Tikka 25-06...This is almost too easy.... - 02/27/09
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
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