What to do with a tikka 300 wsm

[robpiat]

I picked up a tikka T3 wood stocked rifle in 300 wsm. If I sell the scope, I’ll have $350 in the rifle. It’s in great shape. I love the tikka actions so couldn’t pass on the opportunity. I figure I could get about $150 for the stock and end up with a $200 action.

I’m not a longe range hunter (yet)but do enjoy long range target shooting. I bought it thinking I might be able to rebarrel it for a shorter case and use eld bullets like the 208 amax. From what I’ve learned, the tikka action isn’t long enough for something like a 300 prc and the 300 wsm would be less than ideal for loading the longer eld bullets.

One option is 6.5 prc. Do you guys have any other thoughts or ideas?

 

[K22]

That's a lot of caliber (i.e. 300 WSM) for target shooting - especially in a light weight Tikka. Can't be a lot of fun shooting but this is an excellent hunting cartridge for really big game, i.e. elk and moose although I believe the old 30 06 with the proper bullets will do the same job in the hands of a skilled hunter / field shooter.

If I was seeking a strictly target caliber and / rifle for long range I'd look into this new 6.5 Creedmore. I don't have one but seen quite a few at the range and I'm impressed with the accuracy and manageable recoil. For strictly target shooting I'd opt for a nine pound rifle with a heavy barrel.

 

[D.Stone]

The Tikka is a great action to build off of. It's also a great contender for keeping the way that it already is...they are great functional lightweight hunting guns.

 

[Zero333]

If it was mine, I would leave it as is and use it for hunting.

 

[Ares]

Well the 300 WSM is a excellent round. you already said you looking for a shorter case to use the heavier bullets and you got exactly what your looking for already?
Why is it not suited? Throated short in a factory chamber sure it has its limits.
But superb inherent accuracy and, quality brass something which Hornady can't provide with they're latest and 'greatest'.
which again is almost an exact copy of the 300 Blaser, that again has better brass available.

 

[robpiat]

The tikka mag and bottom metal are the limitation. I’m expecting to get a heavier barrel at some point that’s threaded. MDT makes a long action chassis and mag that is 3.56 designed for 300wm. I wonder if I could use that and have all the room in the world?

 

[Lone Hunter]

What it sounds like your wanting is to load short action rounds long so they can fit out of long action. That's my assumption but you know what you do when you assume. The Tikka's are nice and shoot pretty good too. The actions are pretty slick also.

 

[Zero333]

From the very little information I know about the T3 action is that it's a medium length action capable of handling cartridges up to 30-06 length (3.340" ???). And the only thing that differs between a 223rem 308win or 300winmag T3 is the magazine and bolt stop, besides the obvious bolt face.

So I ASSUME you could load the 300wsm long (if the freebore allows or you'd have to get the freebore extended). You'd just need a different bolt stop and magazine ???

So you could even chamber for the 300prc if you go with the MDT chassis and the 3.500" magazine.

I bet you if you called MDT they would verify your options. I've spoken on the phone with one of the fellas a few years back and he seemed sharp.

Brownells sells the bolt stop kit...

https://www.brownells.com/rifle-par...top-kit-long-and-short-action--prod31611.aspx

Here is a random video from whotube about the bolt stop...

 

[46and2]

If it was me. I would definitely built a barrel in a looong throated 300wsm for 185gr and heavier, 7mm WSM/ 7mm-300wsm throated for 180gr or heavier, 270wsm throated for 170 gr Berger.

 

[tn6br]

7 saum is my vote. Install a long action bolt stop and magazine.

 

[R.Morehouse]

7 saum is my vote. Install a long action bolt stop and magazine.

Yep.......That is what my choice would be....

Regards
Rick

 

[86alaskan]

Or, what I'm in the process of..... 25 SAUM. simply bushing neck down 6.5 or 7mm saum brass and then run the 131gr Blackjack bullet at 3350 from a 28" barrel. That bullet at those pseeds will walk away from most of your big caliber loads. not to mention a considerable amount less recoil, blast and powder necessary. Mine is being built on a donor 300wsm action with a 30" heavy palma barrel. Plan to get around the 3400fps mark, give or take.

 

[Ares]

The tikka mag and bottom metal are the limitation. I’m expecting to get a heavier barrel at some point that’s threaded. MDT makes a long action chassis and mag that is 3.56 designed for 300wm. I wonder if I could use that and have all the room in the world?

Yes The factory bottom metal/mags from Tikka is often a limiting factor, in LA cartidges they often have a longer freebore then the mag allows for seating so there is no way you can reach the lands without single feeding.

There is a few chassises that take LA mags for the T3's, and there is always the option of a bottom metal with AICS mags with a new stock like a MCM, Manners etc. The advantage over the chassies is they can be inletted and fitted with a 'Rem' style recoil lug, and pillar bedded vs the chassis V-blocks.
The 3.560" MDT mag is just a AICS mag too by the way standard 338 length (internal oal 3.648), you just cant use the CIP 338 length mags and have room in the action.

The LA bolt stop is needed if you want to take advantage of the 300 WSM with heavier bullets, else the actions are identical in LA/SA
And It's a perfectly sized action for the WSM/SAUM family of cartidges, the 284 win. with heavier bullets seated out where they should be.

There is a few reasons the 300 WSM is very popular in Long range Bench rest, and starting to gain popularity in F-open.
The downside with the heavies in 30 cal is recoil, the trade off for it is a extremely accurate cartidge, easy to tune, good brass that easy to get hold of, and decent barrel life 1500 ish most say. And bigger selectction of hunting bullets then any other caliber.

The 7 SAUM is another good option with the 180 gr class bullets. But you will burn that barrel up much faster. Using the WSM case for the 7,6,5 etc jsut makes that problem worse and accuracy potential goes down.