[J]

http://www.shoot-long.com/products/long-range-accessories/terminator-muzzle-brakes/

Made in NZ by Terminator Products. Good YouTube vids of their relative recoil reduction.

[J]

I mean that not many seem to have .300 Win Mags, that's all. Nothing to get excited or bent out of shape about.

[J]

You may find one with a shot out barrel that you can get cheap, or perhaps get one from an owner who can't cope with the recoil in the Lite configuration. My .300 Win Mag kicked like hell with the Lite barrel. With the Bartlein and a brake it's more like a .30-06 now.

[J]

Definitely better than last year if my local BassPro is anything to go by. 6.5 Creedmoor is certainly gaining ground, so your plan may pay off.

[J]

.284 Win is the answer to your problems.  You can load from 140 – 180 high BC bullets and easily see off any 30 cal bullet that can be launched from a .308. 6.5 Creedmoor or .260 Rem would be good options too.

Look at the BCs of 6.5 and 7mm bullets and run the numbers and you will see that they can outrun all of the .308 capable bullets, even at long range. For paper and steel that's fine, but for long range hunting I would want a 200+ grain 30 cal or a 162/168/180 grain 7mm bullet.

[J]

………… Just thought – you could go with a 7mm Rem Mag with the 180 VLDs too, or even more extreme with a faster twist and the 195 EOL Hybrids.

[J]

If you want a magnum you would be better off buying a new one in .300 WSM or the real deal .300 Win Mag.

I just had a .300 Win Mag T3 Lite rebarreled with a Bartlein light Palma, along with an integrated lug and brake. Still developing a load, but got a 4 shot .57 MOA group on steel at 335 yards a couple of weeks ago with 208 A-Max. If you are having a new barrel fitted, you can go for a longer OAL to get the most from the cartridge. Mine is cut for a 3.5″ OAL, which still allows me to extract loaded rounds, but is far too long for the mag, so I am single loading.

Happy to help if you would like some advice.

I will write up a report with pics sometime soon in case anyone else is thinking of something similar.

[J]

Form Creedmoor from .308 Lapua?

[J]

Guess everyone has .223s and 6.5×55 SE.

[J]

Hard to see clearly from your pics, but it looks like a piece has broken off where the bolt lugs lock. If so, that's a big problem and a real safety issue. I'd get a gunsmith to look at it before you even think about firing it again. I doubt it could be fixed, but you may have a case with Betetta (Tikka) for faulty goods and a replacement.

[J]

Yes, you do, but at only $600 it's not a bad deal at all. Most guys buy Remington actions for not much less then spend money having the action trued, bolt release fitted, Sako or M16 extractor, new stock, new barrel and new trigger.

I got a new T3, bedded it in a A3 stock, had a Bartlein barrel and an integrated recoil lug fitted, and it's shooting really well, with more load development to do. Chad at LRI who did my work says the actions are all true. So, you get a straight, smooth action, a great trigger and a good barrel for the same as Rem SPS, which has none of those things.

[J]

The folks associated with this forum offer the service you're looking for:
https://tikkaperformance.com/gunsmithing-services/tikka-barrel-work

I've also heard that Long Rifles Inc will work on Tikkas.
http://www.longriflesinc.com/barrelfit.html

LRI certainly do T3 work – I just had Chad fit a Bartlein light Palma barrel, recoil lug and brake to my .300 Win Mag. Shot a .2 MOA group with 208 A-Max this afternoon and a .570 MOA group on steel at 335 meters. The quality of the work is superb. Most rifle smiths seem to be shy of T3s, but Chad will tackle pretty much anything.

[J]

I will shortly when I have bedded it. Parts are:

LRI .3″ Rem style recoil lug.
Bartlein light Palma barrel chambered in .300 Win Mag.
Integrated LRI muzzle brake.
McMillan T3.
Mountain Tactical picatinny rail.
NF NXS 5.5-22×56.
Fluted bolt.
Lumley Arms bolt shroud.
210 Berger VLD.

…… and a Mountain Tactical 3.6″ dbm if they ever appear.

[J]

Barrel is back from LRI and is unmarked.

[J]

Fair enough, and I know exactly what you mean.