Tikka t3x 300 Win Mag - Best reloading round with stock barrel?

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The COAL on the stock t3x kind of blows for reloading. Has anyone found a good round for those stock mags? Upgrading to the xlr and the longer mags eventually, but it's at least a 6 month wait for that stock rn.
 

AndrewMT34

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Sep 14, 2020
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How heavy of a bullets are you wanting to shoot and what powders do you have available? I'm sure there's lots of folks on this board that have experience loading for Tikka's as they are quite popular here.

Possibly try moving the thread to the reloading section?
 

FishfinderAK

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My go-to is 80gr H1000 behind a 181 Shock hammer

I stuck to ELDX. If had luck w 76gr H1000 and 200 ELDX.

Both WLRM primers.
COAL 3.374, just fits stock mag.
 

THunt

FNG
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Jan 20, 2019
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Standard rules apply, this load is a little over book max. I run 82 gr of H1000 and a 180 grain accubond in Federal brass with a CCI LRM primer. Load has been lights out and the Accubonds reputation speaks for itself. We call that rifle the "elk wand".
 

Chuckybmd

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I can’t find the article right now. But Brady Miller over at gohunt simply doesn’t use the mag (on an xbolt, but same idea), he keeps a shell holder on the receiver and loads one at a time into the chamber.

In my opinion, I would go with the seating depth that gives you the best accuracy till you can get your stock situation figured out.
 
Joined
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Upper Michigan
The COAL on the stock t3x kind of blows for reloading. Has anyone found a good round for those stock mags? Upgrading to the xlr and the longer mags eventually, but it's at least a 6 month wait for that stock rn.
Take a look at the Tikka T3x Giraffe Throat thread. This same discussion occurred there. In spite of the long jump, you can actually get some nice tight groups out of that rifle with the stock barrel/action.
 

SDHNTR

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Using your terminology, I don't understand what you are asking. The best "round" for a .300 win mag chambered rifle is a .300 win mag. Period. End of discussion. There is no room for interpretation. Do not shoot anything in a .300 win mag chamber other than a .300 win mag cartridge, or "round" as you put it.

Or are you asking for best bullet? Or best powder? Or best load recipe? Ok, that's fine to ask for, but terminology matters. And also realize that what is best for another person, even with your same rifle, may not be best for your rifle. There is no way around the load development and experimentation process.
 
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Using your terminology, I don't understand what you are asking. The best "round" for a .300 win mag chambered rifle is a .300 win mag. Period. End of discussion. There is no room for interpretation. Do not shoot anything in a .300 win mag chamber other than a .300 win mag cartridge, or "round" as you put it.

Or are you asking for best bullet? Or best powder? Or best load recipe? Ok, that's fine to ask for, but terminology matters. And also realize that what is best for another person, even with your same rifle, may not be best for your rifle. There is no way around the load development and experimentation process.

Here you go - "What is the best handloaded 300 Win Mag cartridge you have found that works with a stock Tikka T3x 300 Win Mag, given it's magazine limitations?"

Also, for a "round", from wikipedia - "A cartridge[1][2] or a round is a type of pre-assembled firearm ammunition packaging a projectile (bullet, shot, or slug), a propellant substance (usually either smokeless powder or black powder) and an ignition device (primer) within a metallic, paper, or plastic case that is precisely made to fit within the barrel chamber of a breechloading gun, for the practical purpose of convenient transportation and handling during shooting.[3] Although in popular usage the term "bullet" is often informally used to refer to a complete cartridge, it is correctly used only to refer to the projectile."
 

SDHNTR

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"pre assembled" being the operative word!

So if we are arguing semantics, the best "pre-assembled firearm ammunition" (definition of "round" in firearm parlance, per above) for a .300 win mag is the kind that is designed to be fired in the .300 win mag.

The best bullet could be from Hornady, Nosler, Barnes, Berger or bla bla bla. The best powder could be any number of them too. So what is being asked here? I'm still confused.

I think what you are asking is "What is the best load recipe for a 300 Win Mag cartridge you have found that works with a stock Tikka T3x 300 Win Mag, given it's magazine limitations?"

And there is no answer to that question, other than the "one that is safe and shoots most accurately in your own unique firearm". The answer to that question from someone else with a different rifle, even if same make and model, is largely irrelevant. I don't really even understand why people ask. It's kind of like asking about the best boots. It just depends. And you'll never know until you experiment and find out yourself.
 
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Traindriver

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I've had great luck with 180Gr Maximus, h4831sc 74.5gr, starline brass with Coal 3.485. Cutting edge bullets like very little jump in my experience. good luck.
 

bmart2622

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"pre assembled" being the operative word!

So if we are arguing semantics, the best "pre-assembled firearm ammunition" (definition of "round" in firearm parlance, per above) for a .300 win mag is the kind that is designed to be fired in the .300 win mag.

The best bullet could be from Hornady, Nosler, Barnes, Berger or bla bla bla. The best powder could be any number of them too. So what is being asked here? I'm still confused.

I think what you are asking is "What is the best load recipe for a 300 Win Mag cartridge you have found that works with a stock Tikka T3x 300 Win Mag, given it's magazine limitations?"

And there is no answer to that question, other than the "one that is safe and shoots most accurately in your own unique firearm". The answer to that question from someone else with a different rifle, even if same make and model, is largely irrelevant. I don't really even understand why people ask. It's kind of like asking about the best boots. It just depends. And you'll never know until you experiment and find out yourself.
You knew what he was asking
 
OP
backsidebutte
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Sorry next time ill look up the terminology before i post on here. I wasn't asking for the blueprints to elons rockets. Just some general direction. What worked for some people doesn't mean it'll work in my gun but it wouldn't hurt to start there.
 
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Dec 9, 2018
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185 Berger classic hunters would be a good place to start they just plain seem to work for a variety of seating depths. As for powders when I was forced to load short with a long throat h1000 was not my pick I had trouble getting enough in the case to get close to pressure. H4831 might be a good one to try, but my rifles liked both hodgdon and IMR 4350 the best for the 180 class bullets when I was restricted by mag length. Another bullet that worked well for me was a 180 ballistic tip.

In other calibers I have done well with the eld-m jumping a long way but as far as 300wm when I was using them that was in other rifles where I was able to reach the lands.
 
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