AussieHunter
Member
I thought I should add some of my experiences here so others may get some insight and maybe ideas.
I have been using a Sauer 202 in 3006 but a trip into the Victorian High Country after Sambar last year on a back pack hunt convinced me that a 12 pound rifle was to heavy to carry in steep thick country. Especially combined with a 70 pound pack for the trip in to and out to a base camp. Going off the thoughts and first hand knowledge of a mate I purchased a Tikka T3x in fluted blued 3006 and a Southfort Labs Tikka Bush Hunter Stock and then proceeded to bed the Tikka into the Southfort. These stocks are excellent quality and a great shape for both off hand and prone position shooting but not cheap running at around $1000AU. And Southfort guarantee them for life.
Bedding the Tikka has a few traps, in that you need to glue the lug into the stock but still have a perfect fit into the action. Which means essentially jamming the lug into the action recoil lug slot whilst achieving the correct clearances where required and then checking fit multiple times before adding bedding compound and getting it all stuck in wrong. There is also the issue of ensuring the depth the action is set into the action is correct so as to allow proper feeding from the box magazine.
After a multiple day sessions in preping, the bedding was completed and the finish was great but the proof would be in the shooting.
I have been a long time shooter of Nosler products and had over the last few years made the jump to ABLRs. So, first round load development was in Norma cases (Down Under for quality brass you grab what is available when it is and get a good stock it. Either Lapua, Norma, Hornady or Nosler. Norma was what was available at the time) Reloder 17 and 165 grain ABLRs. Initial results were tempting but just weren't getting consistent grouping. Always two shots real close and a third out wide. And the patterns of shot fall wasn't consistent. It could have been shot 1, 2 or 3 that went wide no pattern, nor were the groupings in each load weight consistent. Bugger. And I was conscious of taking my time in shooting the groups with such a thin barrel and ambient temperatures on the range line of 100 deg F.
Time for a rethink.
As I have already alluded to supply of reloading products down under can be fickle, so many experienced blokes choose what is more readily available when it comes to reload components. After some thought I decided to move up a weight class and sourced some Hornady 178 Grain ELD-Xs.
From the outset I could see a dramatic improvement with 54 grains of RE-17 putting three shots into 0.5MOA. All groups from 54 right through to 56 grains at half grain increments proved very accurate with the 56 grain opening up to 0.8MOA. I have settled on 55 grains which went 2785fps averaged across six shots with a ES of 17fps measured with a Magneto Speed Chrony.
I am super happy with the result given that this rifle weighs in at 7.3 pound with a Swaro Z6 2.5-15X44BT mounted on it, in Talley lightweight one piece bases. Looking forward to taking it out in the field this season after I get the BT set-up and verified. It should be a pleasure to hunt with as it will get carrried alot in the mountains of New South Wales and Victoria.
I should put out a shout out to Nathan Foster's technique on shooting fundamentals. Over the years I have struggled to get consistency, trying many different techniques. Well over the last two years using his guidance that consistence has only been cemented further and further in to tighter groups, and with lighter rifles.
I have been using a Sauer 202 in 3006 but a trip into the Victorian High Country after Sambar last year on a back pack hunt convinced me that a 12 pound rifle was to heavy to carry in steep thick country. Especially combined with a 70 pound pack for the trip in to and out to a base camp. Going off the thoughts and first hand knowledge of a mate I purchased a Tikka T3x in fluted blued 3006 and a Southfort Labs Tikka Bush Hunter Stock and then proceeded to bed the Tikka into the Southfort. These stocks are excellent quality and a great shape for both off hand and prone position shooting but not cheap running at around $1000AU. And Southfort guarantee them for life.
Bedding the Tikka has a few traps, in that you need to glue the lug into the stock but still have a perfect fit into the action. Which means essentially jamming the lug into the action recoil lug slot whilst achieving the correct clearances where required and then checking fit multiple times before adding bedding compound and getting it all stuck in wrong. There is also the issue of ensuring the depth the action is set into the action is correct so as to allow proper feeding from the box magazine.
After a multiple day sessions in preping, the bedding was completed and the finish was great but the proof would be in the shooting.
I have been a long time shooter of Nosler products and had over the last few years made the jump to ABLRs. So, first round load development was in Norma cases (Down Under for quality brass you grab what is available when it is and get a good stock it. Either Lapua, Norma, Hornady or Nosler. Norma was what was available at the time) Reloder 17 and 165 grain ABLRs. Initial results were tempting but just weren't getting consistent grouping. Always two shots real close and a third out wide. And the patterns of shot fall wasn't consistent. It could have been shot 1, 2 or 3 that went wide no pattern, nor were the groupings in each load weight consistent. Bugger. And I was conscious of taking my time in shooting the groups with such a thin barrel and ambient temperatures on the range line of 100 deg F.
Time for a rethink.
As I have already alluded to supply of reloading products down under can be fickle, so many experienced blokes choose what is more readily available when it comes to reload components. After some thought I decided to move up a weight class and sourced some Hornady 178 Grain ELD-Xs.
From the outset I could see a dramatic improvement with 54 grains of RE-17 putting three shots into 0.5MOA. All groups from 54 right through to 56 grains at half grain increments proved very accurate with the 56 grain opening up to 0.8MOA. I have settled on 55 grains which went 2785fps averaged across six shots with a ES of 17fps measured with a Magneto Speed Chrony.
I am super happy with the result given that this rifle weighs in at 7.3 pound with a Swaro Z6 2.5-15X44BT mounted on it, in Talley lightweight one piece bases. Looking forward to taking it out in the field this season after I get the BT set-up and verified. It should be a pleasure to hunt with as it will get carrried alot in the mountains of New South Wales and Victoria.
I should put out a shout out to Nathan Foster's technique on shooting fundamentals. Over the years I have struggled to get consistency, trying many different techniques. Well over the last two years using his guidance that consistence has only been cemented further and further in to tighter groups, and with lighter rifles.
