Have suggestions for first time loader Tikka T3 Lite 30-06?

Lee_Enfield_Lover

Lee_Enfield_Lover

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Hey Everybody,

I'm a first time poster who needs some advice. I'd like to do some reloading of my Tikka T3 30-06 and I'd like to stay with the 180Gr. weight for hunting. I have a couple hundred Winchester XP fresh first time shot brass to reload with and will have help from a long-time reloading father-in law - everything'll be safe.

Do you have any suggestions for bullet-powder combos for shooting 300 yards and under? It doesn't have to be too fancy, I'm just looking for consistency. I just want to get really good at shooting without it costing an arm and a leg and enjoy getting a better feel and understanding and connection to my first hunting rifle. I'm all ears for your thoughts of powder and bullet combo.

- Pete
 
Check out Hodgdons site. They list at least 15 different powders for a 180 sierra. If you do some research on the subject you will realize that what works in one rifle may not work well in yours. That being said a lot of folks seem to like H4350 and H4831 for the 06. Also if you want to streach your cartriges out to get the bullet closer to the lands you may be restricted by the lengh of the Mag. So make sure you check. Also if you want to keep the cost down I would look at Speers or Hornady bullets. Although they are not a premium bullet they are fine for hunting.

http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp

Hope this is of some help. George
 
work up to 57 grns of imr 4350 with any good 180 bullet and your good to go. i haven't had a 30 06 that wouldn't shoot that recipe. i also like cci 250 primers with that combo.
 
Those are the kind of straight shooting answers I was looking for. Sweet. I'll look into them more. Thanks guys!

As far as the bullets go for hunting and general use, are there any bullets that are the honda civic / ford f-150 of boat-tail designs with a nylon tip?

- P
 
hornady 180 interbonds or noz 180 acubonds are good hunting bullets. you can hunt deer to moose with one of those. you can substitute hornady sst's or noz ballistic tips for practice as they are cheaper and should shoot close in impact.
 
Thanks Chappy. And those are both boat-tails yeah? In short, hornady 180 SST with cci 250 primers and some IMR 4350 at 57 grains sounds like a good winning formula that can start me in the right direction. I keep seeing IMR 4350 coming up again and again - so, best practice... it sounds bang on.


G-man - I checked out that data sheet. Thanks for the resource. Is a Sierra boat-tail with ballistic tip about on par and cost with what Chappy has suggested? Just wondering what you feel makes it your lead of choice? All ears.
- P
 
Lee_Enfield_Lover said:
Thanks Chappy. And those are both boat-tails yeah? In short, hornady 180 SST with cci 250 primers and some IMR 4350 at 57 grains sounds like a good winning formula that can start me in the right direction. I keep seeing IMR 4350 coming up again and again - so, best practice... it sounds bang on.


G-man - I checked out that data sheet. Thanks for the resource. Is a Sierra boat-tail with ballistic tip about on par and cost with what Chappy has suggested? Just wondering what you feel makes it your lead of choice? All ears.
- P
Click to expand...

I would be surprised if you can get SST's close to the lands. 130gr SST in my 270 would not fit in my mag if I streached them out to the lands. That being said they are a good choice for blasting off at the range.
 
I have the same gun and have found the 180 gr interlocks from hornady to shoot really well and are reasonably priced for plinking. I use IMR 4064 ( can't remember the exact charge) and seem to replicate factory hornady ammo. The recipe is in the hornady manual. I also have found that the gun shoots 168gr TTSX into 1 hole at 100m using the same powder.
 
I have done a lot of research on this topic and have loaded many bullet/powder combinations, but have been consistently happy with Hornady 180 psp interlock and H4350. My two rifles vary in the over all length that they accept and the max charge is 1 grain different, but this combination works well at 2700 FPS in both my rifles. You will likely end up around 57 grains too.
 
I use h4350 in the 30-06. From all I have read seems to almost be "THE" powder. I shoot 165's with 57gr of it .20" off the lands. Shoots sub moa and 2830fps. I also use 49.5gr of varget with berger 168gr hunting vld a bit off the lands. They are seated a little deeper then I'd like but they fit in the mag this way. They shoot very good and 2750fps.
 
IMR4350. For 300m or less I don't bother with boatails. They are more finicky and usually more expensive. I really like Sierra Prohunters. I have never had any luck with all copper bullets like the Barnes TSX and I have tried them in many, many guns with many, many powders.

Good luck and safe shooting.
 
dfrombc said:
I have the same gun and have found the 180 gr interlocks from hornady to shoot really well and are reasonably priced for plinking. I use IMR 4064 ( can't remember the exact charge) and seem to replicate factory hornady ammo. The recipe is in the hornady manual. I also have found that the gun shoots 168gr TTSX into 1 hole at 100m using the same powder.
Click to expand...

Now that's about as specific an answer as I could possibly get. Do you prefer the 168gr TTSX over the hornady 180 interlocks? Five'll get you ten that at 300-400 yards a low time shooter like me won't notice much of a difference but all the same, I'm all ears. Thanks a lot for the info.
- T
 
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