Tikka T3 Long Range Capabilities

[andrewm]

Hi, I'm Andrew and I'm new to this forum and long range shooting.
Basically I've been staying inside 400 yards for shooting and I recently set up a new
Tikka T3 Superlite (fluted barrel) 300WM with a muzzle brake and a nightforce nxs 5.5-22x50mm scope

The attached photos are pictures of my first round of handloads for it with Berger VLD 185gr bullets. I would have gone heavier but I can't find any heavier berger bullets

the grids on the targets are 1" and all were shot at 100 yards

3 shot groups and every shot is cold bore. I waited about 10 min in between every shot.
5mph wind

I was wondering how accurate this rifle would be out to say 600, 700, 800+ yards.
Is it accurate enough to take an elk at those ranges with the groupings i've got so far.
getting about 2835 average on velocity.

 

[roninflag]

Andrew- those are great groups , amazing out of sucha light rifle. they easily have the potential. you have to shoot futher to see.

 

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

Andrew- those are great groups , amazing out of sucha light rifle. they easily have the potential. you have to shoot futher to see.

100% agree, just dont let that barrel heat up and I suspect you will be fine.

I also wanted to thank you for the well thought out question and the info you provided, GREAT FIRST POST!

Jon

 

[andrewm]

Thanks Guys!
I'm heading out tomorrow to shoot. Hopefully weathers good...
I will try to get some shots out to 600 and see how it does.

Andrew

 

[angus-5024]

Whenever you wonder how far you can shoot at a game animal the questions to ask are
1- can I hit the vitals 100% of the time at that range in the SAME conditions? This includes temperature swings (POI of the rifle CHANGE) and of course WIND!
2-Do I have enough energy/momentum?
3-Do I have enough impact velocity to make the bullet open reliably?
4-Can I recover this animal

The manufacturer will have a minimum expansion velocity on the box/website, then just look to you ballistics charts and see how much velocity you should have at that distance. I always come in a few hundred just to be sure.

And yes you can certainly shoot a light gun at long range... you just gotta be cut from the right cloth.

 

[andrewm]

Alright, I got out this morning and was able to get my tikka out to 625 yards.
this is the group it shot at 625 yards.
3 shots
what do you guys think?

 

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

Great, it looks great!

 

[minute of elk]

Looks like 1/2 moa to me- great!

 

[bankbum]

I just bought a t3 super lite in 7mm mag, put a cheap Bushnell scope on it but it has a moa dial. I'm shooting berger vld's out of it and I hope to have similar results out to 600 yards. I would be ecstatic to shoot half that good.

 

[Mike 338]

Nice shooting Andrew. Looks like you have a seriously nice hunting rifle.

What powder and primer are you using?

 

[johnvan29]

Wow, great shooting! Couple questions though, don't mean to hijack the thread, just wanted fellow t3 shooters to see this. I picked up another t3, this time in 7rm to begin to learn long range shooting. I wasn't thinking when I picked up the scope however, a zeiss terra 3x 4-12x50… It doesn't even have parallax adjustment and the clarity is not what i have known zeiss to produce. That being said, do you Andrew, or any other shooters have a recommendation for a scope up to 800 yards and under $800? I would love the NSX you have, but unfortunately that is just not doable. Thanks for all the help

 

[Rick Richard]

Hold on to that rifle, because shooting those kinds of groups are a rarity with most production guns. And, you did the right thing by validating it at longer ranges. I have a rifle that will shoot "one holers" at 100, but open up considerably from 300 and beyond.

 

[bankbum]

Wow, great shooting! Couple questions though, don't mean to hijack the thread, just wanted fellow t3 shooters to see this. I picked up another t3, this time in 7rm to begin to learn long range shooting. I wasn't thinking when I picked up the scope however, a zeiss terra 3x 4-12x50… It doesn't even have parallax adjustment and the clarity is not what i have known zeiss to produce. That being said, do you Andrew, or any other shooters have a recommendation for a scope up to 800 yards and under $800? I would love the NSX you have, but unfortunately that is just not doable. Thanks for all the help

I just upgraded to a vortex viper hs-lr on my t3 superlight 7mag earlier this month. To me it is the perfect hunting setup and far superior to any rifle setup I've owned for hunting at farther distances. My groups could be better at ranges farther than 500 yards. But within my comfort zone of 400 yards I'm under moa.

 

[mtnwrunner]

Ummmmmmm................................after seeing this, I may have to "reevaluate" purchasing that leftie 06 T3 sitting in a local sportshop. It kinda talks to me everytime I walk by........... Maybe rechamber it to an AI. What a great backcountry setup.

Randy

Andrew---good shooting.