Tikka 7 rem mag ammo recommendations .

isu22andy

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I have a Tikka T3x 7 rem mag , Ive tried Hornady American Whitetail 140 grain, Winchester silver ballistic tip 140 grain, and Federal Fusion 150 grain . These patterns were out of a lead sled. Fusion is what Ive been shooting. Do you think I would gain accuracy by going up in bullet weight ? What do you guys shoot for factory ammo ? Maybe I should jump into reloading . Got 200 pieces of brass.

Tikka1.jpg
 

Apollo117

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Quit using the lead sled and watch your groups shrink. Switch to sand bags.

Any time someone mentions a lead sled, folks on this forum tell them to quit using it. For good reason too. It can affect accuracy and it definitely affects your ability to get a feel for how your gun shoots in the field. Not that sand bags accurately reflect field conditions. However, they're better than a lead sled.

If the recoil is too much, buy a Limbsaver pad. That should help a lot.
 

Pn8hall

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I shoot a Tikka but its a 30-06. I reload and use Barnes TTSX and Nosler Accubonds. My Tikka loves both of them. For factory ammo you could try the Nosler Trophy Grade or the Barnes VOR-TX and probably have pretty good results.
 
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I have been reloading with Hornady ELD-x 162gr bullets and like them a lot. Sub moa out to 200 yards. Did a great job on muley buck at about 130 yards. I’ve shot out to 400 and they group consistently. I have also shot Nosler Partitions in 160 grain. I couldn’t get them to group as well as the eld-x. I’m a rookie in reloading and by no means a professional. Just what has worked for me.


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brn2hnt

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Tikka 7mm owner here too. Before I built up enough brass to reload, I used the Hornady precision hunters. Shot them around 1/2 MOA off bags when I did my part.

However, the 162 eld x was not stable in my rifle. Thy are listed at 1 in 9.5, but mine was 1 in 10. By the time I started stretching past 600 yards, I saw a pretty big divergence from my drop charts.

I now shoot the Berger 168 classic hunters. Best mix of performance on game, BC, and ability to mag feed in short mags that I have found.


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My best factoryoad was Federal Premium 160 gr Nosler Partitions. I tried a lot of ammo and it was all decent 1 to 1.5 Moa but the federal was consistent 3/4 or a little better.

I would saw any premium ammo will produce decent results but it really depends on what bullet shape your barrel likes best and what speed the factory ammo is shooting in your gun. If you are only going factory that means you have to try them out. My guns best factory load will usually be something different than your gun

If you handload then you can pick your bullet and develop the load around that for maximum accuracy.

My advice is pick a couple bullets you like in different brands to find the one that is best. Your left over ammo can be used for practice knowing it might not group great but it will get used.
 
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Yeah I'm sure. Maybe I cant shoot but it did not like the 162 Eldx at all. I have multiple handloads that are 1/2 or better for 3 shots so it isnt that the gun wont shoot. I haven't tried the Eldx with handloads either yet.
 
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I'm shooting 160 Nosler accubonds out of reloads. Haven't had it fine tuned enough to brag on numbers but it has 3 one shot kills on an Oryx, barbary sheep and a coyote. none of which really went anywhere. I have a few ELD-x's ready to go but haven't had time to try them.
 

Mulyhuntr

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Tikka 7mm owner here too. Before I built up enough brass to reload, I used the Hornady precision hunters. Shot them around 1/2 MOA off bags when I did my part.

However, the 162 eld x was not stable in my rifle. Thy are listed at 1 in 9.5, but mine was 1 in 10. By the time I started stretching past 600 yards, I saw a pretty big divergence from my drop charts.

I now shoot the Berger 168 classic hunters. Best mix of performance on game, BC, and ability to mag feed in short mags that I have found.


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My sako 7rm loves the Berger 168 classics as well!
 

BAKPAKR

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isu22andy, as Apollo117 suggested, I would try shooting off of sandbags. I haven’t had very good luck with a lead sled.

Do you have four or five shots in the group on your Federal Fusion target? Even if it is a four shot group, I would sure be shooting a couple of more groups with that ammo off of sandbags.
 
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In a pretty affordable factory round look for the 160ish sierra gameking. Iirc it is a Federal ammo. Shoots good in mine and that bullet is sound imho.

In addition I have had good success with the accuracy of the federal fusion across several calibers too.
 
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isu22andy

isu22andy

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I need to go back to the range and test the fusion and winchester again in 5 shot groups off of bags.
 

Relentless

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Quit using the lead sled and watch your groups shrink. Switch to sand bags.

Any time someone mentions a lead sled, folks on this forum tell them to quit using it. For good reason too. It can affect accuracy and it definitely affects your ability to get a feel for how your gun shoots in the field. Not that sand bags accurately reflect field conditions. However, they're better than a lead sled.

If the recoil is too much, buy a Limbsaver pad. That should help a lot.
150 or 160 Accubonds.
 
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isu22andy

isu22andy

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Shot these groups over the span of 3-4 weeks . Never shot when the barrel was too hot to touch , shot 2-3 shots then shot my pistol a magazine . Off a bipod on a bench with a stock resting on a backpack ... the numbering on the one group isn’t as they were shot although the first shot was high right also the squares are more like 7/8ths instead of an inch . Looks like I better go with the federal ????

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isu22andy

isu22andy

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What are the expert thoughts on the Federal premium ? Did I just have a few flyers ? This gun isnt the cheapest to practice shoot.
 
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