Tikka Performance Mountain Tactical replacement magazine wont accept 3.4" COAL Anybody have better success?

[steffen707]

I'm just running into all sorts of fun Tikka woes lately.

I decided after my AICS magazine issues I was just going to get a Mountain Tactical aluminum LA - Long Action factory replacement magazine. Their site lists 3.400" COAL with these! HOT DAMN! https://tikkaperformance.com/product/tikka-gen2-long-action-mag/

So I loaded up 5 rounds to 3.383-3.387" COAL and.......DRUM ROLL PLEASE..................the cartridges jam up and wont accept more than 1 cartridge in the magazine at a time.

I slid the 7RM case all the way back, this brass got jacked up by the AICS magazines.


And the 3.384" cartridge is too long. So there's absolutely no way 3.400" would fit.




Does anybody use these with 3.385-3.400" COAL? Can you post or PM me a photo of your magazine with a caliper measurement? I guess i'm sending this back and figuring out the feed lips on an AICS magazine. I was really hoping for the small stockish magazine....

 

[steffen707]

Anybody running this mag?

 

[sdupontjr]

Following. I haven't started yet on my 7 mag, but will be in the same boat.

 

[steffen707]

Following. I haven't started yet on my 7 mag, but will be in the same boat.

You've come to the right place my friend. I'll post photos after work, but here are the 3 things i've tried so far.

Don't attempt notching the front of the factory magazine like this. It wont work because the tip of the bullet comes into contact with the action and in most cases you cant even get the magazine to close.

Don't buy Red Snake Tactical bottom metal for AICS magazines or the Mountain Tactical bottom metal that doesn't allow full use of the magazine length. The Red Snake bottom metal is superb, it does allow you to use AICS magazines on a Tikka, but it will only work with 3.5" rounds AND depending on random chance, your cartridges may slide forward in the magazine as there is at least 0.1" of space from a 3.5" cartridge to the 3.6"+ depth of the magazine. If the cartridge slides forward (like when chambering your first round from the mag, if the top cartridge pushes the bottom cartridge forward), you get the same effect as my first photo. The bullet tip will hit the bottom of the action. STRIKE TWO! The photo below is what happens if the follower, or a cartridge is slid forward, it will actually strike the bottom of the action's ramp (whatever that's called). Only way to avoid this is to shave off some of that ramp, OR grind down the trigger, which I discuss a little later in cross-roads option 3.


Next I tried Tikka Performance Mountain tactical magazine for factory bottom metal. That's posted above and doesn't work as advertised, can't fit a 3.4" bullet into it. I've read somewhere else that a customer said you can only do 3.80" Well that's not much more than factory, and this mag was like $90 shipped. STRIKE THREE! BLAH.....


This was my cross-roads.

1. Do I stick with the 7mm Rem Mag in a Tikka and inefficiently load longer bullets like the Berger or ABLR deeper into the case to fit the factory magazine.
2. Do I switch to another caliber like the 7mm RSAUM which I can load with long bullets and still be shorter than the factory magazine. I'll need to buy a new magazine, blah.
3. Do I buy Mountain Tactical's aics bottom metal, trim off 0.040" off the front of the trigger (should be easy) to be able to use the full mag length of an AICS magazine, but still have to screw with feed lips and any new issue that comes up?

I'm thinking the factory magazine works like butter, so i'm going to have this barrel chambered in 7RSAUM even though I already have the AICS mags. My gun is primarily a hunting rifle, so reliability is of upmost importance. But i'm still flip/flopping on what to do.

 

[Mulyhuntr]

This is why if/when I rebarrel one of my tikkas it will be 7saum or 300wsm.

 

[steffen707]

This is why if/when I rebarrel one of my tikkas it will be 7saum or 300wsm.

I had also thought of doing a 7-270wsm or 7-300wsm in the tikka, but finding quality brass for 270wsm or 300wsm is harder than the 7saum.

so @Mulyhuntr, has your research lead you to the same conclusion, than the aftermarket magazine for tikka action just isn't worth the hassle?

 

[Mulyhuntr]

I had also thought of doing a 7-270wsm or 7-300wsm in the tikka, but finding quality brass for 270wsm or 300wsm is harder than the 7saum.

so @Mulyhuntr, has your research lead you to the same conclusion, than the aftermarket magazine for tikka action just isn't worth the hassle?

That's correct. Mines a sako 7rm to be exact and it shoots lights out loaded to mag length, but it still irks me that the round isn't "optimized" in terms of coal and capacity.

 

[steffen707]

That's correct. Mines a sako 7rm to be exact and it shoots lights out loaded to mag length, but it still irks me that the round isn't "optimized" in terms of coal and capacity.

Well its good to know my research and yours agree. Its a bummer I had to learn all these lessons the hard way, but now I know.

I love the Tikka action and trigger. Can lower weight of pull through magwell, got it down to 2lbs even, feels really nice.

My stock 7RM T3x also shoots very well, can easily tune for 1/2" MOA, but I want to really get the most FPS out of my setup for the 145 LRX bullets I want to use, also wanted the barrel shorter and threaded for suppressor.

But for a STOCK rifle, this Tikka rocks.

 

[sdupontjr]

That's my thinking as well. Just load it to mag length. But i have contemplated doing a 7 SAUM or 6.5 PRC but again, brass is like finding a unicorn and at the prices others are gouging at on gunbroker and elsewhere, I'll keep the damn thing stock for now until I decide.

 

[steffen707]

That's my thinking as well. Just load it to mag length. But i have contemplated doing a 7 SAUM or 6.5 PRC but again, brass is like finding a unicorn and at the prices others are gouging at on gunbroker and elsewhere, I'll keep the damn thing stock for now until I decide.

That's probably smart. I'm not going to chamber this barrel until I get my hands on 200rds of nice brass.

 

[steffen707]

I'm a spreadsheet nerd, but I never compared factory load data for 7saum vs 7rm, vs 7wsm.........................UNTIL TONIGHT.

I calculated the average of 150, 160, 175 bullets in each cartridge from Barnes and Nosler's loading data.



it feels like the 95.71% might be an anomaly, but this is looking like for about 10 grains less powder, you're sacrificing 0-4.3% muzzle velocity with a 7saum over a 7Rem Mag or a 7WSM? Other than lack of factory 7saum cartridges and the "you can find 7RM anywhere in the world" factor. I'd say 7saum is looking pretty good. Less powder and recoil. Oh, and if you are seating the 7saum bullets to max because you're using 3.4" Tikka mag you'll probably bet a bit more powder in the case.


Here's the full data

 

[amassi]

I'm a spreadsheet nerd, but I never compared factory load data for 7saum vs 7rm, vs 7wsm.........................UNTIL TONIGHT.

I calculated the average of 150, 160, 175 bullets in each cartridge from Barnes and Nosler's loading data.
View attachment 364599
View attachment 364601

it feels like the 95.71% might be an anomaly, but this is looking like for about 10 grains less powder, you're sacrificing 0-4.3% muzzle velocity with a 7saum over a 7Rem Mag or a 7WSM? Other than lack of factory 7saum cartridges and the "you can find 7RM anywhere in the world" factor. I'd say 7saum is looking pretty good. Less powder and recoil. Oh, and if you are seating the 7saum bullets to max because you're using 3.4" Tikka mag you'll probably bet a bit more powder in the case.


Here's the full data
View attachment 364602

Seems like an awful lot of work to drive the same bullet the same speed.
Forgive me if you answered it above but have you shot your ammo at mag length?
Do you need the extra length to get accuracy or trying to pump speed up?

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[sdupontjr]

Seems like an awful lot of work to drive the same bullet the same speed.
Forgive me if you answered it above but have you shot your ammo at mag length?
Do you need the extra length to get accuracy or trying to pump speed up?

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That's kinda where I'm at. I ve been using my tikka 308 so far and haven't had a chance to really shoot the 7 mag enough to tell. When the season is over, I plan on seeing what it can do. Even knowing that tikkas are considered "slower" than other barrels, I'd rather stack em in the same hole even if it means a little "slower" MVs. I have some 162 eldx's but wanted to try some 168 vld's, but again, no time with work and the rut coming up.

 

[steffen707]

Seems like an awful lot of work to drive the same bullet the same speed.
Forgive me if you answered it above but have you shot your ammo at mag length?
Do you need the extra length to get accuracy or trying to pump speed up?

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I have a stock Tikka T3x in 7RM that i've played around with, but i'm putting an 18" barrel on it, and want to pump up the speed as much as possible, because i want to use the 145gr Barnes LRX. I've tweaked some ballistics calculators online and think i need about 2850-2950 muzzle velocity to maintain above 2000fps at distance in order for the bullet to properly open up.

Sub 400yards will be no problem. 400-600yards i'm not sure. 500yards is probably my max shot i'd take, but i want a buffer of speed.

I'm thinking if I chamber for 7saum and it just doesn't work out velocity wise, I can always rechamber it for 7RM, 28 nosler, or 7PRC(if that comes out).

 

[steffen707]

@amassi and @sdupontjr, what seems like a lot of work?

The data gathering?
The magazine switching?
Switching calibers?

I enjoy the data gathering, so that's no big deal. I've already bought a new 18" proof CF barrel in .284. I was just trying to figure out how much loss in fps the 7saum would be. It appears the loss in fps is not that much and i can stay with factory magazines while still getting the most out of the bullet seating if I go 7saum.

 

[sdupontjr]

For me right now its just time. After hunting season I plan on getting back on it. What I would like is a short barrel SAUM or PRC that I can suppress, say 20" or less so when I put the ultra 7 on, its not extremely long. But I'm just still undecided. I bought this Tikka 7mag used with the intent of the action as a donor. I just haven't made up my mind yet what i want to do. Then again, I can get 7RM ammo at just about any hardware store if I'm in a pinch.

 

[steffen707]

For me right now its just time. After hunting season I plan on getting back on it. What I would like is a short barrel SAUM or PRC that I can suppress, say 20" or less so when I put the ultra 7 on, its not extremely long. But I'm just still undecided. I bought this Tikka 7mag used with the intent of the action as a donor. I just haven't made up my mind yet what i want to do. Then again, I can get 7RM ammo at just about any hardware store if I'm in a pinch.

LMAO, sounds like we're on the same page.

bought my T3x 7mag for a donor action and to start playing around with hand loading. Already got a new stock, un-chambered 18" barrel and purchased an 30cal Ultra 7 suppressor that just got out of jail last month.

For hunting i wanted to use either 145 LRX or 168 ABLR.

I'm hoping to procure 200 pieces of brass before I send the barreled action to Whidden for chambering of new barrel.

 

[amassi]

Gathering parts for a saum to do what your existing 7rm is doing.

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[steffen707]

Gathering parts for a saum to do what your existing 7rm is doing.

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True but my existing 7rm isn't an 18" threaded CF barrel.

So since i'm going to do that, I might as well contemplate changing caliber/cartridge to get the most out of my build.

 

[amassi]

It seems pike the saum would shine in a medium action like a tikka with a high bc bullet, not a lrx. Are you going to throat for something like the 180 class berg, sierra or eldm and hope you can tune the lrx(shouldn't be a problem they're relatively insensitive to jump)

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