Tikka 300wsm Build, Velocities/Ballistics

[260AckImp]

Hello all

Im currently in the process of planning a build of a 300 WSM. I cant afford the nicer custom actions such as Kelblys, Surgeons, Defiance etc so am looking towards a tikka t3/t3x.
Thus far im thinking of a tikka stainless action, in a German Gun Stock Raptor or possibly a Manners T5A and a 28-30" barrel. Im looking to use it for long range hunting but also for a Long Range Target rifle. I realise it wont shoot like your high end custom actions but has anyone on here done the same sort of thing and have any information for me regarding what sort of accuracy and velocity they are getting with 208gr ELD-Ms and 200gr bergers? Also Im wondering what sort of freebore I should look at with the barrel that could allow me to shoot the heavy 200 grain target pills but also be able to hunt with 150-180 grainers for hunting.

Any information greatly appreciated

 

[Ares]

There is nothing wrong with a T3 action in itself, it's straighter and truer then most factory rifles from the start and quality is generally very good.
There are plenty of factory action that's been reworked and give excellent performance out there. And with the T3 you generally have a much better starting point then a Rem 700.

Do you by any chance live in Germany ?
If you do there are some quality custom actions that can be had for a more reasonable amount of money then the ones imported from the US.

If you don't have the Tikka already, you still need to buy the complete rifle in most cases, the stocks you mentioned run from 700-1000+ €
And a quality barrel is another 5-700 often.
You can come quite a way with that when you factor in bedding, chambering, fitting the barrel and all the work needed to complete it too.

As for accuracy with the exact bullets in question no one can give you a definite answer, because not all barrels do well with certain bullets.
Velocity in the ballpark of what a 300 WSM can do regardless of wether the action is custom or not. Id say you could expect to get somewhere between 2850-2950 fps depending on powder choice and brass life, and some barrels are faster or slower then others from the go.

I do not shoot a 300 WSM so there are people here more knowledgeable then me for selection of freebore.
But you will generally have to set up the rifle for the heavier bullet/s want to shoot if that's where performance matter the most.
Same goes for the barrels twist rate.

A lot of hunting bullets are fairly jump tolerant and 150-180 gr with no more info is a very broad range. So your likely to find something that will work well.

 

[260AckImp]

Thanks for your reply mate, im down in Australia and have seen quite a few second hand T3 in 300 wsm for 800-900AUD where a new one runs around 1500AUD depending on model etc

I understand what you mean with the freebore for the heavier bullets, as awesome as the Bergers are and are proven worldwide the supply down here in AUS can be very limited at times where the hornady 208gr-225gr ELD-M are more readily available so they will likely be my first choice.
Hopefully ill be able to find some jump tolerant hunting projectiles for hunting.

 

[260AckImp]

To throw another idea out there, Ive been considering a KRG Bravo stock to suit the tikka action and accurate mag make a 300 wsm magazine to suit a short action. The magazine will limit me to a COAL of 3.055"
Im happy to single feed the heavy 215 Hybrids but has anyone here had much success long jumping 190 VLD Hunting projectiles? or any other hunting 30cal projectiles?

 

[260AckImp]

200 ELD-X at 2.85 in a sammi chamber so there’s some jump. Been shooting 60 gr IMR-4451 for a year with no tuning just to get used to it. Reliable 10 inch vertical at 1000. Did a ladder 3 each 60.3,60.6,60.9 yesterday mornng. Three shots each. 60.6 under 3 inches vertical. Fired a fourth 60.6 right after, still under 3 inches. Just one ladder on a nice morning but looks promising. Hopefully try again this weekend. Darwin.

Have you had these loads over a chrony? That's some very nice results

 

[RGRobinett]

Sometime back, pals pressured me to, for hunting, "lighten up" and purchase a factory rifle: I bought a Tikka T3, 300WSM. Plastic parts aside, this proved a very sound purchase. "Out of the box", following cleaning, some 8 year old hand-loads, for another rifle, shot a pair of 100 Yd. sub 3/4" 5-shot groups - the Tikka guarantee was sub MOA 3-shot groups. This is the "sporter" weight BBL, SS, with wood stock.

I then installed pillars, & bedded the action back into the factory (wood) stock, allowing the bedding compound (JB Weld) to fill the recoil-lug mortice in the stock, and the action slot. Then, the action/BBl were indicated and I installed a muzzle-brake (Harrell's), and "throated" the barrel so that my 165 Gr. BT seated with the BT base right at the outside neck/shoulder junction: this accommodated more capacity, without heavy compression of the powder. I cannot say how much free-bore depth was added, as I simply made a "dummy" and matched that.

Using a healthy charge of H-Hybrid100V, the 165s exit the muzzle at a pleasing 3200 FPS, and deliver reliable 1/2" & under 100 Yd. groups, and hold up very well out to 600Yd. - the longest range at which I have thoroughly tested it.
The charge weight I shoot is considerably above the Hogdon DATA, which appears to cut-off, as do most [loading] manual DATA, upon compression of the charge. The pressure, in this barrel, is completely safe: no extraction difficulties, no ejector-plunger extrusion marks, etc., following firing, after multiple loadings, the bolt can be unlocked and the case extracted using a finger.

From a 200 Yd. zero, this combination has held up to the following drop/windage (MOA) results, which, for quick reference, I keep attached to the stock: 300 =1.6/1.5; 400 =3.6/2.1; 500 = 5.8/2.7; 600 =8.2/3.3. The drops are pretty accurate, as the optic has been "mapped" and verified on three occasions now, with reliable repetition at these distances. The windage is merely the calculated drift, but holds up to my, "real world", doping ability.

My biggest gripe is that Tikka execs opted to restrict the magazine length to the SAAMI 300WSM OAL, which eliminates being able to load my ammo in the magazine - it's all single shot. I purchased a couple of 300 Win. Mag.
magazines, hoping they'd work, but they need to be opened-up on the sides, as they are too narrow and bind along the web area. With the long - one size fits all - action, I do not understand this (short inside-box) feature . . . ok, I do, but still, don't like it.

Long winded rant - could have simply stated: very good action; exceptional trigger; exceptional value. Except for a few "blue-printed" 722/700 Rems, from, "the old days", the only factory rifle I own. Hope this helps. RG