Thread: Tikka 308

Federal Fusion. Reasonably priced, seems to be accurate in most rifles, and performs well on game.

If you’re really chasing accuracy try Hornady precision hunter, however this is not a flat shooting load and probably requires dialling at longer ranges

When I purchased my T3 in 308 about 10 years ago now, I went through the same process as most of the others, shooting various factory loads and at the time Federal blue box was the best I tried and very well priced (Recently found an old empty box with a sale sticker still on for $38!) Over the the last 2 years I switched to Sako ammunition and I have to say these are by far the best grouping factory rounds I have ever shot in this rifle, initially 123gr for bush stalking ranges and then the 165gr as I started dipping my toes into long range shooting as well. Since gone down the reloading rabbit hole but if I need to shoot factory rounds in the t3 for whatever reason these are my go to.

Thanks all. Seem to be a similar theme here. Will give them a blast and go from there.

Legends!

All the standard ammo with the setup your running are going to shoot sub MOA of deer at the range you’ll comfortably shoot. Stick to $50-$60 factory ammo as per the recommendations above. Ideally one that you see plenty of stock in and go from there. Until your start running a range finder, dial or BC Reticle it’s not really reasonable to expect to hunt past 300m consistently. I’d get hold of some belmont 150gr SP, cheap readily available in today’s market (shoots very well in tikkas I’ve tested). Personally, the deer I’ve shot have all been reds and fallow under 250m, Nothing has stood up to the Belmont 130gr hollow points which are pleasure to shoot. Tested in about 10 different 308s including another 16” tikka last week, all shoot sub MOA.. stick to 150s if you pushing the range,, just keep those 130s in mind for those close encounters, sika and fallow especially. All the best!

@Pav is right about the Sako ammo. The 123 may be slow but it's accurate and knocks deer over. I recently fired two shots into a target at 100 yards to test my T3s zero, both went through the same hole.
I’ve shot a few deer with them and had good results.
I can’t use them at distance as I have a CDS set up for the 130g TTSX but for up close and shooing goats they’re great.

Originally Posted by craigc

@Pav is right about the Sako ammo. The 123 may be slow but it's accurate and knocks deer over. I recently fired two shots into a target at 100 yards to test my T3s zero, both went through the same hole.
I’ve shot a few deer with them and had good results.
I can’t use them at distance as I have a CDS set up for the 130g TTSX but for up close and shooing goats they’re great.

Are the 123s slow!? Thought they would be humming

Seeing as you've got a Tikka I'd go with some Sako ammo, it's guaranteed 1 MOA so hard to go wrong. At normal hunting ranges the difference between 123gr vs 150gr soft points is going to be pretty well irrelevant, put it in the right spot and they'll both kill deer.

Having a 16inch one of these in my collection I can say they aren't exactly fussy. I shoot anything from 130gr to 178s in mine. All under an inch. One of the best shooters was the Belmont 130hp mentioned above. I wouldn't get too hung up on loads etc. In the bush distances even slightly further out a bullet from most rifles in anywhere near the right spot tips them over. For the price of Belmont or PPU for example I'd be going with that, probably get 60 rounds for the cost of 20 sako. The deer on the end of it won't know you didn't pay the price.

Hornady white tail 165 gr drop anything,very accurate and cheap enough.Hornady superformance very accurate,but about $25 darer than whitetail doing the same job.

Always found rem corelokt put big stags down well my mate used itnfornyesrs cant comment on accuracy though as his rifle barrel was like bore scoping a shotgun barrel

Belmont ammo made in NZ is a great option.