Tikka Aftermarket mags - best for 350 Legend?

[glock24]

I'm interested in using Bear Creek Ballistic's 140g tipped 350 Legend ammo which has a COAL of 2.430". I believe this to be too long for the factory Tikka magazine.

Before I run out and get an extended COAL aftermarket magazine, I wanted to ask if there's a concensus on the best brand? I see these aftermarket magazines aren't exactly cheap.

Thanks in advance

 

[glock24]

Surely there is at least one opinion out there

 

[Q_Sertorius]

Check out Waters or NDR.

 

[Sarg]

Surely there is at least one opinion out there

The Tikka TX3 action is all one length - long with different bolt stops & different length blocks in the magazines as all long to, so it should be a very simple operation to take a small amount off the rear block ?

 

[Kauaihunter]

I’m not saying you won’t have misfeeds but I can feed 350 factory rounds from a factory Tikka M magazine.

 

[glock24]

I’m not saying you won’t have misfeeds but I can feed 350 factory rounds from a factory Tikka M magazine.

I'll give that a try. And do I assume I need a different bolt stop? Or does the short bolt stop work with both the 223 family and 308 family?

Thank you

 

[Kauaihunter]

I'll give that a try. And do I assume I need a different bolt stop? Or does the short bolt stop work with both the 223 family and 308 family?

Thank you

It works.

 

[Sarg]

I'll give that a try. And do I assume I need a different bolt stop? Or does the short bolt stop work with both the 223 family and 308 family?

Thank you

I don’t have a 223Rem Tikka here to test for sure but you could try, as said may well work but the issue with a 308 family of magazine is the feed lips should be a little large, if you just adjust that rear block in your mag you should get enough room ?

I use a WSM family mag on my .510WSM with the rear block removed, works fine with 650-750gr bullets but not with short as ,450gr 50/70 slugs.

 

[glock24]

I don’t have a 223Rem Tikka here to test for sure but you could try, as said may well work but the issue with a 308 family of magazine is the feed lips should be a little large, if you just adjust that rear block in your mag you should get enough room ?

I use a WSM family mag on my .510WSM with the rear block removed, works fine with 650-750gr bullets but not with short as ,450gr 50/70 slugs.

I like that idea, but I guess I haven't seen an easy to disassemble a factory magazine such that I can adjust the rear block. I'd like to get the bottom of the magazine off so I can run a file all the way down and across the face of the rear block.

 

[Sarg]

It’s no difficult to get the spring & follower out & slightly more to fit back in but any one with a very little ability should be able to do it.

Push the rear of the follower deeply into the magazine body (I used a small dowel but a chopstick or something) the nose tips up & then slides out ?

I have done this on all except the 223 mag as I don’t have one here to test, it isn’t the best design magazine & one of my gripes of the Tikka’s

 

[Sarg]

Sorry I missed one of your points, I haven’t taken the bottoms off, as you would know there are 4 push in plastic tabs on the side but I would be a little concerned that a fail may accrue if you take that route ?

 

[glock24]

Took a harder look at my Tikka S mag. Not only are the four bottom tabs designed to be nonservicable, but that rear block isn't really a block. It's a thin wall of plastic. Any attempt to alter the position of the wall results in it being destroyed.

I have a feeling I'm not the first person who has arrived at this conclusion. Tikka factory mags are no bueno in regard to COAL adjustment

 

[Kauaihunter]

Before you do any mag mods or purchases. Single feed some of the longer rounds and see if you actually like how they shoot.

 

[Sarg]

As said great idea, see if you like those loads or not & indeed if they chamber no problem ?

It isn’t difficult to adjust the mags but is it worth doing, that’s up to you, if you know someone who will let you try a M magazine that is also great, unfortunately I don’t have a S magazine here to try for you, I can next time I see my buddy who has a 222Rem, so will look out of interest.

I just checked & it is no problem to drop the bottom off also, just put the bottom part in a vise, padded if you like & slowly tighten, giving the top a left & it pops off easily.
My modified SM has the block removed & I haven’t bothered gluing a block back in but I might as I want to shoot some lighter/shorter bullets than the 650gr - 750gr pills .

 

[glock24]

Update 01-16-26

I wanted to share that I have confirmed both the Ascension Industries 223 extended COAL magazine, and the NDr Shooting Supplies 223 extended COAL magazine do not work with my extended COAL 350 Legend cartridges (2.430")

It appears that because of the extended COAL, AND the larger bullet diameter, the bullet nose reaches and begins sliding up the receiver's feedramp earlier in the bolt-closing process. This "premature slide up" in turn tilts the base of the cartridge downward, and the result is a bolt-over-base malfunction every time because the cartridge base slides underneath the bolt face.

The solution for this is a shorter magazine feed-lip design (front to rear dimension). Shorter feed lips allow the cartridge to release from the magazine earlier in the loading process. This allows the cartridge base to pop up and onto the bolt face reliably. I confirmed this by trimming a bit of feed-lip from my Ascension magazine with a razor blade, and test-cycling dozens of times. Slow, fast, first round, last round, etc. It works. I also contacted Ascension and discussed this possible design change in what I hope shall become a dedicated extended COAL magazine for the 350 Legend.

And in final news, I can now also confirm that feeding my extended COAL 350 Legend cartridges from a Tikka factory M (medium) magazine also works reliably. But as others have stated, the feed lip gap on that magazine is dangerously close to letting go of the cartridge body (due to the smaller diameter)

I'm hopeful the aftermarket industry realizes a dedicated 350 Legend magazine for the Tikka T3X is the proper solution.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

I'm hopeful the aftermarket industry realizes a dedicated 350 Legend magazine for the Tikka T3X is the proper solution.

I can likely dial something in. Would be best if I had some dummy rounds though. Anyone reloading 350 legend with these bullets that could make some dummy rounds? I can reach out to bear creek if needed but figured I'd ask the rokslide crowd.

Thread 'Tikka mags: Orange, 223, flush, etc. project / future product'

Sep 26, 2025

This project grew out of DIY tinkering but needed a spring source to really have traction. I have gotten a quote for having springs made and sent in a sample for final review before authorizing production. It requires a fairly large batch be made to offset the tool change fee. That combined with the realities of the printed material and post processing needed, to hold up on a hot dashboard for instance, the base that was likely to tinker with the project is pretty small. I'd like to recoup spring investment sooner than later and most folks can't or won't want to deal with printing these...

• pods8 (Rugged Stitching)
• Replies: 137
• Forum: Firearms

• 

 

[Sarg]

Update 01-16-26

I wanted to share that I have confirmed both the Ascension Industries 223 extended COAL magazine, and the NDr Shooting Supplies 223 extended COAL magazine do not work with my extended COAL 350 Legend cartridges (2.430")

It appears that because of the extended COAL, AND the larger bullet diameter, the bullet nose reaches and begins sliding up the receiver's feedramp earlier in the bolt-closing process. This "premature slide up" in turn tilts the base of the cartridge downward, and the result is a bolt-over-base malfunction every time because the cartridge base slides underneath the bolt face.

The solution for this is a shorter magazine feed-lip design (front to rear dimension). Shorter feed lips allow the cartridge to release from the magazine earlier in the loading process. This allows the cartridge base to pop up and onto the bolt face reliably. I confirmed this by trimming a bit of feed-lip from my Ascension magazine with a razor blade, and test-cycling dozens of times. Slow, fast, first round, last round, etc. It works. I also contacted Ascension and discussed this possible design change in what I hope shall become a dedicated extended COAL magazine for the 350 Legend.

And in final news, I can now also confirm that feeding my extended COAL 350 Legend cartridges from a Tikka factory M (medium) magazine also works reliably. But as others have stated, the feed lip gap on that magazine is dangerously close to letting go of the cartridge body (due to the smaller diameter)

I'm hopeful the aftermarket industry realizes a dedicated 350 Legend magazine for the Tikka T3X is the proper solution.

Thank you for reporting back on the out comes, very good of you !