Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Range day with the Tikka T3 Lite Stainless .223

The specs:



Rifle: Tikka T3 Lite Stainless .223, 1 in 10" twist (bought from shortactionsmoker)

Scope: Leupold FX3 12x42 AO

Mounts: Talley one-piece alloy, cut down per "mods" thread



Loads tested: Nosler 64 grain Bonded Solid Base, Rem Brass, CCI 400 primers, Varget powder (load over max, so no I won't share), 2.156" OAL.



Hornady 50 grain VMax, Rem brass, CCI 400 primers, 26.5 gr. Benchmark powder, chrono'ed 3396 ft/sec, 2.276" OAL.





First up was the Nosler Bonded Solid Base. The first group was 4 shots, measured right at an inch. The second group was 5 shots, 3 and 2 as the magazine only takes 4 but I thought it only took 3. So three shots, load and fire two more (moving my rest in the process).



The first 3 shots measured 0.261", the next two were almost in the same hole at 0.024". Taken together the 5 shot group was 0.456". Not too shabby.









Next up was the 50 grain VMax. I fired 6 shots with 4 and 2. Once again the last two opened the group up quite a bit. Measured 0.715" and chrono'ed at 3396 ft/sec. I might stick to 5 shot continuous strings. Moving around goofs me up.









If you look at the upper target in the first pic you'll see a 3 shot group with the Vmax load. It measures 0.387".



Funny thing, but the Noslers didn't group worth a darn at 200 yards. I didn't even keep the target. The VMax, however, looked pretty good. Once again 6 shots, just under an inch at 200.







I sure like that Tikka!



P

That's some fine shooting right there.

When Maryland put in the new BS law against ARs I didn't allow myself to be raped financially to get one cause I knew that I wanted exactly what you got there bud. It's on the short list of must haves.

Shoots like a Tikka

nice results.

That doesn't surprise me at all. Tikka rifles just shoot well.
Good shooting. I'll bet you'll shrink those groups as you get better acquainted with it.

Can't believe you bought one of those POS'...used no less.

Nice.....I've grown quite fond of my first Tikka T3 I picked up in a 270 here about a month ago. I quickly learned the rumours that surround the tikka are much more than just rumours but are indeed factual accounts of this legendary rifle. I've already sold several of what used to be some of my favorite rifles because I no longer had a use for them with a tikka in the house. A CAMO 243 Tikka is next on the list of rifles to aquire.

Shod

Yeah, shortactionsmoker is a great guy to deal with. If he tells you a rifle shoots, believe him.

The funny part is, I'm not that good of a shot.


P

I traded on the fire for one of those junk Tikkas also. [img:center][/img]

I tell ya, knowing him is hell on the old bank account....

Ha! Knowing you has hit my bank account a few times too....!

Nice shooting! You have to be happy with that.

Eric

Pharm,

You've gone Tikka-Krazy in the past couple years! Did you send those Weatherbees down the road?

Is that 10-twist aftermarket or factory?

Jason

I bought a Sportmans warehouse super light this fall in an 8 twist 223. I haven't fully worked anything up yet but it didn't really like the hornady 75 bthp. It showed some real potential with the nosler 77 cc. Can't wait to play with it more in the spring. I have it in 308 too and it likes 155 scenars over varget.

Bb

My son "appropriated" one but I still have the rest. They haven't seen much playing time, though.

1 in 10 is factory.

P

Pharm--could you explain what "Mounts: Talley one-piece alloy, cut down per "mods" thread" entails? Thanks.

GSP,

Here ya go. Think I'm going to get a set out of the next order. Missed the last bunch.

Tikka Talley Mod

Yeah, Mojohand is right.

And the scope is a 40mm, not 42mm.

I loaded some 40 grain V-Max with 28 grains of Benchmark at 2.267" to try next. Nosler #7 suggests 3860 ft/sec, I know I'll have less, but that's still screaming.


P