Tikka T3 - Excessive Copper Fouling / Accuracy Issues?

[USGILT]

Wondering if anyone could help me in getting my Tikka T3 Lite chambered in 270 WSM to shoot 1 MOA or better. When shooting factory ammo - Winchester Ballistic Silvertip 130gr and the reloads I have worked up (data listed below) the gun shoots consistently around 1 ¾ - 2" MOA.

One thing I noticed is that you have to clean this rifle after every range session at around 25-30 rounds as you will see a lot of excessive copper fouling in the bore and the groups will really start to open up. Maybe this is conducive of 270 WSM's in general I don't know. My buddy has a Winchester Model 70 Super Shadow and with his gun shooting the same reloads it will shoot ¾" MOA at 100yards all day long and does not produce the fouling I see in mine. Different guns I know. One of the issues I have had with this gun is that it seems to have an excessively long throat, i.e. I can seat the bullet well past the allowable magazine length in order to get 0.010 off the lands.

Maybe I am asking for too much but I would think at 100yrds this gun should be able to shoot under 1" MOA?

Another thread here on the fourm similar issues but no real resolution- http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f19/tikka-t3-problems-79481/

Here is what I am running right now:
Approximate round count 200-250 down the pipe. Rifle was bought new in 2008 shot occasionally here and there with 3-4 years with zero rounds down range due to deployments.

Rifle – Tikka T3 Lite
Caliber – 270 WSM
Barrel Length – 24.37"
Barrel Twist Rate – 1:10"

Scope – Leupold VX-2 6-18x40mm Adj Obj Riflescope, CDS, Fine Duplex Reticle (It's a scope I had lying around so I decided to throw it on to trying and alleviate a lot of me in the accuracy testing process; way to much magnification for a hunting rig)

Mount – DNZ Game Reaper One Piece Medium Mount

Rifle stock screws (Front/Rear) troq'ed to 35-40 in lbs as per manufacture recomendations. Scope rings properly torq'ed as well.

** Reloading data is from the Hornady 6th edition book **

(Min Charge – 52.8 2800 fps – Max Charge –60.0 gr 3100 fps; I don't own a chronograph so I don't know exactly what the true velocity is)

Current Reload Data:
Bullet – Hornady 130 gr SST
Powder – IMR 4350 57 gr
Primer – WIN WLRM
COL: 2.824"

Any assistance would be appreciated,

 

[300 ultra]

I had the same issues and eventually switched to H4831sc and 130 gr Barnes TTSX. I tried many different powders and bullet combos.

 

[USGILT]

Currently I have zero pressure signs other than the copper fowling. My next step is to start from the bottom say 53 grains and work up in 5 grain increments shooting 3 round groups at 100yards and see what happens on paper. I may very well have to swap powder / bullet combos but would like to see if I can get my current reloading supplies to work out.

 

[T3-OleMan]

If Fouling is the only problem, try the 130 GMX. Never tried the SSTs but I got some just in case.lightbulb It fouls less than the Barnes in my Tikka T3 in 338WM. May even more accurate also! Nellie loves 185 GMXs.

 

[USGILT]

I'll be honest I really could care less about the fowling just looking to get the rifle to shoot 1 MOA if possible. If I need to clean more frequently so be it.

 

[minute of elk]

I can't address the fouling, but I can add something about that particular scope. Send it in- they're prone to recoil induced stickiness. Mine went from great to horrible on my 7wsm, then miraculously returned to great after I sent it in. It's happier on a tamer gun now.

 

[Birdhunter1]

I recommend scrubbing with JB Bore paste and a tight fitting patch for a few hours, then shoot 5 or 6 shots, scrub clean again for an hour, shoot 10 over the course of an hour and come back then next day and see how it groups.

 

[Quaddrager]

Go to the web & look up Speedy Gonzalez. On his site he will dicuss proper cleaning methods. I have three t-3 lites & have no issues with severe fouling. My 270 wsm loves H4831 SC with 130 bergers, will shoot bug hole groups. It also likes H1000 with 150 bergers, under 1/2 moa. I will pull the bolt out of the gun & slide a pistol rod with a cloth plug in place of the bolt & then drip some sweets bore cleaner down the bore & let set for around 10 minutes. Then clean the hell out of it & all fouling should be gone. Do not leave sweets in the bore very long it could damage it.

 

[USGILT]

I use sweets 7.62 as well to clean the bore with a dewy cleaning rod and nylon bore brushand never let it sit too long. I may just have to find a better powder bullet combo as others have sugjested.

 

[USGILT]

Quaddrager, what C.O.L are you using for the 130gr and 150gr berger bullets in your 270 WSM?

Thanks,

 

[USGILT]

I finally got to the range this morning and it proved to be a good day. 59 degrees, with no negligible wind. Before I hit the range I gave the rifle a thorough cleaning in order to get all the previous fowling and copper out. All shots were fired at 100yards sitting with the rifle resting on a sandbag. Orange target dots measure 2". I shot 3rd groups in order to save effort and waited 4-5 mins between strings. I fired a total of 24rds during this range session and I only see carbon fowling in the bore no copper fowling yet.

Disclaimer – My measurements were taken with a caliper and I did NOT subtract .277" from each the group. I'm not an expert marksman so I'm sure there is a little of me in each group.

Current Reload Data:
Bullet – Hornady 130 gr SST
Powder – IMR 4350
Primer – WIN WLRM
COL: 2.824"

Factory WIN Ballistic Silver Tip – 3.041" (includes cold bore shot)

54 Grains – 1.093"

54.5 Grains – 1.199"

55 Grains – 0.768" (Best Group)

55.5 Grains – 1.336"

56 Grains – 0.944" (2nd Best Group)

57 Grains – 2.022"

Decided to play around with the seating depth to see if that made a difference so I loaded three rounds to 2.860" which shot like crap.

 

[wasgas]

My T3 270 is extremely accurate for a few shots but fouls easily and opens up after about 10 shots. I found that if I use a good copper cleaner in it, it shoots great. I love the rifle now but it was very frustrating at first to keep it shooting well.

Make sure to get all of the copper out, no blue/green patches.

 

[USGILT]

After how many rounds do you typically clean your bore?

 

[FAL Shot]

The Tikka T3 is no Sako. You really think that Sako is going to offer a rifle at a Tikka price that anywhere compares to their rifles??? Wake up, dead man.

Even Chuck Hawks, who is nowhere near the last word in gun gurus, has mentioned that Tikka rifles are poster children for just about every cost cutting measure that a rifle maker can employ. It is OBVIOUS to somebody with machine tooling and gunmaking experience when you examine the rifles.

Why would anybody buy a Tikka T3 when for a few dollars more you could have a domestically produced Winchester Model 70 that really is a good rifle that competes very well against the much more expensive Sako Model 85???