"Tikka's just don't shoot good" - Gunwerks podcast

mxgsfmdpx

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Following up on my previous post above (#73) I was able to break away from the wife and kids and shoot this morning.

I brought out my Sako 85 in .260 and my Tikka T3X Superlight in .22-250. I am running really low on hand loads so I went with factory Hornady for both for today. 50 Grain VMAX and 129 Grain SSTs going out at 3,920ish and 2,730ish FPS. Velocity spreads were factored in to get these numbers. Temps were 60 degrees F with a 7-12 MPH head wind.

Another quick note. These are light weight field rifles. The Sako weighs 7 lbs 6 ounces scoped and full of ammo. The Tikka weighs 7 lbs 11 ounces scoped and full of ammo.

Both rifles were still dead on at 200 yards after lot’s of shooting and truck/atv bouncing
over the last few weeks. I continue to be really impressed with Meoptas scopes so far. Both of these rigs have Meopta MeoPro scopes. After reconfirming zeros at 200, I took them both out to 400 yards, did some ballistics calcs and started shooting.

All shots were “field simulated” meaning I was laying prone with a bipod in the grass, with a very simple light weight rear rest that clips to my bino harness. A very typical hunting shot that I take. Shots were consecutive with no barrel cool down time and no windage adjustment for the gusts, I just dialed for a set 8 mph wind and appropriate elevation MOA for ballistics for each rifle. Another note, I do have both of these field verified; the .22-250 out to 600 yards and the .260 out to 1,300 yards.

The Sako .260 put 10 shots (2 magazines) into a 3 1/2” vertical and 2 7/8” horizontal group center to center at 400 yards. I had a high flyer that was all me and not the rifle, which widened the vertical group spacing more than I’d like to see.

The Tikka .22-250 put 6 shots (2 magazines) into a 1 5/8” vertical and 1” horizontal center to center at 400 yards. That pink hole is actually two bullet holes which were my first and 4th shots (first out of the mag for both).

Like I said... Adding to my note above. These are real world groups from this morning at a pretty decent hunting yardage. Nothing crazy, but for two pretty much factory rifles and factory ammunition I’d say Sakos and Tikkas shoot pretty good.
 

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Tmac

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Have 3 in 270. Two are the T3 Lite and one is a T3X Lite. All are stainless. The T3’s are 1 moa and .75 Moa guns. The T3X is a .5 moa shooter. All are very good hunting guns. I am sure all 3 are capable of shooting even better, all of my shooting is with factory ammo. One T3 stopped shooting well, replacing the recoil lug solved that. The T3X with the steel lug should eliminate this possibility. I think they shoot very well.
 
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Only had the opportunity to get behind one Gunwerks--- it was chambered in 7LRM and running their Gunwerks brand ammo with 180gr VLDs. Topped with a Revic 428 (whole nother thread-- not impressed)

The fit and finish of that $10k set up was nothing mind blowing compared to custom builds at 1/2 or 1/3 the price.

The ammo had high double digit ES/SD but shot 1/2 moa at 100 yards; didn't get a chance to take it out longer.

Given what I saw I would take a Tikka with few mods and great glass over a Gunwerks
 
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Only had the opportunity to get behind one Gunwerks--- it was chambered in 7LRM and running their Gunwerks brand ammo with 180gr VLDs. Topped with a Revic 428 (whole nother thread-- not impressed)

The fit and finish of that $10k set up was nothing mind blowing compared to custom builds at 1/2 or 1/3 the price.

The ammo had high double digit ES/SD but shot 1/2 moa at 100 yards; didn't get a chance to take it out longer.

Given what I saw I would take a Tikka with few mods and great glass over a Gunwerks

You could get a tikka, put it in a manners/ag, rebarrel it if you really wanted to, top it with a ATACR and still have money left for a fully guided hunt of your choice vs. the cost of a gunwerks.
 

Rob5589

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Only had the opportunity to get behind one Gunwerks--- it was chambered in 7LRM and running their Gunwerks brand ammo with 180gr VLDs. Topped with a Revic 428 (whole nother thread-- not impressed)

The fit and finish of that $10k set up was nothing mind blowing compared to custom builds at 1/2 or 1/3 the price.

The ammo had high double digit ES/SD but shot 1/2 moa at 100 yards; didn't get a chance to take it out longer.

Given what I saw I would take a Tikka with few mods and great glass over a Gunwerks
TV shows are expensive to produce.
 

carter33

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If you stuck with the factory barrel and stock you may be able to squeeze in two guided hunts... or thats 4-5 years worth of out of state tags for the DIYer.

What type of guided hunt? The price is all over the place. You could hardly pay for half a sheep hunt but you may be able to pay for 2 antelope hunts. Maybe 3 pig hunts or more. Just seems like a broad statement.
 
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What type of guided hunt? The price is all over the place. You could hardly pay for half a sheep hunt but you may be able to pay for 2 antelope hunts. Maybe 3 pig hunts or more. Just seems like a broad statement.
It’s less serious and more just about the fact that the average hunter isn’t going to really realize any benefit from a 10k rifle and the money could be better spent on a(relatively) cheap rifle and getting themselves out in the field.
 

carter33

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It’s less serious and more just about the fact that the average hunter isn’t going to really realize any benefit from a 10k rifle and the money could be better spent on a(relatively) cheap rifle and getting themselves out in the field.

Cannot argue there, I have a custom in a higher caliber and the recoil causes any error to be more dramatic on paper(it is not close to that 10k mark though either). My best groups recently have been with a 6.5cm barrett feildcraft that I run a suppressor on and man does that thing shoot good groups.
 
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I just bought my first Tikka last year and have been nothing but impressed. Lite, accurate, and affordable. I have mine shooting .5 groups at 100 yards. Shot a mule deer at 460 last year.
 

Blaw

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Oct 9, 2017
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Calgary, Alberta, Canada
I have owned a tikka t3x

It shot well but like previously stated, most will shoot well. But some might not. I would however also agree the chances of it shooting well are better with a tikka than with others.
I also think they have the best factory stock for anything under 1k. esp with the vertical grip you can put in there.


BUT I can also say that I have owned 2 savage axis, 1 remington 783 as well as 1 tikka.

ALL rifles shot under 1 moa.

I tend to lean towards cheaper rifles because I tinker like hell with them.

to just buy it and leave it factory, esp considering the t3x stock.....that is a good combo. Get a short action tho!! the mag length on long actions is restrictive if reloading.
 

Stu

Lil-Rokslider
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Dec 29, 2019
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223
I've been pretty pleased with mine (T3X in 223 and 6.5 Creedmoor). I've tinkered with Hornady 75 ELDs, 73 ELDs, 75 BTHP as well as Sierra 77 TMKs. I've been able to get most of them to shoot well without much load work. These were all shot using a 6x scope and fancy targets.

As always, don't try these loads without starting lower and working up in your rifle.

And for what its worth, both rifles shot just as well from their factory stocks (I did remove the nubbins that contact the barrel) as they do from the Bravo chassis.

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I have never owned once that couldn't with that said I had older M695s in 300 win and 270 win both I hd bedded and both were 3/4 MOA or better with factory. sold both due to weight as I was wanting to back pack more. Just picked up a t3 in 270 wsm for my kid its no 695 but shooting .8s with factory hoping to get better with handloads.
 

Wacko

Lil-Rokslider
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Oct 6, 2019
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Well, update time for all the hypers......don't hate.....

I went through each one of the 4 new tikka's I purchased. Full float, checked bolt lug contact, checked crowns, re-mounted all scopes, checked all for any mount screws protruding into the action. I cleaned all the bores...

I bore-sighted, fired 3 at a steel plate to get it close, then 10 round "groups", no adjustments made during the group.

zXtsR3h.jpg


.223 group "before"

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.223 same ammo - after

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.223 with Hornady black 75 gr HPBT


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cont'd....
 

Wacko

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Oct 6, 2019
Messages
196
.243....what a peach...100 gr core-loc

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6.5 creed.......140 gr OTM match from sig

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.308.....173 gr white box mil match

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Including these it is now 9 tikka's.......5 of 9 have shot like this. The other 4 better. I sold some guns to do this....regretting it....keep in mind most of these are improvements from out of the box....
 
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