Tikka T3 develops very LOW velocities

tkms002,

It has been my experience after having a chronograph, that there seems to be three basic grouping of rifles as per velocities.

First and largest group, are those which product velocities well blow published data, and in some cases a couple hundred FPS - OR MORE - below what is expected.

Then, the second and smaller group are those rifles that come close to matching published data.

Then the 3rd and smallest group of rifles are those that exceed published data, all while staying within the published guide lines and without signs of excess pressures.

As was alluded to above, this can be attributed to a number of reasons, bore size and condition, chamber dimensions, Amount or absents of free bore, case wall thickness, not to mention the lot to lot differences in powders.

I have seen velocity drop with no other changes, by about a 100fps with just the change from one lot number of powder to another.

One time in a Speer loading manual, they listed a velocity for a 300 Win Mag that would make the high velocity lovers slobber all over them selves. Good luck to come any where close.

My test were with a rifle that would be mid range in the three grouping, yet it was hundreds of fps off the listed velocities.

WOW, to have a jug of that powder lot number.

So, bare in mind that the critters will never know that you bullet didn't make the listings, but your experience is not out of line.

Sorry that your rifle appears at this point to be one of the first group, but remember it and enjoy the next time you chronograph a friends hot wizz banger and it is a couple hundred or more FPS slower then he/she had expected. It happens.

Another example, I had a 30/06 that was in the slow group. I had the chamber opened up to a 30 Gibbs which makes for a sizable increase in powder volume plus the guy that chambered the rifle allowed the reamer to run a bit deep and the increase in powder volume was even greater then normal for this wildcat.

Well even with all this increase powder space, the 30 Gibbs never shot at velocities high then what can be expected with a mid group or fast group standard 30/06. It was simply a slow rifle even on it's best day.

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

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