Tikka Mania

redshooter

redshooter

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Hi all

Just picked up a Tikka M-65 (I believe it's the sporter) in .308 Norma Mag. I'm not sure about the state of the bore overall (as my near vision sucks) but If I was to give it a new tube I was wondering what YOU would do if you were going to replace the barrel. I reload so I'll consider all cal. that will fit the bolt face factory or wildcat. I want something that can shoot over 1000 M (I have no Idea why...just to say it can). I might just put a brake on it and keep it as is if the bore is good, but if not I want to be able to knock them out there like it's a .30-378 with out pain :bangHead:. Ok so I'm dreaming but how about something like a 7mm STW? I'm too cheap to pick up a good ref for wildcats other wise I wouldn"t be bugging all of you.
 
I'd say you'd probably do well with a 6BR or a 6BR Improved, based on your goals.

That thing's winning matches at 1000yd benchrest competitions, so it'll do the trick at that distance... and with the right bullet you can hunt with it just fine at pretty much any range you can comfortably aim it.

Some info on 1000yd benchrest for you: http://www.6mmbr.com/1000ydpg02.html

-M
 
I have had and still have M65s and 55s, but the one I've always wanted was a 338 Win Mag. My brother had one and gave it to my son, the rifle is a tack-driver, but I've never been able to find another.
So the next M65 I find in a magnum chambering is going to be re-barreled...
However your choice would depend largely on what you intend to hunt or use the rifle for.
 
Now that I look in more detail, the rim diameter is much larger on the .308 Norma Mag than it is on a 6BR - so that may pose a compatibility issue...

-M
 
Based on a fit to a #4 RCBS shellholder, this is a list of compatible base sizes for you:

.257 Weatherby Magnum
.264 Winchester Magnum*
.270 Weatherby Magnum
7mm Remington Magnum*
7mm Shooting Times Westerner
7mm Weatherby Magnum
.30-338 Winchester Magnum
.300 Holland & Holland Magnum
.300 Weatherby Magnum
.300 Winchester Magnum*
8mm Remington Magnum
.338 Winchester Magnum
.340 Weatherby Magnum
.350 Remington Magnum
9.3mm x 74 Rimmed
.375 Holland & Holland Magnum
.416 Remington Magnum
.450 Marlin
.458 Winchester Magnum

So, wildcat based on any of these and you're set!

-M
 
redshooter, what is the internal magazine length?
I don't believe you could use some of the longer calibers.
bigbull
 
According to Hornady max col is 3.345. I never thought of that. I think the .308 Norma was made to work in a 30.06 action so no 7mm STW I guess.

The next thing I need is to find a mag as it was missing.

Maybe I should get a set of dies made to turn my .308 Norma mag into a 6.5 mm/.308 Norma mag. :rockOn:

Thanks for the imput so far gents.
 
What about going to a 6mm-338 style wildcat? After all, the 308 Norma Mag is basically just a 338 Win Mag necked to 308... push it down to 243 and you've got a 6mm-338? Bet you could get to 4000fps with a light bullet and the right powder...

-M
 
:D Yep that would do it! I checked the action opening and it's about 3.5" so no beasts. I guess I could make it a single shot but where's the fun in that? I'm going stateside this aft and will be looking for brass and may be a die set sitting about collecting dust somewhere.
 
I personally would be leaving that Norma Mag right as it is. If it has a 1-10" twist, It will reach 1000 easily with several match bullets available, and as a hunting chambering, there is not many 30 cal magnums that are a lot faster/flatter shooting. Of course, if the barrel is shot out, then a rebarrel is in the works and the choice is up to you. I would be seriously considering a 6.5 or 7mm on a magnum case. Eagleye.
 
Yeah, I don't mind the .308 Norma Mag as-is either... but if he wants a change, I figure a 6-338 would be about the best bang for his buck at the moment. Otherwise just load up some Berger VLD's or Lapua Scenars and have at 'er! Even SMK's would get you where you need to be, albeit with much more drop.

-M
 
Well just found a set of dies for a steller price so as long as it shoots well it stays as is. Now I need to find a mag. Anyone know of one pm me. I'm assuming a mag for .338 win mag would work, at least I hope so as it should be easier to find. Does anyone know if a mag from one of the later models will fit such as the 690/695?
 
Eagleye said:
I personally would be leaving that Norma Mag right as it is. If it has a 1-10" twist, It will reach 1000 easily with several match bullets available, and as a hunting chambering, there is not many 30 cal magnums that are a lot faster/flatter shooting. Of course, if the barrel is shot out, then a rebarrel is in the works and the choice is up to you. I would be seriously considering a 6.5 or 7mm on a magnum case. Eagleye.
Click to expand...

X2 but stay with 6.5 x308 norma mag sounds nice...maybe get rid of that silly belt :eek:
 
:D Ohh yaa!! :D Two decent groups at 100m, one .65", and one .47". If I had done my job better I suspect both of the above and one other would have been around .25". Looks like it stays .308 Norma. Now for the magazine and a new spring for the extractor (lol the cases just drop out the bottom).
 
The 6mm-338 is already available as the 6mm Mach IV. Basically a 7mm Rem Mag necked down to 6mm and the case blown out to improved shape. Ross Seyfried did a bunch of articles on it for Guns and Ammo and TAR magazines a while back. I built one at the time, but there wasn't much in the way of powders to make it work that well. It would push 85 gr Barnes X bullets to 4000 fps though. Now that there are a lot of 50 BMG suitable powders, I may dig the parts out and put it back together again. - dan
 
If you decide to re-barrel and find a magazine the 6.5-300 RCM fit 4 or 5 and feed perfectly from a Tikka 65 action. I am thinking of re barreling one from 300 Win Mag to 7mm-300RCM.

I am in the process of developing a 6.5-300 RCM which is essentially a 6.5 Rem mag without the belt. The 2.09" case length gives a 0.08" advantage over both the 6.5 RM and the 6.5-284 when loaded in a Short Action. The 0.265" neck and 30 degree shoulder are optimal for this cartridge.

The Hornady brass is very good with 100% being +/-1 grain of the 224.8 grain average weight. A slight neck turn, to 0.016", nearly cleans the necks up leaving a 0.296" neck diameter with bullet. I had Pacific Tool make me a reamer with a 0.301" neck diameter which allows for "no turn' or 0.005" clearance with necks turned. The reamer is cut to allow minimal case clearance and throated to allow the 140 Berger VLD to be seated near the lands with all of the bearing surface ahead of the neck/shoulder junction. This leaves a COL of about 3.04" which requires a long magnum action for the round to fit in the magazine or hand feeding in a short magnum action. I have not tried other bullets but Nosler Accubonds should work seated 0.030" back from the lands.

I am having Hornady Custom Dies made that will form new brass to minimal size and FL size brass back to new brass dimensions. This will eliminate the need to fire-form and allow the same load with fired brass as with new brass. As the chamber is cut with minimal clearance I expect no more than 0.001" case stretch per firing. Neck Sizing is an option but may not have any real advantage. I have a 20 caliber, called the 20 EXTREME, that I designed this way and it is awesome.

I have purchased a Rem 700, 300 Win Mag, with clip and B&C Medalist stock. The dummy rounds feed great from the clip but may be a bit tight with 3 and 1 in the chamber. Rounds feed good in Remington LA & SA Magnum actions but don't fare well in Winchester actions with push feed. Rounds will feed well in any action with single stack Magnum Length clips.

I have ordered a Kreiger, #5 Bull sporter barrel, 1-8 twist with 5R rifling. This barrel should fit nicely in the stock with minimal fitting. I will stick to a 26" barrel length which should be optimal for the 140 grain bullets with RL 22 at 95% case fill or slower powders like H1000, IMR 7828 and VV N165 with near 100% case fill. I expect to easily get 3200fps with the 140 VLD and one of these powders will surely shoot tight groups. I know a fellow that gets 1/3 MOA groups with RL 22 pushing the 140 VLD at 3240fps with his 26" barreled 6.5 Rem Mag in a long action rifle. His father in law is struggling to get good groups, without blowing primers, at 3100fps with his 6.5-300WSM. Imagine that with 10 grains more powder space????

Laverne
 
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