Tikka T3/3006 accuracy

mwic98

mwic98

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Hello

I'm just wondering if anyone has had a similar experience. I have owned my Tikka T3 for a few years now. I'm at the range about once a week and mostly shoot my .223. The last few time out I have taken my Tikka to sight in for the season. I'm shooting Federal 150 and 180 grain, I use a Zeiss Conqest 3x9x40 scope.
The rifle seems to be shooting all over the map lately even though I'm using a lead sled. At 100 yards I'm grouping about 6 inches apart.

My experience is fairly limited compared to many of you CGN sharp shooters.

The Weatherby 223 shoots fantastic in comparison.

Thanks in advance!

Mike
 
I would also get some copper remover and scrub out the barrel .it could be getting fowled up enough to effect the groups ...make sure everything is tight and clean ,,also get a friend to shot it to see if it may be just you and not the gun ,some guys develop a flinch even with a 30 06 ,,,Dutch
 
Scope might have failed, but rings and bases are a good place to start checking, as mentioned above.

When the tikka action is set in the stock properly, the gas vent hole on the side of the receiver just touches the stock. Any higher, and the recoil lug isn't seated right.
 
I do clean the Gun quite a bit, but I see how that could be an issue. Do you think the flinch would affect the shot even with a Lead Sled?


dutchhunter said:
I would also get some copper remover and scrub out the barrel .it could be getting fowled up enough to effect the groups ...make sure everything is tight and clean ,,also get a friend to shot it to see if it may be just you and not the gun ,some guys develop a flinch even with a 30 06 ,,,Dutch
Click to expand...
 
Bartledan said:
Scope might have failed, but rings and bases are a good place to start checking, as mentioned above.

When the tikka action is set in the stock properly, the gas vent hole on the side of the receiver just touches the stock. Any higher, and the recoil lug isn't seated right.
Click to expand...

Bartledan makes a good point... the gas vent hole should look like this...

15549737849_38484d5c6f_b.jpg
 
mwic98 said:
Thanks everyone, I will report back after checking all these items. I found this on sniper central, maybe I'm cleaning too much?
http://www.sniperforums.com/forum/misc/32024-strange-things-going-t3.html
Click to expand...

That is what I've discovered with my Sako A7 .308. Right now I'm only shootind surplus ammo through it but the grouping are considerably tighter when there's been several boxes through the pipe. Just this weekend after I cleaned it with Wipeout the first grouping was no better than 4-5",,,,before cleaning they were MOA. Maybe my go to hunting ammo will prefer a cleaner barrel. I guess I'll find out real soon sinse the season is just around the corner.
 
I'm really curious about this. Please post whatever was the issue. A Tikka shooting 6" groupings is possessed. Base and rings are for sure tight? If you've got a buddy with a spare scope, try it and see if its an optics issue of some sort and not the rifle itself.

If you reload at all, try 165gr 3006 with 57 or 57.5 gr of IMR 4350 and it'll be quite good if nothing else is off.
 
unless your shooting a few hundred rounds per trip to the range you really dont need to clean the barrel of your gun. OCD cleaning can throw off the accuracy. I do a pull thru once with a bore snake every third trip to the range. And oil the barrel over the winter when its not getting shot at all. I have the same gun/caliber as you and never lost accuracy. Check your scope mounts first, then different brands of ammo. Id be surprised if you still have a problem after that. If accuracy still sucks then you gotta make sure everything else on the rifle is tight to specs. Hope it works out with just changing ammo..
 
The problem is probably the Lead Sled. Just last week a guy with a 300 win mag said his rifle was shooting wild 4 inch groups. Got it off the lead Sled onto a make shift front bag and proper rear bag, Viola 1 inch groups repeatable and on POA. Third time I've seen this in the last 6 months.

The rifle has nowhere to recoil with a Lead Sled, the muzzle moves sideways, up and down, every which way but straight, while the bullet is still in the bore... so the answer is to let the rifle recoil rearward predictably rather than smack into that steel post. With a lot of practice, a piece of foam or carefully allowing 1/4 inch of free recoil space you can get some decent groups with a lead sled but man it's tough.

Take a long look at how a lead sled is set up and then how benchresters shoot and you'll see the problem.
 
BTW best factory rifle I ever owned Tikka 6.5 X 55 .... Lapua Scenar's over 4831 S.C. 5 group average 1.1" average at 300 yards, smallest group (5shots) was .637 @ 300 yards.

Shot off of sandbags
 
mwic98 said:
Thanks everyone, I will report back after checking all these items. I found this on sniper central, maybe I'm cleaning too much?
http://www.sniperforums.com/forum/misc/32024-strange-things-going-t3.html
Click to expand...

I ran into the same issue with my T3 30-06 at the range about a month ago working up some hunting loads for this fall. After sighting in my scope I started with some cheap factory ammo to compare my loads to and they were grouping terribly 3" to 4" groups at 100 yds. I figured it was the cheap ammo that was doing it although I expected more of my Tikka. When I got to my first load test of the day (150gr ttsx's) the groupings were marginally better, but with each successive 5 shot group they got a little tighter. After about the 40th round down the pipe I started getting more Tikka'ish groupings. I cleaned my barrel out thoroughly after that range day so it will be interesting to see how it shoots later this week when I get back to the range, hopefully it doesn't take another 40 rounds to tighten up!!!! I'll be following this thread with interest! Thanks for posting!
 
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