Tikka T3 Stock Tips

Just purchased a S/H Tikka T3 in 308 & gave it a complete strip & clean to make sure everything is ok. I never owned a Tikka before so everything is quite foreign to a "Remington" user. I noticed when the stock was off there are pressure pads in the barrel channel so it would appear that the barrel's are not free floated. What does everybody normally do? Leave as is, remove pressure pads & sand barrel channel to ensure free floating, replace what looks like an aluminium recoil lug with steel, action bedding????

I want a consistent shooter even off bipod. Tips, tricks....any advice?

I haven't done anything to mine apart from lighten the trigger.
It shoots great from any position, but I mainly use a bipod for lying down and its fine.

cant say iv changed anything in mine either, the recoil lug in the stock "must" seat back in the action and it is quite soft. so make sure its sitting in before you tighten it right up or else it scars it,
you can flip it over if you damage it tho

I've got 2 - a 223 and a 243. Both shoot Inch groups at 150yds off a bipod with no change to the standard set up.

Bill's right regarding the recoil lug / block ... it's easy to get the whole thing back together with the recoil lug / block incorrectly seated .... I didnt even realise at the time coz I was such a noob. the gunsmith I took it to to get the suppressors fitted pointed me straight again ...

When re assembling seat the stock back on, engage the screws a tad then tap the butt lightly on the ground to ensure its hard against the lugs. Pretty easy to tell if it aint seated right.

just be carefull with the tapping i just wriggle it backwards and forwards before and during putting the action screws in, you will feel/ hear it drop in

Lube lightly the alloy block to prevent corrosion if it gets damp. I used to pull the block out slightly then line it up easily .when you tighten screws it seats it back down. If you can use torque screwdriver on the screws too tight is as bad as too loose.

I changed the front swivevel sling thingy with one that has a nut found they pull out(factory supplied swivel pulled out on two tikkas I've owned) other than that all good

If it shoots well don't touch it.