Reloading Tikka 30-60 and 300 WM

[Packmansion]

Hi all, I am new to reloading I have a Tikka 30-06 and 300wm. Just realized all the oal issues of the Tikkas. I was wondering if folks who have experience can guide me on expectations. I've tried to do as much forum searching as possible. Can anyone explain how much I will be limited. Personally I am looking to launch up to 220s out of my 300wm and I'll probably stick to 180 for my 30-06. My 06 is 1:11 (Tikka omg why) but my 300wm is 1:10. I am thinking about rebarreling the 06 at some point but now I'm thinking I should stop investing in tikkas due to oal issues. I am pretty bumbed about this finding as when I bought my Tikkas I thought this is it. These are the guns I will use forever. Now I'm thinking should I look into getting a Christensen mesa in 300wm and move on and take the loss getting rid of my Tikkas. I love the Tikka actions, I have used an r700 action and it's bolt throw is so high and it's rough as a mofo. So I'm hesitant to get a CA. Need advice on my future plans. Do I invest in my Tikkas or should I just start over?

 

[Justin Crossley]

Sell me your Tikka actions....

If you keep the factory magazines, your COAL will be about 3.34" or so. There are aftermarket bottom metal/magazine options that will give you longer COAL.

 

[Justin Crossley]

This is what I would actually do if I was in your shoes. Sell the 30-06 to fund a rebuild of the 300 win mag.

Build a 300 WSM and you're set. I shoot Berger 215's out of mine at about 2950 with a 24" barrel.

 

[Packmansion]

This is what I would actually do if I was in your shoes. Sell the 30-06 to fund a rebuild of the 300 win mag.

Build a 300 WSM and you're set. I shoot Berger 215's out of mine at about 2950 with a 24" barrel.

Redsnake sells a bottom metal that increases the bullet OAL to 3.5". I am going to measure my throat and see if that will give me all I need. I hope 3.5" gets me all I need. If I rebarrel the 300wm to WSM can I just use my LA and LA mags? I imagine 3.34" is plenty of room for a WSM my only concern would be reliable feeding.

 

[Gorp2007]

I'd try SAAMI COAL reloads before you start buying aftermarket bottom metals. I know some guys want to have the bullets jammed up close, but I've had great luck with my Tikka in 30-06 pushing 175 TMKs over H4350.

I realize most people on the internet can keep 0.5 MOA all day if they do their part, but that's ten shots with two different powder charges (0.5 grains apart) which is accurate enough to make me the limiting factor out to any range I'm going to be shooting at critters with my 30-06.

 

[Gila]

Sell me your Tikka actions....

If you keep the factory magazines, your COAL will be about 3.34" or so. There are aftermarket bottom metal/magazine options that will give you longer COAL.

You can buy after market bottom metal to run AICS mags if you want to keep the stock; otherwise you can dump the Tikka stock and drop the barreled action into a chassis. That will give you 3.5” OAL. The bottom metal and 2 AICS mags will set you back about $500 bones. The Chassis $700 or more. There is bottom metal to get another .1 inches but you will have to radically modify the action. I tried the AICS solution and it was ok at the range, but didn’t work out for me in the field. If you are intent on loading up VLDs which are very long bullets, then you are probably better off getting another rifle that can handle a longer COAL. I am loading up Accubonds, Gamechangers in my Tikka which are shorter, traditional OGIVE bullets.

 

[Gorp2007]

Should have asked this right off the bat, but what animals and ranges are you looking to use the rifle(s) for?

 

[nobody]

I'm thinking I should stop investing in tikkas due to oal issues.

Sell me your Tikka actions....

Next in line. Worthless piles of crap, Tikka's are. I'll take them off your hands and dispose of them properly. PM me and I'll tell you where to ship them.

Do I invest in my Tikkas or should I just start over?

In all seriousness, yes invest in them. But from the sounds of your post, you haven't even tried to load for them or shoot them as they currently stand. It sounds to me you're suffering from paralysis by analysis and getting hung up on the "what-ifs" based on internet hearsay. Tikka builds the finest factory rifle on the market right now, period. They're super smooth, known to be accurate, have fantastic aftermarket support, extremely high quality factory barrels, phenomenally tight tolerances, fantastic triggers, reliable feeding from their detachable magazines, I could go on. They do have some "weird" traits that the internet would have you believe are inherent design flaws (such as their twist rates or their short OAL because of their magazines), but in shooting and actual usage they typically don't end up being real problems. If they are, you can easily sell them to somebody as a build platform or build off them yourself.

My recommendation is to actually test them out. Adjust that trigger and take them to the range and SHOOT THEM. Pick up some Hornady Match or Precision Hunter ammo and try shooting for groups. That 300 WM will be a handful, but the -06 should be manageable. If you hate them, one of us will gladly take them off your hands and free you from your sorrows. I'd love to have that 30-06 to build me a 6.5x284 or a 25 creed...

 

[OG10]

I think @nobody has some very valid points, have you even fired the rifles ? What type of hunting are you going to be doing ? What factory loads have you tried in either rifle ?

 

[OG10]

Oh 175 smk have worked very well in all 3 of my tikka t3s In 308 win and 30-06.

 

[Packmansion]

I think @nobody has some very valid points, have you even fired the rifles ? What type of hunting are you going to be doing ? What factory loads have you tried in either rifle ?

The 30-06 I have and it performs well my concern is inherent limitations on ammo. I originally bought the 30-06 as an all purpose gun but the 1:11 limited selection. My goal was to have a gun to shoot 150 for deer/antelope 180 for elk/bear and 200 for browns/moose. I was thinking about rebarreling to expand my load selection up to the 200 but decided I would grab the 300. Now I'm a bit frustrated with Tikkas quirks. They do shoot well but I'm looking for a gun to do all of the above. Seems like you actually have to look into Tikka as they really do things different. I was really lured in by their actions and I feel betrayed. The gun selection today is also frustrating, it's so hard to find a stainless gun that is threaded and chambered in 30-06 with a good action... As far as Tikka to buy a 30-06 you need to buy a 300wm and to get a 300wm I guess you need to get a 300 WSM.

 

[Packmansion]

Should have asked this right off the bat, but what animals and ranges are you looking to use the rifle(s) for?

Everything in North America. I think the 300wm will do it. I'm a bit bummed that I won't be able to shoot the newer 30 cal hybrids or LRXs. Im just so surprised a mfg would build a gun like this... Seems like a disclaimer is in order haha. They really do things their own way at Tikka. 1:11 twist magazines set for saami spec. Wild stuff.

 

[Gorp2007]

Just to clarify, they publish their barrel twist rates right out in the open for everyone to see.

Have you bothered to try any 200s out of the '06 to confirm your fears? Either way, I'll give you $500 sight unseen if it's blued and 600 if it's stainless.

 

[SDHNTR]

The gun selection today is also frustrating, it's so hard to find a stainless gun that is threaded and chambered in 30-06 with a good action...

not hard. https://www.winchesterguns.com/products/rifles/model-70/current/model-70-extreme-weather-mb.html

 

[Packmansion]

not hard. https://www.winchesterguns.com/products/rifles/model-70/current/model-70-extreme-weather-mb.html

That is not in stock. To be clear yes there are options but they are hard to come by and they represent a minority of the choices. Why anything is blued blows my mind. QPQ or stainless are all I will consider.

 

[Packmansion]

Just to clarify, they publish their barrel twist rates right out in the open for everyone to see.

Have you bothered to try any 200s out of the '06 to confirm your fears? Either way, I'll give you $500 sign unseen if it's blued and 600 if it's stainless.

Yes they do publish the twist but I purchased the gun assuming it would be typical 1:10. My mistake for not reading every spec. Their mistake for using incorrect twist for the 30-06. Sorry to offend any Tikka fan boys but 1:11 is the wrong twist for 30-06. Makes sense for 308, no need to even attempt slinging 200s out of a 308. But a 30-06? Just doesn't make sense. 200s don't stabilize in 1:11 in all conditions that I hunt in. Sure at 80 degrees it will work but it would not work later in the season with a cold snap. Temperature has a huge impact on stability. Luckily I can rechamber the 300wm in WSM and take advantage of unfettered access to all bullets. Glad they atleast chamber the 300wm in 1:10. Why anyone would chamber a 300wsm in 1:11 blows my mind. Id really like to understand what they are smoking over at Tikka. Must be some good stuff.

 

[nobody]

The 30-06 I have and it performs well my concern is inherent limitations on ammo. I originally bought the 30-06 as an all purpose gun but the 1:11 limited selection.

You say the twist limits selection, but does it? Have you even tried any heavier ammo through it? You seem to be hung up on theoreticals, does the 1:11 twist ACTUALLY limit your ammo use in ACTUAL use? Or is that what google told you? Seriously, test it before you send it down the road and write it off.

 

[Packmansion]

You say the twist limits selection, but does it? Have you even tried any heavier ammo through it? You seem to be hung up on theoreticals, does the 1:11 twist ACTUALLY limit your ammo use in ACTUAL use? Or is that what google told you? Seriously, test it before you send it down the road and write it off.

I know what you mean but Im basing this off of stability calcs. Stability depends on temperature and elevation. I can test it here now but that doesn't mean it will work when I need it.

 

[nobody]

I know what you mean but Im basing this off of stability calcs. Stability depends on temperature and elevation. I can test it here now but that doesn't mean it will work when I need it.

Totally understand the calcs, ballistics are ballistics though and all that even the best calculators can give you are theoretical values, whether that’s drop or wind drift or spin drift or stability, all values are theoretical until proven true. It’s up to us to validate the data in real life testing in field.

I had a coworker who handloaded 180 Berger VLD’s for his 7 mag. Can’t remember the twist rate, but according to Berger his gun wouldn’t stabilize them. Mathematically it shouldn’t have worked, no matter what. But the darn thing shot 5 round bugholes at every range he ever took it to, every elevation he ever shot at, in Mid-July or Mid-December, it didn’t matter. If he had listened to “the math” he would’ve sent the rifle down the road or settled on the 168’s, but he decided to test it out himself and voila, he’s a happy camper, he proved Berger wrong.

Don’t discount the Tikka. Ignore “the math” and test it out, you might be surprised.

 

[Packmansion]

Totally understand the calcs, ballistics are ballistics though and all that even the best calculators can give you are theoretical values, whether that’s drop or wind drift or spin drift or stability, all values are theoretical until proven true. It’s up to us to validate the data in real life testing in field.

I had a coworker who handloaded 180 Berger VLD’s for his 7 mag. Can’t remember the twist rate, but according to Berger his gun wouldn’t stabilize them. Mathematically it shouldn’t have worked, no matter what. But the darn thing shot 5 round bugholes at every range he ever took it to, every elevation he ever shot at, in Mid-July or Mid-December, it didn’t matter. If he had listened to “the math” he would’ve sent the rifle down the road or settled on the 168’s, but he decided to test it out himself and voila, he’s a happy camper, he proved Berger wrong.

Don’t discount the Tikka. Ignore “the math” and test it out, you might be surprised.

Ill give it a shot. I'll wait until we have some cold cold weather and take some 200 grains to the range. The other thing is that twist really helps with penetration. Extra twist has benefits. For accuracy in general slowest twist is best but for the field a faster twist in theory is better. I will give it a shot. Tikkas are very accurate and have ridiculously smooth action, they stand alone with that action. I really do think they could take over the market with an update on their twists and adding an extra .4 inches to the short and long action guns. Bullets are changing and people want to shoot further with less wind drift. I started with a Remington 700, my goal with the Tikka was to go to the next step and in alot of ways it is a much better gun but at the same time there are some boundaries that Tikka has. I was hoping to get something with no compromises. Just a bit frustrating. Would have loved to load some 220s in the 30-06 just for fun even though it would not have great ballistics. I'd love to understand why they are doing the 1:11 or why their actions are just a hair shorter than everyone else's.