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Tikka T3 lite 300wm questions!
Hello everyone, hope all is well!!! Anybody have any loads for the TikkaT3 300wm they would like to share? Also found out Saturday when working up a load that I can't set the bullet as close to the rifling as I would like, If I do it will not fit in the magazine? 🙁 It has a long throat… Usually to get best accuracy you need to set the bullet 15-25thousandths off of rifling? I was wanting to shoot 180gr accubonds for bear hunting. But would like to find some loads you guys might have found shot good in your tikka 300wm? Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Also I like the looks of the B&C stocks for the tikka, I may be interested in one of those? How do you guys like yours (if you got one)? -
16 Replies
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Can't help with 300 loads, but I think somewhere on this site is a review on the B&C stocks. I think it's a mixed review, and in the last year I've heard more bad than good. Seems to be a well built stock, there just seems to be quite a bit of problems with the inletting.
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Can't help with 300 loads, but I think somewhere on this site is a review on the B&C stocks. I think it's a mixed review, and in the last year I've heard more bad than good. Seems to be a well built stock, there just seems to be quite a bit of problems with the inletting.
Thanks for the reply yukonal!!! I read a lot of reviews before I bought this Tikka and almost all of them were good. Didn't find this site till last night, and I must say I have run across snegativetive things? Stock not of good quality ( I'm sure or at least I thought I read before buying this that the barrel was floated? but mine is not pretty tight from the start then dead stop about four inches in frontreceiverever?) Would you recommend sanding the stock out and floating it all the way? I also read that the recoil lug was weak or needed to be glassed or something like that? lol, I read so much last night got me doubting my purchase… Is there any fix to getting a longer magazine so I can seat the bullets a little closer to the rifling? Sorry for all the questions! just trying to see what I may need to do to get the most accuracy out of this 300…
Anybody with suggestions please chime in!!! Thanks 🙂
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Bear-lots of questions to address. The 4″ ahead of the reciever is by design. I take off the stocks and sand the edges until my barrels are free floated up to the shank/reciever area.
The lug will hold up just fine. Don't doubt your purchase…Tikkas are the best factory rifles made…for the money.
The only fix for a longer seated bullet is a “long action” magazine, and replacing the bolt stop with a “long” bolt stop. Jason has these for sale here on the website.
On a medium…switched to a long…I have gained more than .100″ bullet seating depth with several rifles. Hope all this helps.
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Bear-lots of questions to address. The 4″ ahead of the reciever is by design. I take off the stocks and sand the edges until my barrels are free floated up to the shank/reciever area.
The lug will hold up just fine. Don't doubt your purchase…Tikkas are the best factory rifles made…for the money.
The only fix for a longer seated bullet is a “long action” magazine, and replacing the bolt stop with a “long” bolt stop. Jason has these for sale here on the website.
On a medium…switched to a long…I have gained more than .100″ bullet seating depth with several rifles. Hope all this helps.
Thanks yukonal!!! I appreciate your help 😉
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Well I have to say The Tikka 300wm shoots better than any 300 I've ever owned! BUT it shoots best about 10 thousandths of the rifling!!! Which it will not fit in my magazine >:( So I have to say I'm disappointed because of this. It's a shame you have to shoot it like a single shot, if I wanted a single shot I would have bought me a 300 barrel for my encore!!! If I had of known this I would have bought me a Remington… But I love the gun except for this one thing. I don't mind spending a little money for the better bolt shroud, and maybe a new stock but still I'm left with a single shot? So I'm thinking about selling or trading it? I'm a reloader so I will not be satisfied not being able to seat the bullets close to rifling and them not fitting in the magazine… unless I can accept it being a single shot! Got to put my thinking cap on :-
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Hey Bear,
Don't get discouraged. There should only two things currently limiting your COAL. First, check your bolt stop. IF the bolt opens far enough to accept and feed the longer COAL that you want… you don't need to do anything as far as that goes. Second, take a look at the magazines for the 300WM, 7Remmag and 338WM… or possibly the magazine for the 30-06. I'm not sure about how they will feed, but it may just be picking up another (different size magazine). Others may chime in with a solution.
I have 5 of the Tikka T3 Lites, (2) 223s, 243, 6.5×55 and the 300WSM. I have developed loads for all but the 300WSM that are 1/2 moa loads. The 300WSM has been hovering between 3/4 and MOA… but I haven't worked on it real hard. The only bullets that I have tried have been the 168 Amax and the 150 ballistic tips. So far, I've tried RL-17 and H4350. The H4350 has been winning in the accuracy department thus far.
I had a machinist modify a couple of 223 magazines so that I can fit the longer bullets. I can seat the 75 grain Amaxs right out there, and the bolt opens far enough to chamber the rounds.
I noticed the same problem with my 300WSM and the short mag length. Maybe when the weather warms up, I will get back to it.
That 300WSM is a pretty good thumper in a light weight rifle. I have a brake on it and the Deaccelerator pad… and she is still pretty snotty.
While I don't have a 300WM/7Rem/338WM to look at those mags, but I will take a look and see if one of the 300WSMs will fit in the 6.5×55 mag. Maybe someone here has one of the full lenth magnum magazines that they could see if the 300WSM will work with.
Have to say, the Tikka's are my favorite rifle… and that says a lot!
S/F
Mike
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Hey Bear,
Don't get discouraged. There should only two things currently limiting your COAL. First, check your bolt stop. IF the bolt opens far enough to accept and feed the longer COAL that you want… you don't need to do anything as far as that goes. Second, take a look at the magazines for the 300WM, 7Remmag and 338WM… or possibly the magazine for the 30-06. I'm not sure about how they will feed, but it may just be picking up another (different size magazine). Others may chime in with a solution.
I have 5 of the Tikka T3 Lites, (2) 223s, 243, 6.5×55 and the 300WSM. I have developed loads for all but the 300WSM that are 1/2 moa loads. The 300WSM has been hovering between 3/4 and MOA… but I haven't worked on it real hard. The only bullets that I have tried have been the 168 Amax and the 150 ballistic tips. So far, I've tried RL-17 and H4350. The H4350 has been winning in the accuracy department thus far.
I had a machinist modify a couple of 223 magazines so that I can fit the longer bullets. I can seat the 75 grain Amaxs right out there, and the bolt opens far enough to chamber the rounds.
I noticed the same problem with my 300WSM and the short mag length. Maybe when the weather warms up, I will get back to it.
That 300WSM is a pretty good thumper in a light weight rifle. I have a brake on it and the Deaccelerator pad… and she is still pretty snotty.
While I don't have a 300WM/7Rem/338WM to look at those mags, but I will take a look and see if one of the 300WSMs will fit in the 6.5×55 mag. Maybe someone here has one of the full lenth magnum magazines that they could see if the 300WSM will work with.
Have to say, the Tikka's are my favorite rifle… and that says a lot!
S/F
Mike
Thanks for all the info!!!
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I was going to sell it, But I got to thinking how good it shoots and how much I like it! I'm gonna keep it and hope somebody comes up with a solution for the COAL on the 300wm? I want to put it in a B&C stock and probably buy a new bolt shroud…
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Bear,
I'm an idiot… this is not the first time the old 300WM – 300WSM has bit me. I thought you were talking about the WSM. The comments that I made about the longer magazine and bolt stop become irrelivent, as you have and were asking questions about the 300WM. Should have given me a rap upside the head and told me to wake up.
Since you already have the longest magazine, there really aren't any longer factory mags to try. As well, the factory bolt stop is already allowing the bolt to be opened as far as it can.
So, that being the case… My other thought(s) in hopes of helping you think about a solution…
I am far from a ballistics engineer… or even a pretty smart guy. But from my experience and reading on the topics of precision handloading and shooting, here are a couple of things to throw around.
Seating depth is a function of barrel timing. Getting the bullet to leave the barrel when the harmonics are best. This “timing” can be changed based on powder type and charge weight. You may want to try seating the mag length and changing your charge weight to see if you can get it to tune in. If that doesn't work, maybe a powder change.
Another option is to take the rifle to a smith and have him take the barrel off, cut a thread or two length off the chamber end and re-chamber with a reamer with less free-bore. I would guess $125 job.
You may want to check out this website… some good info on the OCW concept if you haven't seen it before.
http://practicalrifler.fr.yuku.com/
Good Luck and sorry if I caused any confusion.
Mike
PS. Glad to hear you are going to hang onto that rifle.
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I knew what you was talking about, no problem 😉 About Gun Smith I have already called one and I know some others and none will touch a Tikka/Sako around here.. Remington country 🙁 Maybe I can find a Gun Smith somewhere fairly close that will do this?
Again Thanks for all the help, and if you think of anything else please let me know!!! -
I did find a sweet spot yesterday with my 300wm .401 3 shot group @ 100yds loaded where they will fit in the magazine ;D I will post a pic if I can figure out how? lol
I added attachment for pic. Can't figure out how to just post the pic!!! :-[
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Bear,
Congrats on finding a mag length load that shoots well!
Now just to prove it consistant and go hunting!
S/F
Mike
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Bear,
Congrats on finding a mag length load that shoots well!
Now just to prove it consistant and go hunting!
S/F
Mike
Thanks Mike, I shot some more today, same load two groups first two shots touching on both groups and the third shot 1 inch away on one group and 11/4 on the other group? I did let it cool some between shots, I just don't understand why the third shot flew out both times??? So my question is should I take the stock and have it free floated? I'm wandering if the pressure point when heated up after 2 shots would be causing this? Now when I said let it cool down I didn't wait 30 minutes like 5 minutes after first shot and 10 minutes after second shot.
BTW- I did shoot one other group with different powder and 3 shot group was 3/4 inch. But the groups above was same load as the one I posted last week. -
Here's the two groups I was talking about. Thoughts on floating stock?? Any suggestions anyone?
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Bump, for suggestions on free floating barrel? :-
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