Factory Ammo for Tikka .338

[rstickle]

Hello All,

I am trying to find some factory ammo that will give me nice groups on my Tikka Lite .338.  I've found that the Win 225 gr. Accubond is not it.  The Win 200 gr BS did ok as did the Fed 250 gr NP.  It may just be me, but if someone has experience in testing different ammo and could save me some $$$ from triaL and error, IT WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED.

Thanks!

[Thebear_78]

I've yet to throw any factory ammo thru my rifle yet but I have found both the Nosler Accubon and the Barnes TSX in 225gr to be good shooters.  I've pretty much settled on a load of 70.0gr of H4350 and the Barnes 225gr TSX.  I have shot several sub MOA groups with this load at 100 yards.  The Accubonds will shoot 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 with 69.5gr of H4350.  

The tikka T3 in 338 is fairly hard to shoot good groups with off the bench due to the heavy recoil.  One thing I will recomend you do is get a muzzle break put on your tikka.  It makes bench work MUCH more pleasant.  Between my limbsaver recoil pad and the muzzle break my tikka doesn't kick any more than a standard 06.  I'd say probably 60-65% decrease in recoil.  Accuracy Arms here in Anchorage, alaska does a great break.  Feel free to email me if your interested.   I can shoot my rifle much better now that it has a break on it.  You might find that all those factory loads you thought wouldn't shoot well shoot a lot better when you take the recoil down a bit.  A light 338 is a great flinch maker.

   
Here is my tikka



Here is a 3 shot group at 100 yards with the Barnes 225 TSX


The top group is 6 shots with the same load at 100 yards, and a 3 shot group with my stainless guide gun.
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[Sask_Hunter]

im my 338 wby vanguard i have only shot 2 factory loads.  one was the 250 rem load when i first got the rifle and some of the federals 225 sp classic stuff.  the federal load shoots real good in my rifle witches is nice b/c i have 13 boxes of the stuff.  its real nice when wal-mart has a sal on for half price.

ps i dont think that i would want to go to many rounds with a 338 t3, that scock doesnt fit me at all.  good luck with your search.

[Zachary]

I own a few Tikkas, but none in the .338WM.  However, I do have a Winchester M70 Classic Stainless in .338WM and I shoot PMC 225 Barnes X (the original barnes X bullet before the TSX came out).

I don't know how well my .338 would shoot the TSX, but it currently shoots under 1MOA with the older PMC 225 Barnes X.

People say that the Barnes X is a very finiky bullet - where it groups very well in some rifles, yet very poorly in others.  Personally, the Barnes X shoots very well in all of the rifles that I have used them in (like 3 or 4).  They also say that the new TSX is supposed to be less finiky, and thus more consistent, than the original barnes X - but I don't know.

Try out the TSX and let us know.

Zachary

[HuntingGuy]

I am going to be heading to the range with my Tikka T3 Lite 338wsm on Wednesday or Thursday.  I purchased a box of Winchester 225gr Accubonds and a box of Remington 225gr Core-Lokt.  Will let you know how each shoots.  

[CB900F]

Rstickle;

If you should ever start reloading for your gun, drop me a PM.  I'm currently working up loads for my Tikka .338 Winchester magnum.

900F