Thread: Factory/Factory 223 Accuracy Challenge

Originally Posted by gimp

the difference between good and mediocre barrels is that good barrels shoot more or less any ammunition well, while mediocre barrels only shoot some well. it's driven by barrel quality not ammunition quality.

I imagine that you are right...but I imagine it's a commonsense observation rather something proved with any scientific method...which seems to be the way of things with firearms because even with Hornady's massive investment they still acknowledge that they can only work with a limited number of barrels. So we have to look at what we are seeing across the board and reach commonsense conclusions.

One could imagine that all factory barrels (except outliers) are mediocre (relative to the best custom barrels) and really, it's about who is more consistently acceptable for intended purpose.

It seems the people at Vortex, Rokslide, Backfire, Gerg Duley and the majority of NZ hunters have concluded that Tikka is your best bet of not getting a lemon...my local wont stock Howa's, they don't like disappointed customers and the work involved in getting them shooting.

My mates Howa shoots as well if not better than my Tikkas...after being at it with a dremel...which is no sweat and only one trip to the range wasted, because we knew that was probably going to happen.

Another mates Remington it was boxes of ammo because he wouldn't break out the dremel and I still have no idea if that rifle was better than really average (and way below what I would go hunting with).

And it doesn't surprise me the issues that are starting surface with Bergaras who are trying to sell such feature rich rifles at bargain prices.

I think Tentman referred to this in a previous posts, Howa's and other brands he's had that shoot as well as any Tikka but after a decent chunk of them needed work.

Tikkas have their limitations, I hate the stocks feel but it is an amazing stock at the price point, every new version of them is better than the last, in terms of material and construction. And its a Sako barrel (Friwi has commented on their consistency...which I assume is relative to their competitors) and Duley at the very beginning chose a Remington to work because the Tikkas are machined too "true" to bother with.

All that costs money and that reflects in a one size fits all action and a bland finish on the stock....but the upside is a new rifle that will more likely than most comparable alternatives shoot about moa from day one.

I only care because I hate seeing new shooters struggling with problems they don't understand...it's a big enough learning curve without a manufacturer's limitation thrown in.