Tikka T3 .243 using 100 grains

Malxwal

Well-Known Member
Hi, a first post for me, so be kind.
I was talking to a lad who is far more familiar with rifles than I. I mentioned I have a Sako 75 .243, and my father a Tikka T3 .243, and that we both use 100 grain factory ammo, me Federal Premium, and my father RWS. He told me that Tikka T3's don't group so well with the 100 grain stuff due to the rate of twist in the barrels. I recall he wasn't so sure about how or if this was applicable to my Sako.
Any comments on this ?
 
Rate of twist is relevant. Equally every rifle can be a law unto itself - even from same maker/model etc.

The excellent Geco 105 grain 243 load can be quite picky in this regard.

Sako and Tikka 243's Ive seen all tend to shoot Federal 100grain Power Shok and RWS 100gr T mantel well. They tend to shoot slightly lighter bullets a margin better - but often the difference is too small to notice under field conditions.

There's a whole world of argument to be had light n fast versus heavy and slower - I'll pass this time! :D

Picking another point from the OP - notwithstanding what the 'lad' said - how do your rifles actually perform? I'd take that as my guide over proffered opinion every time!;) If they shoot well, then all the 'lad' did was plant a seed of doubt in your mind.

 
Yes, it was the rate of twist in the T3 barrels he said was at the root of the issue, althouth he did say he was talking about the difference between a sub inch group and a two inch group at maybe 100 yds.

The rifles shoot well, but perhaps only some time on a proper range facility would show just how closely they group.

When I bought my rifle, the Sako (from a chap in Inverness who was giving up stalking due to a shoulder injury), he told me he had tried a number of types of factory ammo, and found these Federal Premium 100g to be what the rifle shot best with, so I've stuck with them, as he had a reasonable quantity of them for sale with the rifle. After Russell screw cut the barrel for me, he also set/ checked the zero using my ammo, no problems.

My rough field testing at CD sized targets at about 130 yds would satisfy me that the rifle is setup fit for purpose and reliable in termas of grouping.
A last point to Moray Outfitting, you have an email enquiry regarding DSC1 courses I sent you on Weds last via your Stalking School site.
 
Rate of twist is relevant. Equally every rifle can be a law unto itself - even from same maker/model etc.

The excellent Geco 105 grain 243 load can be quite picky in this regard.

Sako and Tikka 243's Ive seen all tend to shoot Federal 100grain Power Shok and RWS 100gr T mantel well. They tend to shoot slightly lighter bullets a margin better - but often the difference is too small to notice under field conditions.


Pretty much my experience with the T3 and heavier bullets ,accuracy with the 105gr Geco's is definitely going downhill though - groups open up markedly , had a heavy barreled Parker Hale .243 years ago that would not group at all with 100gr bullets - twist rate was too slow .
 
Mine seems to love 75 grain Norma ammo, groups nice and tight. Been thinking of switching to 100 grain for the whole time, as iv done a lot less foxing as late (consequence of being at uni hundreds of miles away!) and will be interesting to see the results
 
The Sako and Tikka both have the same twist rates which in theory shouldn't stabilise that well however I have always found them to Shoot Lapua, Norma and Sako 100gr very well and to the same poi at 100m as well, not tried any other 100gr.
I did try 90gr Sako ammo in my Sako Varmint but in patterned instead of grouped with that load
 
I had a Parker hale that I almost exclusively shot 100gr through, very small groups. Always worth actual testing vs theory
 
Hi, a first post for me, so be kind.
I was talking to a lad who is far more familiar with rifles than I. I mentioned I have a Sako 75 .243, and my father a Tikka T3 .243, and that we both use 100 grain factory ammo, me Federal Premium, and my father RWS. He told me that Tikka T3's don't group so well with the 100 grain stuff due to the rate of twist in the barrels. I recall he wasn't so sure about how or if this was applicable to my Sako.
Any comments on this ?

My reaction to this is that it's tosh. The .243 was designed to shoot 100 grain SP bullets in a 10" twist barrel. Every rifle made since it's introduction in 1955 has been turned out in this form. My Tikka shoots 100gr Sierra SP perfectly well. If I used Federal or RWS 100gr factory ammo which didn't shoot then the blame would lie with the ammo.... which is standard SP so nothing really special.

This is just like the advice one hears that one must use a moderator, or you'll be deaf in no time. I've never used a moderator and never will. I still have my hearing. So too have lots of others who were stalking prior to the mid-1990's when mods became common. It could be that some shooters hear in a different frequency register, and find the bang really painful so need a mod. It doesn't bother me at all personally, which may just be down to luck.
 
As people mention above, if your rifle shoots well then don't worry about it! I can get great groups with 100 grain privi ammo in my tikka t3 .243 at 100 yards fine and I don't notice a difference at all when i switch to 90 grain

​Oli
 
Hi, a first post for me, so be kind.
I was talking to a lad who is far more familiar with rifles than I. I mentioned I have a Sako 75 .243, and my father a Tikka T3 .243, and that we both use 100 grain factory ammo, me Federal Premium, and my father RWS. He told me that Tikka T3's don't group so well with the 100 grain stuff due to the rate of twist in the barrels. I recall he wasn't so sure about how or if this was applicable to my Sako.
Any comments on this ?

Sako and Tikka have the same twist rate 1 in 10 and both seem to handle 100gr ammunition pretty well if shooting factory ammo its just a question of which manufactures ammo suits your rifle best.
 
I own a Howa in .243 with a one in ten twist,and it shoots 100 grain Remington core lock to 1 1/4 at one hundred yards, which is good enough for most purpose's, although it is outside the twist rate limits for my rifle, the profile of the bullet can also effect its stability, boat tails are less forgiving to slow twist rates
 
My tikka t3 grouped at about 0.5" with homeloads at 85gr speer but was like a shotgun with anything heavier.
 
My T3 shoots 100gr Sako very well from a clean barrel, but the groups open out a touch after about 15-20 shots. This doesn't seem to happen with lighter rounds.

Of course, this may all just be in my head...
 
My tikka t3 grouped at about 0.5" with homeloads at 85gr speer but was like a shotgun with anything heavier.

Past tense so I'm guessing that you no longer have this T3? If it was really so limited in what it should handle then you're well rid of it.
 
ive found 87 grain bullet in 243 to be the optimum weight, try a hornady 87 bthp, unless your taking reds in scotland etc etc
 
my old sako did very well on 100gn norma and remington but never tryed federals, but if they are working and your confident with them why change?
 
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