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Another one followed me home…
Well, I stopped in one of my favorite gun shops and there on the shelf was a used (but very clean)T3 Stainless Lite in 223 with the 1 in 8 twist. It looked lonely, the only Finn in a rack full of Remingtons, Rugers, Winchesters and Savages. Didn't seem right leaving it there with stangers over the holidays… So took it home to meet his four long lost brothers and sisters.
I already have the exact same rifle, but when I take the young ones out, they fight over shooting it. It is an absolute 1/2 moa rifle. (Who am I kidding… I love shooting the darned thing too!)
Darned Tikka's… They are addicting…
Mike
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4 Replies
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Hey thats what I've been wanting, but I've got to sale my old Winnie 45 colt first. I like that old 45 but I love my Marlin 44 mag, so win it sales a tikka will be put in it's place. I need a good yote gun and I bet that will fill the bill. ;D
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Hammbone,
The trouble with me is that I can't ever seem to part with anything. Once it comes home, it seems to stay. I must say, if I need to start “thinning the herd” my Tikkas will be the last to go.
The 223 was the first one I bought. So far it shoots 55 Nosler Ballistic Tips into ragged one hole groups very consistantly. I tried some 69 SMKs once last fall, but never really took the time to work a load for that bullet. They were shooting into just over an inch… but I know they can do better. I also picked up some 70 grain Bergers to try. Got a bunch of brass prepped, so hopefully I will get a chance to play with them here shortly. I am hoping that this new one will shoot as well as the old one.
On another note, I loaded some 53 grain Barnes TSX (just in case I decided to take it for a walk in deer season) and first time out were shooting 3/4 moa…
I have a Marlin 1894CP in .357… sort of wish it was a 44… but can't complain about it. Shoots very well for a pistol cartridge, in a very short handy rifle.
Got the itch for some big bore stuff last year, ended up with a Ruger Super Red Hawk in 44 mag and a Ruger #1 in 45-70. Something to be said for throwing huge chunks of lead down range.
Mike
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I have the same 357 mag as you it is fun fun, 38 spl to play around with and 357 mags win you want to get nasty. I'd like to get a red hawk in 44 mag to mach my ss marlin 44 mag. I wish marlin would make one in 454 casull, man I would be all over that but I wouldn't mind a 45-70 one day. What twist is your 223?
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Hammbone,
The twist for both of the 223's are 1 in 8. Figured if I loaded some of the heavies, it should somewhat match the ballistics of my larger bore target rifles.
When I bought my 357 marlin, it had a 2.5x BSA short and stubby scope on it. I was going to yank it off and ditch it until I shot it. That darned thing will throw bullets into 2″ at 100 yards which is about the best I can do with the low mag scope and heavy cross hairs.
I find that “sledge hammer” loads in the 44 is plenty snotty enough for me. I don't think I want to shoot much bigger in a handgun. I picked my SRH up used, Stainless with 7.5″ barrel a 1.5x Leupold… more accurate than a pistol should be allowed. It's not a hip gun though, have to use the bandoleer type holster. I just ordered a SRH Alaskan in 44 mag that will be my back up hunting pistol and rammin' around hip gun.
For the 45-70, I initally picked up some 300 grain cast cowboy bullets. Man they were pleasant to shoot. I didn't have the right powders for that cartridge and casts, so accuracy was horrible… but very pleasant to shoot. I picked up some Accurate 5744 which should be right for that bullet.
I was wondering if the rifle could shoot decent groups, so I picked up some Speer 400 grain jacketed bullets. I loaded them over some top end “lever gun” charges of H4895. I fired 10 from the bench and that was enough! Shooting off-hand it is tolerable… but wow! I think to max out for Ruger #1 loads, I can put several more grains of powder… Don't think my shoulder could take it though.
Too bad Beretta stopped importing the Tikka T3 in 6.5×55. Picked one up 2 years ago… what a great rifle in a great cartridge.
Mike
Mike
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