My new Tikka............HOLY COW!

R

revrat

New member
About three years ago, I bought a Tikka T3 Lite in .270 and mounted up a Nikon Monarch 3-9x40 on it. Since then, it has sat in my safe unfired, largely forgotten about. I finally decided to get it out and sight it in yesterday. This first real nice surprise was that my scope was dead on left to right, and just a bit low after initial mounting. I've never had a scope line up that good just mounting up. I fired a few rounds to get it about where I wanted it at 50 yards, and moved out to 200 yards. After making my adjustments to zero in, the last last 4 shot string to end the day out measured 1 1/8 inches edge to edge......so by my math, 1.125-.270 = 0.855. At 200 yards off the bench. Yikes! I think we have a winner!

I expected it to be fairly accurate from all the reports on the Tikkas, but I did not expect that. Not at all. That was all shooting factory Winchester 130 grn ballistic silvertips. I think this deer season, I'm gonna leave my old heavy .308 in the safe and take this little gem and see about blooding it up some.

I think I'm sold on the Tikka for sure, and I'm kind of embarrassed that it sat so long in the safe before I got it out and found out how sweet it shot. I definitely see more Tikkas in my future.
 
I too got a Tikka recently.. I concur with your decision to get a few more.. My .223 Lite in surprises me everytime I shoot it.. Good luck with your new Rifle... Im having a ball with mine ! It shoots almost all ammo with great results... Keep us Posted ! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
I had a Tikka in .223 and .308 both with SS heavy barrels. Neither one shot up to my standards which is at least MOA for 5 shots at 100 yards. Traded them puppies off. Some how I got the nerve to try it again so I bought another .223 In the T3 lite configuration this time in chrome moly (blue) synthetic. 25 gr of IMR4895 and any vmax from 35 to 60 gr. will routinely shoot 5 shot groups less than 1/2" and the best recorded so far is .285".

SOOOOOO I went out and bought a .243 T3 Lite. Blue and once again synthetic stock. It shoots way better than the .223 (with select loads) .193" 5 shots at a hundred (best group)

It seems to prefer lighter bullets but will group the 100's into less than an inch almost every time.

I don't claim this to be true with a 4 power scope cause ya just cain't aim goodenuf. So I use a 6.5X20 VXlll Leupold for all sight in and load development. I am sold on tikka's but don't waste your money on the heavy barrel or Stainless steel models. They don't seem to shoot as well. Any one else have the same experience.

Slickest action and most user friendly trigger on the market. Got mine set at 12oz. If you want to know how to get it that low safely. PM me.

Dave
 
My first was the heavy barrel varmint model in 223, it shoots lights out. Second was a 308 lite, that had to go back to Beretta for a 6 month vacation. It came back sub MOA which is fine, 3/4" is a consistent grouping. The latest, and my favourite is a 243 lite. This thing is awesome and will never leave my posession, I have 3 handloads which group in 1/3" from 55gr to 85gr. I think they are great rifles, just buy and shoot.
 
Well it is not a heavy barrel, but it is stainless. I have
a Tikka M695, SS/Laminate 25-06 Rem. the shoots itty bitty
groups. A friend has a T-3 SS/Synthetic, in 243 Win, that
shoots some pretty impressive groups, too. I am fairly
certain there were other issues, effecting the accuracy of
those SS Heavy barreled Tikkas, than them having SS barrels.

Squeeze
 
I agree with all. Very good rifles. I have two a T3 lite in 25.06 and an M695 in 7mm. Both are long range tools and will shoot where you aim.
 
Well just my two cents, I've got a 22-250 varmint stainless that was a little bit of a let down at first, but the more I shoot it, the better it gets.Never more than a half inch, even on a bad day. Also have a T-3 lite in 243 blued, black or what ever,that little s.o.b. just likes to shoot. If you could cram a marble down the barrel, it would probably shoot a good group with it. I LIKE'EM!!!!!

Pysco-dog
 
I bought a Tikka T-3 lite stainless in 22-250 last year,
mounted a Leupold VX-III 3.5 x 10 on it.

I finally got it to the range last month for one session.
I dont re-load. Started with some Hornaday 55 grain v-max's and some Winchester Supreme in 55 grain, Then tried some 50 grain Hornaday which seemed to shoot the best.
I would get 3 shots around an inch but then one or two would be way out.
NOT SURE whats going on... Gonna try some other factory loads? Any ideas? Not real impressed so far,, but maybe its just needs more rounds down the pipe??

Any suggestions on other factory ammo "brands/ bullets " thanks.??
 
Holy cow is correct sir
my t3 varmint 223 stainless surprises me every week at the range.
this is a five shot group at 200 yds, 60 gr vmax and benchmark. bench and bipod
tikka60vmaxbm200.jpg

100 yds, five shot group 55 vmax and benchmark
55vmaxlgroup.jpg

tikkashoot1.jpg
 
More rounds will most likely help, my .223 is getting better, the more I shoot it. Another thing, check to make sure that is free floated, when I got mine it was almost, but not quite.. just a suggestion,, hope it helps.
 
speaking of "free floated" the manual on the Tikka states the barrel is free floated the entire length of the barrel.
however when i slide a dollar bill down between the barrel and synthetic stock its stops about half way. I purchased my Tikka at "Scheels" and I did the dollar bill test on others on the shelf and they all did the same thing??
they stopped at the same spot? does anybody else notice this?
 
Welcome to a group that shoots the best deal in rifles there is, right now!!!
Around here Blued syth, T3s are about 500, stainless about 600. The deal cant be beat, and a rifle that will outshoot most customs and all factory production. light, nice trigger, everything everyone else goes to a gun smith for.
I own a pile of them.
Carl
 
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