New Rifle, First Night Out....

[Elliott 436]

What a haul!

 

I've got a Tikka T3 varmint .223 waiting for me to collect at my local shop. Having never used .223 before how do you rate the rifle? It clearly does the business but what's it like to shoot? Is there much recoil and can you easily maintain the sight picture?

 

I've had a few shots with my pals .243 at night and once you've pulled the trigger you're just hoping for the best!

[celticrusader 78]

Yeah there's half the report from a .223 compared to a .243 Elliot..its a lot easier mate.

[shropshire dan 467]

My .22-250 has terrible muzzle flip. Im about to install a big T8 reflex silencer in the hope to stabilise it a little lol

[DeerhoundLurcherMan 997]

What a haul!

 

I've got a Tikka T3 varmint .223 waiting for me to collect at my local shop. Having never used .223 before how do you rate the rifle? It clearly does the business but what's it like to shoot? Is there much recoil and can you easily maintain the sight picture?

 

I've had a few shots with my pals .243 at night and once you've pulled the trigger you're just hoping for the best!

After shooting a .22lr for a year the .223 makes it feel like a toy. Its got some serious poke to it...

 

I saw at least half the shots hit and the fox drop. With a better scope and a bit more practice I'm sure I will see it hit home every time. It kicks a little bit but certainly nothing to be worried about.

 

The trigger is lovely on the tikka, and no flip with the mod on... If the gun didn't inspire confidence in me I wouldn't have taken those longer 150ish yard shots.

 

When i put a better glass on the top ill do some longer range targets. I don't think there will be many safe foxes this side of 200 yards...

[Alsone 789]

My .22-250 has terrible muzzle flip. Im about to install a big T8 reflex silencer in the hope to stabilise it a little lol

 

That's because it's a much bigger cartridge in both diameter and length.

 

The .22-250, as the name suggests uses a .25 calibre case. Side by side pic here from google:

 

 

When viewed side by side it's plain to see the powder capacity difference.

Edited September 15, 2014 by Alsone

[shropshire dan 467]

Jesus didn't realise their was that much difference between the two to be honest. I take it thats why the .22-250 is apparently flatter. I was told the ammo I use is over 1700 ftlb

[DeerhoundLurcherMan 997]

What a haul!

 

I've got a Tikka T3 varmint .223 waiting for me to collect at my local shop. Having never used .223 before how do you rate the rifle? It clearly does the business but what's it like to shoot? Is there much recoil and can you easily maintain the sight picture?

 

I've had a few shots with my pals .243 at night and once you've pulled the trigger you're just hoping for the best!

Just reread that, with a varmint barrel, a decent mod and a good scope i would imagine you would maintain the sight picture quite easily

[charlie caller 3,654]

 

What a haul!

 

I've got a Tikka T3 varmint .223 waiting for me to collect at my local shop. Having never used .223 before how do you rate the rifle? It clearly does the business but what's it like to shoot? Is there much recoil and can you easily maintain the sight picture?

 

I've had a few shots with my pals .243 at night and once you've pulled the trigger you're just hoping for the best!

Just reread that, with a varmint barrel, a decent mod and a good scope i would imagine you would maintain the sight picture quite easily

 

With a sporter barrel, a PES t12 and a decent Nikon scope, you can see most of them go down with the .243

[DeerhoundLurcherMan 997]

I know your a fan of the Nikkons CC, What model do you use, and what mag do you have it set on for lamping foxes.?

 

I need a scope for about 200 quid, which will get me out to 200 yards tops. I'm not going to blow my weeks wages on a S&B, I don't need one. I just need a good enough reliable optic that will get the job done.

 

I like the idea of a fixed 8x56 but not sure if I would prefer 10x, 12x or more! I certainly don't want to be zoomed in to much that i struggle to find the fox at 50 yards lol.

 

Been thinking Nikkon, Bushnel, MTC..... A nice simple reticle to, no green or red flashing christmas trees

[shropshire dan 467]

I have a redfield 4-12x40 accurange reticle on the .22-250 about £300 new crystal clear glass

[let'sshoot 11]

Optics Warehouse had a Nikon Monarch 3 2.5-10x50 @ £199 2-3 weeks ago.

 

I'd email to ask as they don't put them all on the website

[charlie caller 3,654]

Nikon prostaff on mine 3-9x50, set on 61/2 power most of the time, and I love the bdc reticule

[DeerhoundLurcherMan 997]

Well, I've had the .223 just over a month now. Done a few longer range targets last week shot two rounds at 250 yards and the bullet holes touched, which gave me real confidence in both my shooting and the cheap hawke scope. The drop at 250 with a 100 zero was about 4 inches with the 55grn Vmax.

 

So last night the conditions was perfect, back out on some local permission saw number 17 and 18 go over, After that first night where I shot 10 and missed 2 or 3, There is a couple of real shy ones on there...So no squeaking and pissing about with the lamp, as soon as I spot one the lamp goes straight off until ready for the shot where my mate takes over with the lamp....No point trying to get close to these ones, they are pretty sharp...

 

I spot one in the next field to where we was sat in the truck, give my mate the lamp, he looked a long way through the scope set on 9x with his eyes so close together, I gave it 2 inches or so over his eyes, Crack, and what seemed like forever the thud returned, later than usual....

 

He went over stone dead at 280 yards.