Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles 75 Eldm advice in a 1-8” Tikka

Grovey, thanks for the reference. That's interesting as I have shot lots of .223 loads with CCI 400s without a problem. I do stay away from the Rem. 6-1/2s.

I have too, even after I knew better when in a pinch. It's actually probably a good thing on the first firing of new brass. Reason being... If you have alot of headspace or if the 450's aren't seated to the bottom of the primer pocket you can have some failure to fires with the harder cups. Been there myself.

Here’s my write up:

I’ve been searching for quite some time for a better load for my 1-8” Tikka Superlite .223. My go-to load, named Pest Control, features a 50 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip Varmint at 3400 fps at the muzzle. Scary accurate! The problem is the ballistic coefficient. At just .238 this bullet drifts off like a 14 year old boy in math class. Shooting at marmots in any kind of wind is a learning experience.

So I tried Nosler’s 69 grain Custom Competition, 70 grain RDF, 80 grain ELD Match (ELDM), and maybe a couple others. Different powders, primers, COAL, you name it. Nothing shot even close to Pest Control.

Then I started researching the 75 ELDM with a BC of .467. Using my Mountain Tactical magazines I could load into the lands if I wanted. So that’s where I started.

*****THE FOLLOWING LOAD DATA IS SAFE IN MY RIFLE, NOT YOURS. START LOW AND WORK UP TO PUBLISHED MAXIMUMS*****

I found load data online suggesting 25.5 grains of Varget as the max. Utilizing the Sharpie method I got square land marks at 1.932”. I selected three seating depths and three powder charges, and loaded 5 rounds of each. The BTO lengths were 1.930”, 1.915”, and 1.899”. The Varget charges were 25.5, 25.0, and 24.5 grains.



I chronoed the 1.930” lengths and got 2976 fps at 25.5, 2916 at 25.0, and 2873 at 24.5 grains. Then it was off to the range.

The longer loads shot consistently better. I won’t bore everyone with the details, but I found a fairly good load.




Five shots you can cover with a nickel.





Even with a penny.





I think I’ll load a few more.






P

Nice work!

Accuracy load chronoed at 2934, ED 20.

BC is .467. I’m pretty pleased.



P

You might try some CCI BR4's, for accuracy they have beat every other primer in my rifle, a little more $$ but well worth it!

You think I can improve on five shots covered by a penny?

I like your optimism!




P

In My Tikka .223 I loaded the 69 gr. Sierra TMK with max loads using varget and r15 the varget shot about 3/4 of and inch the r15 shot about a 1/2 inch.

Always worth a try.......

Keep an open mind. The first two are 3 shot 75 gr eld groups from my superlite before I gave up on them. The last is a 5 shot group on the right was with a berger bullet.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/galleries/13656485#Post13656485

My skill as a shooter precludes this sort of accuracy.





P

Let the BR4's and the rifle do the work............

Lapooey,400's,Lever' and a Smooch.

Hint...............

I hate to admit it, but I’m not Looney enough to chase accuracy past a penny. I’d rather devote my time to loading. I have a rat shoot to prep for.



P

My dad has the same model that I do, so I took it with me today when I did final sight in with my Superlite. His rifle hasn’t been out of the safe for two years. It was last sighted in with Pest Control, 50 gr Ballistic Tip Varmint at 3400 fps MV.

The black in the center of the bull is 1/2” wide. I couldn’t see the first shot. Thinking that I missed high due to seeing the dirt move behind the target, I selected a white spot on the paper near the bottom of the target. The bullet hit right where I was aiming. Could it be?

After the second shot I saw a bit of a smudge just outside the bull at 4 o’clock. Hmm. I threw the third shot right and it really goofed up the group.





I think I’ll keep it.




P

Rats are in trouble, those rifles are shooting really well!

Nice...

I joined my brother at the range this morning, he brought his T3 Varmint. His Tikka shot my ELDM load into a little under a quarter for 5 shots at 100 yards. It chronoed 2953 FPS, ES 19. One of his shots hit the exact velocity as one of my shots, 2943.

Not bad, three Tikkas with the same load.



P

Damn cheap Tikka rifles...might as well call them Finnish Remingtons.

By the way, I own 223, 22-250, 257 Roberts, 260 Remington, 308 & 300 BO T3 & T3x's.