The slow barrel tikka dilemma

[Brandon_SPC]

That extra space is more room for powder or pressure anyhow. You might be able to make them extra fast, especially if you fireform, necksize, and load. That's what I'm trying with my new 223ai barrel. The trick of course is assuring good extraction when you need a backup shot...

People still neck size? I always fill length size and only bump the shoulders back .003.

 

[Fireflyfishing]

People still neck size? I always fill length size and only bump the shoulders back .003.

Yes, we still neck size. I neck size new brass until it starts to get tight in the chamber…then I start full length sizing for remaining life of the brass.

 

[TradLife406]

Tried handloading for the 156? I was spanking those out at 3k and change with a 24" and a Berger max charge of 570.

I don't have much experience with oem tikka barrels. But my 223 is doing 2830 with 77 tmks and a max charge of n140. Which seems pretty dang good. Barrel is still new too.

Easy button for more speed over the 6.5 is going to the 6 UM or a faster round. Why I sold my 6.5 for a 6 UM. Shorter barrel but still getting over 3k. Ok easy, but not very cost efficient

 

[Fireflyfishing]

My preference is to keep 1800fps to 1000yds for my application and environmentals for this rifle in particular.

Which is what? Shooting animals or targets at 1000 yards?

 

[DangerRanger]

All of my tikka barrels have been a touch slow, none of them sped up and made that ground back reloading.

Ive just tossed it up to the price you pay for easy cheap accurate and long lasting takeoffs. Its not worth 500$ more for 50-100 fps for a custom barrel to me for anything aside from my comp gun

My 24” PRC is 2795 with factory 147
My 16” creed is 2600 with a 130tmk with the same load people on here claim 2700
I had a 20” ctr that was like 2550 with factory 147s

 

[HNTR_NW]

Which is what? Shooting animals or targets at 1000 yards?

Targets mostly, but the retained velocity to 1K for hunting is a personal preference for this rifle.

All of my tikka barrels have been a touch slow, none of them sped up and made that ground back reloading.

Ive just tossed it up to the price you pay for easy cheap accurate and long lasting takeoffs. Its not worth 500$ more for 50-100 fps for a custom barrel to me for anything aside from my comp gun

My 24” PRC is 2795 with factory 147
My 16” creed is 2600 with a 130tmk with the same load people on here claim 2700
I had a 20” ctr that was like 2550 with factory 147s

I have one batch of reloads running 147s over 56.5gr of retumbo that’s giving me 2780fps. It’s about 2gr under max I believe. Once my next batch of brass is shot I’ll try bumping it up. And maybe try and find some N565- it looks like guys have been having luck with that

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

I’m not saying your tikka isn’t slow but hornady factory loads are always way slower than advertised. Even out of a 24-26” barrel I rarely get within 50-100fps of advertised. The only factory ammo I’ve shot that is consistently close to published is federal.

 

[DangerRanger]

Targets mostly, but the retained velocity to 1K for hunting is a personal preference for this rifle.

I have one batch of reloads running 147s over 56.5gr of retumbo that’s giving me 2780fps. It’s about 2gr under max I believe. Once my next batch of brass is shot I’ll try bumping it up. And maybe try and find some N565- it looks like guys have been having luck with that

That sounds pretty decent. As long as you get your max yardage needed for on game terminal velocity the wind difference between 2800 and 2900 isn’t much

 

[mt100gr.]

Targets mostly, but the retained velocity to 1K for hunting is a personal preference for this rifle.

I have one batch of reloads running 147s over 56.5gr of retumbo that’s giving me 2780fps. It’s about 2gr under max I believe. Once my next batch of brass is shot I’ll try bumping it up. And maybe try and find some N565- it looks like guys have been having luck with that

I gained 120fps with 143s in my 18" 6.5 SAUM switching from Retumbo to N560. And I didn't run it up to pressure. I just found a comfy spot once the velocity was more in line with my expectations.

(Not a Tikka barrel, this is a McGowen...just relaying my experience switching to a Viht powder)

 

[Chris in TN]

Like others have said, if you reload the issue more or less ceases to be an issue.

Targets mostly, but the retained velocity to 1K for hunting is a personal preference for this rifle.

I have one batch of reloads running 147s over 56.5gr of retumbo that’s giving me 2780fps. It’s about 2gr under max I believe. Once my next batch of brass is shot I’ll try bumping it up. And maybe try and find some N565- it looks like guys have been having luck with that

I've never touched a 6.5PRC but I can say that in my .280ai I was using IMR8133 for 180s and when that was discontinued I tried some VVN565 and gained 50' over the 8133, without even looking for max. I suspected I had another 50' left on the table.

25" Bartlein, Peterson brass, 180eldm at 3.43", I was topping out about 2825' with 8133 and the first load I tried with N565 was at 2870'. I shot 6-7 shots and saw no point in further 'development'. Gordon's Reloading Tool data indicates I had another 50' or so left on the table and based on what I saw (or, didn't see) on the brass I think that's accurate.

Point being, in the right size case, N565 is a great powder if max speed is your goal.

 

[Thunker]

new tikka 6.5 prc with 24 inch barrel shooting new barnes harvest with th SGk 16 shot string 2711 avg fps spead od 197.9 and max fps of 2855. THAT SUCKS!!!!! 147 hornandy eldm at 2805 about ready to send this one back to Tikka

 

[freezer003]

Interesting, Hornady ammo runs 30fps slower than the box in my 22" Tikka. Maybe I just got lucky on the barrel

 

[Q_Sertorius]

new tikka 6.5 prc with 24 inch barrel shooting new barnes harvest with th SGk 16 shot string 2711 avg fps spead od 197.9 and max fps of 2855. THAT SUCKS!!!!! 147 hornandy eldm at 2805 about ready to send this one back to Tikka

Your new barrel is getting a 2711 average with a maximum of 2855 for ammo advertised at 2910 by the manufacturer and you think it is the rifle’s fault? How many shots have you fired?

Put 80 rounds through it (maybe not the $53/box variety) and then measure it again with a Garmin. I’d be shocked it if hasn’t sped up.

 

[HNTR_NW]

Your new barrel is getting a 2711 average with a maximum of 2855 for ammo advertised at 2910 by the manufacturer and you think it is the rifle’s fault? How many shots have you fired?

Put 80 rounds through it (maybe not the $53/box variety) and then measure it again with a Garmin. I’d be shocked it if hasn’t sped up.

I agree with this. Mine has since sped up around 50fps and I have about 120 rds through this barrel.

Yes my tikkas are in general 100fps slower than the proof barrels I have owned. It can be frustrating. A portion of it comes down to how many rounds you have down the pipe, what ammo lot you got, and how tight the chamber and throat geometry is cut from the barrel manufacturer.

At the end of the day- I has yet to actually limit my hunts.

 

[skipper907]

new tikka 6.5 prc with 24 inch barrel shooting new barnes harvest with th SGk 16 shot string 2711 avg fps spead od 197.9 and max fps of 2855. THAT SUCKS!!!!! 147 hornandy eldm at 2805 about ready to send this one back to Tikka

Your wasting your time if you think tikka is going to do anything about this. if you want to test your rifle get some sako ammo that is what tikka uses for testing.
ammo speeds is an ammo problem not a rifle problem

 

[desert_dog]

I'll add another data point. I recently bought my first Tikka, a new T3x Superlite Gen 2 in 6.5 PRC with the 22.4" barrel. Factory 147 ELD-Ms averaged 2829 for the first 20 rounds and 2842 for the 2nd box with SDs around 10 (using a garmin xero).

I worked up a load using the 156 Berger using my once fired Hornady brass, Fed 215M primers, and retumbo at 2.955 and found pressure at 56.5 grains at roughly 2800 fps. Next, I'm planning to try some N565 and see if I can pick up a little more FPS. Fingers crossed I see the barrel speed up over the next 100 rounds as well.

 

[bojangles808]

At the end of the day- I has yet to actually limit my hunts.

this. when I'm playing around numbers on ballistic solvers 100 fps is usually the difference between 650 - and 725, not really worth fretting over imo