New Tikka CTR: 1st range report

[Geologist]

<Range reported added 03/20/2024: post #12>
<Range reported added 04/29/2024: post #23>

This rifle is my first venture into a quasi PRS platform.

I took a clinic with https://www.wclrprecisionshooting.com/ last summer using my .30-06 deer rifle. Did OK, considering I was using a factory T3X... but it beat the crap out of me (100 rounds prone in about 6 hours and I was crying like a little girl). A guy in the class let me shoot his 6.5 Creedmoor in a chassis with a brake and I knew I had to have one. This is what I put together... I'm sure it will change as I like to tinker.

• Tikka CTR in 6.5 Creedmoor, 24-inch barrel
• KRG Whiskey 3 chassis
• KRG AICS mags
• NF NXS 5.5-22x50
• NF rings
• Atlas PSR bipod
• APA Little Bastard Gen 3 brake

I will let you know how it shoots on Thursday.

 

[mt100gr.]

It'll shoot! My CTR is easily one of the most accurate, easy to shoot rifles I have owned. It has been stellar with every bullet I have tried, too! 140s, 143s, 147s, 156s. Great rifles!

 

[mtnwrunner]

I know what it will shoot like.

Randy

 

[roosiebull]

I know what it will shoot like.

Randy

 

[FLS]

Nice rig.

 

[JohnJohnson]

I've had nothing but good experiences with Tikka CTRs. Did you put a 20MOA base on it?

Also, can you actually see that ring bubble level when on the gun? May want to consider a scope tube mounted bubble level if you can't easily see that thing while shooting.

 

[Sanford17]

Looks great. Nice photos too

 

[deadwolf]

In the first LR shooting class I took, the guy that outshot everyone used a Tikka CTR in 6.5 creed. Better than the Accuracy International guy, the full custom guys, everyone. The rifle and shooter smoked us all.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Geologist]

I've had nothing but good experiences with Tikka CTRs. Did you put a 20MOA base on it?

Also, can you actually see that ring bubble level when on the gun? May want to consider a scope tube mounted bubble level if you can't easily see that thing while shooting.

I opted to not put a 20 MOA base on it as most shooting will be inside 1,000 yards. If that changes then I would probably swap both the rail and optic.

As for the ring level, when I was mounting the scope I recognized it can't be seen when I'm on the gun. Sorta gimmicky, but it's so low-profile I will probably keep it as a back-up.

So now I'm looking for a quality picatinny rail level or tube-mount level.

 

[JohnJohnson]

So now I'm looking for a quality picatinny rail level or tube-mount level.

It's a bit fancy but I have to say I really like my electronic Send-It level for a rail mounted one. I always have a scope tube bubble as a backup in case anything were to go wrong with it but it's really useful.

 

[gulfofmexicoflyfishing]

I also have a tikka CTR in the 20" 6.5 manbun variety. It's fantastic.. When I sent a photo of my first 10 round group to a buddy who has a stable of full custom rifles that cost 5-8x as much, he only replied with words that I won't repeat here. I have been wanting to drop it in a whiskey-3 for a few months but the thing shoots so well as is that it's hard to justify the cost. The @Unknown Munitions tikka level that mounts to the dovetail is awesome. I have UM rings direct mounted to the dovetail and I mounted the level just forward of the rear ring so I can easily reference it when I am on the gun.

 

[Geologist]

First range report... I sent 80 rounds, split into eight 10-round groups at 101 yards. 40 rounds of factory Winchester 140 Match (unspecified OTM bullet), followed by 40 rounds of factory Hornady 140 ELDM.



Worst 10-round group of the bunch was 1.1 MOA... below are the best two 10-round groups (0.93 and 0.94 MOA)... the black pasties are 0.80" diameter. I was not taking my time, sending each 10-round group in about 2 minutes. Then waiting about 10 minutes for barrel to cool off to minimize mirage.



All velocities measured with a Garmin Xero chrono.

Winchester 140 grain Match
40 shots
Min = 2569
Max = 2655
Mean = 2612
1-sigma = 19

Hornady 140 grain ELDM
40 shots
Min = 2591
Max = 2660
Mean = 2628
1-sigma = 19

Interestingly, both brands showed same standard deviation and same groups sizes.

Again, this is my first foray into the 6.5 Creedmoor... I have heard some people claim Tikka barrels are "slow". Can anyone comment (my barrel is 24")? Can I expect the barrel to get faster and/or can I expect handloads to be faster (without pressure signs)?

I have two more flavors of factory ammo to test... Federal Gold Medal Match 140 (with Sierra match bullets), and Hornady 147 ELDM.

Then I'll choose a bullet, hit the reloading press, and starting stretching it out.

I suppose I could also start an argument about 3-round groups versus 10-round groups versus 30-round groups. That is usually worth a few memes and twisted panties.

 

[Macintosh]

Looks great. I have the same rifle rigged very similarly in a krg bravo. Yours shoots a skooch better than mine, or youre a skooch better than me!
I still have several (many??) hundred rounds of hornady american gunner 140 gr that I practice with. My average velocity measured was 2660 last I checked. I have heard thats maybe a little slow, but not much. My buddy had a 24” rock creek barrel with a bunch of rounds through it on his rifle that averaged closer to 2700 with the same lot of ammo, so less than 40fps difference.

 

[mt100gr.]

First range report... I sent 80 rounds, split into eight 10-round groups at 101 yards. 40 rounds of factory Winchester 140 Match (unspecified OTM bullet), followed by 40 rounds of factory Hornady 140 ELDM.

Worst 10-round group of the bunch was 1.1 MOA... below are the best two 10-round groups (0.93 and 0.94 MOA)... the black pasties are 0.80" diameter. I was not taking my time, sending each 10-round group in about 2 minutes. Then waiting about 10 minutes for barrel to cool off to minimize mirage.

View attachment 689764View attachment 689769

All velocities measured with a Garmin Xero chrono.

Winchester 140 grain Match
40 shots
Min = 2569
Max = 2655
Mean = 2612
1-sigma = 19

Hornady 140 grain ELDM
40 shots
Min = 2591
Max = 2660
Mean = 2628
1-sigma = 19

Interestingly, both brands showed same standard deviation and same groups sizes.

Again, this is my first foray into the 6.5 Creedmoor... I have heard some people claim Tikka barrels are "slow". Can anyone comment (my barrel is 24")? Can I expect the barrel to get faster and/or can I expect handloads to be faster (without pressure signs)?

I have two more flavors of factory ammo to test... Federal Gold Medal Match 140 (with Sierra match bullets), and Hornady 147 ELDM.

Then I'll choose a bullet, hit the reloading press, and starting stretching it out.

I suppose I could also start an argument about 3-round groups versus 10-round groups versus 30-round groups. That is usually worth a few memes and twisted panties.

Great day!

It's probably a tad on the slow side (standard Tikka barrel speeds, tho), but accuracy trumps velocity all day. Handloads can probably get you a bit of that FPS back.

I've erred toward heavies with all of my creedmoors and never looked back. The Berger 156 are excellent in my 20" CTR. 2670 FPS. (handloads w/ RL26)

 

[Mulyhuntr]

Tikkas aren't slow. 147 eldm with 41-42 grains of H4350 or RL16 will be the easy button. This is 11 or 12 rounds (can't remember exact #) through my ctr on a H4350 pressure ladder. Orange dot is .1 mil for reference. Consistent 5-shot groups in the .4s with 41.5 h4350.

 

[JohnJohnson]

Tikkas aren't slow

As a general statement, Tikka barrels are slow. I think that's just a commonly known thing. Not that they don't shoot well though.

 

[Mulyhuntr]

As a general statement, Tikka barrels are slow. I think that's just a commonly known thing. Not that they don't shoot well though.

Not according to my chronograph across 5 tikkas where every one exceeds book velocity per given charge. Maybe I'm just lucky?

 

[Formidilosus]

As a general statement, Tikka barrels are slow. I think that's just a commonly known thing. Not that they don't shoot well though.

Slow with factory ammo maybe. With reloading they reach the same MV as any.

 

[General RE LEE]

As a general statement, Tikka barrels are slow. I think that's just a commonly known thing. Not that they don't shoot well though.

Not after 100 + rounds down the bore and reloads. I think that rumor started about 8 years ago when people were chrono'ing their new Tikkas with factory ammo.

 

[HighUintas]

The Tikka freebore is very long for 140s. A factory round may be jumping something like 0.100 or more. With 140 match burners, mine are loaded a touch longer than book COL and still jumping 0.110 ish.

That long freebore is likely why factory loads are slower than stated speed on box.