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Here's a good read…
https://www.ssusa.org/articles/2017/9/29/six-key-reasons-why-john-whidden-uses-243-win-for-long-range-shooting/

This is the drop chart with the load he's using…
http://www.shooterscalculator.com/ballistic-trajectory-chart.php?t=beb4df3f

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Thats does sound long…i'm thinking you would be touching the lands, and forsure will need to be single loaded…will not fit factory mag.

I was loading the Berger 80.5 full bore to 2.42″ and the Hornady 75gr Amax at a max length of 2.46″…
all with a modified magazine and or single loading.

Make up a dummy round and see if it chambers.

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Welcome to the Forum Pappy.

We've played around with the T3 varmint for some time now and can honestly say we have not noticed any accuracy improvement by trying to bed the action in the factory stock, aluminum pillar bedding seems to be all that is needed especially with a 223…and isn't too hard to do.  You can order manufactured pillars on the web or make your own…depends on your skill level. The factory stock actually resist flexing just as good as some aftermarket stocks and as held up well with the small 223 caliber.

On every T3 we have removed the stock pinch point (approximate 2″) in front of the action to fully free float the barrel.  Everyone debates this but I personally have found it is more accurate and consistent when bench shooting using a bipod.  Choice is yours after testing the rifle, but I have found this is really the biggest thing to pay attention to when accuracy shooting with these rifles in factory stock.

Check the barrel channel reinforcement wall they add at the front sling swivel…I normally remove this because some touch the barrel right from the factory but others have had good clearance.  Again this is debated but the radius wall serves no purpose other than to add support to the sling swivel stud.  Grind enough away so you have clearance.

Replacing the trigger guard with aftermarket metal does provide a more consistent base for repeatable torque setting.  Cheap upgrade to do and looks good…Mountain tactical's offerings are great and what I have on my rifles.

Few ammo choices for you to try:

Hornady 73gr ELDx Match
Hornady 75gr Grain BTHP
Nosler 69gr Custom Competition
Black Hills 75gr Heavy Match Hollow Point

If you handload I can send you a few LR recipes to try.
Let us know how you make out with breaking in the rifle and testing.

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I've had the same problem with all extended factory mags…I have 4 – 223 mags and they all have the same issue…

The feed lips start to expand and widen at the front allowing the case to tilt upward, changing the angle just enough so it can't be picked up properly…Only fix that i've found, but not permanent…is applying heat to the mag side walls with a heat gun… bring the feed lips back into correct position…Heat / clamp and let cool.  They will eventually expand again but it does work.

Tikka should fix this for what they are charging for factory mags.
Its a known common problem and why so many guys go to bottom metals and other mag systems.
This problem is not surfacing with any of the extended “aluminum” aftermarket mags.  Thats the best permanent solution.

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The adjustable riser is only offered on the T3 Tactical…not much work or effort to put an adjustable saddle riser though…

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I haven't done it but looking at the height of the factory rings you maybe able to use them with a “sporter”
barrel…but it will be tight, don't think it will work with a varmint profile barrel.
You will need to position the scope far enough forward so the 50mm objective bell is past where the barrel tapper / profile begins…thinking thats the only way it will work.

Might end up with a forward scope position with bad eye relief.
But worth a try for sure…let us know how you make out.

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If you have any Varget or IMR4166 on the shelf try 25-26grs with that projectile at max mag length…excellent combo.  The IMR will be slightly faster (approx 25-50fps) with all parts being equal.

Thanks for sharing the load data.

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Thats good advice on range with copper solids…anything further than 300yrds and they are pencil holes.

I shoot 180gr barnes TTSX (T3 Battue 308) when pushing bush, shots are close and devastating on anything inside 200yrds.
When I'm swamp / open field hunting I shoot 180gr Accubond or 200gr Eldx (T3 300wsm), shots are always 300+ yrds.  Dropped my whitetail buck at 558yrds this year.  It took 2 shots but thats another story that had nothing to do with ammo choice…it was buck fever and a terrible wind call on a moving animal.

Shoot placement is still key with anything but thats pretty much my setup for different hunting areas.

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I'd float it right to the action…especially when its a sporter or lite  barrelled rifle.  I get the best accuracy by doing this with my Tikka rifles, but a lot of debate on this.
I'd only consider adding bedding in front of the action if it was a long heavy barrel, that being said…I've actually never had to do it with any Tikka to date using varmint barrels.

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You are not the first person challenged with a Tikka 338…probably the worst combination for caliber versus rifle weight you can have…worst recoiling combo I have ever shot, period…kicks a bucks with a lot of muzzle jump…But the accuracy you describe does seem to be worst than you would think.

My buddy had the same gun but got rid of his after 1 hunt, due to the fact he almost broke his face when he had to do a fast shot that didn't have the gun shouldered properly, he went back to a 300win mag.
His 338 wasn't a tack driver by any means, but usually a 1″-2″ groupings.  2 shots would be close or touching and the 3rd about 1-2″ away, like a flyer…nothing pretty about it, and did not shoot any better with handholds or work on the stock. We ruled the barrel / gun wasn't capable of any better shooting. The combo just didn't produce results like other Tikka rifles we shoot,…nothing worst then a high recoiling rifle that doesn't shoot well…

If it was my gun and i was dead set on keeping it…The first thing I would do is install a muzzle break to see if it stabilizes the gun under recoil and improves groups with the same ammo you have tested.

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its used to attach a “mirage shield”….chances are you will never need it if you didn't know what it was.
Just remove and store it.

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Thanks for the review and video…I'm in the market for an aftermarket trigger so this was great.
Cheers.

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I've been shooting 30cal rifles and reloading for a few years and love my T3 – 308 and 300wsm rifles.
I would be confident going head to head with any 6.5 shooter with my 300wsm and a 200gr bullet out to 1000yrds…banging steel or shooting groups.  You just need to know your rifle and know how to make good accurate reloads.

BUT…True fact…You can't beat the ballistics of the 120-140gr bullets now being offered and like guys have mentioned, the recoil is a joy to shoot for a gun that performs so well.

My advice, if you have a favourite 30cal and “you” and the gun shoot well, unless you are shooting beyond 750-1000 yrds its all you need if you know what you are doing.  If you have the urge to stretch that out then
a 6.5 will serve you well and you will agree after shooting it that it is a superior cartridge.

FYI…my next rifle will be a 260…its a “want” not a need.
Its the perfect cartridge for me, for both hunting and target shooting, or so I've convinced myself ;)…1 more gun in the safe is always better!

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FINALLY, someone doing all the right stuff, and can talk about particulars…
I'm confident you will figure it out.

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I'm asssuming you guys are measuring speeds with a crono?  To get SD and ES results.
I've had loads that were crazy accurate when shooting 100yrd groups but after getting speed data realized they sucked for long range.

I've also had a similar situation to what you are experiencing with my 308 CTR / Vortex HSLR (1 click = 1/2″ @ 100yrds) but the reverse.  I thought I had everything dialed in with everything for ballistics but gun was “low” out past 550-600yrds on moa targets.  I'd miss just below or catch the bottom of the target, a couple inch difference progressively getting worse the further I would shoot.

I had speed data, good accurate load worked up but my gun would not match drop charts out past 600yrds…but was dead on with a 100yrd zero… or so I thought.  I had the scope checked by Vortex and no issues.  I ended up re-zeroing the gun perfectly @ 300yrds. What I realized was I wasn't “perfectly” dialed in at 100yrds and 200yrd – 300yrd tuning cured the issue. 

Try re-zeroing your rifle at 200 or 300 yrds to match you scope data.  You POI might shift ever so slightly at 100yrds but it may mean the difference out past 600yrds on hitting moa target.