From the videos I have seen here it seems like the best combination with a Tikka rifle is usually the SAKO Power Blade ammo. Are there other recommendations to try before I decide to stock up on one. I am not interested in hand loading at this time.
Cons:
Sako Power Blade (copper) ammo is hard to find and seems more expensive than most.
If I try a lead bullet I will have to clean the barrel to the metal before using Sako copper ammo.
Pros:
Never have to look at other brads of ammo.
Never have to clean down to the metal on the barrel.
Anything I am missing or better yet some suggestions?
If you are interested - ChatGPT said since I am mainly hunting NC Whitetail Deer = it suggested these 3:
I personally wouldn’t purchase a significant amount of the Powerhead Blade ammo w/o testing it first. I’ve got an older 6.5 Swedish which loves it, but it shot horribly in a 7RM (made by Sako even) as well as a 300 Win Mag.
For deer in NC, under 300 yrds pretty much any bullet will be effective, just a matter of finding out what your rifle is accurate with.
If you like copper/mono, I’d look at a Barnes 127 LRX or similarly weight TTSX. Either loaded by Barnes or Federal. Hornady makes a CX, but the outfitter line of ammo has never impressed me with accuracy. Norma makes a mono which has done well in a number of different rifles (never shot any animals with it at this point).
If you are open to cup and core, then the ELDX is very popular for good reasons. Again, you may get better results with a Federal load as opposed to Hornady’s. If you want even more “explosiveness” then a Berger or Sierra would be the ticket.
Barnes Harvest 165gr 308 works well in my tikka 16” barrel. Fusion has always shot good for me. And everything I have shot with it goes down. Surprisingly, the ELDX in my 6.5 PRC shoots horrible. 2 inch groups at 100. But the barnes 140 and 156 shoot well out of that gun.