Well, got out to run some ammo through. Very short lived as it was too hot and the mosquitos were too hungry. Anyway, bipod on bench at 50yds. Random ammo type (did not shoot same ammo on two consecutive targets), 5-shot groups. I did not shoot any SK because I only have half a box and it's sold out everywhere anyway. Of course, the $24.00/box stuff won. Why should I catch a break and have it like Federal bulk. I shot 3 Eley Match targets because I was trying to get it to like Match over Tenex. Trying to save 5 bucks a box. That first Match target was very promising until that 12 o'clock flyer. That's 4 rounds in the same hole at 4 o'clock. I think I'll lot test some various Match boxes and see if I can find one close to Tenex. I'll have a real problem paying $0.48/rd for .22lr. It will have to wait for cooler weather though. Shooting in this heat is just not fun. Oh...and I like the rifle a lot. Trigger is right at about 28 ounces. Very crisp.

Some very nice groups, and I’d say you’ve got the edge on my abilities.

What scope did you choose? 28 oz trigger pull weight is significantly less than mine, and although I don’t like a really light pull, I’m beginning to believe I’d benefit from dropping a few ounces.

Mile High Shooting has some SK in stock.
https://www.milehighshooting.com/brands/sk-ammo/
Strangely, I was able to get 1500 rounds of SK Standard Plus from Natchez Shooting Supplies a couple of weeks ago, but they’re out of stock now.

My local club is planning to running some NRL22 competitions next month, so I am looking forward to that.

My abilities with rimfire come from the fact that I shoot break barrel air rifles almost every day (I have a range in the basement), and I can use the same technique with rimfires. I really suck with centerfire rifles. I have a Ruger precision in .308 I enjoy shooting steel with at 200-300 yds. but I'm all over the paper at 100 yds. It's just not the same hold. Yea, 2 lbs. or less for me on target triggers. 28 oz is the sweet spot.

I'm really partial to SWFA scopes. Very good bang for very little bucks. That's left over from air rifles too. They are parallax adjustable down to 10 yds. and I'm not a big fan of variable power optics. I went with a 20x42 SS Gen2 MOA on the Tikka. Thanks for the heads up on the ammo. I'll probably stick with Eley for serious shooting. Killough always has it, and lot testing from them is hassle free. CCI SV will work fine when not shooting for score. Thanks again for your review on the rifle. This is gonna be a lot of fun.

I decided that this is my new challenge target for the Tikka. I actually designed this for .22 air rifle, but I figure why not. Aim small, miss small. Circles are 1/2". Scoring keeps you honest.

quote:

Originally posted by pace40:
Scoring keeps you honest.

That it does.
I have a 5×5 array of circles that I developed for myself with center crosses similar to yours except mine are 3/4 inch in diameter and have a small center dot. I usually fire two shots at each circle and also from 50 yards, but this discussion prompted me to modify them by adding a smaller central circle. A very valuable and challenging drill for me—not to mention fun.

I've had really good luck with SK Long Range in my Vudoo and Anschutz rifles. It can shoot up with the Lapua high dollar stuff. I've not had luck finding any lately, but if you can find some, give it a try.
When it comes to shooting wine corks, dollar store Army men, Happy Meal toys, etc. I trust in CCI standard.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Shooting for score, I would probably stick with Center X exclusively if availability wasn't so damned unpredictable.

BTW...love dollar store army men!

Eley Match lot test...pretty clear winner.

Those Eley groups are definitely nice. I’ll have to try to find some and branch out from the SK and (sometimes) Lapua I usually use.

Three groups from today, and what a difference the ammunition makes; 10 shots each, 50 yards, bench, bipod and rear bag for support.

Fired in immediate succession, left to right: SK Standard Plus, 0.502" center to center; SK Rifle Match, 1.452" CTC; SK Long Range Match, 0.380" CTC.





I was very surprised by the Rifle Match. I have fired it from other guns and although it didn’t produce spectacular results, they weren’t anything like today’s. If one 10-shot group is anything to go on, it seems that my Tikka likes the Long Range.

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
Those Eley groups are definitely nice. I’ll have to try to find some and branch out...

Killough Shooting Sports has it in stock. I just bought a case. SG Ammo has it too, but only by the brick.

quote:

If one 10-shot group is anything to go on, it seems that my Tikka likes the Long Range.

That SK Standard Plus isn't too bad either. Only one round kept that out of the running. Hell, maybe you hit a fly or bumble bee on the way in.

quote:

Originally posted by pace40:
Hell, maybe you hit a fly or bumble bee on the way in.

Well ..., there were some mosquitoes in the area.

Thanks for the Eley info.

What the rifle with SK Standard Plus ammunition is capable of. The drill was fired at 50 yards while standing and the rifle supported by being clamped onto a tripod head. The large circles measure about 3/4 inch (~1.5 MOA at 50 yards).





To add to the challenge I get off the rifle for each target and time the first shot. The goal is to fire the first shot within 10 seconds and at least one of the two shots hit the large circle. I have really found that the drill has improved my marksmanship with my centerfire rifles.

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
The goal is to fire the first shot within 10 seconds and at least one of the two shots hit the large circle.

Curious as to why the 10 sec drill? Does it relate to tactical centerfire?

On a separate note, started dumping some less than full boxes of ammo. Not real concentration but not spray and pray either. I think I may have to give CCI Green Tag another look. I find it amazing how inconsistent some ammo is. Forgot to put a black backer in the scanner. Sorry...

quote:

Originally posted by pace40:
Curious as to why the 10 sec drill? Does it relate to tactical centerfire?

Since you asked, yes. As one of my signature lines indicates, I want to develop and maintain my ability to operate serious weapons in a serious manner. Is there any reasonable likelihood that I would ever be called upon to do that with a precision CF rifle? No, but the same is true of any of the other skills I try to maintain with other firearms. Likely or not, I believe that being armed is fundamental, and as Jeff Cooper is credited with saying, just having a gun doesn’t mean someone is armed any more than having a guitar makes someone a musician.

My specific goal of firing a precision shot within a tight time limit is based on two primary reasons. One is that the sniper qualification course I developed for my agency many years ago requires that. My rationale for the requirement is that it’s not enough for a law enforcement sniper to be accurate, they very often must be accurate in a very short time when the opportunity presents itself. There’s an old saying among competitors that “We can’t miss fast enough to win,” but in my training I supplement that with, “… but you can shoot slowly enough to lose.” Being on the clock also increases the stress of the situation, and stress is something else a shooter must be able to overcome.

Even though I am no longer an LE sniper, I’m called upon from time to time to teach those skills, and I want to be able to not only talk the talk, but also to “walk the walk” by demonstrating whatever skills I expect others to have (within reason, of course; there will always be other shooters who are better at any skill than I).

The other thing that is responsible for my setting 10 second goal for myself when shooting specific drills was the attempt on President Trump’s life last year. Shooting a rimfire rifle at a paper target—even a small, 1.5 MOA one—bears only the vaguest resemblance to identifying and neutralizing a killer in real life, but it does address the very limited question of marksmanship. As I have posted before, when I first heard that the Secret Service sniper’s accurate shot fired within a few seconds of identifying the threat was a “one in a million” feat, I decided to check for myself whether that was true, and of course in terms of just the marksmanship, it wasn’t.

So, yes, the time goal is to help me maintain my ability to operate a serious type of weapon in a serious manner, and despite the fact that the T1x isn’t a “serious” weapon, the nearly 1500 rounds I’ve fired with it in the past month have improved my CF accuracy in similar drills. Critics may say that all that’s just a game for someone like me, but if it’s true I’ll reply by saying that I’m not the only shooter who plays games with his guns.

And oh: some more nice groups of your own that demonstrate how inconsistent 22LR ammo can be.

If interested, Creedmoor Sports is showing Lapua Center-X in stock:

https://www.creedmoorsports.co...=56335&cid=aff_74383

Several places have SK Standard Plus, so I succumbed to that temptation.

That Tika likes Eley! Very nice groups. I shot these at 50 yards with Lapua in my 457/Lilja rifle. I have two set up the same way and both shoot the same and do not like Eley.Left group was 7 shots and measured .310" OD and the other was 5 shots measuring .327" OD. They'll shoot good until they start getting dirty 200-300 rounds then you have to clean them to get back to those kinda groups. Fun stuff.

Fantastic!

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
If interested, Creedmoor Sports is showing Lapua Center-X in stock:

Thanks! Just grabbed a brick. Now I'll finally have enough to do a proper test between Lapua and Eley.

quote:

Several places have SK Standard Plus, so I succumbed to that temptation.

Great, maybe Natchez will finally ship the order I placed a month ago.

quote:

Originally posted by got2hav1:
I shot these at 50 yards with Lapua in my 457/Lilja rifle. I have two set up the same way and both shoot the same

Wow, great shooting. Hey, I just bought a 457 MTR. Curious if either of yours had an MTR setup prior to the Lilja switch and the difference it made? Thanks!

(Although I will probably keep it as is since I bought specifically for Factory class matches.)

quote:

Originally posted by pace40:

quote:

Originally posted by got2hav1:
I shot these at 50 yards with Lapua in my 457/Lilja rifle. I have two set up the same way and both shoot the same

Wow, great shooting. Hey, I just bought a 457 MTR. Curious if either of yours had an MTR setup prior to the Lilja switch and the difference it made? Thanks!

(Although I will probably keep it as is since I bought specifically for Factory class matches.)

No, neither of these builds were from a MTR. One was a 457 VPT with the Manners stock. That was a good shooter right from the start. I have heard very good reports from the MTR in factory class though. Hope it performs for you.