Tikka 300 Win Mag

[Rooggvc]

New to the forum. You guys have helped me make alot of decisions over the years by reading this forum. I figured it was time to join and start contributing.

I am looking at picking up a Tikka 300 Win Mag barrel. I was wondering what are the heaviest Berger bullets that you have gotten to feed reliably through the factory Tikka Mags? I am not interested in single feeding, and I don't want to switch to a different bottom metal / magazine.

 

[Rooggvc]

Got discussing this again with a friend who is thinking about building a Semi-Custom 300 Win Mag on a Tikka action. Still wondering how heavy a bullet people are shooting through the factory magazines.

 

[InkedElkSlayer]

I’ll help you get this on top again…

I know it’s Sako vs Tikka, but we shoot Berger 215s out of my wife’s Sako 85 300WM. They are seated 25 thousands deeper than my 300WM. Incredibly accurate.

The guy that built our rifles commonly uses Tikka actions in 300WM.

 

[Jr4]

I run Nosler LRAB210 in my tikka at mag length, shoots great

 

[Harvey_NW]

For reference, the COAL on the 180gr Elite Hunter factory ammo is 3.43", Tikka LA mag length is 3.34". I wouldn't waste the time, money, or frustration on trying to build a 300WM on a Tikka action if your goal is to shoot Bergers with optimal ballistics. If you don't care about jump or velocity then continue mission.

 

[ID_Matt]

If you want a 30 cal in a tikka, I would push you towards a 300 WSM. You can do it with a win mag but I think you'll be limited to 180's.

 

[Shimmybro3]

go WSM for sure if you want a 30cal tikka.

my 300wsm would run 2925 with 200gr eldx with RL26

 

[Rooggvc]

Have any of you guys had any feeding issue with the 300 WSM from a Tikka? I have read on some forums that the WSM's don't always feed smoothly.

 

[J&A Outdoors]

LOTS of our customers run the factory hornady precision hunter 200 gr. ELDX ammunition out of the factory tikka 300's with great success.

 

[Gila]

All factory 300 win mag ammo is SAAMI COAL at 3.34”. So, yes any factory ammo will fit a Tikka mag. But, another thing is twist. Some models of the Tikka T3X just last spring went from a 1:11 to a 1:10“ twist. I bought one. So if the barrel that you have is a factory barrel older than a year, you probably have a 1:11” twist. Sako uses a 1:11” twist for all of their 300 win mag barrels from what I have seen. Tikka does not make a factory barrel for a 300 WSM in a 1:10” twist.

I don’t know what the throat is like on my barrel yet. I am shooting 180gr ABs and they are very accurate. I do want to handload some heavies. I would like to try 215 Berger’s, 212gr ELD-x, and up to 220gr. I would like to play around with seating depth to reduce jump. The only way I can do that is to replace the bottom metal and run longer mags. There are two solutions that I know of right now: Red Snake is 3.5 inch max OAL mag and Mountain Tactical with a 3.6“ OAL mag. I went with Red Snake because i wanted a drop in solution and didn’t want to do any mods To the action or stock.

You could run a 300 WSM but you will need to order a custom barrel with a 1:9” or 1:10” twist. I just picked up a press and some dies yesterday, so all this headspace, jump stuff is on my horizon.

 

[Balderdash]

If you want to use a Tikka for magnum cartridges stuffed with long and heavies that you don't want to keep at SAAMI length, your best option is really to switch over to Atlas or MT bottom metal for full length AICS mags. With a notch in the action, you can reliably feed 3.6 out of them. The 3-5 shot magazines carry well in a hunting rifle.

Of course, if you're not going to get a barrel twisted and throated for long and heavies, then just feed it with the Hornady Precision Hunter 180's and be done with it. The several Tikka 300 mags I've messed around with absolutely loved that ammo. With either 1:10 or 1:11, the 200's never shot quite as well for me. Ballistically, they don't really add much over the 180's until you get further than 600 yds or so, anyway.

IIRC, the MT Billit mag will grant slightly more COAL over a factory magazine - Like 3.4. I'm running an MT Billit mag in a 300WM that cuts tiny groups with a number of factory ammo offerings, so I haven't messed around with loading for it or switching the metal and mags over to accommodate a longer cartridge.

 

[Harvey_NW]

If you want to use a Tikka for magnum cartridges stuffed with long and heavies that you don't want to keep at SAAMI length, your best option is really to switch over to Atlas or MT bottom metal for full length AICS mags. With a notch in the action, you can reliably feed 3.6 out of them. The 3-5 shot magazines carry well in a hunting rifle.

What brand of mag is 3.6" and works in an AICS bottom metal? Pmag is 3.5" and accuratemags shortest is 3.715" so that still allows the tip to hang up if a round scoots forward in the mag.

 

[Quicksilver]

Tikka actions are more medium actions, and having gone down the same road you are thinking of I would never build a 300wm on a tikka action again. I was able to settle on a mag fed load but is nowhere near what I wanted to do with the rifle. Short mags are where the tikkas shine. Still enough mag length to load the heavy bullets up when you run custom barrels and whatnot, but you aren’t paying the $$$ for something like a defiance XM to get the same thing basically. 300wsm, 7 saum, 6.5 prc are the calibers I’d target with a tikka action. Building a 7 saum on one now and will probably get a 6.5 prc barrel for it also.

To answer your question, the Berger 205 elite hunters say they are good for a 1:11 twist. The 200 eldx is also a good choice to run. That’s as heavy as you’re going to get in the factory barrel.

I’ve done 200 eldx with h1000 powder in a compressed load with good results in a tikka. Like JA Outdoors mentioned though the factory Hornady 200eldx ammo is also a quality ammo to use and typically yields good results.

 

[Balderdash]

What brand of mag is 3.6" and works in an AICS bottom metal? Pmag is 3.5" and accuratemags shortest is 3.715" so that still allows the tip to hang up if a round scoots forward in the mag.

Accurate-Mag AICS Pattern Single Stack Magazine, 300 Win Mag 3 Round, 3.715" Length.

Check out the deal on Accurate-Mag AICS Pattern Single Stack Magazine, 300 Win Mag 3 Round, 3.715" Length. at MGW

www.midwestgunworks.com

Tikka T3/T3x Gen2 Long Action AICS Bottom Metal - MOUNTAIN TACTICAL®

Patent Pending

tikkaperformance.com

Atlasworxs Bottom Metal / DBM (AICS) – Tikka T3/T3X Long Action – Atlasworxs

atlasworxs.com

If you want to run 3.7 AICS mags you'll also need to trim the trigger group, install a stop that allows a longer bolt throw, and carve a notch out in the bottom of the action. But, none of it is that difficult or expensive to have done. Considering the upgrades a Tikka has over a 700 or 700 clones, it's well worth the trouble to me.

 

[Gila]

I run 3.715” AICS mags and did no modications to the rifle. I have only run factory ammo through but I should be able to put in a max OAL of 3.52. Pmags (polymer) don’t work and the mags with plastic followers suck swamp water. I went with Red Snake bottom metal and have no regrets.

The Tikka is accuarate out of the box with 1” guaranteed. They are not terribly finicky about ammo. But every rifle seems different. I have not measured the throat on my 1:10” barrel yet but it is extremely accurate with Nosler Trophy 180 gr Accubonds. I think the jump will end up being more of a limiting factor than mag length as far as seating depth is concerned.

But the bottom line to answer OP’s question about the Bergers: If the barrel has a 1:10” twist you can stabilze the 205 gr hunter but if the barrel is 1:11” then limited to 190gr hunter as far as optimal stabilization is concerned. If you hand load I don’t think you would even need to run a compressed load to get the velocity for the 205gr hunter. I have a Tikka mag for a .270 win and a 300 win mag, both are the same length and there is some room there for a longer 300 win mag cartridge. You could check with a dummy round to see if the round that you want to load up will feed properly. I am sure Berger has run into the Tikka mag length issue before. I would give them a call to be sure.

The Tikka action is a standard long action but not a magnum action. The 300 WSMs will have a bolt stop installed to cycle a shorter cartridge. A 30 Nosler is ok, but a 300 RUM no way....

 

[Quicksilver]

Says 1:11 on the box

 

[Gila]

Run it through Berger’s twist calculator and you will find the the 1:11” twist is on the threshold of a dream for the 205gr elite hunter. The reason that Tikka has finally gone to a 1:10” twist on their 300 win mags is because 200 or heavier grain long, sleek, bullets that have a much higher BC will stabilize.

 

[Harvey_NW]

I run 3.715” AICS mags and did no modications to the rifle. I have only run factory ammo through but I should be able to put in a max OAL of 3.52. Pmags (polymer) don’t work and the mags with plastic followers suck swamp water. I went with Red Snake bottom metal and have no regrets.

No regrets til you have a round scoot forward in the mag and hang up on the edge of the action port in a reload situation.. I dumped the money into a Red Snake/Accuratemag setup for a Tikka years ago when it was still advertised as a "drop in kit" and instantly realized it was a recipe for disaster unless modified by a smith, as mentioned above. I hope you never have any problems but math doesn't lie, 3.715 - 3.52 = .192" of action overhang no matter which way you spin it.

 

[amassi]

Have any of you guys had any feeding issue with the 300 WSM from a Tikka? I have read on some forums that the WSM's don't always feed smoothly.

None at all
Feeding short mag issues come from staggered magazines typically
Tikka having a center feed mag feeds short mags perfectly

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

 

[Rooggvc]

Thanks for all your guys feed back. I think I have landed on a 300 WSM.