Tikka T3 varmint .223

[ned kelly]

G'Day all,
I've been thinking for some time that a Tikka T3 varmint with a 1:8T and a medium length magazine 'could' be a great little rifle for hurling 80gn amax's for FS and hunting.
I appreciate I'll need a tapered base and probably need the throat lengthened to suit the 80gn amax's, so anyone out there currently doing this? Do the rounds feed reliably with the medium legth mags?
It would also be a fallback rifle if I inadvertantly go to a shoot that is not offering FO (or it is cancelled), I'll have a FS capable rifle ready to go. I certainly would be willing to loan it to any junior/newbies for a go. Even FTR might be an option...........
All first hand feed back greatly appreciated. Thanks for your input
Cheerio Ned

[Brad Y]

Yeh they go ok ned, seen a few people with them as a hybrid target/spotlighting gun. They get out to about 600-700m.

Even better try a 50gr nosler ballistic tip in the 8 twist. I cut a brand new krieger 8T down to 26" just for varmints. It shot average with the 80's but puts the 50gr noslers in the same hole over and over again. Great on furries- very messy.

[dhv]

Will the medium length mags hold a 223?

They would be made for 308 based rounds so would be wider yeah?

[macguru]

This would be my pick.. The savage Varmint LP in 223 with a 1 in 7 twist

http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/model/12VLPDBM


I have the even heavier barrelled LRPV single shot but for all round use this would be better... They are a beautiful looking rifle, and may shoot just as well as each other depending on your luck with the factory barrel. Mine is about 1/2 moa most days out to 500m but with the 26" barrel it suffers a bit at longer ranges ..... I have had some amazing 300m groups with it ... using 80gr sierras and bergers... still i am going to get it rebarrelled as a 6mm BR soon, thats my pick in the small category (F open not F std)

[ned kelly]

G'day all,
I was at the local Gunshop recently and I have compared a 223 mag from a 223 T3 with the medium length mag the other day and the gap between the mag lips appeared to be identical and whatsmore, the medium mag did hold a factory .223 round and given I have spent nearly 30 years in engineering, I'm VERY confident it would work well. Both mags fitted the rifle and given the circumstances, for those interested, I did NOT put a loaded mag into the rifle WITH the bolt fitted to the rifle in the gunshop.

In all apprearances, the extra length of the medium mag would alllow the 1:8T tikka T3's to become proper repeaters with this mag and properly seated 80gn bullets.

All we have to do is get Tikka to set the throat up correctly in the 1:8T barrels!

My next task is to make some blatently obvious dummy rounds with 80gn'rs seated properly in the case and see if they feed from a medium length mag........and the gunshop is ok with that!

Cheerio Ned

[DMC]

GDay Ned
Just bought a T3 223 1:8 varmint a month ago, havent had a chance to try the 80's but i think your right about re doing the throat ! I've only shot the 69 SMK and 77 Nosler Custom Comps so far, Interesting in hearing if you can get the medium length mag to work, not sure if the bolt stop is different, might be possible to change it ? failing that, If you look around there's a couple of magazine mods on the internet that appear to work with the long OAL, single loading with them ( at least in 223 ) is a pain, chamber is a fair way forward of the port, ended up buying a single shot adapter, works really well, wont help you if you really want to use the mag though, for what they cost, i'm happy


Cheers
DMC

[Seddo]

If you get a DBM that takes AI mags you will be able to get long 223 rounds into that as well. They standard 10 round plastic mag is good but i have an old 308 mag that was factory modified to take 223 rounds with spoacers and it would let you load to 2.890", the downside is how many 223 rounds fit in a 10 round 308 mag.



This picture shows a 40gr vmax but there is lots of room left, i will see if i can find one with a 80gr in it.