Tikka T3 .243. Help!

[swat1018]

I have a .243 Tikka and with handloads it shoots ragged hole groups. I've only shot 3 boxes of factor ammo through it, but at worst it was just over an inch, so your 2 inch groups at 200 are roughly on par if we take into account the fact that there are other factors beyond rifle and ammo at play here.

The Tikka is the greatest quality rifle per unit of money spent. I had read about them when they became available in Europe, two years before they came on the market here and it was hard to believe the reports. I bought a .22-250 the first month they were available in the US and that rifle has had thousands of rounds shot through it with tack driving accuracy and not a single issue.

Grouse

Yea, I have it shooting now. Last 3 shot group at 200 I could almost cover with a quarter, however big that is. The kid has a rifle he can grow up with now.

 

[wtwtwtwt]

that is a nice post....and i agree with the second comment

 

[270sniper]

I just won a Kimber 7mm-08 and was reading up on how to break in a rifle barrel. Did you break in the rifle properly.

 

[DocHolladay]

I just won a Kimber 7mm-08 and was reading up on how to break in a rifle barrel. Did you break in the rifle properly.

I have had ALOT of rifles and have never "broke one in". I shoot and clean and carry on. I have a Remington 700 that I decided to customize and I lapped the barrel on it after having it for approx 10 years, shooting hundreds of rounds and killing more than my share of deer with it. The only difference I noticed was that it was easier to clean.

 

[swat1018]

Yes. It was broken in "by the book."

 

[Oldman570]

Tikka dose make a fine gun for the money spent. A new production rifle should have the barrel broke in when first shot. I always brake in a barrel by shooting cheaper ammo and cleaning the gun after every 5 shots fired for the first 50 rounds fired. This also lets the barrel cool down while being cleaned. Then I start looking for a ammo that the gun will shoot best at 100 yds. . Then shoot it at longer ranges to see how it shoots. 1.5 to 2 inch groups is usually the norm for a new gun and person that has just really started to shoot the gun. It takes time to get the whole setup settled down, before I start looking into different items that might improve the results. Good scopes, rings, bedding of the action, and trigger work all can make a big difference at times. All the extra cost time and $$$ ,but this is what makes a gun shoot best for most people. Take and enjoy the time at the range before giving up on the gun.

 

[Kyle]

On quality firearms with good barrels I have found that you do not need to break them in. All you are doing is clearing any burs or manufacturing imperfections out. The Tikka and Sako rifles have the same cold hammer forged barrels and are some of the best barrels you can get out of a productions gun. You really are not going to have to worry about breaking it in.
Also Tikka offers a 3 shot sub MOA guarantee. So if you were not able to get at least that amount of accuracy out of the rifle you can contact Berretta USA about the warranty.

 

[Slagiatt]

I always hear people sing the praises of the Superformance ammo. I ran it through an X-Bolt 25-06 that absolutely hated it. I'm talking 4-5 inch groups at 100 yards. That gun loves Nosler Trophy Grade though, will give sub-moa with it.

Ivefound hornady superformance ammo to be very inconsistent. I dont have the numbers in front of me, but shooting several types of ammo through a chronograph, hornady superformance had about 4x the velocity deviation of the nosler trophy grade. I shoot nosler trophy grade in a .308 and a .223, and get half moa at 200.

 

[DocHolladay]

Ivefound hornady superformance ammo to be very inconsistent. I dont have the numbers in front of me, but shooting several types of ammo through a chronograph, hornady superformance had about 4x the velocity deviation of the nosler trophy grade. I shoot nosler trophy grade in a .308 and a .223, and get half moa at 200.

If you get 1" groups at 200yds, what do your 100yd groups look like? I have seen rifles shoot a 2" group at 100yds and tighten up at 200 and further.

 

[Slagiatt]

If you get 1" groups at 200yds, what do your 100yd groups look like? I have seen rifles shoot a 2" group at 100yds and tighten up at 200 and further.

I can take pics in a couple weeks when i get home if ya want. 100 yards is bullet holes on top of bullet holes to where theyre not really countable. Have a new scope waiting to be put on my .308. (Rifle getting cerakoted right now) Nightforce nxs. Going to see exactly what i can do with the nosler trophy grade, then when i run out ill use all the brass to handload. Have steel targets set out as far as 1350. Not that i can shoot that far, but my dad does. Ill be interested to see with my new scope, exactly how far i can reliably shoot with the factory ammo. Still have 100 or so rounds of it to shoot before hand loading

 

[Slagiatt]

Found this pic. Its a 200 yard target. First day shooting this rifle. you can see the crap taped on cheek pad. Ive since put a better stock with adjustable comb on it and turned the trigger down. This is nosler trophy grade 165gr accubonds.