7-08 120 gr Ballistic Tip help

[HuntClub]

Just picked up some 120 BT and test measured bullet to the lands. Measure from base to ogive average is 2.368" This is wayyyy too long for the magazine and from base to tip is 2.935" _ _ _ ... _ _ _

No way I can get the 0.010-0.020" measure from the lands. The longest I can go in mag is 2.870" which is roughly 0.065" jump.

Tikka T3.

Anyone get similar "jump" measures? What was your final load Measure - base to bullet ogive? Or, how much jump was good?

Thanks in advance for your insights.

 

[shoot4fun]

It's been my experiences with T3 rifles that the magazines are always too short internally to get a bullet to (or reasonably close to) the lands. In one instance a few years back I had a T3 223 with 8 twist converted to AICS magazines in order to shoot the 80 grain VLD well.
I suggest you try load testing "in reverse". Keep the seating depth at max to fit your magazine and work with powders and various charge weights to get the most out of the load and the rifle. I assume it is a hunting rifle so it doesn't need to shoot like a benchrest rifle.

 

[Adam in WI]

Get a magazine from a .270 or .30-06 and seat them wherever you want.

 

[dryhumor]

Get a magazine from a .270 or .30-06 and seat them wherever you want.

Yes. It works well.

 

[Dimner]

Just picked up some 120 BT and test measured bullet to the lands. Measure from base to ogive average is 2.368" This is wayyyy too long for the magazine and from base to tip is 2.935" _ _ _ ... _ _ _

No way I can get the 0.10-0.20" measure from the lands. The longest I can go in mag is 2.870" which is roughly 0.065" jump.

Tikka T3.

Anyone get similar "jump" measures? What was your final load Measure - base to bullet ogive? Or, how much jump was good?

Thanks in advance for your insights.

I had the same problem with my 308 Tikka. Look and see if you have a M magazine. It will have the designation right behind the cartridge follower.

If you have the M, they make an M+ magazine that should work for you. If yours is already the M+, you will need the L magazine (for 30-06). However I'm either case, you will need to check your cycling of dummy rounds at your COAL to make sure you can remove an unshot cartridge. If you have problems, you will need to get the long action version of the bolt stop. I had to do this with my 7mm mauser Tikka even with the L magazine. If you are handy, you could just file your bolt stop instead of buying

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

Most Tikka T-3's ( I've Owned, 3 of, them ) will "Digest" Bullets with,.. .070 to .120 worth of, "Jump", just,.. FINE !
Most, Sierra, Hornady and Nosler, Bullets,. LOVE, to Jump !
The 120 NBT is, no,.. exception !

 

[DGP4]

Most Tikka T-3's ( I've Owned, 3 of, them ) will "Digest" Bullets with,.. .070 to .120 worth of, "Jump", just,.. FINE !
Most, Sierra, Hornady and Nosler, Bullets,. LOVE, to Jump !
The 120 NBT is, no,.. exception !

Same as I was thinking. Test your rifle with the ammo at 2.87" before you spend a lot of money on solutions you may not need.

 

[HuntClub]

Get a magazine from a .270 or .30-06 and seat them wherever you want.

Wow - Never thought of that... Thanks!

 

[Adam in WI]

Dimner's post goes into greater detail, but the idea is the same.

 

[Orr89rocz]

It probably will shoot fine. .065 jump isnt necessarily too far. Id try it before changing out. Most bullets for me dont like that 10-20 jump range anyway

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

0.050-0.065 off touch is where the non lead options call for starting, no reason to think a quality jacketed leadcore bullet won't run at similar jumps. I run Berger 7m 150 classic hunters 0.055 off in my saum because of the blind mag length.

 

[std7mag]

Ok, first off, I think the OP meant 0.01-0.02" from the lands.

But regardless, it's a Ballistic Tip.
They are very forgiving on jump.

Load to fit in the magazine, go forth and hunt.

 

[HuntClub]

Ok, first off, I think the OP meant 0.01-0.02" from the lands.

But regardless, it's a Ballistic Tip.
They are very forgiving on jump.

Load to fit in the magazine, go forth and hunt.

You are correct - that is a typo on my part.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

0.010-0.020 or 10 thousandths to 20 thousandth of an inch or 0.01-0.02(next decimal place a zero is a given). Pretty much a standard starting point for hunting ammo(magazine permitting) is 10 to 20 thou off touching the lands. As you don't want the rifling (lands)to pull the bullet out of the case when extracting a live round. 0.050 or 50 thousandth off the lands(rifling) or touch is common starting seating depth for monolithic bullets. Some rifles will tolerate seating bullets 0.10 (100 thousandths of an inch) or 1/10 th of an inch (or more) off the rifling, of course you should never seat a bullet with the ogive of the bullet below the case mouth.

 

[std7mag]

@HuntClub,

I'm actually surprised at how long your throat is.
7mm-08 is supposedly known for having a short throat.

My 7mm-08AI reamer with a 0.06" freebore had me seating 140gr Ballistic Tips at 2.895" for a 0.02" jump.

 

[std7mag]

I'll add that the Ballistic Tips do well with huge jumps.

They shoot well in my SAAMI 284 Win, and both of my Weatherby Magnums.

The 7mm Weatherby Magnum I can load out to 3.630" for 0.02" off the lands. And they fit in the magazine.
But they are too long to eject through the ejection port if I don't shoot it.
I would have to pull the bolt, which involves squeezing the trigger.
I'm not about to take the chance on that!!
So I have to load to 3.360" to fit a loaded round through the ejection port.

Ballistic Tips have been some of the most accurate bullets in it.
I am going to try the Berger Classic Hunter, and see how they do.

 

[nockhunter]

I never shot the 120g B-Tips in my 7x57, I thought they were too light for the cartridge. But they are heavier constructed that other B-Tips. I shoot the 140g in my 7x57 and they are accurate and kill well. I could really get some speed with the 120g.

Mike