• Watch Out for Scammers!

    We've now added a color code for all accounts. Orange accounts are new members, Blue are full members, and Green are Supporters. If you get a message about a sale from an orange account, make sure you pay attention before sending any money!

Tikka T3 - Excessive Copper Fouling / Accuracy Issues?

USGILT

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Jul 6, 2007
174
54
41
KS, Leavenworth
Wondering if anyone could help me in getting my Tikka T3 Lite chambered in 270 WSM to shoot 1 MOA or better. When shooting factory ammo - Winchester Ballistic Silvertip 130gr and the reloads I have worked up (data listed below) the gun shoots consistently around 1 ¾ - 2” MOA.

One thing I noticed is that you have to clean this rifle after every range session at around 25-30 rounds as you will see a lot of excessive copper fouling in the bore and the groups will really start to open up. Maybe this is conducive of 270 WSM’s in general I don’t know. My buddy has a Winchester Model 70 Super Shadow and with his gun shooting the same reloads it will shoot ¾” MOA at 100yards all day long and does not produce the fouling I see in mine. Different guns I know. One of the issues I have had with this gun is that it seems to have an excessively long throat, i.e. I can seat the bullet well past the allowable magazine length in order to get 0.010 off the lands.

Maybe I am asking for too much but I would think at 100yrds this gun should be able to shoot under 1” MOA?

Another thread here on the fourm similar issues but no real resolution- Tikka T3 problems

Here is what I am running right now:
Approximate round count 200-250 down the pipe. Rifle was bought new in 2008 shot occasionally here and there with 3-4 years with zero rounds down range due to deployments.

Rifle – Tikka T3 Lite
Caliber – 270 WSM
Barrel Length – 24.37”
Barrel Twist Rate – 1:10"

Scope – Leupold VX-2 6-18x40mm Adj Obj Riflescope, CDS, Fine Duplex Reticle (It’s a scope I had lying around so I decided to throw it on to trying and alleviate a lot of me in the accuracy testing process; way to much magnification for a hunting rig)

Mount – DNZ Game Reaper One Piece Medium Mount

Rifle stock screws (Front/Rear) troq'ed to 35-40 in lbs as per manufacture recomendations. Scope rings properly torq'ed as well.

** Reloading data is from the Hornady 6th edition book **

(Min Charge – 52.8 2800 fps – Max Charge –60.0 gr 3100 fps; I don’t own a chronograph so I don’t know exactly what the true velocity is)

Current Reload Data:
Bullet – Hornady 130 gr SST
Powder – IMR 4350 57 gr
Primer – WIN WLRM
COL: 2.824”

Currently I have zero pressure signs other than the copper fowling. My next step is to start from the bottom say 53 grains and work up in 5 grain increments shooting 3 round groups at 100yards and see what happens on paper. I may very well have to swap powder / bullet combos but would like to see if I can get my current reloading supplies to work out.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated,
 
I guess the first thing you need to figure out, is the problem the load, or the copper fouling. The fouling should diminish with firings, too bad factory barrels aren't hand lapped. You can buy Tubb's final finish system bullets to help clean rough spots out of a barrel, haven't seen them really recommended on this site though. In your case of 30 firings, it might be something to look into.

As for accuracy, have heard nothing but good things about Tikka.
 
My T3 6.5x55 has hundreds of rounds fired since the last time it was cleaned and I don't plan on cleaning the barrel, ever. It still puts the first 3 rounds into a ragged hole. If/when the groups open up, I will consider cleaning it, but it appears that will not be a problem with this particular rifle. Maybe your rifle has a particularly rough bore?
 
There could be lots of issues, but if you really are getting bad copper build up, try tubs fire lapping bullets. I've used them on several rifles, now. Some didn't improve the accuracy, but I had a .257 imp that needed cleaning about ever 20 rounds (w/ obviously blue patches) and now it goes 50 rounds with only the slightest hind of color. Some of the rifles we've used them in (namely a .30-06 xtr barrel and kimber .260) showed amazing improvements in accuracy. The .260 went from about a 2.5 moa gun to about .75 moa gun. I've also used them to slightly improve a .204 encore (from 1 moa to .5). If you've got a rough bore, they sure help.
 
Tikka FAQ FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
My Tikka in 270Win. Is a fairly good shooting rifle. However, after shooting about 500 times, the accuracy is not anymore as good as when the gun was new. Has the barrel worn out?

2) Have you cleaned the barrel? Heavy metal & powder fouling will cause inaccuracy.
Cure: Acquire a good cleaning rod, barrel cleaning chemical and follow the instructions of the manufacturer. After cleaning shoot 2-3 shots and then try how accurate the rifle is.(First 1-2 bullets after cleaning will not normally stay in the group, as the friction inside the bore changes)

I collect milsurp rifles and many have frosted and pitted bores from corrosive primers and poor cleaning. I do not scrub my bores to death and I use foam bore cleaner and spend as little time as possible using a cleaning rod to prevent any possible damage to the bore. (spare the rod and spoil the bore)

Below, one shot of foam bore cleaner and letting soak for two hours in a No.4 British Enfield. You will NOT find a better bore cleaner for removing copper and letting the foam do all the work.

foamclean_zpse279b70b.jpg
 
my tikka t3 lite has had very little copper if any after the first 50 rounds. Very impressed with the barrels so far. I'd work on your load developement or try some different ammo and see if that changes anything. The accuracy node was pretty dramatic during my load development, going from 1-1.5moa all of a sudden to .5moa at 100 yards.
 
I finally got to the range this morning and it proved to be a good day. 59 degrees, with no negligible wind. Before I hit the range I gave the rifle a thorough cleaning in order to get all the previous fowling and copper out. All shots were fired at 100yards sitting with the rifle resting on a sandbag. Orange target dots measure 2”. I shot 3rd groups in order to save effort and waited 4-5 mins between strings. I fired a total of 24rds during this range session and I only see carbon fowling in the bore no copper fowling yet.

Disclaimer – My measurements were taken with a caliper and I did NOT subtract .277" from each the group.

I’m not an expert marksman so I’m sure there is a little of me in each group.

Current Reload Data:
Bullet – Hornady 130 gr SST
Powder – IMR 4350
Primer – WIN WLRM
COL: 2.824”

Factory WIN Ballistic Silver Tip – 3.041” (includes cold bore shot)

54 Grains – 1.093”

54.5 Grains – 1.199”

55 Grains – 0.768” (Best Group)

55.5 Grains – 1.336”

56 Grains – 0.944” (2nd Best Group)

57 Grains – 2.022”

Decided to play around with the seating depth to see if that made a difference so I loaded three rounds to 2.860” which shot like crap.
 
Tikka T3 - Excessive Copper Fouling / Accuracy Issues?

That's not an unusual lack of accuracy for a factory magnum lightweight rifle with hunting bullets.