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Help Please .223 problems


tulkyuk
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Hi, I have just bought a brand new Tikka T3 Hunter .223 with a 1:12 twist ( i think - barrel not stamped with twist rate) - i have tried three different factory ammo bullets ( reloading gear coming next year hpefully), 50grn remington accutip, 50grn american eagle, and 55grn privies ( i know - but were just used to wear the barrell in), i cannot get it to group at all.

would a lighter grn bullet be better in a 1:12 twist or heavier :lol:

 

any help from you boys/girls would be most helpful

 

When i say not grouping i mean :-

ameriacan eagle grouped at about 2- 3 inch at 100yrds and the remington wouldn't touch the paper - even at 50yrds the group was about 6 inch or so.

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Something not right here buddy . :lol:

Could be the scope at fault or it could be the mounts .I do know that achieving a 6" group at 50yds then something is really wrong .

Use to get a 3" group @100yds using federal power shok until I switched to ballistic tip ammo but you might have a friday 5 o clock rifle there which is something else to consider .Anything touching the barrel can make a huge difference also .Have you fitted a sound moderator....If so what's the crown of the barrel now like because if i'ts flat and not uniform this can be a cause of shotgun type groups

50 /55grn is on the nail in my tikka 595 (1 in 12 ) but i'm under the impression that all .223 cal tikka's T3's are 1-8 which suit the heavier projectile .Having said that you should be getting far better results with lighter ammo anyway .

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I have just checked every thing is tight ( even had the action out and back in again) - the scope is fine ( came off my sako 243 with the optilock rings still attached).

 

had it screwcut but the crown is fine, guy who did it is a top notch bloke and has done a good few rifles for me and various mate, etc ( he is used by a few gunshops too).

 

Now that every thing is tight etc, i will try it again tommorow and see whats happening - if it does not shoot then, its going back to the shop.

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Now that every thing is tight etc, i will try it again tommorow and see whats happening - if it does not shoot then, its going back to the shop.

Best of luck ............When I put a T8 on mine I had to remove alot of material from the barrel channel to ensure freefloating but even with things touching the performance should still be better than the examples you've given .

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but i'm under the impression that all .223 cal tikka's T3's are 1-8 which suit the heavier projectile .Having said that you should be getting far better results with lighter ammo anyway .

 

Used to be Ive, they've started making them in 1-12 now as well as 1-8, details here.

 

Tulky, if you've voided the warranty, then get a good gunsmith to have a look at it, even if it's just for an opinion. I'd a friday afternoon special Tikka, best thing I ever did was to be rid of it. I hope you're not in the same boat mate I really do!

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I'm guessing that the barrel is supposed to be fully floated on that model? If so, have you checked to see that it doesn't have a pressure point? As it does sound like it may have. :)

 

Sorry to hear your having problems mate, it's a pain in the **** when you've just shelled out for something you expect to be spot on straight out of the box. :lol: Keep us posted and all the best. :lol:

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Only last week my mate bought a brand new marlin hmr and had the same fun as your having paul :lol: it just would not group even at fifty yards off a benchrest it was shooting 5-6" groups all over the shop i checked everything and all was tight but the prob stemmed down to a tiny piece of metal at the crown from the thread cutting process you could only see it with a magnifying glass but it was just touching the bullet as it exited the barrel it had to be recrowned and is now shooting 5 bullets into a 10mm group at 100yrds.

Seems to me you could have the same prob i dont think its a barrel floating issue when its that bad at 50yrds :look:

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Well it think its sorting its self out?? I took it out this morning and have put about 30 rounds through it. below are a few picture of the groups it shot

 

first group was with 40grn Norma with Hornady vmax heads

DSC00158.jpg

 

then i cleaned it and put through 55grn fedral Power shock soft points which weren't so good

DSC00159.jpg

 

so decided to take the mod of, clean it again with a bore snake and try it with the 40grn again, this time it grouped really well

DSC00157.jpg

so mod back on and 40grn again - not a bad group

DSC00156.jpg

 

So then thought try the 55grn again after a clean(with the mod on) - first 2 shots spot on then i had a flyer 2 inch high :lol:

DSC00154.jpg

so clean again and back to the 40grn rounds with the mod on

DSC00155.jpg

 

So now i think it's starting to shoot ok, but what do you boys think?:look:

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Had same trouble with both myTikka's 308 & 223 tried home loads no real joy so rang GMK and asked what ammo they used in factory to test zero as it says on box 1inch group at 100yds reply after a lot of hassle was 223 50grn soft point and 308 150grn hammer heads (soft points) sako ammo got some,, problem cured even great groups with 50grn arrow heads and 150 ballistic tip sako

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I think you're giving yourself a heart attack.

 

Stick to one round until its shooting consistently. Maybe 55gn bullets to start with.

 

You're not doing yourself any favours by switching stuff. You need to be consistent before you start experimenting. Just get it shot in to start with.

 

At 100 yards you should be able to shoot same hole groups. Lorraine can and she's a woman. :xmas:

 

Dave

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I think you're giving yourself a heart attack.

 

Stick to one round until its shooting consistently. Maybe 55gn bullets to start with.

 

You're not doing yourself any favours by switching stuff. You need to be consistent before you start experimenting. Just get it shot in to start with.

 

At 100 yards you should be able to shoot same hole groups. Lorraine can and she's a woman. :xmas:

 

Dave

thats were the problems lie though Dave - 50grn just wont group and the 55grn aint much better, the 40's are ok but not what i call a good group

 

its had 80 rounds through it now so should be 'shot in' - i'll try it again and see whats happening

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