Tikka 300WSM to 6.5PRC or other?

[wind gypsy]

How often do you shoot at 600+ yards during practice? 655 is honestly a chip shot for a 300wsm and a shooter that is comfortable and I’ll say qualified to make that shot.

Chip shot might be a bit much.

 

[KyleM4130]

Chip shot might be a bit much.

Says who?

 

[PredatorSlayer]

Chip shot might be a bit much.

Depends on the shooter

 

[JGRaider]

Depends on the shooter

Depends more on the wind.

 

[wind gypsy]

Says who?

On a range i frequent, I'd agree at 6-700 vital sized targets are pretty much chip shots. My experience has been in a new location, mountainous terrain, where you've not made that exact shot before, first bullet @ 655 yards can surprise me and isn't a chip shot.

 

[KyleM4130]

On a range i frequent, I'd agree at 6-700 vital sized targets are pretty much chip shots. My experience has been in a new location, mountainous terrain, where you've not made that exact shot before, first bullet @ 655 yards can surprise me and isn't a chip shot.

You disregarded the rest of the message that stated practice those shots and “validate dope.” As a hunter you’re never going to have a warm bore shot off the bat on an animal. So you practice that cold bore shot at different yardages and atmospheric conditions to gather that data and take that with you.

 

[SwiftShot]

The rifle is 1:11 twist. May not work with those.

Well the 200 grain is something you can stabilize.

 

[Outdoorsman12b]

I think I’ve got it in my head needing higher magnification to make a precision shot. It makes since the larger the FOV the better you will see your target through recoil. I’m definitely going to try this.

If you’re spotting half your impacts at 16 power going to 8 will probably just fix the other half. Could also try bumping down the grain to something in the 180 class to cut recoil a bit more. In the 600 yard range chasing super high BC won’t give you huge gains.

 

[Smenning]

If you’re spotting half your impacts at 16 power going to 8 will probably just fix the other half. Could also try bumping down the grain to something in the 180 class to cut recoil a bit more. In the 600 yard range chasing super high BC won’t give you huge gains.

This is true, I think lower magnification is going to be the fix. 6x SWFA on back order

 

[wind gypsy]

You disregarded the rest of the message that stated practice those shots and “validate dope.” As a hunter you’re never going to have a warm bore shot off the bat on an animal. So you practice that cold bore shot at different yardages and atmospheric conditions to gather that data and take that with you.

Maybe i disregarded "validating dope" based on atmospheric conditions because "dope" is pretty easy to gather and get adjusted at 600 yards based on DA (usually on board your rangefinder with calculator). Where i struggled getting truly proficient is with up/down drafts, quartering winds, etc in new terrain where you'd never been before and knowing how to read those conditions. Sure, i knew what a gun did on a flat range with light wind but then I'd come across a situation shooting in odd terrain and my elevation would be way off. It's one thing to collect "dope" on what happened in those conditions. It's another completely to understand exactly why it was off and be able to read the similar condition somewhere different and make the right call. It seems very few people have put themselves in enough different situations in broken hilly terrain to really be proficient in those conditions.

 

[trolson90]

That low?! That’s good to know, I’ll try that next time out.

Check out the Long Range Pursuit podcast on this topic. Episode 126. They echo what KyleM4130 is saying and provide a lot of experience and insight into why they rarely go above 10x magnification.

 

[Smenning]

Check out the Long Range Pursuit podcast on this topic. Episode 126. They echo what KyleM4130 is saying and provide a lot of experience and insight into why they rarely go above 10x magnification.

I will do, thanks!

 

[AkRyan]

Have you considered a new stock for your tikka? After I shaped stocks mine stays flat as can be after shot. I can spot my 300yrd shots off hand....just a thought

 

[BjornF16]

Have you considered a new stock for your tikka? After I shaped stocks mine stays flat as can be after shot. I can spot my 300yrd shots off hand....just a thought

What stock are you using?

 

[AkRyan]

What stock are you using?

The Altitude

 

[Balderdash]

I'm having a 300 WSM Tikka made into a 6.5 PRC right now. Rig is currently at the shop. I have a full length bolt stop in it and I feed it with MT long action mags.

It shot 200 ELD-X fine at sea level with the 1:11. Just rarely used it as I have several other 300's I like better for various reasons. Didn't have a 6.5 PRC, so thought I'd give one a try. Keeping it light. We'll see how I like it.

Overall, I consider myself more of a 7mm guy and have a couple, including a TIkka 7mm rem mag that has been modified for more COAL. I like the idea of a 7mm SAUM or WSM in a Tikka, as I think they are a great fit for short mag cartridges, but I also like chamberings for which good factory ammo is readily availble, as I like to pull the trigger and I don't always have time to reload. Thus, I figured I'd go 6.5 PRC.

When my 7mm rem mag Tikka needs a new barrel I'll likely go 7PRC and switch back to factory/MT length mags. Likewise, if Tikka chambers 7PRC, I'll pick one up.

 

[Smenning]

Check out the Long Range Pursuit podcast on this topic. Episode 126. They echo what KyleM4130 is saying and provide a lot of experience and insight into why they rarely go above 10x magnification.

Listened to this today, good recommendation! They definitely parrot a lot of what’s said here.

 

[Smenning]

Have you considered a new stock for your tikka? After I shaped stocks mine stays flat as can be after shot. I can spot my 300yrd shots off hand....just a thought

I have it in a roughtech stock, just ordered a vertical pistol girp for it yesterday. Trying to decide between the victor and mountain tactical cheek riser next.

 

[Balderdash]

Listened to this today, good recommendation! They definitely parrot a lot of what’s said here.

I didn't listen to the pod cast. But I have been a fan of using the lowest practical X for a shot for a long time. Low X helps you steady up and settle in much quicker for a shot, maintains large FOV to see hits and game reaction, and there's less chance that you'll loose out on a close up chip shot because your scope is cranked way up.

I used to have larger X scopes, but currently my highest X scopes top out at 18X, which they almost never see.

 

[AkRyan]

I recommend finding someone close to you with a aftermarket stock that you can shoot.