Centerfire rifle drop testing: Tikka/SWFA

[Marbles]

Edit: Post #65, repeated and passed, and I shoot better now.


Keep in mind, I suck at shooting.

I got a Tikka 223 recently, had some work done. First zero was over the hood of my truck and a "close enough" type thing not at a range. Since I've hunted with it some. Finally got around to joining the local gun club and took it to a real range last week. For ammo, I just started reloading. This first batch was Starline 5.56 brass, Federal 205 primers, 77 gr TMKs, and 22.5 gr of N135. This was the first ammo I had ever reloaded, the spread sucked.

Tikka Lite cut to 16.5 inches and action cerakoted by LRI. SWFA SS HD 3-9x42 bought in January of 2023 direct from SWFA. Using Sportsmatch T084 rings torqued to 25 in lbs and thread locked and using the recoil pin, rings and screws were degreased in acetone, I don't remember if I degreased the scope body as this was mounted up 2 months ago. Lumley artic bottom metal with action screws torqued to 45 in lbs and thread locked.

Data from last weekends trip.



Today, I dropped it 9 times from 36 inches, 3 times on each side.
Snow was fist hard (look up avalanche assessment if you need to know what that means)

Set up


Finished


What the snow looked like after the drops


Shooting position and conditions.



I used the same target, same batch of hand loads.




Clear failure of the system. I do not have a proven rifle or scope, so will have to start chasing things down.

In better news, my new batch of hand loads have a tighter ES.

 

[Alder_]

Sarcasm?

 

[menhaden_man]

ES of 154 fps?

 

[TxLite]

The system looks like it did ok. Your handloads however might need some attention

 

[Marbles]

Sarcasm?

No. Though if I count the three wide ones as not being shooter error (probably gives me too much credit), then I stayed within the base line.

 

[BjornF16]

What are you using for powder measure/weighing?

Edit: good on you for assessing and posting

 

[Marbles]

ES of 154 fps?

Yep, pretty bad. Worse than Federal FBI loads, which made a much worse group.

The system looks like it did ok. Your handloads however might need some attention

The 20 round batches using N140 I shot today looked a touch better. Not tight, but probably good enough. ES was 76.5 using 25.5 gr of N140.

Edit: I got some blown primers with 25.5 gr of N150. This is slower than N140 and should be lower pressure. I will no longer be loading 25 gr or more of either of those powders for 223, not worth it when 25.5 gr is only 80 fps faster than 24.5 gr.

 

[fwafwow]

Dedication

 

[Throwin Darts]

You sure you didn’t drop it from 36 feet before that first batch?


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[Marbles]

What are you using for powder measure/weighing?

Edit: good on you for assessing and posting

RCBS Chargemaster Supreme. I was not careful to look at the scale after each autofill at first, then I caught it being half a gr off and corrected my ways.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

Those 3 farthest out shots are all present on your target before the drops.

 

[wyosam]

Doesn’t matter where it hits, 1100 pounds of kinetic energy won’t kill anything anyway. Don’t want to see a thread go on too long without arguing.


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[ssimo]

Impossible, fake news. It's a tikka, it can't shoot groups this bad and it can't fail a drop test!

Jokes aside, there are many variables. Most likely the scope mounting system is not working very well.

 

[Sled]

You're not supposed to drop test the ammo.



J/k, thanks for posting

 

[Marbles]

Doesn’t matter where it hits, 1100 pounds of kinetic energy won’t kill anything anyway. Don’t want to see a thread go on too long without arguing.


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Almost anything, I'm using it for snowshoe hairs because it just barely has enough energy for that.

Sarcasm

 

[BjornF16]

RCBS Chargemaster Supreme. I was not careful to look at the scale after each autofill at first, then I caught it being half a gr off and corrected my ways.

I had this problem when I first started loading with a Lyman. Slowed reloading down to correct the throws.

Ultimately upgraded and generally see much better SD

 

[JGRaider]

Bed the lug if you haven't already.

 

[gbflyer]

Powder is fast for 77gr bullet.

 

[ElPollo]

Keep in mind, I suck at shooting.

I got a Tikka 223 recently, had some work done. First zero was over the hood of my truck and a "close enough" type thing not at a range. Since I've hunted with it some. Finally got around to joining the local gun club and took it to a real range last week. For ammo, I just started reloading. This first batch was Starline 5.56 brass, Federal 205 primers, 77 gr TMKs, and 22.5 gr of N135. This was the first ammo I had ever reloaded, the spread sucked.

Tikka Lite cut to 16.5 inches and action cerakoted by LRI. SWFA SS HD 3-9x42 bought in January of 2023 direct from SWFA. Using Sportsmatch T084 rings torqued to 25 in lbs and thread locked and using the recoil pin, rings and screws were degreased in acetone, I don't remember if I degreased the scope body as this was mounted up 2 months ago. Lumley artic bottom metal with action screws torqued to 45 in lbs and thread locked.

Data from last weekends trip.
View attachment 660902
View attachment 660903

Today, I dropped it 9 times from 36 inches, 3 times on each side.
Snow was fist hard (look up avalanche assessment if you need to know what that means)

Set up
View attachment 660906

Finished
View attachment 660905

What the snow looked like after the drops
View attachment 660904

Shooting position and conditions.
View attachment 660913
View attachment 660912

I used the same target, same batch of hand loads.
View attachment 660908

View attachment 660909

Clear failure of the system. I do not have a proven rifle or scope, so will have to start chasing things down.

In better news, my new batch of hand loads have a tighter ES.

Looks like it needs more dead cats. Did you remove the pressure point in the factory stock and free float it? I’ve never needed to bed a Tikka, but they do seem to benefit from opening up the barrel channel.

 

[Marbles]

Bed the lug if you haven't already.

I have not. The lug is tight enough that I have to pull it out with plyers though.

Powder is fast for 77gr bullet.

Agree, it was what I could get and the manufacture listed loads for the 77 TMK with it, so I figured it was better than nothing.

Looks like it needs more dead cats. Did you remove the pressure point in the factory stock and free float it? I’ve never needed to bed a Tikka, but they do seem to benefit from opening up the barrel channel.

It has been sanded out and the pressure point is removed. About a tenth of an inch of clearance all the way back.