Thread: Tikka T3 producing slooooow velocities

I own two Tikka T3s, a 260 and a 223.
I've been reloading for both of them and have always found it to shoot my reloads way slower than what other forum members are claiming.
I always put it down to the not enough powder, or different powder. I know that bunnies/goats/deer wont know the difference, but a few extra FPS never hurt anyone.

But today I shot with a mate who has a 20" AR15, heavy barrel 1:9" twist.
My Tikka being a 24" barrel shooting the same Hornday 55gr ammo, was 70fps on average slower out of my Tikka than his gun.
Now regardless of any variable that may have meant my 2800fps was actually 3100fps, I'm puzzled to my my barrel would be so much slower.

Anyone got an explanation, or a theory that could explain this.
The velocities we were getting were 2880fps from my Tikka, 2950fps from his AR.

Your barrel might be shot out and you'd need to load very hot loads to get the same velocities. I had that with a 260 barrel, had to put 36.5 gr 2208 in to get average to good velocities and more for pressure signs.

You might be misreading pressure signs in your reloads and have a lot of room to make round hotter and get more velocity. Though I'm assuming you were shooting the same factory rounds out of both your t 3 and your mates ar15. If so he might have a tighter chamber and so develop more pressure, but that (in my mind) shouldn't equate to 4 inches of barrel. He might have a longer free bore also.

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Factory loads?

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I have been told you can get slower barrels on the same rifles. Some will shoot faster or slower than the exact same make, barrel length, and load. Not sure why but that could be the problem, you have a slow one.

Originally Posted by R93

Factory loads?

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@R93 The velocities I posted today were from factory Hornady ammo.

The barrels are unlikely to be shot out, the 260 will shoot under a 1/2" at 100 yards and shoots under moa out to 600 yards.
The .223 has had less than 1000 rounds through it and most has been factory ammo.

Originally Posted by Beetroot

I own two Tikka T3s, a 260 and a 223.
I've been reloading for both of them and have always found it to shoot my reloads way slower than what other forum members are claiming.
I always put it down to the not enough powder, or different powder. I know that bunnies/goats/deer wont know the difference, but a few extra FPS never hurt anyone.

But today I shot with a mate who has a 20" AR15, heavy barrel 1:9" twist.
My Tikka being a 24" barrel shooting the same Hornday 55gr ammo, was 70fps on average slower out of my Tikka than his gun.
Now regardless of any variable that may have meant my 2800fps was actually 3100fps, I'm puzzled to my my barrel would be so much slower.

Anyone got an explanation, or a theory that could explain this.
The velocities we were getting were 2880fps from my Tikka, 2950fps from his AR.

At that length I asume your 223 is a varmint barrel, what twist?

Twist being 1 in 12 or 1 in 8 on the tikka barrel has little effect on the velocity after reading all the tests conducted by Brian Litz.

Originally Posted by DPT

At that length I asume your 223 is a varmint barrel, what twist?

No, just a sporter weight barrel, 1:8 twist.

Originally Posted by Beetroot

No, just a sporter weight barrel, 1:8 twist.

Is it not a factory barrel? They come out with a 22.4" barrel. The faster twist could slow the bullet a fraction but extra barrel length should over come that,

Originally Posted by DPT

Is it not a factory barrel? They come out with a 22.4" barrel. The faster twist could slow the bullet a fraction but extra barrel length should over come that,

The faster twist will only slow it around the same as a normal ES according to Mr Litz, so a non issue, the faster twist will also marginally increase the BC apparently

Originally Posted by Beetroot

@R93 The velocities I posted today were from factory Hornady ammo.

The barrels are unlikely to be shot out, the 260 will shoot under a 1/2" at 100 yards and shoots under moa out to 600 yards.
The .223 has had less than 1000 rounds through it and most has been factory ammo.

Maybe youre just being too honest? read some forums, theres heaps of guys out there getting 3100fps with 143's from their 260's....

Originally Posted by Beetroot

@R93 The velocities I posted today were from factory Hornady ammo.

The barrels are unlikely to be shot out, the 260 will shoot under a 1/2" at 100 yards and shoots under moa out to 600 yards.
The .223 has had less than 1000 rounds through it and most has been factory ammo.

There are such things as slow barrels but there are a number of other things that could maybe effect your results.

What chrony were you using?
How fresh are the batteries?
What was the light like? Was it consistent or intermittent cloud?
Were you shooting at the same target from the same position as your mate?

Were you using the same batch of ammo?
How fast did you shoot your string?

How fouled was your barrel prior to shooting? If clean it could take a number of shots to foul.
Did the velocity increase as the barrel warmed?
What was the ES like?
Shoot it again on another day. If velocities are the same then maybe you con problem solve from there.

As for you .260 I would just be happy with the accuracy.




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might just be extra tight mate, you sure shes not a 243

Originally Posted by R93

There are such things as slow barrels but there are a number of other things that could maybe effect your results.

What chrony were you using?
How fresh are the batteries?
What was the light like? Was it consistent or intermittent cloud?
Were you shooting at the same target from the same position as your mate?

Were you using the same batch of ammo?
How fast did you shoot your string?

How fouled was your barrel prior to shooting? If clean it could take a number of shots to foul.
Did the velocity increase as the barrel warmed?
What was the ES like?
Shoot it again on another day. If velocities are the same then maybe you con problem solve from there.

As for you .260 I would just be happy with the accuracy.




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The make of chrony is "shooting chrony".
The battery was average in age I guess.
The weather was sunny with little cloud and shot from the exact same position.

My speeds in order were: 2884, 2886, 2899, 2881 so ES was only 18fps.
Barrel was already fouled.

I was just amazed that under the exact same conditions my rifle was so much slower.
The slow chrony speeds with my 260 have proved accurate, as my ballistic calculator has been true out too 600 yards.

I'm thinking I'll just have to put it down as one of lifes small mysteries.
Again, I'm not too worried, more wanting to see if anyone could explain why.

wild guess . . . the ammo is optimised for short barrels, its slowing down in your longer barrel

R