Bedding & running in a new Tikka T3

[ezmobile]

Evening all.

I just need a little advise on a new Tikka T3 s/steel varmint .223

First off, does anyone think I should do the usual "running in" procedure on the barrel? I have already put some copper removing cleaner through it & it came out clean (no blueing)

Secondly. I am marrying it up to a lovely GRS stock, it looks the "dogs" by the way. would it make that much difference to have the action bedded - or could it be left alone.

Cheers for any input.

[tisme]

I've got three Tikkas in GRS stocks, one is bedded and shoots no better than the others so don't waste your time and money. I always run the barrels in.

[gunner]

It wont hurt to run in the barrel , on a full custom i had built i loaded 20 mild loads to run it in cleaning as per norm . Its the throat / leade area that you wanna pay the most attention to as its brand new . Id recommend a bore guide also mate . Congratulations and good luck with it Is it 8 twist ? For vermin or target ?

[ezmobile]

Cheers for the input. If I can get away without bedding it that'll be a bonus. As for twist, yep its a 1 in 8, long barrel (24 in) so I will be using it for target work with the heavier pellets. I'm hoping I can use it for McQueens if its up to it. Q. What is the usuable range for a rifle of this set up? 600 yds should be no problem but what about further out?

 

Have a good w/end

[gbal]

Ez,rifles vary bit in 'accuracy'-really their intrinsic 'precision'-but sub 1moa,maybe half that is what you can expect from a good Tikka. Clearly it needs some load development too,for best performance.

What you will have to consider are the general limits of the 223 cartridge-here is some data from a good commercial load Fed 77g match BC .372,with 200 zero and drop/drift inches in 10 mph wind:

 

200y 0/4

300 9/8

400 26/17

500 54/28

600 94/42

800 227/83

1000 456/140

 

Elevation can be dialled in -if your scope is good enough-when the range is lasered,or known.

 

Wind drift though becomes increasingly problematic-20 % error is still quite good,for first shots (sighters,walking in-but its the only shot you might get for live quarry).

 

You factor a 20% wind error from the above ,and that alone soon exceeds target size-but don't forget around 1 moa dispersion from your rifle/ammo etc(and that's pretty good too!).

 

So,can you hit say a 6 inch gong at 600 yards....well,not initially with any consistency-your wind error is over eight inches...bullet splash of course will guide you to hits.

 

Is a 400y shot at a rabbit ethical- your wind error alone is 4 inches,which is marginal for kill zone (and then there is the rifle/etc-and shooter error in holding...)

 

When all these dispersal factors are considered together with target size,you have some idea of hit probability.

 

You can improve the (low?) % by improved wind judgement (remember-all the way to target-Kestrels etc can't do that) and a good BC bullet (as in the example given). The other factors are assumed good-eg no shooter handling errors (wobble) and a good rifle/load. You can begin to see the advantages of a cartridge with less drift-but they all have considerable drift at distance (forget 'laser like").

Sighters or seen bullet splash-of course change this-you can walk in /adjust your errors until you are hitting around the target (around-because intrinsic dispersal from the rifle etc can't be zero).

 

Far and away the best aid to accurate shooting is no wind!!

 

You are not far off-given likely target size of at least 1moa-in thinking 600y is possible,but the 223 is getting to the edge of it's effective zone then.....yes it will go further...but with decreasing 'accuracy'-unless you think something of the order of 10% hits on a 30 inch gong at 1000y is 'accurate'. Enjoy! :-)

 

gbal

[gaz6br]

My tikka is sat in a McMillan stock no bedding, shoots great

[pork chop]

grs stocks are very well made,but drop your action in and try it if your happy with the accuracy jobs a goodun .i had mine bedded just to rule out one less thing

[texterted]

Those hammer forged barrels don't have any break in worries, don't waste any shots breaking in, just go out and shoot it.

 

More damage is done by poor cleaning methods than by failure to break in.

[SWShooter]

An RFD told me Tikka say no need to break the barrels in , just go out and enjoy , my SV shoots sub moa with factory ammo , as it came , no bedding.

[VarmLR]

An RFD told me Tikka say no need to break the barrels in , just go out and enjoy , my SV shoots sub moa with factory ammo , as it came , no bedding.

 

+1

 

I was told that they were hammer forged and then also (unusually?) button-rifled so no need for lapping or shooting in. Mine is .308 and didn't seem to need any break-in. I just make sure that it's cleaned after every outing and regularly de-coppered, ditto with my .223 which shoots sub moa.

[FGYT]

Oops wrong thread ???