I’m hoping someone here may have some insight to share on my situation. I have a Tikka T3 in .243 win that I’ve been loading 70 grain speer projectiles for. The book load data is 35.1 - 38.8 of cfe223 to get a velocity of 3216 - 3449…. The crazy thing is that my loads at 38.4 which are giving me like .6 moa accuracy are only doing 3045 on average…. When I drop the powder to 38, 37 etc it lowers the velocity as you would expect, example at 36 grains it averages 2918. If I’m reading the load data correctly, which both Speer and hodgdon seem very similar to each other—I’m like 375ish fps slower than I should be. That seems crazy to me…. Any thoughts? Is it just the “Tikka” are slow explanation?
Very slow Tikka??
- Thread starter Kyndrick
- Start date
Well I'll guarantee they didn't test their loads from a Tikka barrel and Tikka cut chamber.
Speer #14 I have says they tested their .243 loads with a Wilson 24" barrel and universal receiver.
Barrel length and rate of twist used is also a consideration between what you see with yours and the test barrels used for the load data
Speer also states not to use any other cases than Winchester (for their data), so that is another variable.
I always take published velocities with a grain of salt due to the differences in my rifles and the test ones. As long as you are seeing similar 'trends' then go with your readings as final - it's what you are reading in real time with your rifle.
As far as 'slow' Tikka's, my T3x in 6.5x55 runs a tad slow compared to manuals and my T3x .308 runs faster
My load for the 6.5 is well above book max.....
Speer #14 I have says they tested their .243 loads with a Wilson 24" barrel and universal receiver.
Barrel length and rate of twist used is also a consideration between what you see with yours and the test barrels used for the load data
Speer also states not to use any other cases than Winchester (for their data), so that is another variable.
I always take published velocities with a grain of salt due to the differences in my rifles and the test ones. As long as you are seeing similar 'trends' then go with your readings as final - it's what you are reading in real time with your rifle.
As far as 'slow' Tikka's, my T3x in 6.5x55 runs a tad slow compared to manuals and my T3x .308 runs faster
My load for the 6.5 is well above book max.....
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My personal experience with Tikka seems to support the "slow barrel" syndrome.
None of the Tikkas I have owned met specs in loading according to book data.
e.g. My 338 was 225 fps slower than my Browning with the same load. Dave.
None of the Tikkas I have owned met specs in loading according to book data.
e.g. My 338 was 225 fps slower than my Browning with the same load. Dave.
Accuracy trumps Velocity. Book velocities published are with certain actions and barrels and component used on that day. Maybe a magnum primer will increase your velocity slightly or a different case. Some lots of powder are slightly faster than other lots of the same powder. Your intended target probably won't be able to tell the difference with a 375 fps slower hit.
I keep loading up, until I see pressure signs, or I reach the velocity that I was expecting.
^^This. If you can corroborate the expected velocity with other sources and take the barrel leght into account, I'm not afraid to add powder. Velocity = pressure.
This is the best way to treat a "slow" rifle. The 338 I mentioned before required 3 grains more powder to reach the Browning's velocity.
Pressure signs were pretty normal, too. FWIW, some will show pressure signs before the desired velocity is reached. Dave.
Brass makes a difference for sure, Powder lots, primer lots, primers brands, barrels, outside temps, barometric pressure, altitude etc etc all make a difference! But accuracy is better than speed… if you can reach your speed with keeping the same accuracy then even better!!
- Location
- Fraser Valley, B.C.
I was shooting some 6.5x55 RWS Match ammo yesterday and it was consistently about 100fps slower than the box posted velocity. Its a Tikka Heavy Contour Barrel.
I have found all my Tikka rifles to run a little slow except my 6.5 PRC it runs spot on with my load data.
Cheers,
B
I have found all my Tikka rifles to run a little slow except my 6.5 PRC it runs spot on with my load data.
Cheers,
B
Thanks for the fast feedback everyone. It does sound like a case of the "Tikka slow" barrel situation (just really really slow in this case). It is a 10 twist 24 inch heavy contour barrel. I'll keep going up some grains and see how she turns out.
Barrel differences
I used to buy my barrel blanks 3 at a time. Made by the barrel maker as consecutive barrels. As close to "identical" as one could hope for.
These blanks were then chambered with my own reamer by a gunsmith and installed in 3 rifles. (For me, my wife and son).
With the same ammo, the "fast" barrel was 150 fps faster than the 'slow" barrel. This is typical.
But 300 feet slower than the published load is because the two rifles are quite different. The test rifle is made to a SAAMI spec for pressure barrels. Basically a SAAMI minimum dimension with a standard throat.
if the TIKA has more freebore (like a Remington) it will shoot slower (or, phrased another way - it needs more powder).
I used to buy my barrel blanks 3 at a time. Made by the barrel maker as consecutive barrels. As close to "identical" as one could hope for.
These blanks were then chambered with my own reamer by a gunsmith and installed in 3 rifles. (For me, my wife and son).
With the same ammo, the "fast" barrel was 150 fps faster than the 'slow" barrel. This is typical.
But 300 feet slower than the published load is because the two rifles are quite different. The test rifle is made to a SAAMI spec for pressure barrels. Basically a SAAMI minimum dimension with a standard throat.
if the TIKA has more freebore (like a Remington) it will shoot slower (or, phrased another way - it needs more powder).
CFE223 is slower burning than Varget or RL15. I've used 42 grains of Varget & RL15 with 70gr Nosler BT in a 24" 243, they did 3486-3501 fps
Charge weights with CFE should be very close to Varget / RL15, maybe even slightly higher.
Charge weights with CFE should be very close to Varget / RL15, maybe even slightly higher.
In a general sort of way; my custom barrels have little trouble making book speeds. Some do it with the book minimum charges and won't take more powder. Others exceed it by far with no pressure signs; without a chronograph or drop data you'd never know the difference.
Then there's the slow barrels. The ones that make you shake your head, change your batteries and make you feel like sitting down and having a good cry and there is nothing you can do about it.
Velocity is an indicator of pressure, but only an indicator. Max pressure is achieved in the first few inches of bullet travel and most of the powder that is going to burn has already burnt. There's a lot of work being done after peak pressure by the still expanding gas, and a smooth tight bore that is tapered the right way will harness more of the available energy. A lot of times there's more difference barrel to barrel than cartridge to cartridge. You can see how when one guys 7mm comes in 300 under and the next guy is 200 over they might form different conclusions about the caliber.
Then there's the slow barrels. The ones that make you shake your head, change your batteries and make you feel like sitting down and having a good cry and there is nothing you can do about it.
Velocity is an indicator of pressure, but only an indicator. Max pressure is achieved in the first few inches of bullet travel and most of the powder that is going to burn has already burnt. There's a lot of work being done after peak pressure by the still expanding gas, and a smooth tight bore that is tapered the right way will harness more of the available energy. A lot of times there's more difference barrel to barrel than cartridge to cartridge. You can see how when one guys 7mm comes in 300 under and the next guy is 200 over they might form different conclusions about the caliber.
prairie lover
CGN Regular
- Location
- southern MB
I have a few tikkas. All have been decent. Some get good speeds some a little slow but not much.
Bought my wife a 243 compact, 20 inch barrel, shooting sako 100 gr factory ammo that's supposed to be doing almost 3000, like 2970 or something.
Zeroed at 100. Shot it at my 400 yard plate. Had way more drop than expected. I will play with it more next year as I got a fair bit of this ammo but from the numbers I got drop wise it's around 2700. Pathetic.
Bought my wife a 243 compact, 20 inch barrel, shooting sako 100 gr factory ammo that's supposed to be doing almost 3000, like 2970 or something.
Zeroed at 100. Shot it at my 400 yard plate. Had way more drop than expected. I will play with it more next year as I got a fair bit of this ammo but from the numbers I got drop wise it's around 2700. Pathetic.
prairie lover
CGN Regular
- Location
- southern MB
I forgot to add. Bro has a t3x in 3006. 180 gr sako super hammerhead. We shot it out to 500, i tell my ballistic app the drops, it tells me my volocity. Also quite slow. The ammo is already rated on the slow side so I would figure it at least does as advertised. It didn't. It was quite slow, 2530 fps according to the drops. I forget what it's listed at on the box.
