Sir:
I really, seriously mean no disrespect but I'd unscrew that brake and throw it as far as I could in the ocean or river you are close to!
If your bbl. is damaged just in the brake area I'd cut that off and crown it and forget the brake.
You have a fine rifle there and you could go back to 24" without losing too much velocity. I'm sorry for your bad experience. Your Tika is fine enough you could re-barrel it and I'd send it to douglas in Charleston WVa.
Brakes, particularly in high intensity cartridges as yours is, even with ear protection, still give you auditory damage!
Bad groupings are caused by the loose brake which has changed the "sweet spot" in bbl. vibrations.
By the way, your bbl. is not one of the early so called, "micro-groove" bbls. is it? Those bbls. would loose a section of rifling at times.
Harry B.
