Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Tikka 25-06...This is almost too easy....

Have been ironing out a Tikka in 25-06 for the last few months. Well, actually, there have been no wrinkles to iron out.

100 grain NBT's - a buddy's handloads that I tried - shot about .5 - he'll probably hold me up for the recipe...grin.

Federal Fusion 120's - a bit under .75...Federal 100 TSX's about the same...yawn.

Since I have a 25-06AI, I'm always on the prowl for quarter bore stuff and cheap ammo to fireform. I picked up some factory loads here at the 'Fire a while back - Federal Gameking 117's, with a couple of boxes of Cloverleaf loaded 75 grain V-Maxes thrown in.

Seems a bit risky - there was quite a bit of ammo in the lot, but I wasn't worried. The 25-06AI has shot everything sub moa so far, and the ammo was a good deal, and the Tikka, well, it's a Tikka...so I wasn't too scared of buying a boat load of ammo that might not shoot good in my rifles. Plus, a buddy has a Vanguard that is a drill with the Fed Gamekings, so I had a fallback, if needed.

Of course, no fallback was needed...grin!

There was a half box of the 75 V-Max's along with four extra Gamekings in the box with them, so I decided to skip lunch and run shoot a few, even though the wind was blowing about 15mph - maybe more - here in Central Texas. I grabbed the tattered "bonus box" and headed to the pasture to my homemade range.

Since it was so windy, I just backed up 100 yards, slapped a couple of sandbags on the tailgate, set up my stool, and sent a couple of the 75 grain V-Maxes down range. Took a stroll down for a look, and found 2 neat holes less than a half inch apart. Wasn't too surprised at the group, but was pleased that they were about an inch above the bull and about the distance right that the wind should have pushed them. Looks like they shoot to almost the same POI as the Fusions I was shooting last. That's very handy.

Headed back and slapped a couple of the old Gamekings in the clip. Shot the first, and thought I saw a hole just left of the first V-Max shot. Wasn't positive, so I sent another one downrange and went to look. These two were just under 3/4 of an inch apart. One was just left of the first V-Max, and the other was between the two V-Maxes and 1/4 inch above them. Total for the 4 shots was under 1.25 - closer to an inch...and with a strong, gusty, quartering cross-wind.

That dog will hunt. Fusion 120's, Fed Gamekings, and the custom loaded V-Maxes shooting to the same POI...and IIRC, the 100 Grain TSX's were just a tick lower than the Fusions - less than 1/4 inch.

I could hunt everything from prarie dogs and coyotes to elk with this rifle with factory ammo without even adjusting the scope. These T3's sure are useful, light, accurate rifles. They are easily the least finicky shootin' irons I have ever shouldered.

This is almost too easy...

DJ

that is the thing that is nice about tikka is they shoot everything good, I have rifles with much heavier barrels that where put together by a big name gun smith, and these rifles while a little more accurate than the tikka however they must be fed a diet of exactly what they want to do it.



T3 30-06 groups, 4 different bullets 3 different powders agg of all groups in the .5's no ladder testing, just some random loadings I thought might work, what if I did ladder test, could this 6.5# rifle seriously be .25 MOA capable, who knows maybe one day I will see

Amazing stuff...I have seen enough of them shoot to expect them to be accurate with most anything thrown at them, but shooting them all to almost the exact same Point of Impact - that's really
something to see.

Like your pics. Didn't have my camera today - wish I'd tossed it in - going out of town tomorrow and target is still up - cow will probably eat it before I can get back for proof...grin.

DJ

my t3 270win is about the same,you get a lot of rifle for your money with tikka.

Glad your T3 is a shooter. I've only heard of one that wasn't. I have a new T3 in 6.5x55 waiting for me at my 'smith. I'm gonna finally be able to make it up next week and pick it up. Be fun to see how it shoots next to my other one.

Good info guys. Can't say I'm surprised as my 7-08 and 7mag also fall into this category. Thanks.

Pretty routine. Kind of nice to be surprised (or shocked...grin) when a rifle doesn't shoot everything well, and that's where I am with these rifles.

DJ

Of all the Tkka's I've handled Their 25-06 absolutly fit and shoulder the best for me. If i was to ever get a Tikka it would no doubt be a 25-06!

I really like the 25-06 in the T3. It's a great cartridge, just right in a rifle of this weight, and a sensible choice since all the T3's are the same action length with a bolt stop on the short actions. If one is going to carry the long action anyway, might as well have it in a 25-06 or 270 Win, it seems.

Plus, the 25-06 is so versatile with the availability of different bullet weights for different applications, it is a great platform for something that will shoot everything so well with so little effort if one just wants to buy a rifle that drives tacks without a bunch of load work-up and gunsmithing.

I know the T3's don't have everything everyone is looking for, but it sure is hard not to appreciate all they do so well.

DJ

I've got a T3 in .25-06 and have had the same shooting experience as you! I haven't shot any handloads through it, but it shoots the 120gr Federal Fusion's the best of the factory ammo I've put through it. Don't know the exact grouping off the top of my head, but they were all MOA or a shade under.

I made a great shot on a buck this fall in Kansas. It was only about 250 yds, but I had a VERY small window to shoot through and just held right on and the buck never took another step. The Fusion's dropped him right in his tracks. One of the very few deer that I have dropped in their tracks.

Yep, I'm a believer in the T3's!

Chris

I too have a T3 in 25-06 which is new. So far so good, but the velocity seems to be 250 to 300fps under advertised book. I expected it to be slower, but not quite this much. For you other T3 25-06 users, has your velocity experience been close to mine?

Example, 100 gr bullets, 3 grains below max for RL 17,19,22 and IMR 4350 all between 2950 and 3000 fps.

53gr IMR4350 gives me 3300fps average out of mine.

Have you approached the stated maximum load closer than 3 grains? Do you get pressure signs around there?

I don't have a quarter bore, but my 6.5x55 might run 100 fps slower than some posts I've seen but I have not pushed mine either. I'm not sure I've seen overt pressure signs yet. When I see accuracy like I have when nearing max, I'm prone to call it good.