Tikka T3x Chassis Upgrade: Ultradyne UD5 & Bix’n Andy Dakota Trigger

My viewers have been asking for Tikka T3x content for years— this Ultradyne UD5 chassis upgrade is chapter one!

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About the Upgrades

I’ve shown the Ultradyne UD chassis in all three of its configurations — UD3, UD5, and UD7— and in Remington short action and long action.

The Tikka T3 short action is one of Ultradyne’s new inlettings, which we are highlighting with the UD5. (Also coming is the HOWA 1500 short action.)

To extend the ARCA capabilities, I am adding a UD spigot in addition to a UD adjustable buttstock with bag rider and double thumb rest grip.

I am also adding a Bix’n Andy Dakota trigger from Bullet Central. (Learn more about this trigger from our .280 AI custom build overview!)

An Accurate Mag AICS magazine and Ultradyne Apollo Max 7.62 brake will finish off the enhancements.

I selected the Apollo Max as it had the best recoil reduction results in our .30 caliber brake shootout!

For optics I selected an Athlon Ares BTR GEN2 4.5-27x50mm with 30mm medium Hawkins Precision featherweight scope rings.

Threading

The stock Tikka T3x comes unthreaded, so I had to employ my threading thin sporter barrel technique using my Precision Matthews TL-1660 lathe.

The TL-1660 is a great gunsmithing lathe, with the following stand-out features:

Ultra Precision, made in Taiwan
16″ swing, 60″ between centers capacity
D1-6 high precision spindle
English and Metric threading without gear changes
One shot lube on the carriage
3-Phase 5hp motor

This project began with loosening the two action screws to remove the barreled action and uniformly securing the barrel in the six-jaw chuck.

I did have to use some shim stock as the barrel had a slight taper.

I turned the muzzle end back approximately 1.24” and cut the thread relief on either end.

Next came threading on a taper nut, locking it in place with red Loctite, torquing it, and facing off the front shoulder area. I then squared it up and blued it.

If you are interested in learning how to do your own machining work, consider attending the Colorado School of Trades.

If you are interested in my threading a sporter barrel for you, go to rifles.ultimatereloader.com.

Assembly

Before adding the Bix’n Andy Dakota trigger, I obtained a pull weight on the factory Tikka trigger with a Lyman digital trigger pull gauge: 3.875 lbs.

Swapping the trigger was a matter of removing a single screw—very simple.

Four successive trigger pull tests with the minimum pull weight of the Dakota trigger came in at 0.75 lbs.

Minimum pull weight is supposed to be around 0.9 lbs, but there is some extra adjustability and I was able to get it lower.

Be sure to do a safety test when installing a new trigger!

I installed the buttstock, grip, and spigot on the UD chassis and combined the assembly with the barrelled action.

The medium height Hawkins Rings fit perfectly with the Athlon Ares BTR GEN2 4.5-27x50mm.

These dedicated rings screw directly into the Tikka action.

I torqued the bases and leveled the scope using the Wheeler Ultra Scope Mounting Kit before carefully torquing the caps down.

No Picatinny rail on the action resulted in an especially clean look.

The last step was installing the Apollo Max brake, which blended in perfectly with the taper nut from our threading.

Shooting

For the first time in my life, I boresighted the rifle at 100 yards and my first shot hit the intended one-inch target with no adjustments.

I was very proud of myself. I continued to shoot the rifle, enjoying the smooth bolt throw. The test ammunition I had did not perform incredibly well—not all of the military brass was sized correctly and I had some chambering issues.

Next I tried Hornady 168 Grain Black ammunition. This did much better, but I still had higher expectations.

Lastly, I loaded some ammunition in Alpha Munitions .308 small rifle primer cases, the same brass we pushed to the extreme in our high pressure project.

A combination of Midsouth Shooters Supply’s bulk .30 caliber 175 grain bullets and Varget with this brass did very well.

My last five shots had a standard deviation of 7.4 fps with a 19.6 fps extreme spread.

Conclusion

Adding the UD5 chassis and Bix’n Andy Dakota trigger completely changed the feel of the Tikka T3x.

The sporter threading, adjustable buttstock, and chassis all provided the rifle greater versatility, giving it capabilities it didn’t have in its stock form. I really enjoyed shooting this rifle and with some more load development, am optimistic I can shrink my current best group from one inch to 0.75”.