New Tikka T3x favorite loads and 3 shot groups.

[bow_hunt32]

I thought i would share my experience with my new Tikka T3x 6.5 CM. I recently bought a new T3x for an all around lightweight deer sized game rifle. I ordered a Mesa Altitude stock for it and topped it with Talley LW rings and a Leupold Vx5 HD 3-15x44. Before working up a load for it I bought a few boxes of Hornady 140 grain ELD-M and some Federal loaded with the 135 gr Berger Hybrid Hunters and started shooting. After a few boxes I was starting to get frustrated, I was routinely shooting 1 to 1.5" groups and knew from my past experiences with my other Tikka's that it should do much better. I went to town and decided to try a box of the Hornady 147 ELD-M and boom! First 3 shot group with them measured .43'' ! Much better! Finally found a load it loves and now i think i'm going to order 100 147 ELD-M bullets and probably end up with a load around 42.5 grains of H4350 using Federal Gold metal match primers. Just thought id share my groups and the experience ive had with the new rifle setup and see if anyone else's Tikka 6.5 is LOVING the 147 ELD-M's like mine is.

 

[270quest]

43.0 of h4350 and a 139 scenar at 2800 may kill a critter or two....

 

[Brendan]

Posted this on another thread. But I am shooting the Berger 140 Hybrid, H4350, CCI BR2 Primers out of my Tikka T3X Lite Stainless, 24" Barrel.

Here's the crazy part. I'm up to 45.3 grains, pushing 2900 fps, and haven't hit pressure yet. Testing that load, and 45.4 grains today. The throat in this gun is LONG and I have them seated at 2.95" COAL which is about as long as I can go and keep enough bullet in the neck, and it is as long as I can go and still fit in the mag I'm using.

Best group under .5", Best ES under 10, but still testing and seeing if I can keep sneaking up to where pressure starts and then look for the final load.

Really impressed, and surprised...

 

[bow_hunt32]

Posted this on another thread. But I am shooting the Berger 140 Hybrid, H4350, CCI BR2 Primers out of my Tikka T3X Lite Stainless, 24" Barrel.

Here's the crazy part. I'm up to 45.3 grains, pushing 2900 fps, and haven't hit pressure yet. Testing that load, and 45.4 grains today. The throat in this gun is LONG and I have them seated at 2.95" COAL which is about as long as I can go and keep enough bullet in the neck, and it is as long as I can go and still fit in the mag I'm using.

Best group under .5", Best ES under 10, but still testing and seeing if I can keep sneaking up to where pressure starts and then look for the final load.

Really impressed, and surprised...

Do you think the throat being so long in these Tikkas is the reason they typically run so much slower than other guns? Before a few hundred rounds were through it my gun was only pushing the factory 140 ELD-m's around 2550 Fps!

 

[bow_hunt32]

43.0 of h4350 and a 139 scenar at 2800 may kill a critter or two....

Ive heard a lot of good things about those 139 Scenars, Sounds like they are pretty easy to make shoot well

 

[Brendan]

Do you think the throat being so long in these Tikkas is the reason they typically run so much slower than other guns? Before a few hundred rounds were through it my gun was only pushing the factory 140 ELD-m's around 2550 Fps!

I think it's a possibility, but I don't really have enough experience to say for sure.

Also, broke 2900fps at 45.4 grains today. But, it was hot, 92 degrees and I wasn't super impressed with grouping today. Had a couple fliers that made things not so impressive.

 

[Tahoe1305]

Do you think the throat being so long in these Tikkas is the reason they typically run so much slower than other guns? Before a few hundred rounds were through it my gun was only pushing the factory 140 ELD-m's around 2550 Fps!

I believe the answer to your question is yes. It's a good thing for handloaders though.

Check out the thread below. It has some decent info. My buddy and I with matching guns and slightly different powders have been able to get great performance from 143 ELDX loaded out to lands (just short).

As an update to what is posted there...I have since moved and have probably another 50-80 rounds down the barrel and the magneto speed was calling for 2940fps at about 90 degrees out. Still no pressure same load as previous though.

The Tikka 6.5 Creedmoor Reloading Thread

Hello all. I just placed an order for my first Tikka rifle. It is a Lite 24" chambered in 6.5 Creedmore. I've done quite a bit of searching on various forums for load data on this specific rifle, but it is always mixed in with other data. I figure this is a pretty popular rifle on this...

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