Tikka T3 Hunter .243 range report

[overthere]

I took my recently acquired Tikka T3 Hunter in .243 Winchester to the range today. I was shooting 58gr Hornady Z-max bullets in PPU brass loaded with Varget from 41.0 gr to 43.0 gr in 0.5 gr increments. CCI Large rifle primers, COL ~2.601.

Each load was 10 rounds, e.g. 10 rounds at 41.0 gr, 10 rounds and 41.5 gr etc.

The rifle is equipped with a 6.5-20x50 Vortex Viper scope using Deadnutz high single-piece mounting rings.

I shot at 100 yards, sitting, bipod and rear sandbag. Conditions were good if a bit windy.

The results were pretty good. In the pictures, each group consists of five shots. The way they were shot is by powder load, top-down left-to-right.

So in each picture, the top-left group is 41.0 gr Varget, the bottom-left group is 41.5 gr, the middle target 42.0 gr, top-right is 42.5 gr and the bottom right 43.0 gr.

It looks like the sweetspot for my particular rifle is between 41.5 and 42.0 grains, though the 43.0 grain group is pretty good in each as well. No significant pressure signs but the primers were a bit flattened in the 43 gr load.

Very happy with the rifle so far, shoots really nice, smooth bolt.

[Boomer58cal]

Never had a Tikka, but I've heard good things about them. I've loaded v-max(red tip instead of green) in .223, 22 hornet, 6.5 Jap, 7mm mag and 30-06. All shoot MOA or better and do amazing damage to small game. I couldn't be happier. Be safe and happy hunting!


Boomer