What would you do?

[tobnpr]

Tikka's are a b**** to remove as noted, I've done a few and haven't needed to trash a barrel yet.
A relief cut ahead of the receiver ring will not damage the receiver. As the OP noted, what his smith did (facing the front of the receiver to remove the radius) is fairly common- but it should definitely have been discussed first.

You stated the smith "squared" the existing receiver threads. If he simply cleaned them up- without cutting them oversize- there's no issue with you still being able to use a prefit. It might look a bit odd against the now larger receiver ring face, but that's cosmetics.
If he cut them .010 oversize, thread fitment with a prefit will be too loose.

 

[Tac-O]

For those that asked, I specified that I wanted to keep my factory barrel so that I could put it back on if I wanted at some point and that I wanted the new barrel tenon turned to fit the action face bevel.

He said he always squares the face when doing a barrel fitting and I said that was fine if it really needed it. But he took almost all of the bevel off, so about 1/16" material. I certainly didn't ask for anything to be done to the action like the threads and bolt face, etc. I don't know if he changed the size of the threads or what, but they're cut noticeably further back closer to the front action screw.

I had thought of having it faced off more and then a tombstone style recoil lug made by LRI to bring the fave back to prefit/factory usability but I like the factory Tikka stock and after having that done I might as well have bought another action.

I think I know I want to just get a another action or complete 308 and sell this one. It will just take a bit of gear selling to get there

 

[xsn10s]

Is your smith one just starting out? I remember the original post now. Seems to me that new smiths pull this kind of stuff. Older/ more experienced smiths should expect to buy an action.

 

[Tac-O]

Is your smith one just starting out? I remember the original post now. Seems to me that new smiths pull this kind of stuff. Older/ more experienced smiths should expect to buy an action.

No.. He's been doing it a long time and looks to have a good resume, but my experience was nightmarish.

He offered to make amends with setting the barrel back with a new reamer, but I've decided I'd rather try again somewhere else.

I believe I'll be sending it to Score Hi in NM. I use their bedding compound and it's great. I've heard great things about their work and CS, and even though they don't have the 30-284 reamer he said they can do it with a 284 win saami and then use a 30cal neck/throat reamer to get me the specs I want.

Anyway, if I don't want to try to make a switch barrel of my kid's 7mm08 or resuse my gunsmith special action, I may have to put a new roof on my house to earn the full rifle haha.

I have found that doing very high dollar home projects instead of hiring it out usually gets me a rifle. It's a good trade.

 

[tobnpr]

I have found that doing very high dollar home projects instead of hiring it out usually gets me a rifle. It's a good trade.

Like most anything else in life...
Sometimes, ya got more time than money.
Others, more money than time

 

[Tac-O]

I got it sold!

I have a new SS Tikka LA on the way, a ss Tikka 308 takeoff and a new blank on the way too. Not sure which barrel I want to chamber.

excited to try again