So I did a rack of test loads for a buddies T3 Light in 338 yesterday, using 225 ABs and some H 4350. First issue right off the hop is the rifles magazine won't accept SAAMI length cartridges. Bullets must be seated .040" short of nominal 3.400" to fit in the magazine. This is not a "deal breaker" in and of itself, but does mean the bullet jumps about an 1/8" to the lands. I have had Weatherbys with much greater jump and still shoot well, but this thing is shooting patterns. Tried 10 rounds with the factory ammo he has and it shot about a 6" group.......this is the load he said he sighted in with and he thought it shot real good..........before. I checked the action screws and snugged them a touch, but they were not loose and I checked the scope mounts and they are fine. Shot one decent 4 shot group if you don't count the 3" out flyer.......the other 3 went into about 1.5" so I really doubt the scope is jumping about. The groups/patterns are roundish, squareish so this would also indicate that it's not the scope or shooter necessarily. Buddies shooting is a little suspect so I shot two of the test loads with no noticeable improvement, so I'm convinced it's the gun or loads.
Never handled or worked with a T3 before but there is a lot about the rifle I do not like. The extremely tight ejection port occasionally will not allow a case to eject and it rattles around and you have to hold the rifle just so and shake the sh!t out of it to get the case out. With the bullet seated just to the magazine length the loaded round will just barely clear the port and if it pops off the extractor you have to pull the bolt to get it out of the action.......and this is seated .040" short of SAAMI max. I also don't like the feel of the plastic magazine, but I will admit that with modern polymer technology they are quite likely superior to sheet metal ones, but I still don't like them.
Then there is the "hearsay" story of 4 different T3s that refused to fire in -35 degree temps (this is first hand from my son, so yes I believe it). These are his buddies who all bought T3s in 300 WM after one of them bought one and it shot factory ammo into about 1/2". So 3 other guys ran right out and bought them as well. Anyway my son, James, took all 4 of these rifles apart, dismantled the bolts and flushed them pristine clean, no oil or grease left, flushed the triggers, reassembled them and the boys went bison hunting again the next weekend and guess what...........not one single rifle would fire at -35 again. These are all factory rifles, not dicked with and shooting factory ammo, all flushed totally clean with Brakeclean and tested afterward. He called me completely and utterly stumped and I asked him about his clean up of the bolts and triggers, after which I could offer no more advice other than to trade them off on Remingtons or Winchesters. I have used Remingtons in +55 degree heat right down to -50 degree cold and never had a FTF !!!!!!!!!
No gentlemen, I can unequivocally state that you won't be seeing any T3s in my gun vault any time soon. I have another rack of test loads for the neighbors 338 which we intent to try today and we'll see how these perform. I also have two racks of test loads for my own 338 for today (my Sako Safari) with 225 ABs so we'll see how it performs as well. I'm also thinking that with the big jump in buddies T3 that 200 or 225 TSXs might be a little better choice, they seem to like a head start before engaging the rifling, so maybe they are the answer. My Safari has plenty of magazine so I have them seated about .005" off the lands and I anticipate good things from it..........but we'll see. My 375 H&H Rem 700 doesn't like 260 ABs but my son's 375 Ruger loves them so it may just be a bullet preference with buddies 338. If the ABs don't smarten up with this powder change then I have some 210 Parts and some 225 TSXs to try..........I'll keep y'all posted on the outcome.
Never handled or worked with a T3 before but there is a lot about the rifle I do not like. The extremely tight ejection port occasionally will not allow a case to eject and it rattles around and you have to hold the rifle just so and shake the sh!t out of it to get the case out. With the bullet seated just to the magazine length the loaded round will just barely clear the port and if it pops off the extractor you have to pull the bolt to get it out of the action.......and this is seated .040" short of SAAMI max. I also don't like the feel of the plastic magazine, but I will admit that with modern polymer technology they are quite likely superior to sheet metal ones, but I still don't like them.
Then there is the "hearsay" story of 4 different T3s that refused to fire in -35 degree temps (this is first hand from my son, so yes I believe it). These are his buddies who all bought T3s in 300 WM after one of them bought one and it shot factory ammo into about 1/2". So 3 other guys ran right out and bought them as well. Anyway my son, James, took all 4 of these rifles apart, dismantled the bolts and flushed them pristine clean, no oil or grease left, flushed the triggers, reassembled them and the boys went bison hunting again the next weekend and guess what...........not one single rifle would fire at -35 again. These are all factory rifles, not dicked with and shooting factory ammo, all flushed totally clean with Brakeclean and tested afterward. He called me completely and utterly stumped and I asked him about his clean up of the bolts and triggers, after which I could offer no more advice other than to trade them off on Remingtons or Winchesters. I have used Remingtons in +55 degree heat right down to -50 degree cold and never had a FTF !!!!!!!!!
No gentlemen, I can unequivocally state that you won't be seeing any T3s in my gun vault any time soon. I have another rack of test loads for the neighbors 338 which we intent to try today and we'll see how these perform. I also have two racks of test loads for my own 338 for today (my Sako Safari) with 225 ABs so we'll see how it performs as well. I'm also thinking that with the big jump in buddies T3 that 200 or 225 TSXs might be a little better choice, they seem to like a head start before engaging the rifling, so maybe they are the answer. My Safari has plenty of magazine so I have them seated about .005" off the lands and I anticipate good things from it..........but we'll see. My 375 H&H Rem 700 doesn't like 260 ABs but my son's 375 Ruger loves them so it may just be a bullet preference with buddies 338. If the ABs don't smarten up with this powder change then I have some 210 Parts and some 225 TSXs to try..........I'll keep y'all posted on the outcome.
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