Tikka T3 .308 Win reloading

[Cat64]

Hello to all the sniper shooting aficionados. I am relatively new at this but have a personal goal to be able to shoot a tight group at 1000 yds. Last week I started reloading my own ammo. I need some expert assistance in finding a decent load for my gun. I have purchased thus far for bullets Hornady A-max 168 grain and Sierra MatchKing 165 grain and for powder I have either vv-N-150 or H4895. I first loaded @38 gr per cartridge with the vv powder and shoot a decent group at 100yds. Did not try further yet. Today I tried the Sierra bullet with 40.1 gr. shoot ok &100 yds but @ 200 yds the spread was atrocious. Also I had a difficult time with this cartridge in closing the bolt. My Tikka is smooth like butter but was very hard to lock the bolt with the Sierra ( I tried different C.O.L.s from 2.685 to 2.750 and still hard to close) I would welcome any advise for the issues above. P,ease if you take your time to answer (which I appreciate) don't be very techical. Assume your audience is the 101 level. Thank you
Jason

 

[elk addict]

Sounds crazy, but it works for me

I can't claim to know as much as most of these guys, but I recently picked up a Tikka 308. My load development has been pretty darned short, so likely of no help. I loaded a ladder of 208 amaxes over reloader 17 (48gr- 50 gr on half grain increases) seated at 3.000". The 3.000" COAL stills gives me ~.015" jump to the lands.

The first 3 (48 grains) grouped just under an inch and chronoed just under 2600 fps. The second 3 grouped at .6", and 2640 fps. The third 3- well after a sticky lift on the first & a loose primer on the second, I stopped. 8 shots total for load development.

Before you start calling me crazy, read this: http://www.snipershide.com/shooting...r-ballistics/24338-308-win-208-amax-rl17.html
Your Tikka has a long action (they all do), and probably a long chamber (again, supposedly they all do), so with a minor bolt stop mod & a new long magazine, you could be mag feeding 208's through your Tikka and getting respectable velocities. I must admit that this load had a big role in me getting the Tikka. It's held .7 moa out to 430 yards with this load (I think it's more accurate than that, but there's enough recoil to make me think that I'm jerking one or two in a 5 shot group). I'm using this for elk hunting, not targets.

YMMV, so start conservative & pay attention.

 

[MrSwede]

See if you can get your hands on some 150/155grs bullets. Load them up With 45grs of N150 and make the OAL 2.83".

 

[Cat64]

Thanks. I will try to load them that way tonight and let you know how they perform. Based on everything I read the Tikka does better with 150 gr then higher grain. Iwonderifthatholds true for longer distances ...lets say 500yds. Any ideas on a decentloadwith the H4895 or iMR 4320. I picked up from the store some flat nose 150 gr Barnes TSX BOAT TAIL.

 

[abilliott]

I have been working up at load for my Tikka 308 too. I haven't gotten to far with my load development but in my opinion had respectable results last weekend with
COL of 2.8 (all I could get inside my magizine) 46.1 grains of Hodgon CFE223 with a CCI magnum over a 165 sierra gamekings BTHP. My five shot group at 100yds
measured edge to edge .887, subtract the diameter of the bullet gave me right at a 9/16 group. I haven't shot from a bench in a few years but the grass was high
and wouldn't allow to me get prone, I have hopes that in prone I may have done better.

BTW, I noticed that after 20 rounds with the CFE223 it was cleaner? So i guess the stuff does work, but again I haven't much experience, I like you have just started
into the wild world of reloading, next stop...... trying to load subsonics.

 

[JGorski]

Cat, what are you using for brass?

 

[Cat64]

Hey there. I am using winchester cases, ppu, fc or hornady. I purchased factory loaded ammo and upon firing I am recycling the spent cases. Wow, joining this site was both a growing/ learning experience in the skills of marksmanship and yet a reality check on how much knowleadge one still has to acquire on the road to completion... Which in this fild is both elusive and self defined.

 

[jdboy]

My Tikka seems to shoot 155gr better than anything else I've shot through it. I've ran loads with 155gr, 168gr, and 178gr Hornady Amax bullets to date. I just tried the 178's a few days ago and they group about the same as the 168's at 100 yards but done better at 200 and 300 yards (could have been me though). The only powders I've used are Varget and H4895 as powder is nearly impossible to find around here. I'm actually down to about 2/3rds of a pound Varget left so I suppose my shooting season will come to an early end this year.

 

[Cproflow]

If your goal is 1000 yards, you should consider switching to the 155 grain and 175 grain SMKs. The 168's get a little squirrely after ~ 600 yards. Not an issue with your rifle, but more the design of the bullet.

 

[hamstur]

The absolute best loads for my old Tikka Scout 308 were...

100-200 yard paper punching: 44gr Varget, Win brass, Fed 210M primer, 168 AMAX or BTHP, 2.820"
600+ steel: 45.0-45.5gr Varget, Lapua brass, Fed 215M primer, SMK 155 Palma, 2.820" <-- yes, 215M large rifle 'mag' primer

Both averaged 0.4" groups at 100 yards and 1.1" at 200 yards.

The 45.0-45.5gr Varget load is hot ... work that one up.

 

[Luther N. Tonkin]

I've recently acquired one of the packages from EuroOptic which includes a Tikka T3x TAC A1 24" barrel in .308 win with a Vortex Viper PST Gen II 5 - 25 scope. I am planning to get into long range shooting (800 - 1200 yds.). I am new to this distance shooting and prior to this I've never shot over 500 yds. and, oddly enough, I've really never used a scope. I started reloading over 40 years ago so though I'm not a novice, I've never done precision reloading for extreme distance. I've done a fair amount of research, including the Dallas warehouse paper - and from the measurements I've done with the barrel in this Tikka, I could never load up a round that would place the bullet at or very close to the lands - which is where the Dallas study indicates is optimal for extreme accuracy. I'm currently in the planning stage of load development for this rifle and would appreciate any help/recommendations for this effort. I'm starting with Starline match (small primer) brass and might move up to Lapua. I understand that for ranges over 800 yds. I need to go with heavier than 168 grns. I have a number of the recommended powders but am still trying to get reloader 15, which seems to be in short supply.