I have an older model Tikka in 300WM. I have QD scope mounts and a large objective scope (Hakko) mounted on it. My problem is that the rear scope mount moves forward on the rifle ie. it moves towards the cutout for the chamber. This seems to happen no matter how much I lean on the lever of the rear mount. Any suggestions? Any other mount I can get? I am a little surprised because I would have expected the recoil to push the mounts back and therefore secure them better. Isn't that what the 'dovetail" is supposed to do?
Thanks for any help, Peter.

Peter, you don't say which older model but I guess it's an M55 short or M65 long action?

I've got 3 Tikkas and, touch wood, have had no problems with Hilver/Hulver bases and rings.

Check to see if the dovetail is tapered along its length - some are, obviously to minimise the problem you're experiencing. It's just a thought, but if you've got a tapered dovetail OR tapered mounts you won't be getting full length contact.

The alternative would be a full length base designed for your action (which I've got on my M55) or one-piece mounts.

My mate has a set of Tikka Optilocks which worked superbly...I have similar mounts on my Sako .308 holding my Swaro 3-12x50 and again I am very pleased and would buy them again. The optilocks are expensive but excellent quality. I tried Hilver and the first set would not fit the dovetails correctly although the second worked ok. I swapped them for the Optilocks because they were a little high for my tastes.

Pete, thanks for the prompt response. I thought that the Sako style dovetail was supposed to be tapered. What make are your bases and rings? What I am trying to do is to see whether my problem can be fixed or not. If it can't, then I will have to find fixed bases and rings. How would these fit when the dovetail is machined on the receiver? Would I have to drill and tap?
I am not married to the QD rings. I just bought them because the NRA test that I saw, probably 20 years ago, was with the same setup! Problem is, I don't know what make my QD rings are!
Thanks, Peter.

Peter: Recoil drives the rifle backwards, but the weight of the scope makes the rings want to go forward. I just won a Tikka, and I put Warne rings on it. These rings have a key(or whatever they call it) that keeps the front ring solid. These are not QD.

Well I am glad that someone named something other than "Peter" has joined this thread! JD my problem is with the rear scope mount. The front one seems to be fine. Now will the Warne rings fit a dovetailed receiver? I have looked at the Optilocks on the web. I guess I have to buy the bases and then the rings. My concern is that, if these rely on the dovetail, might I not have the same problem?
Peter.

Pete E. My Hakko scope has (I believe) a 56mm objective. You said the the Hilver's were too high for your 50mm objective? Are your Optilocks the "high" kind? presumably they are lower than the Hilver's?
Peter.

I believe the Tikka receiver dovetail is NOT tapered along its length, therefore, if the socpe mount does not engagesome kind of slot, notch, etc, it will slide forward as the rifle recoils back.

The Sako receiver dovetail IS tapered, plus it has a recoil notch where a stud on the bottom of the rear Optilock base engages.

Peter: Yes, the Warne rings fit the dovetailed receiver. The rear ring can't go forward if the front one is not also going forward. The Tikka I have is also drilled and tapped.

Just got off the phone with Accuflite (and a host of other folks as well). What I am being told is that the older Tikkas have a different dovetail than the newer ones and that none of the newer solutions (Optilocks etc.)will work. So, Pete (in Suffolk) if you have an older Tikka, what full length base do you have? You mentioned a one peice base designed for my action, any ideas? I guess if push comes to shove I could just drill and tap and put a screw through the base and into the dovetail, to hold it in place?
Thanks, peter

Peter,

I actually misunderstood your original post; I thought your scope was slipping in the rings rather than the bases coming loose on the action.

The Sako does have a wedge shape rail as opposed to Tikka's straight one, but otherwise the Optilocks are pretty similar. Although they are not truely a single unit, the rings are really well fixed to the bases...

I tried Warne on my Sako but they would not hold up to even 2or 3 shots in .308. The wedge shape rail drove the vertically spilt mounts apart by stripping the threads on the securing screws. On the straight rails of the Tikka I suspect they would be fine..but I think the Optilocks would be stronger! If I remember correctly, the rail has a small hole for a recoil pin to into? I suspect that the Warne may not have the corrisponding pin ??? Its something to check anyway.. My mate is selling his Tikka rings but I suspect they will be too low..he had a Swaro with a 42mm Objective mounted pretty low on his rifle..Let me know if you think is worth trying anyway...

Regards,

Pete

Just had a quick look at all 3 Tikkas. Only the M55 action .22/250 has the Hillver one piece steel base, the others have normal two piece ringsets, not all of which are Hillver, the M65 .308 certainly is and is of the same generation of manufacture.

Looking at teh rifle, it's quite possible that I used the one piece base to achieve the required clearance twixt barrel and scope.

HTH

Thanks to all. I am still not sure what to do. I did check, my rifle is an M65 in 300WM. Could not see a make on the QD rings. The Tikka dovetail is NOT tapered. The front ring does not move (forward) because there is a "stop" ie. a projection that snugs against the receiver. I have retightened the scope rings and retightened the levers on the QD. I even tapped them lightly with a plastic hammer. I guess we will see what happens. To answer the question, the scope actually does slide in the front ring. It has to, because the rear scope QD ring is being pushed forward by the recoil. The scope does not move in the rear ring. Would lapping the rings help ie. with better contact between ring and scope, it might not move inside the (front) ring?
Peter.

Peter: You must be getting very little contact in the front ring. Lapping should help.