Best ammo for T3x CTR..223?

session savage

Hi lads. Just to save me buying various boxes of ammo to try to find the best, have any of ye got a Tikka T3x CTR .223. Its a 1:8 twist, 24inch barrel.

Any recommendations?

The last tikka t3 I had was 1:12 and loved 55gr v-max. Might be a bit light for the 1:8?

Thanks in advance.

Cass

I don't have the model you named, but a 1:8 twist is very fast and will be suited to the "heavier" range of bullets. Now some people say, and I've seen it, that some 1:9 twists will shoot 55gr, but the 1:8 is faster still and most rifles in 223 I know with such a twist were custom and developed specifically for shooting 75 to 90gr including VLDs. I know one lad with a 1:7.5 over 26 inch barrel. His won't shoot anyting under 65gr.

That being said with a 1:8 twist over 24 inches you have additional rotation which may aid in stablising the "lighter" bullets such as the 53 or 55gr.

Interesting topic so I'll leave it to lads with this exact rifle to give a proper answer.

session savage

Thanks for the reply. I have a box of 75gr and 55gr to try out. I know the 55gr are a bit light but seeing as I have them I'll see how the group.

Cass

Ammo is not cheap, especially just to lash off down range. Four boxes and you're out €100 notes at least. With some ammo you'd barely get three boxes nowadays. So I understand the want to avoid buying loads of boxes of different ammo, however all the reading material in the world can only serve a guide in your situation. Narrow it down, then test fire will be the only soluation.

I'd try a box of 55gr, then the 75gr. Test fire in the same way, groups of five, at the same distance. Take your time and make each shot count to get the best results. Allow the rifle to cool between groups and make sure the rifle is either dirty or clean with the last group as it was with the first. IOW idnetical conditions.

Once you get a decent, and consistent group you have your ammo.

yubabill

I have a T3 Varmint 1:8 24" barrel, a bit older than yours.

It shoots everything well enough for hunting, the worst groups I got were with the old 75gr Hornady HP's, which went a bit less than 1.5" at 100yds.

The best groups I got were with Hornady Steel Match 55gr - about 0.5" at 100 (tell me if you find any) and Remington 45gr JHP, which I only had a few of, but which all touched at 50yds, nearly drilling.

Everything else goes sub 1" at 100, except Tulammo 62gr FMJ, which is fairly inconsistent and varies from a bit over 0.5" to 1.5". Some guys report very good accuracy with Hornady 40gr BT's, but have not tried them.

Any reputable ammo will perform, but American Eagle 55gr FMJ don't do as well as you might think out of my rig, about 1" or slightly more at 100.

The old hornady 55gr BT's do about 0.75", they're available most of the time and you'll get a one-shot-stop very easily if you don't hit ant flora on the way.

I shoot Fiocchi 50gr HP's because they're cheap (like me) and they'll do what you want, but the BT's are devastating.

session savage

55gr hornady v-max. 5 rounds at 100m. Didn't get to try further out but you can't argue with that result.

Cass

Yeeaaahhhhh.............................

Think you're onto something there. 😎

Feisar

Cripes that’s some group!

Cass

Did you manage or are you planning on trying other ammo? Not sure why you would need to given the excellent results above, but no harm to try others.

session savage

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117937139#Comment_117937139

Didn't get to try anything else yet. I have a couple of boxes of the V-maxes to go through before I try another round but to be honest if they perform at long range as well I'll be in no rush to try anything else. Gonna try to get out this weekend to 500m ranges and see what they do.

ace86

53gr super performance rds I’d you can get them should suite them and be a brilliant rd for foxes but with the 1:8 twist any 40-55gr bullet I think will group Pretty well in that rifle.

Cass

@session savage Did you manage to get out to any sort of distance?

session savage

@Cass , No, not yet unfortunately :(. I was waiting for that rifle for over 2 years and it arrived at the worst possible time. I've been ridiculously bust since I got the rifle. I'm doing renovation work at home and trying to get it done before winter sets in. Starting to panic now. Not enough hours in the day.

Furthest I went was 200yds with a tin of Lynx down the quarry I use for zeroing. Was just as good plinking at that range. Didn't use any paper to record groups yet, just had a bit of time to get few fun shots off, and I want to go out to 300-400 before I report back.

I'll @ you when I get around to it.... if I ever bloody do.

session savage

Group 350.JPG

Hi @Cass , I got out to 350yds yesterday. I could tighten this up a bit too. The conditions werent great. I was shooting at a friends quarry and the second I lay prone I was covered with spiders. Crawling over my face and all over the rifle so I just let off a few shots before I wimped out.

The binos were literally on the ground for the amount of time it takes to put 6 rounds in a magazine.

Group Spiders.JPG

Still, I brought 6 clays with me and set them up beside the target and hit every one first try, so I'm absolutely thrilled with it.

Cass

You're a better man than I, I'd have been gone with the first spider. 😁

Thats a fair nice group. I'd call that 1/2 Moa (1.5") all day long and at 350yards its probably a ltitle better than 1/2moa. Most top rifle manufacturers can only claim this at 100 yards so I'd be more than happy with that result.

Are you happy enough with it yourself?

session savage

Absolutely blown away. Especially happy that I found a round it likes so quickly. (2nd box I tried)

I do find it a pretty heavy kit to lug around but most shooting I do is prone in a field and I was hoping for accuracy over anything else and it delivers that in spades.

I've always loved tikka and this just really seals the deal for me. 😊

tikkamark

You’ll never go wrong with tikka for pure accuracy 👍🏼

I have a t3 tactical 24” .223 and it’s been a gem since I got it in 2006 it’s accounted a serious amount of vermin over the years!

Ml cav

55 grn fiocchi, ballistic,will work well in that machine