Tikka build: 6.8 Western/270 WSM/270 WBY/???

[270wsmnutt]

I have winter build project that I am in process of putting together. It starts with a Carbon Six 24", 1 in 7.5 twist barrel that is treaded for a Tikka action and currently chambered in 6.8 Western. I have been wanting a western for a while now but am wondering if I would be short changing myself with the length of the Tikka action since it would allow a longer cartridge for long/heavy bullets that I want to shoot ? So I have been thinking about having my smith chamber for 270 WSM or possibly 270 WBY and throat for 165 gr to 170 gr bullets. Any thoughts on this or should I just leave it as a 6.8 Western? Looking at prone style light weight stock (Mesa, Stocky's, etc) at this time to make a light weight/long range hammer.

 

[B23]

Are you shooting factory ammo or reloading your own?

If you're shooting factory ammo and you want to shoot those bullet weights the 6.8 Western may be your only real choice because I'm not sure you can get factory ammo in any of the other 270's with those bullet weights.

If you reload, then I'd consider necking down the new 7 PRC case to .277 and making a 270-7PRC. Once they become available you can use 7PRC bushing die set.

Nothing wrong with any of your choices I just like the case design of the 7PRC better than those others and I'm no particular fan of belted cases.

IMO, a necked down 7PRC case to 270 shooting something like the 170 Berger would be a great all around shoot about anything you want with it North American hunting rifle.

 

[amassi]

Cross of the wby and 7mm prc case from your tikka action. Both will be over length with 165-175 class bullets

Also unless you have a barrels worth of 270 bullets and brass I'd switch to a 6.5 or 7mm variant of a short mag or prc.

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[Gila]

The 6.8 western is a shortened 270 WSM case that has the shoulder angle changed. The Tikka action is a “standard” length action. Tikka puts a “short” bolt stop on the actions to accomodate short action cartridges. All that does is limit bolt travel. For the 6.8 Western you will need a “long” bolt stop. It is really easy to change them out. Takes about a minute and no tools required. BrownELLS has them and you can get a SS one from Mountain Tactical. They are fairly cheap too. You will also need a “long” tikka magazine.

As far as the throat is concerned, the 6.8 West was designed to shoot the heavies so the standard reamer may have a long enough throat...new ground here. But you should be able to get a GAP reamer.

 

[Gila]

Cross of the wby and 7mm prc case from your tikka action. Both will be over length with 165-175 class bullets

Also unless you have a barrels worth of 270 bullets and brass I'd switch to a 6.5 or 7mm variant of a short mag or prc.

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The magazine limits to 3.34 COAL. You will be fine with a 6.8 Western. The coal for the 6.8 Western is about 2.9 and some change. With a long throat the different seating depths could put you past 3” COAL which will be fine for the “long” Tikka mags.

 

[Gila]

Forgot to mention....if you are buying a rifle for the T3x donor action, buy a 300 win mag and you will be ready to rock “n” roll. The bolt stop, bolt face and magazine will work for the 6.8 Western.

 

[B23]

A 270-7PRC even with the long 170 Berger would easily fit in a factory stock Tikka long action mag. The 270 Weatherby case is quite a bit longer and would still work but the bullet would have to be seated deeper in the case and eat up a little case capacity but I doubt it would change velocity very much.

If you're a reloader IMO for a Tikka build necking down the new 7PRC case to 270 would be the perfect fit.

 

[270wsmnutt]

Sorry I did forget to say that I will be re-loading and have my eye on a 300 win mag T3x for a donor. I had not thought about necking down the 7 PRC, that does sound like something to look into. Will need to do some research, but would say brass for the 7 PRC would be harder to find than the 6.8 western or 270 wsm (already have quite a few of the wsm's already). Thanks to all for the input.

 

[B23]

Sorry I did forget to say that I will be re-loading and have my eye on a 300 win mag T3x for a donor. I had not thought about necking down the 7 PRC, that does sound like something to look into. Will need to do some research, but would say brass for the 7 PRC would be harder to find than the 6.8 western or 270 wsm (already have quite a few of the wsm's already). Thanks to all for the input.

If you ever think a 270 Wby is what you want get ahold of me because I think I've got 4-5 boxes of new unprimed 270 Wby brass sitting on the shelf still.

 

[amassi]

A 270-7PRC even with the long 170 Berger would easily fit in a factory stock Tikka long action mag. The 270 Weatherby case is quite a bit longer and would still work but the bullet would have to be seated deeper in the case and eat up a little case capacity but I doubt it would change velocity very much.

If you're a reloader IMO for a Tikka build necking down the new 7PRC case to 270 would be the perfect fit.

The 7prc and 180-195 is 3.4-3.5" and won't fit in a factory mag. The 270 prc would be closer to 3.5"

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[B23]

The 7prc and 180-195 is 3.4-3.5" and won't fit in a factory mag. The 270 prc would be closer to 3.5"

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That's because you're basing that OAL off of the very long SAAMI freebore of the 7PRC. Since this would be a wildcat cartridge a person can spec whatever length freebore they wanted. I think the SAAMI spec 7PRC is something like .230 FB, that's pretty long.

For reference, my 7 Blaser, which is a near twin to the 7PRC, has about .130 FB. With a Berger 180 Hunt VLD 3.265 is touching and that leaves about .316 of bullet shank in the neck and the 7 Blaser is a slightly longer case than is the 7PRC.

If you went by the old standard of the bullets diameter worth of shank in the neck to set your FB that would leave you with an OAL well under 3.30 with Berger 170's in a 270-7PRC wildcat.

 

[amassi]

That's because you're basing that OAL off of the very long SAAMI freebore of the 7PRC. Since this would be a wildcat cartridge a person can spec whatever length freebore they wanted. I think the SAAMI spec 7PRC is something like .230 FB, that's pretty long.

For reference, my 7 Blaser, which is a near twin to the 7PRC, has about .130 FB. With a Berger 180 Hunt VLD 3.265 is touching and that leaves about .316 of bullet shank in the neck and the 7 Blaser is a slightly longer case than is the 7PRC.

If you went by the old standard of the bullets diameter worth of shank in the neck to set your FB that would leave you with an OAL well under 3.30 with Berger 170's in a 270-7PRC wildcat.

No that's based off of seating the bullets where they should be seated in the case. Long case, long bullet no worky in tikk magazine.

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[willfrye027]

The easiest thing to do would be get a long action magnum tikka donor and screw on the prefit you already have. Shoot the new Berger EOL. Unless you are really looking for a slight edge in performance which will probably be negligible, rechambering, wildcatting, etc may be fun but is unnecessary. Have not looked hard at this combo but seems like the western case with the new long heavies is a great match in the tikka.

.339 g7 on the 170 EOL is going to serve you very well!!

 

[270wsmnutt]

Got a decent deal on a 300 T3x stainless for a donor and still looking for lightweight/prone style stock (may just order the 23 oz Stocky's and wait it out). Talked to my gunsmith today about what he thought and said it was really a toss up. He could throat out the 270 WSM for heavy's so that they would fit in the standard long/magnum Tikka magazine or he said he had built one 6.8 Western was fairly impressed with it but to check on availability of brass for whatever I decide. I have 270 WSM brass and dies, not having much luck finding 6.8 Western so that may be the way I gun. Really probably trying to spit hairs as far as performance goes on deer sized game or steel targets anyway...