tikka t3 25-06 accuracy

[KsSkaEnthusiast]

Hello highroaders,
i recently picked up a t3 in 25-06 with a vx3 4.5-14 for an absolute steal and have found the 117-120 class soft points (factory ammo) are only in the realm of 2-3 moa. Can work for a deer rifle but seems a little loose for how I've seen most tikkas shoot. Scope mounts and bases have been checked and I'm starting to handload. Do y'all have any recommendations to accurize or loads to try for this setup?

 

[LoonWulf]

Id check for copper fouling, barrel contact, incorrect recoil lug seating, and damaged crown....if you haven't already done so lol.

Its pretty rare (as in ive never seen one) for a Tikka to not shoot well, so I really don't know of common issues or corrections.

 

[OS/N]

Check the twist rate. Lots of 25-06s will not shoot heavier than 100 grain. My old Ruger No1 shoots 0.3 moa with 100 grainers but 2-3 moa with heavier pills. I have to load my on to get that accuracy. They are barrel burners also so you have to clean it after just a few shots. They don't make good target guns because the barrel shoots out so fast but are fine hunting rigs. Also, 200 yard groups may be better than 50/100 because the bullet path swirels on out aways before the bullet settles down.

 

[mshootnit]

Did you check out the Hornady American Whitetail 117 gr.? Many 25-06 do very well with that load. It often outshoots my handloads. Another option would be to try some 110 Accubond handloads. Make sure your recoil lug on that tikka is in its proper place.

 

[tominboise]

Well, most Tikka's shoot pretty well, so I'd think yours should do better then that. As mentioned, you might want to pull the action apart and reassemble, making sure the recoil lug is properly seated in the stock and the barrel. I once got a good buy on a T3 in 22-250 because the guy missed seating the lug correctly.
Beyond that, I'd torque the action screws, and I'd try a different scope if you have one available. No guarantee that the scope you bought with it hasn't gone south.
I'd also look at the crown for any nicks. My 25-06 shoots better fouled than clean, like it takes 20 rounds to get it settled down. TIkka barrels are typically pretty smooth inside, so it might need cleaning, or it might need fouling, lol.
My rifle (A Weatherby, not a Tikka) shoots various bullet weights pretty well. 100gr TTSX and RL25 powder have been a good combo. Also the 117gr Sierra gameking.

 

[someguy2800]

My tikka in 25/06 shoots well under 1 moa with most of the 120’s I’ve tried but I bought it 20 years ago. Check for loose action screws, loose scope mounts, try a known good scope, and clean it good with copper remover. Mine is the copper foulinest thing I’ve ever seen, but it’s a dead ringer.

 

[KsSkaEnthusiast]

Did you check out the Hornady American Whitetail 117 gr.? Many 25-06 do very well with that load. It often outshoots my handloads. Another option would be to try some 110 Accubond handloads. Make sure your recoil lug on that tikka is in its proper place.

That was one of fthe loads I'd tried as well as fully cleaning the barrel when I first got it. I wil try the recoil lug and screw torque and report back.

 

[22250Rem]

Other than all those excellent suggestions that have already been posted, the one about bullet weight rang a bell with me. I have a Ruger Mod. 77 in .25-06 that has always favored bullets in the 117-120 gr. range. Lighter bullets are OK but not as good as the heavier options. If everything else checks out, try some bullets in the 100 gr. weight. Perhaps that gun has a bullet weight preference.

 

[KsSkaEnthusiast]

Other than all those excellent suggestions that have already been posted, the one about bullet weight rang a bell with me. I have a Ruger Mod. 77 in .25-06 that has always favored bullets in the 117-120 gr. range. Lighter bullets are OK but not as good as the heavier options. If everything else checks out, try some bullets in the 100 gr. weight. Perhaps that gun has a bullet weight preference.

my fathers m77 in 25-06 is the same way, core lokt 120s 3/4 moa all day, I'd like to try some 100 grain options but are there any bonded ones available?

 

[H&Hhunter]

My very cursory interwebs search shows me that a T3 in 25-06 has a 1 in 10 twist rate.

Start with the easy stuff first, as mentioned above, action screws, scope, copper foul etc etc. I’d be surprised if it was a bad barrel. But stranger things have happened.

Is the rifle used? If it is used I bet a box of match sticks it needs to be cleaned out with wipe out or some other copper solvent.

 

[KsSkaEnthusiast]

My very cursory interwebs search shows me that a T3 in 25-06 has a 1 in 10 twist rate.

Start with the easy stuff first, as mentioned above, action screws, scope, copper foul etc etc. I’d be surprised if it was a bad barrel. But stranger things have happened.

Is the rifle used? If it is used I bet a box of match sticks it needs to be cleaned out with wipe out or some other copper solvent.

it was and the first thing i did was clean with a copper solvent, i will be trying all the screws and checking back soon.

 

[LoonWulf]

Might be a fried barrel?

 

[d2wing]

I got a deal on my used Tikka. It needed a good cleaning before it would shoot.

 

[JeffG]

Well, most Tikka's shoot pretty well, so I'd think yours should do better then that. As mentioned, you might want to pull the action apart and reassemble, making sure the recoil lug is properly seated in the stock and the barrel. I once got a good buy on a T3 in 22-250 because the guy missed seating the lug correctly.
Beyond that, I'd torque the action screws, and I'd try a different scope if you have one available. No guarantee that the scope you bought with it hasn't gone south.
I'd also look at the crown for any nicks. My 25-06 shoots better fouled than clean, like it takes 20 rounds to get it settled down. TIkka barrels are typically pretty smooth inside, so it might need cleaning, or it might need fouling, lol.
My rifle (A Weatherby, not a Tikka) shoots various bullet weights pretty well. 100gr TTSX and RL25 powder have been a good combo. Also the 117gr Sierra gameking.

Also the 117gr Sierra gameking.

^^^^^^This!

 

[jmr40]

Might be a fried barrel?

That's a thought. Between the ones I've owned, and the ones friends and family own I've seen about a dozen shot. Never saw one that wasn't exceptionally accurate. 25-06 will wear out a barrel faster than many other cartridges and it is possible the previous owner used it all up.

It won't hurt to give it a thorough cleaning, that could well solve the problem. You could try different ammo, I know it can make a difference. It should handle 120 gr bullets. You don't say WHICH brand of factory ammo.

 

[someguy2800]

Mine is going on 1200 rounds. The rifling leade is about 1/4” farther away than the first time I measured it, but still shoots great. Probably would need to be 2000+ rounds before mine would get to 2-3 moa, but that’s not to say they all start as good as mine.

 

[OS/N]

Did you check out the Hornady American Whitetail 117 gr.? Many 25-06 do very well with that load. It often outshoots my handloads. Another option would be to try some 110 Accubond handloads. Make sure your recoil lug on that tikka is in its proper place.

I have about 200 rounds of the 117 interlock HAWT ammo that wont print from my 25-06. I will have to pull the bullets and reload with 100 grain bullets before hunting with them.

Since the brass is 1$ each and primers about 0.12$ each it wont be a total loss.

I'm sure it is excellent ammo for a faster twist barrel but not in my older tube.

Anyone want 190ea 117grn interlock 257 bullets and about 1-1/2 lbs of mystery slow burn rifle powder? My garden is hungry so...

 

[KsSkaEnthusiast]

Looking at the rifle it seems like it’d had very few rounds through it before me or it was exceptionally cleaned. If I had to guess the guy who owned it first had the same problem and didn’t want to look any deeper. Factory loads I have tried were American whitetail 117, core lokt 120, federal fusion 120 and federal powershok 117. After reseating everything if it doesn’t start shooting a bit better I will do a full strip of the barrel again and see if that helps.

 

[someguy2800]

Looking at the rifle it seems like it’d had very few rounds through it before me or it was exceptionally cleaned. If I had to guess the guy who owned it first had the same problem and didn’t want to look any deeper. Factory loads I have tried were American whitetail 117, core lokt 120, federal fusion 120 and federal powershok 117. After reseating everything if it doesn’t start shooting a bit better I will do a full strip of the barrel again and see if that helps.

If all else fails I bet Tikka customer service will address it

 

[horsey300]

Also, 200 yard groups may be better than 50/100 because the bullet path swirels on out aways before the bullet settles down.

Nope, just nope, the bullet going to sleep theory had been disproven, the earth is round. I too was thinking barrel twist.

my fathers m77 in 25-06 is the same way, core lokt 120s 3/4 moa all day, I'd like to try some 100 grain options but are there any bonded ones available?

You want factory loads only?
I ask because the fusion seems the closest to bonded in factory offerings, there are 90 gr monos, 100 gr monos and partitions, but I can't find much variety for ya pardner.

 

[mshootnit]

Well, most Tikka's shoot pretty well, so I'd think yours should do better then that. As mentioned, you might want to pull the action apart and reassemble, making sure the recoil lug is properly seated in the stock and the barrel. I once got a good buy on a T3 in 22-250 because the guy missed seating the lug correctly.
Beyond that, I'd torque the action screws, and I'd try a different scope if you have one available. No guarantee that the scope you bought with it hasn't gone south.
I'd also look at the crown for any nicks. My 25-06 shoots better fouled than clean, like it takes 20 rounds to get it settled down. TIkka barrels are typically pretty smooth inside, so it might need cleaning, or it might need fouling, lol.
My rifle (A Weatherby, not a Tikka) shoots various bullet weights pretty well. 100gr TTSX and RL25 powder have been a good combo. Also the 117gr Sierra gameking.

One time I had a pretty good range session with my tikka, only to go home later and find that I had totally forgotten to install the recoil lug at all last time I cleaned it.

 

[KsSkaEnthusiast]

Nope, just nope, the bullet going to sleep theory had been disproven, the earth is round. I too was thinking barrel twist.

You want factory loads only?
I ask because the fusion seems the closest to bonded in factory offerings, there are 90 gr monos, 100 gr monos and partitions, but I can't find much variety for ya pardner.

I'm starting to reload so component bullets are also an option although my skill will likely be the limiting factor in those.

 

[codytrucker]

A less than book max load of IMR 4350 , and a Sierra 117 grain GameKing has been my go to for cow elk for 25 years . if your looking for a place to start for reloading . My rifle is a 700 Remington , though .

 

[KsSkaEnthusiast]

A less than book max load of IMR 4350 , and a Sierra 117 grain GameKing has been my go to for cow elk for 25 years . if your looking for a place to start for reloading . My rifle is a 700 Remington , though .

I'll have to pick up some gamekings, I have heard they are easy to load for. How well do they hold up in the animals at 25-06 velocities?

 

[mshootnit]

I'll have to pick up some gamekings, I have heard they are easy to load for. How well do they hold up in the animals at 25-06 velocities?

They dont hold together as good as the SIE 117 Pro Hunter, but sadly That bullet was discontinued a few years ago. But that being said, you will likely never lose a deer bc you were using a 117 GK.