND now is the time to buy a new tikka T3x. June 1 to Nov 30 they started their $75 rebate again like last year. I got $450 back for my 2023 purchases. I just submitted my 5th rebate form 20 min ago
@joemarkivich635
Ай бұрын
@@Accuracy1st The gunsmith I contacted insists he would need to “cut off” the barrel. I thought about doing it myself just wasn’t sure if I wanted to invest the money in the tools to be quite honest (mostly the head-spacing gauges). I’m pretty handy and figure things out. My main question is where are you finding tikkas (used or new) for $550 and under. Everything I see someone selling something used they are asking for new prices (which is insane). I have a 7 remag but it’s not shooting quite as well as I’d like to take it on an elk trip in 2 years (I live out east). I am thinking a 7prc with carbon fiber barrel would help me have a light weight rifle that would have a stiffer and hopefully more accurate barrel. Also where did you find the proof barrel on that good of a sale? Most I find are $900-$1000. And how did you find a stockys for $350? They normally go around $550.
@Accuracy1st
Ай бұрын
@@joemarkivich635 Ok now I understand the fee. But what you were told is bunk. Yes Tikka barrels can be harder to spin off. But you can do what I do. Take the stock off and the bolt out. Spray FREE-ALL on the inside outer edge of the barrel where the it screws into the action, covering the outer edge so the fluid can seep down into the action -barrel threads and prop the barreled action upright. I do this once daily for about a week. I plan on this at least 2 weeks before taking it to the gunsmith. The older T3 are sometimes more stubborn. But any experienced competent rifle builder will get that barrel off, even if they have to heat it up, which I've heard of also but rare. Only barrels I've heard of that usually need to cut off are Brownings. In fact I've passed on buying a few because no one will work on them that I know As to Tikka prices - GUN BROKER!!! I watch that auction daily and have starting February 2023. I've purchased at least a dozen pre-owned Tikkas less than $500 and 3 NEW T3x Lite black barrel black polymer stock for $450 to $500: two are 7RemMags and one is a 270WSM. Sadly for me, those 3 new rifles are right handed and I prefer left bolt even though I am right handed. Plan is to build something will all. I did just win a NEW Stainless right hand T3x Superlite (fluted barrel) 7RemMag from a seller in AZ for $625. I couldn't believe it. That exact rifle new ON SALE at sportsmans warehouse is $969. I got the Proof barrel and the Stocky's stock at year end clearance from Stocky's. When I saw that sale price I should have purchased 4-5 barrels just to have on hand. And I very much plan on contacting them towards the end of the year to take advantage again.
@joemarkivich635
Ай бұрын
@@Accuracy1st thanks for all the info man. I do see it looks like around the end of the year things go on the best sales. I’ll have to check gun broker some more then. Any chance you’d be willing to sell the 7Rem (the right handed)? Have to ask haha. I might just have to get the tools to do myself. Any recommendation on best way to get headspace gages?
@plexuswoodworks1771
Ай бұрын
I put a salmon river titanium brake on mine. It far out performed the crap generic one that came with it and it made the balance point of the riffle so much nicer.
@WavesTrails
Ай бұрын
Hmm I may have to look into that. How difficult was it to remove the factory brake?
@plexuswoodworks1771
Ай бұрын
Real easy. Just a bit of blue lock tight on it
@Accuracy1st
2 ай бұрын
I just test chambered half a box of that same Hornady ammo in my In-Rut Rifles 7PRC. I did take the Hornady ELDM and ELDX factory ammo to the range last weekend and half chambered extremely hard and nearly would not come out. I also noticed witness marks on the bullets. So, the main culprit is a worn out reamer where it is not cutting the throat to proper dimension. I would not be surprised in the least if this happened with yours considering who made it. Our experiences with Christensen are polar opposite. Their customer service is non-existent when it came to my issue. I watched a KZitem video last week where a guy was having this exact issue with his Savage rifle that has a Proof barrel. He had to send it back to Savage and they confirmed same issue - a worn out reamer. His bullets had the exact same marks mine did when he decided not to fire them and eject them. I recommend you purchase one box of each to at least test your rifle: Federal Terminal Ascent Federal ELDX Hornady ELDX Hornady ELDM If you find that some of those won't chamber, your rifle needs to go back to CA so they can re-ream your throat with a new reamer. As to factory ammo in general, I have found what you experiences as well where some rounds were hard to close the bolt. That occurs primarily with new brass that is not at virgin spec if there are no marks on the bullet. The base to mid shoulder length is too long and you are crushing the brass slightly as you close the bolt. I've seen it with Hornady, Winchester, Federal blue box Power Shok ammo, Federal Gold Medal Match ammo, and Remington Core Lokt ammo. It's a quality control issue. Even if I have to crush them I go ahead and shoot them. Then mark those cases as primary when I do brass prep to reload them
@jaredridders7382
Ай бұрын
I have this exact rifle. Same ejection problems. Showed up with a broken stock. Accuracy issues. Mine has been back to christensen twice. It's shooting good now and customer service has been good but I won't be spending any of my money with christensen again.
@lawsonhuntsSWVA
2 ай бұрын
Friends don't let friends buy CA, so many documented issues with them I could never give them a chance. Your chamber is most likely min spec or not properly cut resulting in the stuck casings, pretty common issue with CA. Build off your tikka action or go with seekins or other brands.
@Accuracy1st
2 ай бұрын
Before I knew better I was negotiating on a left hand CA from a store in Utah. The guy was honest enough to tell me they had severe issues with CA to the point that they stopped carrying them for over 2 years. I'm told some of their competitors did the same. After a couple years he said the folks at CA were essentially begging them to carry their rifles again and they had resolved all issues with their rifles. While on the phone the guy essentially told me to keep searching and if I liked the style of the CA, consider a Fierce for a similar price point.
@lawsonhuntsSWVA
2 ай бұрын
@derekmcmurry4263 I like the thought of fierce rifles. After reading how they sent a rifle out without rifling and then lied to the customer when he sent it back I would be hesitant there too. There's a great write up in rokslide about them.
@Accuracy1st
2 ай бұрын
@@lawsonhuntsSWVA Yes, just recently I've been hearing and reading some impressive data on Fierce as well, and I mean impressive in a negative way. Ultimately I decided to continue doing what I've been doing since 2000 and that's just buy my own components and then pay the rifle builder his labor to complete it. A very good source told a group of people recently that Fierce is already on track to becoming the next CA. My latest thoughts on newer builds is to use Tikka actions which has turned out flawless so far. You can keep the factory trigger and for $8 lighten the pull to just over a pound, instead of paying $300 for a Trigger Tech Diamond needed for a Rem 700 clone or foot print. Plus Tikka actions do not need to be trued like a Rem 700 if you start with that action
@lawsonhuntsSWVA
2 ай бұрын
@derekmcmurry4263 tikka builds are honestly a no brainer compared to a CA or fierce. For how easy it is, hard to beat it and you can get exactly what you want for your needs. I will say of the semi custom makers, seekins is top notch and I would hesitate to get another from them. Superb customer service too
@Accuracy1st
2 ай бұрын
@@lawsonhuntsSWVA I first saw a Seekins at Scheels in Wisconsin. That was 3 years ago. I'd have 12 by now if they made left hand but they've decided not to accommodate us left hand shooters. That's their choice of course and each business has to do their own market evaluation. I'm told left hand is roughly 15-22% of sales. Their loss as far as i'm concerned. And frankly it's already clear to me that building on a left hand Tikka is at or less than the same price point.
@sametsfan
2 ай бұрын
My dad Ridgeline had an ejecting. Sent back the rifle to CA. It got fixed, and there is no issue afterward. Now I'm shopping for my own CA rifle..
@WavesTrails
2 ай бұрын
Not sure if it's the rifle or the brass. I'm taking it back out soon at elevation and will try some distance shots with cartridges I've already cycled through the action.
@PikeSlayer69
3 күн бұрын
@@WavesTrailsdid you fix the ejection issue. About to drop 3600CAD on one
@WavesTrails
3 күн бұрын
No. I only have a case of the Hornady CX. The issue appears to me as concentricity of the bullets. 4-5 bullets in a box rub the freebore near the case neck. All the other rounds cycle smoothly. The rifle is good, not perfect. It is more accurate than my Tikka. If your expecting a perfect experience for the money, this may not be the rifle for you. If you have time and patience, people have great experience with CA.
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