I have a bad habbit of tuning up rifles and loads for other not-so-dedicated people in my "spare" time. This time I took a couple .270s to the range with some hand-loaded Barnes TTSX bullets, one was a Savage Stainless Steel and the other was a Tikka T3 Lite Stainless Steel. The savage shot well enough... .75"-1.25" at 100, but the Kimber blew my mind! Suffice it to say that all test groups (1 grain powder increments) were basically 1-holers! The ones that weren't would have 4 shots in one hole (under .25") and then maybe 1 flyer 1/4" out. For the most part, this thing was punching 1/4" groups! And all groups impacted within 1/2" of eachother, relative to the aiming point...somthing I also Love to see in a featherweight barrel/gun! I've never seen anything like it from a factory hunting rifle, especially not with the Barnes X-type bullets. And I love the short bolt throw...super smooth and quick! I'd happy pay him $2500 for this "hummer", but that's not going to happen. But next factory rifle for will be a Kimber...sorry Savage and Remington, you used to be my #1 and 2 for out-of-the-box accuracy, but after seeing/experiencing this...I like Tikka.
Props to Tikka rifles (not Kimber)
- Thread starter RAG
- Start date
I put "Kimber" in the title Initially...it's actually a Tikka T3. What happens when you take 7 different rifles to the range in a day for testing...can't even keep them straight. Anyways, this rifle is insane...super light, super accurate (small groups and consistent impact point across a wide velocity range)!
bozo699
Gold $$ Contributor
RAG said:
I am glad you clarified that, I have owned several very pretty Kimbers,...that's all they were Pretty oh and expensive, a factory Ruger will out shoot them. The Tikka T3 on the other hand is the most accurate factory rifle in a light hunting weight rifle I have ever encountered either, I have a 7mm-08 Tikka T3 I load 140 accubonds for it and it shoots them in the .2's for three shots I bought 500 factory Federal Vital shok loaded with 140 Nosler Ballistic tip bullets, I shot them from 100-600 yards and they did nearly as well as my Accubonds, I have owned this rifle coming on two years and have never stretched it past 600 much but yesterday evening just before dark I dialed 30moa on the 3.5-15 NF and fired at my 940 yard gong, first shot hit my 21"X25" plate, dialed up one more minute and left 1 1/2 moa and let three ballistic tips fly,.... 8" @ 940 with factory rifle and factory ammo, they barley had enough poop to knock the paint off so I wouldn't recommend shooting animals with them but it is still accurate at nearly 1K and I think the barrel is only 22" long. Once I replace the cheap plastic stock I think it will be a keeper for sure
Wayne.
Hey Guys,
Here's a pic to my Tikka T3 in .223 and a little mod. that I did. She's a tack driver. Paul.
www.boltfluting.com
Here's a pic to my Tikka T3 in .223 and a little mod. that I did. She's a tack driver. Paul.
www.boltfluting.com
My oh my I like my Tikkas. I gotta get those bolts sent out for fluting. Cool 8). Took the 25/06 out this afternoon for a quicky. I wanted to get a few cases fired for the first time and try some H4831 SC as well. Under the 110gr AccuBond. What might be the best all around pill for the 25-Otter.
it was a little windy and I got tired of waiting for the flags to settle down so it was a short session. A few 110s and a few 75gr Vmax just for kicks. The 75 shot nearly as well,but I didn't download a pic. The wind showed up a little more as a horizontal string. Only about 3/4",so I'm hopefull it will settle down. I do like these 110 grainers though. Me and Noslers have a good history.
it was a little windy and I got tired of waiting for the flags to settle down so it was a short session. A few 110s and a few 75gr Vmax just for kicks. The 75 shot nearly as well,but I didn't download a pic. The wind showed up a little more as a horizontal string. Only about 3/4",so I'm hopefull it will settle down. I do like these 110 grainers though. Me and Noslers have a good history.
Pepe-
it pushes them at over 2950 with a 16" barrel. The suppressor is 4" muzzle forward so the rest of it hangs back from the end of the barrel. The load is perfectly safe and there is no evidence of over-pressure, either on the brass or bolt lift. In fact, the pressure have been verified via strain gauge attached to an Oehler 43 Lab.
Anyone who knows TTSXs will also appreciate this load is a serious killer. As a compact deer package, you'd go a long way to better it. I could whack off a good pound and a half by going full CF stock and lighter scope/rings but it's light enough as it is, for me at least.
Chris-NZ
it pushes them at over 2950 with a 16" barrel. The suppressor is 4" muzzle forward so the rest of it hangs back from the end of the barrel. The load is perfectly safe and there is no evidence of over-pressure, either on the brass or bolt lift. In fact, the pressure have been verified via strain gauge attached to an Oehler 43 Lab.
Anyone who knows TTSXs will also appreciate this load is a serious killer. As a compact deer package, you'd go a long way to better it. I could whack off a good pound and a half by going full CF stock and lighter scope/rings but it's light enough as it is, for me at least.
Chris-NZ
"300"
- you might want to investigate the possibility of having a "half cock" notch fitted and the bolt modified so it can be fully locked on safe on this notch.
The picture shows the recess the safety locks into when the bolt is on its notch. It's a std mod that's done by the "NZ Hunter" crew on the many "Bush Pig" T3s they are now doing for clients. They have a jig to get the position just right. It's great being able to have a round up the spout on half cock fully locked for safety. Before having this mod done, I'd lost a good four rounds in our --thick-- bush with the bolt handle being pulled open.
Chris-NZ
- you might want to investigate the possibility of having a "half cock" notch fitted and the bolt modified so it can be fully locked on safe on this notch.
The picture shows the recess the safety locks into when the bolt is on its notch. It's a std mod that's done by the "NZ Hunter" crew on the many "Bush Pig" T3s they are now doing for clients. They have a jig to get the position just right. It's great being able to have a round up the spout on half cock fully locked for safety. Before having this mod done, I'd lost a good four rounds in our --thick-- bush with the bolt handle being pulled open.
Chris-NZ
I've been shooting Tikkas for quite awhile too. Mine are the older 595 actions and they are extremely smooth well made actions. They also shoot extremely well for me. My undrstanding is that they were originally made in Finland by Tikka and then later bought out by Sako and offered as Sako's lower end rifles. I remember reading some years ago an article in American Rifleman comparing the Sako and Tikka rifles to each other with shooting results and the Tikka shot better than the more expensive Sako. I called I believe it was Stoeger at the time on another subject but while I had them on the phone I mentioned that I had seen the article and asked why the Tikkas outshot the Sakos. The answer I got back was they "don't know, they just do".
I bought a new Tikka 595 deluxe in .243 back then for my daughter to possibly hunt deer with as she got older. I believe at the time she was about 15, now 38. The rifle is still new in the box, never fired. It is truly a workof art to my eye.
I bought a new Tikka 595 deluxe in .243 back then for my daughter to possibly hunt deer with as she got older. I believe at the time she was about 15, now 38. The rifle is still new in the box, never fired. It is truly a workof art to my eye.
I'll add one for the Tikka T3 lite in 7mm-08! what a shooter with many different types of bullets but with the same results all 1 hole affairs! My wife shot her first Texas Whitetail with the 140 grain Berger Hunting VLD load and has shot others with the 150 grain Sierra load ! They are super lite and even with the plastic stock are well worth the purchase. The thing I also like is that they come with a longer than standard barrel 23.875" which rings out most calibers potential!
Hi Wayne,
The excellent dude at Kampfeld Custom did my work.
Dave,
Evolution Gun Works: http://www.egwguns.com/tikka/tikka-t3-picatinny-rail-scope-mount/
The excellent dude at Kampfeld Custom did my work.
Dave,
Evolution Gun Works: http://www.egwguns.com/tikka/tikka-t3-picatinny-rail-scope-mount/
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