New Rifle - Tikka T3X Super Varmint in .223 or .308

[SCJ429]

I think a Tikka T3 Varmint in 223 with a 1:8 twist barrel is an excellent way to start out in competition shooting out to 500 metres and beyond. I have one myself and use it to practice or use it in competition to keep up with the conditions. It has shot under an inch at 300 and under three inches at 500 in competition. I use 80 grain Bergers which are probably the best quality reasonably price bullet out there.

With the 80 Bergers, when seated near the lands, do they feed ok from the magazine?

I have to shoot single shot and not from a magazine, I feel that seating them that far into the case would rob too much room for powder from the case. You may do better with 70 or 69 grain VLD.

[in2anity]

I have to shoot single shot and not from a magazine, I feel that seating them that far into the case would rob too much room for powder from the case. You may do better with 70 or 69 grain VLD.

Thought so. I stick to the 69gr SMKs for that reason. Well that and the SMKs are priced well at the NSWRA store (for a match pill). And they shoot very competatively out to 400m, probably 500m (never tried tbh).

I'm not aware of a (common) factory, bolt-action 223 that will allow the long 80gr projectiles to be fed out of the factory magazine (with close-to-lands OAL). Does anyone know of any?

In my eyes a 1:8" twist barrel with a magazine that can't support the long bullets is counter-intuitive. Just doesn't make sense. For this reason 1:9" seems more appropriate for standard-length 223 mags, in my eyes.

[in2anity]

Glad your question came up as I was have similar thoughts.

For hunting I was thinking 308 Tikka CTR (looking at Deer and Pigs)
For Target shooting (and I should mention I want to do this for fun , not winning comps) looking at the 308 Howa 1500 in the MDT Ess chassis (24in barrel). After reading this thread I am thinking of changing to the 223 for the target shoots (same rifle). The club I shoot at has targets from 300m to 800m.

There are two reasons the CTR is not a good hunting rifle. 1) the 10-shot box magazine uncomfortably jutts into your back 2) they are a fair bit heavier than a light-weight hunting rifle. My CTR weighs around 4kg scoped, and thats a lot heavier than you need for probably 99% of your field shots. My CTR is one of the last guns I'd take on a walk.

My advice, get one with a flush magazine, and aim for the 3kg region.

If you want something a bit more premium, indeed those lighweight Sauers (with the low profile mags) are very nice guns - IMO much a much better hunting rifle than CTR. Then of course there’s the lightweight tikkas. Otherwise, cheaper but just as practical look at Howas or Rugers.

[TassieTiger]

My sauer 30-06 weighs 2.9kg and shoots amazingly well, fantastic trigger, beautiful action - It probably shoots better than it should (I’ve managed a couple half inch groups), BUT - the barrel has tooling marks That you’d never see in a tikka (confirmed with bore scope) and although these tooling marks are slowly coming out, it has been a copper fouling nightmare. Once mine is sorted (And it’s getting very close now) - I’ll never sell it but those first couple hundred shots on mine at least, has seen some serious cleaning challenges.

[in2anity]

Tassie - sounds like a keeper. I’ve been eyeing those Sauers off every time I go in for supplies. Although my safe is bulging at the seams!

Copper fouling is a pain - just curious, are you using an ammonia based solvent for cleaning? Such as Sweets?

[Peter988]

Love my Sauer 223

[TassieTiger]

Tassie - sounds like a keeper. I’ve been eyeing those Sauers off every time I go in for supplies. Although my safe is bulging at the seams!

Copper fouling is a pain - just curious, are you using an ammonia based solvent for cleaning? Such as Sweets?

Strangely - I’ve had to use a number of different products, bell and chasey, sweets, bore tech, kg12 - not one solvent has really been able to remove it all. BUT - before I went shooting last time, I Put a scope in barrel and lightly hit with autosol. This time out - it coppered much more lightly and also came out cleaner inside 15-20 mins.
If I had more experience- I could have taken it further with the polish but I was a little concerned that I’d inadvertently do something untoward and lose some of the rifles accuracy.

That being said re copper - even at its heaviest fouling - it was still shooting insanely well and I’d put it up against my tikka.

[in2anity]

That being said re copper - even at its heaviest fouling - it was still shooting insanely well and I’d put it up against my tikka.

Every barrel is different; in the wise words of John Kreiger some require more cleaning than others. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3d0-FOEpAuw&t=198s

Mate at the end of the day, if you're getting the accuracy you need, then that's all that matters

[TassieTiger]

I’ve learned a crap load by having to go through the processes with the sauer - and as such, Ive developed a relationship with this piece of steel and plastic lol. So now, I owe it my learnings and experiences and it rewards me with great accuracy and bruised shoulders. A tikka? Pft...bit boring lol (before I get flamed, yes - I own one).

[marksman]

"If I had more experience- I could have taken it further with the polish but I was a little concerned that I’d inadvertently do something untoward and lose some of the rifles accuracy."

if you take it too far what happens Tassie is the bullet wont seal as well and will cause bad inconsistencies that you do not want
its been explained to me as like a cars tyer's slipping on ice and cannot be bought back to what it was
l dont know if that makes any sence but you dont want a really polished bore
lapping is different