Help me spend my bonus

[Irrelevant]

He's not wrong.

As much as it hurts my ego to admit, in any/all situations involving me and any of my rifles, I'm the weak point. Best way to work on that weak point is to shoot. A lot.

Maybe.
My tikka has never been much of a shooter. I bummed a 25-06 (x-bolt) off a buddy for a year, and managed to shoot groups about 1/3 the size of the tikka.

 

[Irrelevant]

if you've followed almost anything I've ever written or said I'm about the most willing person to throw me under the bus for ineptitude. But I'm a better shot than that tikka allows.

 

[TheJason]

Maybe.
My tikka has never been much of a shooter. I bummed a 25-06 (x-bolt) off a buddy for a year, and managed to shoot groups about 1/3 the size of the tikka.

Could be the scope too.

How do the guns compare in terms of weight, stock ergonomics, etc? Is the group difference repeatable between different shooters? Who mounted the scope and how? Lots of variables here.

 

[BackofBeyond]

Maybe.
My tikka has never been much of a shooter. I bummed a 25-06 (x-bolt) off a buddy for a year, and managed to shoot groups about 1/3 the size of the tikka.

I’m speaking in more generalities than anything, nothing specific about your own abilities.

Think of the whole shebang like a system… me+rifle+scope+ammo… inevitably, you put the rifle and scope in a sled and shoot the ammo you’ll have a more accurate system than the one including me.

 

[Hem]

You should see Hem in the plaid. Doesn’t look a day over 61.

Yeah, well, top echelon of 61 year olds.

 

[Irrelevant]

Could be the scope too.

How do the guns compare in terms of weight, stock ergonomics, etc? Is the group difference repeatable between different shooters? Who mounted the scope and how? Lots of variables here.

While that all matters, it also doesn't, right? Sometimes you don't need to determine the why. Just, do it shoot, or not?

I've put 3 different scopes on that 270. One I haven't remounted because I think it's crap. One of them, a Redfield Revolution, is now on my daughters 243, and that thing shoots real tight. The one on there now seems fine. It is certainly consistent from year to year. The biggest difference was a new stock which brought consistent 1 1/2" groups. Prior to that, it was 2-3" and they moved from one session to another. It was also interesting that I could never get great reload groups with the 270 which is a distinct departure from the two other rifles I've reloaded for (that 2506 being the best results at <0.5" 4 shot groups). Now 1 1/2" groups are perfectly good for hunting, esp for me, but it does leave me wanting more.

 

[FREAK]

Maybe.
My tikka has never been much of a shooter. I bummed a 25-06 (x-bolt) off a buddy for a year, and managed to shoot groups about 1/3 the size of the tikka.

I wasn’t going to throw more opinions in the mix…BUT I've really enjoyed my x-bolt. I had a 4-shot group with factory ammo, .8" at 200 yards. If I ever need to buy another rifle, I’d probably buy a suppressor ready xbolt in 7 rem mag or 6.5 prc. You'd have some leftover coin for a nice suppressor and scope. I knew a guy that worked at RCBS for a long time, he was a deer hunting fool. He turned me onto the x-bolts. Some of the shots he showed me with that rifle in a 270 short mag we're ridiculous.

I like the sound of a 6.5prc if I reloaded but I don't have time for that right now.

 

[FREAK]

If you we're leaning towards a topper, this thread wouldn't be near as fun

 

[TheJason]

While that all matters, it also doesn't, right? Sometimes you don't need to determine the why. Just, do it shoot, or not?

There are different reasons for not shooting.

Bedding. Scope. Scope mounting. Barrel. All the above.

Some are easier and cheaper to remedy. And, if your sample size is three shots per group it’s easy to chase your tail.

 

[Irrelevant]

And, if your sample size is three shots per group it’s easy to chase your tail.

Boy is that a true statement. Just jumping up to 4 or 5 makes a huge difference.

 

[brymoore]

This may be the first bad shooting Tikka I’ve heard about.

A barrel should help but I’d be inclined to send it down the road.

Tikka is my easy answer rifle to suggest to people.

Sako?

 

[TheJason]

Is it seated on the recoil lug? What torque are the action screws?

 

[Hem]

@Irrelevant
I own two Tikkas.
.270 never a lick of trouble.
.308 put me through the ringer....replaced the scope, stock,....and had the barrel professionally cleaned of carbon build up.
Some barrels get fouled quicker than others. Nobody mentioned this aspect.

 

[MTLabrador]

My .308 Tikka and .300 win mag Sako are the most constituently accurate rifles I own. Enough so that I have really thought about adding a .243 Tikka.

 

[Irrelevant]

This may be the first bad shooting Tikka I’ve heard about.

A barrel should help but I’d be inclined to send it down the road.

Tikka is my easy answer rifle to suggest to people.

Sako?

I guess I don't view it as bad, just not as good as it could be.

 

[Irrelevant]

Is it seated on the recoil lug? What torque are the action screws?

That was definitely the issue with the factory, it was not consistently seating. It seems to be seated now. I no longer see any wear marks on the action screws like I did with the old stock. I can't remember what I torqued to, but I know I bought a torque wrench to do it.

 

[SAJ-99]

@Irrelevant, maybe think about one year from now, if you saved the money, and ask what you would have the most regret not doing.

 

[Irrelevant]

@Irrelevant, maybe think about one year from now, if you saved the money, and ask what you would have the most regret not doing.

#debbydowner

The least likely to cause regret would be to just save it, which is true right up until you die with a pile of money.

 

[ismith]

If you we're leaning towards a topper, this thread wouldn't be near as fun

"If you we are leaning towards a topper,"?

 

[SAJ-99]

#debbydowner

The least likely to cause regret would be to just save it, which is true right up until you die with a pile of money.

Life is about minimizing the times you say “I wish I would have…”. Sometimes that statement is followed by “bought that x” and sometimes it is follow by “not bought that x”. No one wants to die with a pile of money and no one wants to be broke. Balancing the two is hard.