Thread: Tikka 223 1-8 or 1-12

Looking to buy a Tikka 223, but can’t decide on the twist. It’ll mainly be used for Varmits and maybe the odd goat. So recommendations on either 1 in 8 or 1 in 12.

Cheers.

I had a 1:9 and it loved 55 grain, but wind played havoc at 300m. Went to 1:8 and it loves 62 and 77 grain Belmont. The heavier pill isn’t as fast, but both are very accurate weights. I would recommend 1:8. Belmont ammo is very scarce, but you will be able to find alternatives in the 60 plus gr range.

I have a 1-8 tikka. It loves the 77gr, 62gr from belmont(sadly both are out of stock at the moment) it will shot the 55gr from Belmont into an inch at 100. 5shot group. I reload 69gr projectiles for it and it is 1/4-1/2 an inch at 100.

1:8 will give you far more options for projectile choice, and more than likely better resale value as well

How far do you shoot? It's good to anchor goats to avoid the death screams. I found my 1:12 really started struggling to do that past 200m because the light bullets are really slowing down.

1:8 with something heavier is a lot more forgiving and still shoots lighter stuff just fine.

Do you reload @taupo_cowboy?

1:8 - Works very well on shorter barrels.

Might I recommend (if you can): Barreling in .223 Wylde 1:8, rather than standard .223?

Essentially - If you’re after versatility and punch it’s the best for 5.56 and .223.

A 5.56 barrel also does the job with both .223 at 5.56 as well (.223 at slightly shorter ranges).

Info:

https://www.battlecreekarmory.com/pr...2318pstfm8.htm

Yes, I do reload.

Good.

Righto, devil’s advocate time.

I’ve owned both 1:12” and 1:8” Tikkas concurrently, still have the 1:12” and now have a 1:8” Howa.

The 1:12” will go to my grave with me, like a Viking and his battle weapons. It is the most accurate rifle I have ever shot. I’ve only ever hand loaded for it and run 50 grain Z-Max at 3400 FPS. It’s the Super Varmint, so heavy barrel. I bought it in Aus for dogs, cats, rabbits, wallabys and roos, and since moving back to New Zealand its taken hundreds of pest goats and a good many red and fallow deer. Everything from a goat up is head shot, as were the hoppers in Aus, by law.

The reason I am talking up the slower twist is that I’ve never been able to replicate quite the same level of field accuracy with either of the 1:8” twist rifles. Nor have I been able to match it with several other mates’ rifles I’ve setup for culling pests, couple of Howa 1:9”, a Sako 85 1:8”, a CZ 1:9”. Nearly, but not quite. So I chest shoot goats and smaller deer with the faster twist rifles, using either 55gr or 62gr Belmont or my hand loaded 70gr Speer in my Howa Mini. Very deadly for sure, but the 1:8”s have never really instilled the same degree of mega confidence as that fast 50gr 1:12”. Stretching the 50gr .223 Rem out to 300, 400m plus on rabbits is very rewarding and it sure as hell improves marksmanship skills, bloody satisfying with a bit of wind about.

In Aus I shot “varminting” style with a bunch of different guys, and there was a clear preference for slower twist, lighter bullets, as fast as possible, despite the fact that it was nearly always a bit windy in the Outback. 1:14” .222s and .22-250s, 1:12” .223 were the normal rifles in the field. Looking back, the 1:8” T3 we had (technically the wife’s rifle) was a bit of an oddity with it’s 75gr A-Max. (And the .243 did that weight bullet so much better.)

So, it it were me and the target species were small varmints and the occasional goat, I would go 1:12” and load it hot. No question. That’s a proper varmint rifle, not a kind of cross over.

The 1:8” is obviously excellent and very popular for good reason, but my take on it is the heavier, slower bullets make it a bit of “jack of all trades, master of none”.

I kept the slower twist barrel at 24”, all the 1:8” have been 20” except the Sako which was .22” (I think).

I’ve got a heavy tubed 1:8 T3. From 55 grains up its a tack driver, with 50s you’d swear it needs a new tube. I mostly shot 69s for every thing though.

I have the Tikka varmint 223 with 1:8 twist. It shoots the targex bullets in both 52 grain and 69 grain into the same point of impact, and is a cloverleaf shooter or better all the time.

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Greetings All,
I have two .223 rifles. A Tikka T3 with a 1:8 twist and a Remington VSSF with a 1:12 twist. I would dearly love them both to be 1:8. The VSSF came to stay about 20 years ago when faster twist .223 rifles were less common and those with faster twist barrels did not appeal. Plus there was a 7mm SAUM Sendero in the cupboard and a semi matched pair seemed appealing. Currently the Tikka gets shot more than the other two put together. It shoots the 55 and 69 grain projectiles reasonably close together and just as well.
Get the 1:8.
Regards Grandpamac.

id lean towards the 1-8 to give you all the options and impressive performance of the High BC choices

unless you were set on the 55gr weight bullet (I have tons left after loosing my Ar)

MY 1-8 Howa shoots the stuff I have fine(under an inch) but I would prefer to have them running thru a 1-12 tikka as Im betting they would shoot better

That’s for all the info, it’s great. But I’m not sure it makes the decision any easier. As a FYI, the 1/8 is 20 inch, the 1/12 is 22 inch. @Flyblown, @grandpamac would that change your recommendation?

Maybe I should buy both and see which one I like best

I dont know much about the 1:8 twist ones apart from reading mirrored comments like the ones before. I found a 1:12 tikka and brought it, have found it excellent. Was 20 inch and I got it shortened to 16inch. I'm not shooting 300 yards though however, has a 2.5-8 scope on it. Here's a couple of photos of its groups and set up. 100yards. 52gr amax and 55gr sierra 1365. Both doing 3000fps