A Baffling Buffet of Bullets

[SnakeRiverEric]

The Mcguire Ballistic's 143gr Copper Rose would be awesome in a 7mm08. I use them in my 280AI
going 3170fps with rl23. Have harvested antelope, mule deer, and cow elk with them.
You just need someone to reload for you at this time.

 

[30-GT]

Alright my friends. Back from the ranch. Was able to quail hunt a little bit and shot a variety of bullets out of my new Tikka. Now I was only testing for muzzle velocity out of my gun at my hunting elevation for data to send off to Leupold for the CDS (custom dial system). I will still have to sight it in. My test elevation was 1820ft. Temp was between 37° and 40° for both mornings of shooting. Tikka T3x Hunter. 22.4" 9.5 twist 4 groove barrel, 7mm08. 5 shots each.* using a MagnetoSpeed barrel mounted chronograph.

Muzzle Velocities
Hornady Superformance 139gr CX
1. 2883
2. 2864
3. 2841
4. 2896
5. 2870 average 2870

Hornady Superformance 139gr GMX
1. 2815
2. 2815
3. 2814
4. 2803
5. 2792 average 2807

Hornady American WT Interlock 139gr
1. 2640
2. 2617
3. 2673
4. 2665
5. 2612 average 2642

Barnes GR TTSX BT 120gr
1. 2824 2nd day * 1. 2879
2. 2860 2. 2867
3. 2863
4. 2831
5. 2942 average 2864

Hornady Precision Hunter ELD-X 150gr
1. 2684
2. 2676
3. 2672
4. 2795
5. 2683 average 2684

Winchester Ballistic Silvertip 140gr
1. 2746
2. 2730
3. 2701
4. 2744
5. 2786 average 2741

Winchester Power Point 140gr
1. 2745
2. 2721
3. 2744
4. 2744
5. 2678 average 2726

Federal Fusion
Bonded Softpoint 140gr
1. 2731
2. 2741
3. 2722
4. 2785
5. 2774 average 2750

Federal Fusion
Bonded Softpoint 120gr
1. 2917
2. 2877
3. 2927
4. 2946
5. 2904 average 2914

Remington Accutip BoatTail 140gr
1. 2792
2. 2829
3. 2816
4. 2800
5. 2798 average 2807

Now to just pick a bullet. Hopefully one of the mono's will get me out to 400yrds. Although while out at the ranch I did scrounge up two old metal Tripod stands and placed one about 200yrd out and the other about 400yrds out. So if I need to close some distance for a shot I will be able to.

Edited to add average muzzle velocity.

 

[30-GT]

Start with those 120gr Fusions...you probably won't need to test anything else after that.

These ended up having the fastest average.

 

[30-GT]

Finally able to get out to the deer lease shooting range to sight my rifle in. Took the first shot at 50yrds to see if it was on paper and it was a little bit high and rt. Was not able to shoot 100yrds. Had to drag the shooting bench back 10yards just to get a 95yard target otherwise I would be shooting from the road. I'll have to work on getting it extended a little more. Started off with Hornady GMX. Was high about 3 1/2" and rt 1/2". I brought my kit of Allen wrenches to take the turret cap off but no...didn't have one small enough. Moved the windage and just aimed about 3.5 below bullseye. My T3x did not like the GMX and really did not like the Hornady CX. Which bummed me out. It did well with the Hornady ELD-X and Federal Fusions and the Winchester ballistic Silvertips. I may do some more testing later but the ELD-X's may be the winners. I don't consider myself a great shooter but hopefully decent enough to shoot out to 400yrds. So some of the groups are 3 shot groups and some 4 if I felt like one was a bad shot. Had a good day of shooting.

 

[Roughrice]

That tikka should shoot a really tight group…tighter than your groups appear.
Make sure you re-torque your scope rings and base before you shoot again.
Also I'd suggest to use a sandbag or bipod for the front and sandbag for the rear rest and a good solid consistent square shouldering of the rifle for your next shooting event.
I think things will improve if you make those adjustments.
Oh… and adjust your scope to aim at a small dot to get consistent aim points for consistent groups.
Aim small, miss small!

 

[K.E.C. Darkside]

I have never been disappointed with
Federal Fusion performance.

 

[30-GT]

That tikka should shoot a really tight group…tighter than your groups appear.
Make sure you re-torque your scope rings and base before you shoot again.
Also I'd suggest to use a sandbag or bipod for the front and sandbag for the rear rest and a good solid consistent square shouldering of the rifle for your next shooting event.
I think things will improve if you make those adjustments.
Oh… and adjust your scope to aim at a small dot to get consistent aim points for consistent groups.
Aim small, miss small!

Thanks Roughrice, will re-torque the scope. I did use a Caldwell tactical deadshot bag set. It was covered up by the towel. Probably not the best thing to use but it's all I had. I was definitely inconsistent in my shouldering of the rifle. Never really thought about it, for 100yrds shots I just throw the gun up and pull the trigger.

 

[Roughrice]

Ok! I couldn't make out what the front rest was...
Those bags should work fine.
The Tikka shouldn't throw an odd shot that far in a 3 or 4 shot group if it's not already hot... and it did it with every load you tried.

Suggestion only...According to the picture of the rifle sitting on bags...
Perhaps place the front bag slightly behind the sling swivels stud...where the forend is stiffer.
Place the rear bag close to your shoulder (near the rear stud).
*Then while resting on the bags, slide a business card or index card between the barrel and stock channel to make sure it's floated in the channel because any contact can and will throw those wild shots you witnessed.

 

[Roughrice]

This was my buddy's 3 shot group out of his Tikka T3x with 139 American Whitetail with VX-5HD

 

[30-GT]

This was my buddy's 3 shot group out of his Tikka T3x with 139 American Whitetail with VX-5HD

That's an awesome group your buddy shot! I know my gun is capable. The odd shots are definitely me. Will make the adjustments with the rifle placement on the bags. The weather here today was pretty breezy and in the 50°s. I started shooting around 11am and finished around 3pm. I tried to keep the barrel cool. I did notice I had the odd shots on cool barrels and some where it may have been a little bit warm. Looking forward to shoot some more and making these adjustments.