Tikka T3x Roughtech

[Backcast88]

I sold my 270 Win Browning X Bolt Hells Canyon in January 2024 and have been itching too add a 270 back into the safe. I was going to go with a 280AI but came across a good deal on a Tikka T3x Roughtech Tan and had to scoop it up. The barrels are now cerakoted on these rather than blued so that was a big plus for me. The scope I wanted was on backorder so I threw on a backup scope I keep in my gun safe and had wanted to test some handloads for it. Where I was shooting I could only shoot out to 50yrd since the pasture hadn't been cut and the grass was too tall to shoot at 100yds.

Ended up with some good data to mess around with and accuracy was promising for the first 30-35rds down the barrel.
140 TGK/RL 23 (52.5-56 grains)


130 Swift Scirocco/RL 23(53-56.5 grains)- Will retest with a faster powder


135 Sierra Matchking/n160 (55-58.5 grains)


130 SST/n555 (56 grains)- shot this load in my Browning and used it to get on paper





My scope came in today and I got it mounted. Turned out perfect and comes in at 8.75lbs with 4rds in the gun. The setup is:
Vortex Viper 3-15x44
Seekins low rings
Salmon River 20MOA rail
Limbsaver recoil pad
Vertical grip

Looking forward to stretching this one out to 100 next week to see what she can really do.

 

[rjm158]

Great find and results! Tikkas are fantastic guns!

Ron

 

[NYDAN]

Very promising!

 

[SJB358]

Great find and results! Tikkas are fantastic guns!

Ron

Agreed. Always hard to beat a Tikka on shooting a lot of stuff real well.

 

[Backcast88]

Did a little more load work today. I was hoping to be able to shoot 100yds but the field was still not cut, so 50yds was max. Still got good data and narrowed down a couple things.

Here are the highlights of what will get loaded back up and retested at 100yds in a couple weeks.

135 SMK/n160
- 5 shots, pulled one rushing the shot.
-ES and SD was a little high but it still shot good.



140 TGK/RL23
- very promising Avg/ES/SD
- this might be my preferred load for next year. I really like the TGK bullets.



140 BT/n160
- I thought I had 140 AB's but they were BT. I still want to try this load but with 140 AB's when I get a chance.
- Good velocity. Acceptable ES and SD.
- Strong contender for next seasons hunting load.



So far, I think the rifle is a keeper. Still need to shoot 100yds+ but so far, its looking good. It seems to like the 140's which is my preferred bullet weight in a 270 so that also is what I like to see. Lastly, I do not have much experience with n160 but so far its been awesome in this rifle. I will absolutely be getting more of it since its producing good numbers.

 

[DrMike]

Good data, for sure. Still positive accuracy if only 50 yds.

 

[JD338]

Nice shooting. What cartridge are you shooting?

JD338

 

[Backcast88]

Nice shooting. What cartridge are you shooting?

JD338

270 Win

 

[SJB358]

That’s great stuff right there. Both 140 BT and TGK are pretty great as they sit. Be interesting to see how they work at distance.

 

[Hunter26]

Gotta love Tikka's and the good ol' 270 Win. Ramshot Hunter does very well in my 270 with 130gr Accubonds & Interbonds. So many good powders and bullets available.

 

[Backcast88]

Finally got a chance to shoot at 100 and had some pretty good results. The mirage was terrible after 10a and I just felt I didn't perform the best today with my fundamentals but still narrowed some things down to try at a later date.

140 TGK/RL23
- Very repeatable and similar velocity/SD/accuracy so if all else fails, this will likely be the go to load for the upcoming season.


2nd 3 shot group later in the morning to validate things.



130 AB/n160
- Great group (.46") but for some reason the Garmin only got 2 shots and one that was captured was really low compared to the other.
- Will retest but gotta but another box of 130 AB's since these were some of the last ones I had.



140 AB/n160
- This was one of the last groups for the day and the mirage was horrible but the potential is there.
- I think I flinched or rushed the last shot and it went high right so it'll be tested again.
- Hopefully this one performs a little better the next time I shoot.



All in all it was a pretty good range trip. I got the last of my Peterson brass fire formed and had some promising results to work with. Even with a couple loads with 130 and 140's over 3100fps recoil is very tame, which is to be expected in a 270 and I am happy with the rifle and scope setup.

 

[Hunter26]

Man those are some great velocities, especially the 140gr load. So much for slow Tikka barrels. Looks like you have some very promising results and with a touch more tweaking, you'll be dialed. Though there's not a thing wrong with those results!

 

[xphunter]

Tikka's tend to shoot real good, and your is doing just fine-Good shooting.

 

[jimbires]

seems to be a typical Tikka . I don't think I've heard any complaints on accuracy from the Tikka rifles . the ones I've handled are silky smooth too . the bolt feels like it rides on ball bearings.

I don't have a T-3 , I have the 595 whitetail hunter . at the start , I wasn't crazy about the plastic magazine box , but it's proven it's self to be trouble free , and durable . I do like this rifle .