Tikka T3 300 WM long action and COL limitation

steve-r

steve-r

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This is less of a reloading issue, more of a rifle upgrade question, but trying to reload a longer COL has uncovered the issue.
Picked up some 200 Eld-x to try in my son's T3 300 WInMag.
It loved a box of factory Precision Hunter we tried...our best 3 shot group 1 inch at 300 yds, so I want to try and duplicate with our own loads.
Measured the chamber and its 3.600" with Hornady's OAL gauge (average of 10 measurements).
Was hoping to load a bit closer to the lands, BUT, the Tikka stock magazine will only allow a maximum of 3.340". Its a hunting gun, so its gotta feed from the magazine.

I've read that there are some bolt-on aftermarket bottom metal upgrades and magazines that will allow a longer COL and still feed smoothly.....but looking at a few websites eg Mtn Tactical, its not clear they have a solution I can order. Another site says a new bottom metal is not exportable from the USA.
Has anyone successfully ordered and upgraded their long action Tikka Bottom metal and magazine to allow a longer COL? If so, where did you source from?
Thanks in advance!
 
You can get it to use ai 3,715 mags, but its a lot of work to get it to actually work and still limited. If you want to go that route, send me a pm. Can sell you my kit or help you to make one to fit.
 
Have you tried shooting them at magazine length? I like a long magazine as much or more than the next guy, but can't help noticing that those short box/long throated Tikkas and leap of faith Weatherbys have an annoying habit of shooting very well.

I had a T3 in .300 that couldn't get much of anything anywhere near the lands. Despite that, it shot so well that a good friend twisted my arm until I was forced to decide between selling it for way more than it was worth or going through life with a horrible disfiguring handicap. Those were the only two options. ;)
 
evansd said:
just remember that the hornady OAL measures to the ogive of the bullet not the tip
Click to expand...
Yes, it pushes the bullet until the ogive touches lands, locks, and then i measure with my gauge to the tip. Thats how i got the max COL of 3.600. So if i seat to 3.600, then i should be right on the lands. If i want to be .050 off the lands, then i seat to 3.550.

And yes, i get a different max COL if i measure with Barnes 200gr tsx flatbase.

Seating to max magazine deapth leaves me .260 off the lands, which is quite a jump.
 
I saw some posts in another forum about the AICS magazine, and there is a brief description on the Tikka Performance website for their upgraded bottom-metal, and they talk about engineering a bolton new bottommetal that is fit for AICS. Sounds like its not available yet. My preference is not to modify the stock if there is a solution that will bolt on. Thanks for the kind offer Dero!

Well the factory 200 eldx shot pretty well, and it was 3.340, so max mag length, so maybe i best leave well enough alone. Loading some now and will get back to the range in a couple days to see what happens.
 
Quick update after the range session. This T3 likes pretty much anything I fed it.
Tried 190gr LRABs at 2900fps seated to 3.335 and it was MOA at 300 yds.( max distance at Mission)
Tried 200gr Eld-x at various speeds, seated to 3.335, and at 2855 fps it also shot MOA to 300.
So while others guns Ive reloaded for required adjusting seating depth to tighten up the groups, this Tikka doesnt care about jump.
Other components included once fired Barnes and Hornady factory brass, Fed 215ms, and H1000.
Going to try some Barnes 200gr TSX FB next.
 
I will explain you something about throat jump. Some will say Sequents ogives like vld's are very sensitive to seating depth and jump. Well, its absolute bull####. They are actually sensitive to crooked chambers. When the chamber is machined perfectly alligned, and centeted, its fine. Gordy Gritter dit a lot of work to explain this. If What ever you try,works, dont try to fix a problem that dont exist
dero

BTW, my fathers wby has almos 3/8 jump with wby factory amo and its moa all the time.
 
There is no magic bullet jump to get good groups. As you've experienced, good accuracy can be had with massive jump. A friend has a T3 300wm and the 180gr Accubonds are 1/4" off and shoot great with RL22 and RL26
 
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