My Tikka groups suck

[TaperPin]

How is that possible?

Even Brian Litz has theorized the cause - he stops short of saying it’s a real thing, but has said as a bullet comes out it can be flying like a cork screw and as it settles down the diameter of the corkscrew gets smaller. I didn’t know how controversial it would be, but as a young shooter decades ago groups were often better at 200 than 100 - I figured it had more to do with parallax being set at 150 yards, but even with parallax adjustable scopes I still believe it’s a thing.

 

[CoWapiti]

Interesting stuff, definitely agree to have a known skilled shooter get behind your rifles and compare. To make a factory ammo suggestion, my Tikka CTR 6.5 creed seems to love the hornady American gunner 140 gr ammo. I've regularly shot 1.5-2" at 300yds and 5-6" groups at 1050yds with that stuff. I do not consider myself an extremely skilled shooter. As far as reloads with the 6.5, I was having very good results with berger 140vld over 42-43gr H4350. Good luck, hope you get it figured out!

 

[2buffalo]

Even Brian Litz has theorized the cause - he stops short of saying it’s a real thing, but has said as a bullet comes out it can be flying like a cork screw and as it settles down the diameter of the corkscrew gets smaller. I didn’t know how controversial it would be, but as a young shooter decades ago groups were often better at 200 than 100 - I figured it had more to do with parallax being set at 150 yards, but even with parallax adjustable scopes I still believe it’s a thing.

I am pretty sure Brian Litz said that if someone brought him a rifle that shoots better at 200 than 100 he would give them some money and nobody took him up on it.

 

[TuckTruck]

Some of my question have already been covered, but…

Do you have other rifles that you shoot tighter groups with?

Have you tried factory ammo?

Have you verified your recoil lugs are properly installed?

Has anyone else shot these rifles and had better groups?

Have the rifles shot tighter groups in the past?

If I were in your shoes, I would focus on one rifle at a time, preferably not the 7prc because you may fight a flinch due to recoil.

 

[TaperPin]

I am pretty sure Brian Litz said that if someone brought him a rifle that shoots better at 200 than 100 he would give them some money and nobody took him up on it.

Yet he has a theory of what causes it.

 

[Tanner]

It’s pretty clear that there is some shooter error and recoil and/or recoil anticipation happening, based on the .223 groups being so much smaller.

I’d probably bed each of those rifles if they aren’t already, at least capture the lug in the stock tightly and retorque all fasteners to eliminate some mechanical issues.