85-87gn our of a 1:10 243 win. T3 varmint. Anyone lucky??

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Ghys_T3LSS

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Hi,

I am trying to shoot accurately my reloads and groups are deceiving. Both horizontal and vertical dispersion. I’ve tried now 6 different loads near some “good recipes” some people gave me. Loads .3 grains apart...

Am I losing my time? Some shooters told me to move to 75 grains. Some others tell me 87 grains Vmax (what I have) should be ok (but at the limit for stability...)

Anyone of you have a T3 Varmint and shoot 87 grains??

Shooter is not perfect but I’m doing .350 and .400 groups regularly with my older 300 WSM loaded with very “cheap” interlocks 180 gn...!

Thanks!
 
I know lots of guys with the tikka varmints shooting 87gr Vmax's and H4350 (43.4gr if I remember correctly) and then played with the depth. Every time I ever shot the vmaxs I found seating depth was a huge factory with the accuracy. In my 223 they liked lots of jump, my 243 they liked them just off the lands and my 22-250 they like lots of jump.

One more thing, have you gave your barrel a good scrub lately? Could be some fouling in there causing issues.

How is the crown? Is there a nick or ding in the crown at all?
 
My rifle is brand new. Gave it a “quick” break in, as I am not a believer of the 1 shot / one cleaning.
It has now maybe 50-60 rounds down the pipe.

Crown is perfect, rifle was cleaned very well, just maybe 15 rounds ago(before the session before the poor groups I am making).

If you can confirm the recipe, that would be great. So far, I have only shot loads in the high 41, low 43 grains area.

I’m actually around 0.015” from the lands.

I have loaded some 80 grains GMX, just for fun...

So far, the ttsx-80 I had for hunting in another rifle did better...

Thanks!
 
Have you tried Sierra's 80gr Blitz accuracy load ?
I've tried it in 5-6 different rifles with great results.
The bullet is almost ideal for a 1-10 barrel twist and has a tangent ogive.
(A Nosler 80gr Ballistic Tip should be as good)
 
``Some others tell me 87 grains Vmax (what I have) should be ok (but at the limit for stability...)``

limit for 1:10 ? Don`t eat that

Have you tried any factory target loads to get a base line comparison?
 
boxhitch said:
``Some others tell me 87 grains Vmax (what I have) should be ok (but at the limit for stability...)``

limit for 1:10 ? Don`t eat that

Have you tried any factory target loads to get a base line comparison?
Click to expand...

I should have told: some people say 87 Is limit, while other shooters roll their eyes...

I’ve not tried a factory match load, but this was one of my next steps...

What would you suggest?
 
My recipe for 87gr vmax is cci 200 primers, 41g of hybrid 100v, winchester brass and coal 2.640 this gets me 3/4 @100 and 1/2" @200 out of a t3 lite
 
My 2 best loads out of my T3 243 are. 35.0 H4895 with an 87 vmax. And 44.0 IMR4831 with either a 87 vmax or an 85 game king. My rifle is not a varmint contour but a standard Tikka T3.
 
Ghys_T3LSS said:
I should have told: some people say 87 Is limit, while other shooters roll their eyes...

I’ve not tried a factory match load, but this was one of my next steps...

What would you suggest?
Click to expand...

1-10 twist is more than enough to stabilize that bullet. That being said I have a 223 with a 75 gr amaxs it shoots around 3/4 to 1 inch but with the identical load and a 73 gr Berger bullet it shoots 1/2 inch and under. Sometimes they just don’t like certain bullets. Try a different bullet.
 
Try to track down some RL16, should jive nicely with the 87gr Vmax in the 3275 fps range. Ramshot Hunter & RL19 are another solid choices
 
My cheap 243 (mossberg atr100) shoots 100gr cheapo ammo (federal blue box, rem core lokt) into 1.5". It is a 1 in 10 twist.

I have some 100gr Hornady btsp to reload with, no idea if they will stabilize, word is it depends on the rifle with a 1:10 and this bullet.
 
I want my setup to shoot under or around 1/4” @100yds in the end... actually I am doing only 1” groups.

I would like to shoot past 500 yds accurately. I’m just wondering if actually my reloading capabilities will help me to do so, or if it will be the opposite... if I don’t find a good recipe for my rifle, then I will never be good...

I am giving me a couple more range visits with various loads, but then I may decide to shoot match ammo for a while.

Thanks
 
Recipe will only do so much for you. Do you have the tools to measure bullet run out? If the bullet doesn't start it's trip straight it doesn't have a good chance of ending straight. If you don't have a concentricity gauge, you can roll the cases on a piece of glass or mirror and watch the bullet tips as they roll. You don't want to see any wobble in the tips.
 
Ghys_T3LSS said:
I’m actually around 0.015” from the lands.
Click to expand...

Keep going back, bump em back 0.10 each time for 3 shot groups (same powder charge, whatever one gives you the best group now), it is kinda costly but you will see what your rifle likes. Both my Remington 700 22-250 and 243 VLS went from 1" group at 100 to 0.25 to 0.35" groups at 100 just by going 0.10" further away from the lands. In the end my 243 was 0.60" off the lands and 22-250 was 0.50" ish off the lands. Keep trying, I have yet to see a 243 not shoot the 87's well.
 
Ghys_T3LSS said:
I want my setup to shoot under or around 1/4” @100yds in the end... actually I am doing only 1” groups.

I would like to shoot past 500 yds accurately. I’m just wondering if actually my reloading capabilities will help me to do so, or if it will be the opposite... if I don’t find a good recipe for my rifle, then I will never be good...

I am giving me a couple more range visits with various loads, but then I may decide to shoot match ammo for a while.

Thanks
Click to expand...

That might be the problem. Are you that good of a shot?(not trying to be offensive, I probably couldn't do it) Is that a reasonable expectation from the platform in use? I'm assuming they have a MOA guarantee, but are they generally 1/4" guns or is that a lofty goal?

Just trying to suggest some possibilities...

The only other things I can think of is to play with seating depth or try some different bullets... One old timer I know with decades of experience swears by Sierra bullets for difficult to load for rifles. You could also try lighter and heavier pills, maybe this rifle just doesnt like the 75 to 90gr range.
 
Here are some 5 shot groups that agg just under 0.25 @ 100M shot last week. Consistent quarter inch groups are a good goal but tough to put on paper...and from a factory rifle...rare.
 
Not offended at all..!! I’m taking all the advices.

I’m actually shooting 1/2’’ groups quite regularly with a T3 varmint in 300 WSM. Some of them around 5/16...

I want to practice more, and I want the right tools to do so..!

I bought a T3 in 243, and put a decent optic on, and want this rifle to be my long range setup.

If I find a recipe that gives me 5/16 to 1/2 @ 100 yds, i’ll Practice and shoot more with this, at 200-300 yds, and until it becomes an issue at longer ranges. Then I will upgrade my reloading skills... that was my plan.
 
Ghys_T3LSS said:
Not offended at all..!! I’m taking all the advices.

I’m actually shooting 1/2’’ groups quite regularly with a T3 varmint in 300 WSM. Some of them around 5/16...

I want to practice more, and I want the right tools to do so..!

I bought a T3 in 243, and put a decent optic on, and want this rifle to be my long range setup.

If I find a recipe that gives me 5/16 to 1/2 @ 100 yds, i’ll Practice and shoot more with this, at 200-300 yds, and until it becomes an issue at longer ranges. Then I will upgrade my reloading skills... that was my plan.
Click to expand...

It might not be your skills, reloading or otherwise. 1/2"groups are good for most factory rifles, plenty of rifles worth a lot more than a Tikka don't shoot that good... It could be that this particular rifle is picky, or you just haven't tried the right thing. It's also possible that this rifle just isn't as accurate as your other one, and just under an inch is the best it'll do...

There is only one way to find out though, and that's to experiment. Take detailed notes, keep track of everything you try. Try different powder charge and type, seating depth, primers, cases, bullets... Everything is a variable that can be isolated and tested to see how its effecting accuracy...
 
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