[Dog Down]

Bubba,

Best off the shelf ammo I've shot out of mine is Barnes® VOR-TX™ .300 WSM 165 Grain TTSX-BT.
Very near handload accuracy,  Everything else I've tried did not group well like these especially at 200yrd range.  I've spent a lot of money figuring that out, bought some pretty expensive ammo over the last year and none compared.  Great velocity as well! Somewhere around 3250-3300fps if my memory is correct.

If I didn't handload, this would be my go to ammo for sure.  Give it a try, it would be a excellent choice for Elk or any animal you'd be hunting…

[Dog Down]

Hey Bubba,

I have the same rifle minus the stainless topped with a Vortex HSLR 6-24 FFP…it's an amazing gun. 
I took 2 deer and 1 black bear with it this past fall.  All 3 animals dropped in their tracks.

The gun does recoil a lot without a brake tough, you will eventually agree with more shooting.
I bought it for a long range shooter but found out after a couple of boxes at the range that its no fun to shoot without a brake.  I ended up installing a Brake designed and tested on Tikka rifles from a company in New Zealand.  Here's the link…http://www.gunsmith.co.nz/muzzlebrakes.html

I went with the “Quatromax” brake…I'm not lying when I say this brake made the gun recoil like my T3 223-Varmant! My 308 kicks way harder. 
If I had to do it over again I would install their Varimax-QC brake for both range shooting and hunting but totally happy with the Quatromax.  People do not believe its a 300wsm after shooting it at the range.  These Brakes cost twice as much as most stuff you can buy in CAN / US but its worth every penny.

If you are looking for a good hand load…TRY:

Winchester or Nosler Brass
CCI 250 mag primer
Nosler 180 Accubond – seated to max factory mag length (works well with 178gr Amax as well).
H4831sc = 66 – 67gr (you will find accuracy in this powder range / great stable powder for all year round).
Velocity = approximate 2900fps, plus or minus depending on powder charge.

This combo produces consistent groups of 1/4″ – 1/2″ at 100yrds and can hold 1/2″ or better at 200yrds. We routinely bust 4″ clays setup at 500yrds with this load.  Would shoot further but that walk is far enough on target setup.. 😉

[Dog Down]

I already have a 55 gr Vmax load that shoots close to 1/2 inch. I load 20.8 gr of LT-32. I just got some Varget yesterday and will try that with the 75gr Amax bullets. I will post what happens.

Now that you have Varget, try 25.5grs with a COAL – 2.26 – 2.27″ with the 55gr Vmax, still fits factory mag.
You might have to play around a little with it but it has shot well in all Tikka's at the range.
Deadly accurate, pretty much same ragged hole or sub 1/2″ groups all day @ 100yrds out of both my 223 lite and Varment T3's…Its a great hunting load that will shoot well all year round.

FYI – The Nosler 55gr – 60gr Spitzers were more accurate then the Hornady if you are looking to try a new bullet.

My exact load:
Hornady Brass
25.5gr Varget
60gr Nosler Spitzer Ballistic Tip
COAL = 2.27″….pretty much mag length…
FPS = 3100

[Dog Down]

Found this recent video …incredible shot!  thought you guys might be interested in the load data.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20Fp239bERs

Load data:
Lapua Brass
CCI BR4 primer
COAL – 2.46″
Varget – 25.5gr
Velocity – 2900fps

I'll be testing this load in the near future…!

[Dog Down]

Off the shelf “factory” match 155 Nosler.  Have not handloaded for this rifle yet.

[Dog Down]

I don't have a 22-250…BUT

My 223 gave the same results shooting the same Winchester ammo in 55gr…was disappointed like you but it was the ammo not the rifle. It's crap ammo for my Tikka's, none of my rifles shoot it well, it groups all over the place.  Nosler & Hornady shoot equally well for tight groups. 
Its not uncommon for the sporter barrel to throw a flyer if too hot…you have to fire 3 shots as fast as you can before the barrel heats up, or wait and fire each shot with similar barrel heat.  I usually get the same results with either method.

Switch ammo and give us a range report running some Hornady…Nosler… or any another decent brand through the gun. It will produce better groups immediately…if you get the same results its 1 of 3 things…the gun, the scope, or the guy holding the gun.  It usually isn't the gun ;D

[Dog Down]

Wow! I want one!

[Dog Down]

slkzic…Nice shooting!  Wait till it's fully broken in and you find the best load / ammo for it.

I was trying to get the 260 but it would have been a crazy long wait and I couldn't wait any longer.
Looks like both calibers shoot very well out of the box!

[Dog Down]

Get the 1-8 twist and don't look back.

[Dog Down]

Thats a great looking gun and great shooting!

[Dog Down]

My Tikka has the 1:10 twist. Should do good with 53 or 55 grain, right? I will see about getting some even lighter ones when I can find some.

Try some Hornady 40gr vmax… Your gun may like projectiles lighter than 55gr but I'd be surprised if Hornady 55gr varment doesn't shoot well.  Also test flat-based & boat tail bullets in the same weight…some guns do have a preference.

Also highly recommended :
Federal Nosler Ballistic Tip 55gr
Nosler Trophy Grade Varmint 40gr BT
Nosler Varmageddon 55gr

[Dog Down]

I'm still on a quest to get my Tikka Lite in .223 to shoot well. Tried some Superformance Varmint 53 grain and it shot terrible at 100 yards. Not a good round for this particular gun. I'm going to do some additional cleaning and would like some advice from the experts. Right now I'm using the Otis system. I want to change to a bore guide and quality rod. What are my options? Looked at the Possum hollow but it seemed there may be some better options out there as far as bore guides. Haven't looked at rods, attachments, etc yet.

The Superformance in my gun shoots better out past 100yrds…I'm guessing it needs more distance to stablize with the velocity.  I can shoot 1″ groups or better at 100yrds, but consistant 1″ groups at 200yrds…shot 8″ balloons out to 500yrds using this ammo.

The Nosler 77gr match is still some of the best factory ammo I've shot to date out of my gun.
Next in line would be Hornady 55gr Varment Express & Hornady 75gr match shooting about the same at targets out to 200-300yrds.  Beyond 300yrds the 75gr match is much better, but the Nosler 77gr out performed Hornady on every range session.

It might just be my gun but from my experience the 1-8 twist likes the slower bullet velocity.  Even with my handloads…I'm getting a 55gr nosler BT tipped to perform excellent at both 100 & 200yrds with a 3000fps velocity, if I speed it up the accuracy goes to shit.  Same thing for any of the 75-77gr projectiles….2600-2700fps seems to be the sweet spot for 75-77gr.

[Dog Down]

Nice groups boys…keep posting

[Dog Down]

That's sweet, Great 5 shot groups! 

Whiskey 3 Chasis….lucky guy!  I've been drooling over one of these for a while now.

[Dog Down]

That looks like a nice load for your gun.  I just bought a new SAKO .223 varmint.  My last trip to the range I had a 5 shot group .150 x .180 at 100 yards.  This group was shooting Black Hills 40 grain.  I had another group at .230 shooting Superformance .  The twist in my Sako is 1 in 10″.

That's good shooting…I've only shot groups like that on a rare occasion with reloads, I always have 1 shot that stays outside a ragged 1 hole group…Post some picks of your groups, would love to see them.  I've never seen a Sako or a Tikka 223 in any model shoot that good with factor ammo.  You've got a good one for sure.