Precision/F-class Reloading Steps

Hi Maynard and Maple

My primary interest is F-Open but due to the shortage of long range time I have been interested in a short range cartridge and rifle combo but I am not interested personally in pursuing a specialized 223 FTR match rifle. Just wanted something for fun that is competitive. A number of the local guys have and are playing with the newish Berger 85.5 in match actions, specialized reamers and down to 1 in 6 1/5 twist barrels. For me though, not my thing.

All I wanted to see if the factory Tikka T3 Varmint 1 in 8 twist would be good enough to shoot competitively to 500 meters only. I did not want to modify it other than reduce the trigger pull on the factory trigger and increase the length of pull so it would be comfortable to me shooting prone. This way, if it was competitive, I could recommend the rifle and load to newbie shooters too.

I shot test loads using the 77 SMK and 4 different powders and 4 different primers but did not use a developed test regime. I found a very accurate load after about 50 rounds at a velocity of 2600 fps. I retested that load then loaded for the match today at 500 meters.

The weather was blustery today ranging from about 8 to 15 kph and switching winds. Temp was 0 degrees. Shot 3 relays of 15 rounds plus 2 convertible sighters.

I have never shot a 223 at 500 meters before so the first relay was an experiment. Felt better on the second but the winds really came up on the third probably gusting to 20 kph.

Got a 68-3 on the first, 71-3 on the second and 72-6 on the last. Given more practice and experience in the wind I believe I could clean the target in the future.

The experienced guys shooting the 85.5's in custom match actions and barrels were getting similar scores in the winds so i believe this proves to me that a factory Tikka is more than competitive to 500m.

This gives us a good choice for newbies now.
 
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Hi Steve,

The answer to your question is quite simply, No, you will not be competitive.

If you are out there going against guys with specialized rifles and yours is not, don't expect to win. A good F Class shooter will generally hold .25 MOA as that is needed to hold the 0.5 MOA V Bull in the wind. You cannot hold a 0.5 MOA V Bull with a 0.5 MOA rifle, if your rifle can do consistently that.

Sure you can go out side by side and do as well as you can do. If conditions are light, and your rifle happens to shoot very accurately, you might take a stage once in a while, but not likely the agg.

Keep in mind that Maynard is a TR shooter and I am an F Class shooter.

In TR, since it is positional, the defining differences for F Class may not apply with such certainty.
 
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SteveB said:
Hi Maynard and Maple

My primary interest is F-Open but due to the shortage of long range time I have been interested in a short range cartridge and rifle combo but I am not interested personally in pursuing a specialized 223 FTR match rifle. Just wanted something for fun that is competitive. A number of the local guys have and are playing with the newish Berger 85.5 in match actions, specialized reamers and down to 1 in 6 1/5 twist barrels. For me though, not my thing.

All I wanted to see if the factory Tikka T3 Varmint 1 in 8 twist would be good enough to shoot competitively to 500 meters only. I did not want to modify it other than reduce the trigger pull on the factory trigger and increase the length of pull so it would be comfortable to me shooting prone. This way, if it was competitive, I could recommend the rifle and load to newbie shooters too.

I shot test loads using the 77 SMK and 4 different powders and 4 different primers but did not use a developed test regime. I found a very accurate load after about 50 rounds at a velocity of 2600 fps. I retested that load then loaded for the match today at 500 meters.

The weather was blustery today ranging from about 8 to 15 kph and switching winds. Temp was 0 degrees. Shot 3 relays of 15 rounds plus 2 convertible sighters.

I have never shot a 223 at 500 meters before so the first relay was an experiment. Felt better on the second but the winds really came up on the third probably gusting to 20 kph.

Got a 68-3 on the first, 71-3 on the second and 72-6 on the last. Given more practice and experience in the wind I believe I could clean the target in the future.

The experienced guys shooting the 85.5's in custom match actions and barrels were getting similar scores in the winds so i believe this proves to me that a factory Tikka is more than competitive to 500m.

This gives us a good choice for newbies now.
Click to expand...

I had a Tikka Varmint in 223 with an 8 twist barrel, all factory.

On a calm day it would one hole at 100m for 5 shots, with a 75gn A-max.

Put >3 000 rounds through it but traded it off eventually.

Reason is the rifle was stupid accurate and it became less challenging popping rattle cans at 500m, also the 223 is a little more difficult to get low ES's.

A Yo-dave trigger spring is <$30 to your door and is a worth while improvement.

For club events, sounds like you are in Quesnel, the Tikka most likely not be the deciding factor.

As an example the 300wm Tikka Tactical, Yo-dave spring, bedded action, finds its way to the podium once in awhile.
 
Hi Maple

Just like BCBrad I have found that the Tikka 223 Varmint to absolutely be capable of 1/4 MOA results. While you are correct in that the bullets I use are not competitive with the newer heavies BC I believe that I can clean the 500 meter targets given a little more practice. The difference then would likely only be the V count which would favour the specialized rifles and bullets. I actually don't care as long as I do well because I am not interested in F-TR. If I want to win the match, I will shoot my 6.5's.

My main purpose was to find a rifle that will force me to pay attention to the winds at and under 500 meters. This rifle combo will do this for me. I been getting lazy shooting my 6.5's because they are so good you don't need to watch the winds as much.

Hi BCBrad

No, I am not in Quesnel but farther south. I agree with you about this Tikka. It is stupid accurate and on par with a custom barreled match rifle but having a 24" barrel length it doesn't have the velocity potential of a match rifle. it will do what I want it for without the expense of a full blown match setup.
 
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FWIW, at 300 yards, I have gone in matches where I've put 117 rounds out of 120 into the 1 MOA 5 ring over the two days.

My best stage was 50/9V at 300 meters, and the 5 was my first convertible sighter.

Not bragging here, just giving you a sense of who you might be shooting against. Plenty of guys will shoot better, well maybe not plenty, but some.
 
Maple

You are not understanding or comprehending what I am saying. I don't care! I am not going to use this as a local F-TR rifle. It is a play rifle for me. I shoot F-Open in for-real matches.
 
Okay, I did misunderstand when you asked if it would be competitive.

I didn't realize what you meant by that. My mistake.
 
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