Are magnum Tikkas really at a disadvantage?

[grfox92]

So the consensus is Magnum Tikkas are not a reloaders rifle.

My buddy has a 300wm Ember and it's shot some pretty impressive groups with various factory Elds.

Max COAL for a Tikka is 3.34 as I understand it. I'm interested in 7RM shooting 180 ELDM for elk. The book COAL for that bullet is 3.290 is there a lot being left on the table there? Will it prevent me from grouping well at long rang by not being able to seat further out? How much furthered out than 3.34 could I really go with a 7mm RM?

I'm really not interested in a rifle other than Tikka at this point and trying to make something work. I already have medium calibers covered so please don't suggest just getting a 6.5cm. 300WSM brass is unobtainable and I'm not interested in chasing it if and when it does become available.

Thanks,

Gary

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[Nbowlin]

Run it.
A factory loaded 7 mag has killed plenty of stuff from plenty far away. You could also have the factory barrel +P'd for a little extra juice if you are going to load your own and think you need/want it.

 

[kpk]

Problem with Tikka and the heavy bullets is the slower twist rates. You may or may not be able to stabilize the 180s as that's getting up there. All you can do is load them to mag length and see how they shoot.

I shoot a 7mm RM superlite and settled on the 160 Accubonds for everything, but the 160/162 Hornadys shot very well too. I've not tried heavier.

 

[hereinaz]

How far do you want to kill?

Factory barrel twist rate and max COAL are the “issues” with Tikka, because they can limit the high BC bullets that are longer. They really aren’t going to limit the vast majority of people.

You can run the lighter class of bullets in the 160-168 grain range and get effective performance out past 700. My buddy runs the 168s out of his Savage ultralight .280 AI and has taken elk at 600+ yards at 7000+ feet elevation. He ran the Hornady factory ELDX load and took one at 600+ this year.

The 7 rm will do that and have extra left in the tank.

 

[Desk Jockey]

If you can live with the COAL limit and twist rate, it is a lot of fun for the money. You can get something different and arguably better, but not likely in the same price range. I am not much of a reloaded so I hunt mostly factory ammo. My 300 WM tikka shoots better than I do and plenty good at the 400 yards or so that I am going to poke at a critter.

 

[sndmn11]

300 WSM -

ADG 300 WSM brass was designed not only for consistency, but for durability. Premium quality, the very best brass made in the USA!

jaoutdoors.com

https://www.unknownmunitions.com/product/adg-brass/

I think you'd be fine with any of the three cartridges you mentioned. I've loaded for 300wsm quite a bit and prefer it over the other 30 magnums I've loaded for friends due to powder selection. You could very easily send a 180eh at 3100fps from a 300wsm using 6.5 Staball.

 

[grfox92]

How far do you want to kill?

Factory barrel twist rate and max COAL are the “issues” with Tikka, because they can limit the high BC bullets that are longer. They really aren’t going to limit the vast majority of people.

You can run the lighter class of bullets in the 160-168 grain range and get effective performance out past 700. My buddy runs the 168s out of his Savage ultralight .280 AI and has taken elk at 600+ yards at 7000+ feet elevation. He ran the Hornady factory ELDX load and took one at 600+ this year.

The 7 rm will do that and have extra left in the tank.

So I never thought I would want or need a magnum until this year. So far most of my hunting in WY it seemed like 500 yards would have been my max.

This was my first year hunting cow elk late season and laying prone on a ridge with my .308 with a capped turret 4.5-14x and 300+ elk at 680 yards with no wind and all the time in the world to set up for a shot changed my mind.

I load 162 ELDM for my 7mm08. I should have plenty of room to seat further out with that bullet if the Tikka doesn't stabilize the 180s. My longer term plan down the road will be to screw a 7SAUM prefit on there, but that could be years and my mi d changes as fast as diapers so who knows.

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[hereinaz]

Seems like the minds of hunters can be changed by a situation where time and opportunity would would make it a suitable choice. Especially when you know that the gear is there. I would have no problem running a 6.5 PRC for that.

The 7 saum would also be a good choice for that, I love my 7 SS running 180 VLD at 3000+ fps. It has taken elk at 1000 yards. A factory 7 can come close.

 

[NickT406]

I ran the numbers on Hornady bc calculator comparing my 7prc shooting Factory 180 eldm and my 20" barrel Tikka 7 rem mag shooting 162 eldm hand loads.
I was within 20 fps and 80 ft lbs of energy at 800 yards.
I wanted to shoot the 180's but the 162's loaded at mag length shoot great out of my Tikka and I don't feel like I'm giving up much.

 

[Mulyhuntr]

Tikka won't stabilize a 180. 162s work great in them though. A 7mag won't do anything more than your 6.5 creedmoor will, except punch you in the shoulder harder.

 

[Castle Rock]

Tikka won't stabilize a 180. 162s work great in them though. A 7mag won't do anything more than your 6.5 creedmoor will, except punch you in the shoulder harder.

Actually it certainly will, the 6.5 creedmoor has a very curved trajectory with the heavier bullets necessitating very accurate distance compensation, not so the 162 out of a 7 mm magnum

 

[Mulyhuntr]

Actually it certainly will, the 6.5 creedmoor has a very curved trajectory with the heavier bullets necessitating very accurate distance compensation, not so the 162 out of a 7 mm magnum

Well the "curved trajectory" of the creedmoor must work better because I'm definitely more accurate with it at all ranges and it kills as good as my old 7mag ever did. Will be stepping down to my less curved 243 next year and expect similar results to both 6.5 and 7rm.