.223 for bear, mountain goat, deer, elk, and moose.

Formidilosus

Super Moderator
Shoot2HuntU
Joined
Oct 22, 2014
Messages
9,929
Out of quite a few Tikkas, AAC TMK and 77gr SMK’s have averaged between 1.5 to 2 MOA for multiple ten round groups.
 

Formidilosus

Super Moderator
Shoot2HuntU
Joined
Oct 22, 2014
Messages
9,929
Brutal! Appreciate the intel


I’m not discounting that others may have seen issues, as I haven’t seen thousands and thousands of rounds of it through dozens of rifles. I am just saying what I have seen.
 

ianpadron

WKR
Joined
Feb 3, 2016
Messages
1,936
Location
Montana
I’m not discounting that others may have seen issues, as I haven’t seen thousands and thousands of rounds of it through dozens of rifles. I am just saying what I have seen.
After re-reading your post, seeing those were 1.5-2" TEN shot groups, I feel better. Should be more than enough for a 400 yard deer gun.
 

Deerfield

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Nov 25, 2019
Messages
255
Location
South Central PA
3,000fps MV. Though I would get it rechambered to 22CM from the start, and no/ no issues.
I probably should… In your opinion, if starting from scratch and buying another tikka to turn into a 22CM, would it be better to just rebarrel? Do I really leave anything on the table by rechambering a 1:8 .22-250?
 

Rooggvc

WKR
Joined
Aug 8, 2022
Messages
611
I probably should… In your opinion, if starting from scratch and buying another tikka to turn into a 22CM, would it be better to just rebarrel? Do I really leave anything on the table by rechambering a 1:8 .22-250?
1691098997656.png
 

Rooggvc

WKR
Joined
Aug 8, 2022
Messages
611
I have yet to shoot it because I am waiting on a suppressor, but I had a 1/8" .223 barrel rechambered to 22 Creedmoor after reading various posts from @Formidilosus. It sounds like multiple individuals in his group have rechambered the 1/8's without issue.
 

Formidilosus

Super Moderator
Shoot2HuntU
Joined
Oct 22, 2014
Messages
9,929
I probably should… In your opinion, if starting from scratch and buying another tikka to turn into a 22CM, would it be better to just rebarrel? Do I really leave anything on the table by rechambering a 1:8 .22-250?

No, the 1-8” is fine for anything up to the 88gr ELD-M. What I am seeing is that the 75gr, 80gr, and 88gr ELD-M, as well as the 80gr ELD-X, and the 77gr TMK are all good at those speeds, and kill fine. My preference from a wound perspective is still the 77gr TMK currently.
 
Joined
Jul 17, 2023
Messages
35
Howdy! First post after reading this entire thread. If it wasn't for a good friend of mine attending a recent shooting school by Form, I would still be mildly choking on some of this info in here.

That said, I dove right in and am the proud owner of a Tikka in .223. Nice rifle. Not the only bolt .223 I have but certainly a favorite after a range session.

The post above about groups and a comment on AAC ammo having a bit more pop got me to post up my experience with that ammo. I bought some AAC 77gn OTM to practice with in the Tikka. I was pretty happy with the groups to start, at 1.25-1.5". I was hitting gongs at 200, 300 and 400 yards easily with this stuff. The potential for very good accuracy in this rifle became pretty clear. I thought that ammo popped pretty good too. I read, "perfectly fine to shoot 5.56 in a bolt gun chambered in .223", here. OK then, lets give it a go, even if I have avoided doing that forever.

I found 3 split cases in 40 rounds fired. I pawed through another 160 unfired rounds, all in the same lot, and found two with damaged case mouths and one with a slightly bulged shoulder. I seem to recall maybe shoving one into the chamber a little harder than normally necessary while shooting at the bench that first day. I'll shoot the balance of it in my 18" Wylde barreled rifle.

Aside from that I do plan to attempt to fill a deer tag here in the hills with the Rokslide Recipe come November. I'll post bullet performance results here.

AAC 77gn OTM
aac.jpg
 
Joined
Dec 30, 2014
Messages
9,585
Howdy! First post after reading this entire thread. If it wasn't for a good friend of mine attending a recent shooting school by Form, I would still be mildly choking on some of this info in here.

That said, I dove right in and am the proud owner of a Tikka in .223. Nice rifle. Not the only bolt .223 I have but certainly a favorite after a range session.

The post above about groups and a comment on AAC ammo having a bit more pop got me to post up my experience with that ammo. I bought some AAC 77gn OTM to practice with in the Tikka. I was pretty happy with the groups to start, at 1.25-1.5". I was hitting gongs at 200, 300 and 400 yards easily with this stuff. The potential for very good accuracy in this rifle became pretty clear. I thought that ammo popped pretty good too. I read, "perfectly fine to shoot 5.56 in a bolt gun chambered in .223", here. OK then, lets give it a go, even if I have avoided doing that forever.

I found 3 split cases in 40 rounds fired. I pawed through another 160 unfired rounds, all in the same lot, and found two with damaged case mouths and one with a slightly bulged shoulder. I seem to recall maybe shoving one into the chamber a little harder than normally necessary while shooting at the bench that first day. I'll shoot the balance of it in my 18" Wylde barreled rifle.

Aside from that I do plan to attempt to fill a deer tag here in the hills with the Rokslide Recipe come November. I'll post bullet performance results here.

AAC 77gn OTM
View attachment 584324

Good info. I was hesitant to firmly recommend against AAC branded 556 in a tikka based on them showing overpressure in my tikka but I think with your post there is sufficient evidence to steer clear for that application now.
 

mt terry d

WKR
Shoot2HuntU
Joined
Jul 18, 2023
Messages
725
I ran through @ 400 with a friend's T3x with zero issues. Have about a hundred left and i checked some with a magnifying glass with no visible flaws. Perhaps Black Hills Shooter had a monday morning batch or a newb at the factory? Whatever the reason, the fact that one batch had issues is pretty unacceptable. Whoever is in charge of quality control needs a talking to. That's very bad for business at the least.
 
Joined
Jul 17, 2023
Messages
35
I ran through @ 400 with a friend's T3x with zero issues. Have about a hundred left and i checked some with a magnifying glass with no visible flaws. Perhaps Black Hills Shooter had a monday morning batch or a newb at the factory? Whatever the reason, the fact that one batch had issues is pretty unacceptable. Whoever is in charge of quality control needs a talking to. That's very bad for business at the least.

If I recall, you posted some MVs to me that showed they were on the hot side. Average above 2800fps.

Anyway, sorry for stinking up this thread with bad ammo stories. I'll be sure to post something about 77 TMKs and dead game animals later in the year.
 

Latest posts

Featured Video

Stats

Threads
348,023
Messages
3,663,544
Members
79,625
Latest member
Cornbinder
Top