Tikka 223 22” 77tmk Varget

[longrange13]

Anyone with the same or similar combo where did you guys end up at? I’m getting 2800fps with 25grains of Varget. I feel like I’m about at max. Seems a bit slow compared to what others have said.

 

[LaHunter]

That does seem a bit slow from what I have read online. You can also find plenty of online threads about Tikka barrels being slow, compared to other barrels.

 

[sierracharlie338]

223 factory ammo with 77ish grain projectiles list a MV of 2750 so I don’t think you are in a bad spot. If it shoots well then I think you are good. What’s that adage, a fast miss is still a miss? I had to remind myself of this several times over the years chasing speed instead of accuracy.

 

[Lawnboi]

What rifle/chamber/oal. That’s cooking if it’s from a tikka

 

[longrange13]

What rifle/chamber/oal. That’s cooking if it’s from a tikka

Tikka t3x lite with 22” barrel, 223 rem chamber, lapua brass. Cant remember oal off the top of my head. It’s mag length in the mamba mags.

 

[Lawnboi]

Tikka t3x lite with 22” barrel, 223 rem chamber, lapua brass. Cant remember oal off the top of my head. It’s mag length in the mamba mags.

You’re probably pretty close to pressure. Getting 25 grains of varget in a mag length 223 case with the 77 is a feat in its own.

I went away from varget only because too much powder crunch messed with seating depth consistency too much for my liking.

 

[longrange13]

You’re probably pretty close to pressure. Getting 25 grains of varget in a mag length 223 case with the 77 is a feat in its own.

I went away from varget only because too much powder crunch messed with seating depth consistency too much for my liking.

I’ve only done a ladder so far for pressure and velocity and haven’t checked seating consistently yet over a larger sample size, but you are right, that may be an issue. Seemed like it compressed the load around 23.7grns Varget.

 

[Lawnboi]

I’ve only done a ladder so far for pressure and velocity and haven’t checked seating consistently yet over a larger sample size, but you are right, that may be an issue. Seemed like it compressed the load around 23.7grns Varget.

That’s why many including myself went to something like xbr or tac for less/no compression. I struggle with 24 grains of varget and that’s about as far as I was able to go with the tmk. I think with a longer throat varget could be a contender.

With 24 if I remember I was around 2675 in a 20”

 

[ljalberta]

With a 75gr ELDM and 24gr Varget, I’m around 2800fps on once fired brass. Different bullet, but it’s another piece of data for you.

I could likely run it up to 24.5 or 25 gr, but primers start to flatten.

I find using a drop tube helps a hair with the powder settling in and less compression. But not sure if you can fully avoid it at 25gr.

I should note that I load quite a bit longer than mag length.

 

[wind gypsy]

Sounds pretty normal OP. The standard throat doesn’t allow a guy to seat a 77tmk out far enough to really make room for all that varget. H4985 will get more velocity and cause less compressed load limitations.

 

[longrange13]

2.325” is my overall length. They won’t fit in the factory tikka mag but that gives me a few thousandths clearance in the 10rd momba mag. I just seated 50 of them and was plus or minus 1.5 thousandths with the compressed charge. Settled on 24.6 grains Varget. Based on my ladder that should yield around 2760. I’ll check it this afternoon.

 

[longrange13]

Range report, the tikka hammers. 24.6 grains Varget in lapua brass with 77tmks at 2.325” COAL. Top group (9 shots) was my ladder across 2.5 grains. Bottom group (10 shots) was with 24.6 grains Varget. 3/4 aiming dot. Velocity averaged 2761, es 19, sd 7.4.

I will say i also tried the same load in starline brass and it doesn’t handle the pressure as good as the lapua. Flattened primers with the starline but no stiff bolt. Velocity was the same, accuracy not quite as good.

 

[SamsonMan22]

23.5-24.5 seems to be the sweet spot depending on how deep the bullet it seated. Even when I was seating a 75eldm way out it still liked 24-24.5 there was no crunch with those charges. At 25 I just started to crunch powder but the accuracy was just never there, I had no signs of pressure at 25 or 25.5

 

[Lawnboi]

I couldn’t cram enough varget in at the length of the factory chamber to cause pressure.

That lapua brass will last forever if you treat it right.

 

[Wyoming Shooter]

80 Hornady ELD-M
24.4 gr Varget
2750 FPS
20" Tikka T3X Varmint

 

[FLS]

24” Tikka CTR
75 ELDM
25.0 Varget
Lapua Brass
BR4 Primer
2.410”
2925 FPS

 

[longrange13]

24” Tikka CTR
75 ELDM
25.0 Varget
Lapua Brass
BR4 Primer
2.410”
2925 FPS

Dang, you’ve got a fast barrel!

 

[FLS]

That rifle is fast.
24.5 grains of Tac under a 77 SMK gives me 2840.