Thread: Load development/Gun Smith

Another spanner in the works, theres a lot of talk about copper and carbon fouling and cleaning. Personally I feel this can become an obsessive red herring, most rifles actually shoot better with a lightly fouled barrel. Has anyone mentioned a damaged crown before its really only the last tiny bit of the rifling is really important.
Added Dont own one so dont know but are tikkas pressure bedded or action bedded? Relieving a pressure bed or unequal side pressure can cause funny things like random grouping.

here’s a pic of a 3 shot group then a 6 shot group when I tried to repeat it a week later.



The tikkas are pressure bedded, have had it action bedded and barrel floated.
Had a close look at the crown and looks to be fine....?

Haven’t done any more testing/reloading since as had no time.
Will see how I go this week

If yr anywhere near Taupo or Rotorua then PM me.

Agree with others

In so much there are a huge amount of potential variables and issues.

If I was you and was short of time I would give it a good clean. Check the scope mounts.

Then go and buy some high quality factory rounds with a similar projectile weight. Think Precision hunter or Norma (free brass). I know this sounds foul to a reloader. BUT BUY QUALITY FACTORY.

Try a couple of groups with them. Compare it to what you are getting with your current loads. If nothing else It's a good reference point.

If you get targetted 1moa from factory loads that will get you hunting for the Roar. You can put off the reloading for when you have more time.

Out of interest did you clean the copper fouling out after shooting that 3 round group?

My tikka t3x in 300WM will do sub moa at 200 yards with Hornady whitetail as long as the copper fouling hasn't been romoved. Your pic of that six round group is what happens to mine after cleaning with copper remover. Now I only clean for carbon and powder residue using carburettor cleaner and ballistol untill accuracy starts to suffer from to much copper in the barrel.

Edit.

Read a few more posts from you. Stop cleaning with hoppes 9, it actually does a good job of removing copper
That's where my problems came from and I could show you nearly identical pics of groups like yours before and after cleaning copper fouling.

I was second guessing everything and blaming the pos rifle lol. After sending a box of ammo down range sure enough the groups tightened back up to 1moa or less.

@Dev seriously consider ditching the Tipped Gamekings. Reloading and shooting practices aside you may chase your tail with them period. Out of 6 7mm Rem Mag rifles only 2 have shot them consistently. 1 being a Rem 700 AWR (5 R rifling possibly made a difference), the other(can't remember brand) had the projectile jammed so hard in the rifling it would pull from the case when ejected if not fired. The other 4 rifles were Tikka, Sauer, and 2 Rem 700's.

Bedding or scope/mounts would be my guess. Do you have another scope to swap out for a test run?

Can you post a picture of the bedding and the recoil lug? They can be finicky in the tikkas.

The only way to trouble shoot stuff like this is remove one variable at a time and test.

Dev, whereabouts do you live? I can help you if you're in my area. The range is only two minutes drive from my place as well.

I’m based in Christchurch.

Yea that’s the problem is how many variables there are and range access.
Don’t have another scope to try, my others are 25mm the vx3i is 30mm tube.
It has shot some good groups though but probably should look at trying another scope.
As far as cleaning, pretty sure I did give it a good copper clean with bore tech after that 3 shot group.

That’s half my problem now is I’ve gotten lost in my cleaning procedure etc.
IF I do get some time and love back for the rifle I think Im best to start from scratch with new projectiles and new brass.
Maybe give the barrel a good clean?
Ditch the TGK and try another projectile? AccuBonds or Berger’s?
Stick with the 2217?
My Hornady brass has 3 firings (necksized, no annealing)

Here’s a pic of bedding




Will also consider the factory ammo idea, started of with the factory loaded Hornady 154 sst and get really good consistent horizontal hits but they tend to be spread quite left/right.
Also Have a couple of offers from some good forum members so that’s looking like the best option

One thing from all this is I now feel real comfortable behind the rifle/recoil

get an vivid marker or preferably a bit of fountain pen ink and coat the lower , tighten up into the stock asap. give it a minute or 2 and see where the ink has transferred to

Engineers blue if they still make it works better as it stays "wet"and may detect bind points better.
Dont get hung up on cleaning the bore, its not a muzzle loader burning black powder, a barrel needs a bit of fouling to settle in. Clean a 22 and its all over the show for 50 or so, target shooters fire a fouler before competition. Check your action screw tension when reassembling someone here will know the recommended torque for tikkas.
Finally change one variable at a time and rule it out before going on to the next or you will be chasing your tail forever.

I don't know Tikkas (and bugger all about anything else either!), but....
Does that recoil lug look right? In the photos it doesn't seem to have a lot above the bedding to engage with the action, and the edges look worn/chipped too.

that first group of 3 shows the rifle/shooter is capabale of good accuracy.
What changed in the course of week prior to shooting next 6 ? cleaning regime ? did you tighten or loosen any of the screws ?

I'm no expert on bedding but the bedding around the recoil lug looks pretty rough. One thing that is absolutely critical with Tikkas is that floating recoil lug & its ability to return to battery (exact same position) after firing. If the lug is even slightly mis aligned or not able to "float" correctly you'll have accuracy issues.
Also be very careful not to over torque the action screws. Double grouping in a Tikka is highly likely to be a roil lug &/or torque issue.
Do you have access to another standard Tikka stock you could swap you action into ? if its not bedded then 35lbs max torque is my rule of thumb for plastic stocks

Here’s a close up of recoil lug, it’s firmly in place...

Hey @Dev just make double sure no part of the barrel is touching your rest when firing, you won't believe the amount of people that swear they aren't touching the barrel on their rest yet they do. I know it is such a basic thing but it will throw your bullet all over the place. I did this myself a couple of times in my early days of shooting and I refused to admit I could do it but I did and it is the first thing I make sure of before I pull the trigger now. Good luck