New Tikka 6.5 CM not grouping well

[MTManess]

Agree with other replies:

• Stick with the 120s
• If you do try other ammo, start with 140 ELDMs
• Ditch the sled man…like yesterday.

Thanks, Whats your preferred method for sighting in if you aren't using a sled? Bags? Bipod?

 

[hunterjmj]

When I'm sighting in or working on a load I use front and rear bags. When practicing I just shoot how I would hunting.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

Thanks, Whats your preferred method for sighting in if you aren't using a sled? Bags? Bipod?

Bags. And shoot reasonable group sizes (10) so you have an honest idea which ammo really shoots best.

 

[Fireflyfishing]

Thanks, Whats your preferred method for sighting in if you aren't using a sled? Bags? Bipod?

Bags off the bench for sight in or load development. As soon as those are set, I get off the bench and shoot off bipod, shooting sticks, backpack, tree branches, fence post, etc.

Edit: I try to get in some off hand shooting as well.

 

[need4sneed]

Bought the same gun new and started a notebook with it to round count and track some of the Rokslide talking points - mostly I just don’t want to clean anymore and am only truly vetting that out for myself.
• My gun out the gate also had a stiff bolt lift and it went away after around 80 rounds. Stiff again at around 400 rounds - addressed cocking ramp, went back to normal.
•didn’t test this round for round but velocity stabilized approximately 210 rounds. 210 rounds was the “break in”, only shooting, nothing down the barrel other than bullets.
• on the first 60 rounds I found it liked 143 eldx, 140 eldM- did not like 129 sst. Now I only shoot 140eldm to hunt and 140bthp for practice, both shoot well.
•60”lbs on action screws with thread lock (nail polish does indeed work). The UM dovetail scope mounts are flawless so far.
•sanded out the barrel channel - it was too tight and I wanted it wide
•785 rounds in (515 suppressed) I can say now that cleaning would have been a waste of my time - still shooting and counting.

I personally would not hesitate to shoot the 120 eldm and i would imagine you’ll find a 140 it likes - it’s the standard for those guns. For sure try the 140eldm.

I personally ditched the lead sled years ago and would also highly recommend that - for a pile of reasons. I like to Zero prone with a good rear rest. Then it’s easier to check zero on any hunt anywhere. And my zero is congruent with my hunting position.

Consider jumping to 10 or 20 or 30 round groups to establish zero for long range shooting. Knowing and understanding why guys are doing that in long range hunting has helped me solve a lot of my problems.

 

[Andouille]

If you've shot copper bullets (Barnes 127?), then clean the gun to bare metal and try the lead core bullets again. Many (including myself) have found that copper deposits from mono bullets can affect grouping with lead core bullets.

 

[Moezer]

My T3x superlight drives tacks & loved ELDMs. I recently got some Barnes Harvest with Sierra TGK (130?) i'm taking to the range soon & will report back. My previous experince with Sierras have been great.

 

[Laelkhunter]

Stick with what works (the 120's). Nothing wrong with them.

 

[Mike Islander]

ELDX were not great in mine. ELDM have been great.

 

[bnewt3]

Lots of good advice already.

if switching from mono to lead core or lead core to mono, there is ALOT of anecdotal evidence that says you need a bare bore to see best accuracy.

I would ask, what keeps you searching for something else? You found something that shoots well. What does it not do that a heavier bullet will?

Also, as others have said try at least 10rd groups.....really 20rd groups are about the minimum to get a statistically relevant sample size. This can be broken into multiple 3 or 5-shot groups with time for the barrel to cool between and added together. Tikkas have excellent barrels that *shouldnt* experience much if any thermal shift, but it doesnt hurt to remove it from the equation + you dont want mirage from 10 or 20rds affecting aiming.

 

[Timjohnson11]

My last two Tikkas have been underwhelming. My 6.5 PRC is picky with ammo, more so than any rifle I own. My 223 shot like garbage until I realized the action screws were never torqued down.. Shooting per expectations now.

 

[Stinky Coyote]

funny, last factory load I'd try is an eld-x lol, first ones to always try are eld-m, a box of each, go see which one, then stock up on way back from the range...I'd be surprised, and sad, if one of the m's didn't work on drive back and have to pick up a few other boxes to try which would likely be the eldx and fusions, fusions always been a good accuracy tester for about anything I've shot them in, just much prefer eld bc's and terminal performance

 

[Jack321]

Take a dollar bill and slide it down the barrel in between the stock to see if its hitting the barrel.

It might be more than just ammo, or scope, or retorquing things to spec.

My 300WM had issues too. My barrel was hitting the stock and I also needed a steel recoil lug installed and inserted near the base of the barrel.

I had to take a dremmel and chip away the part that was hitting the stock.

Then dropped in the recoil lug, retorqued everything to spec and its now shooting cloverleafs with 180 gr Federal Trophy Copper.

I was VERY frustrated when I first got it as it was my first Tikka, and had "drank the RokSlide Kool Aide," for Tikla and all I was just burning up ammo chasing flies until I got some good advice here and now its doing great. So I need to pay it forward.