I recently was reloading some rounds for my Tikka T3 300WSM for the first time with my brother in law who is an experienced re-loader. During the process of trying to determine the OAL case length / distance off the lands by using an old case, crimping the side a little and putting a bullet in and chambering several times to find where we were at it seemed we were not even touching the lands or that the distance to the lands was excessive. Hope this makes sense because I'm new to this and may not be describing my question accurately. It seems somewhat irrelevant because my rifle has a clip and we could only load the round so long anyway for it to cycle properly in and out of the clip. Am I making a bigger deal about it than I should? I have heard some say to be .005 off the lands give or take and it seems we are no where near that. Current OAL length is over SAMMI at about 2.888.
Norriski2, If your Tikka 300WSM is anything like my Tikka 338WM, you won't even get anywhere near the lands because as you stated "tjhe clip won't allow it". I shot my 338 this weekend and shot sevaral 1-1/2" groups and less at 200 yards. Yes there are alot of rifles out there that couldn't care less if you are close to the lands or not with the bullet. I also have two Winchester M-70 in 22-250s that will not let you get near the lands and both are sub-MOA rifles.
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Posts: 1521 | Location: Just about anywhere in Texas | Registered: 26 January 2008
You can't load 'em longer than the magazine, that's for sure. I'd load to what the magazine permits and then juggle the stuff that I can juggle, powder, bullets, primers.
Originally posted by Rae59: Norriski2, If your Tikka 300WSM is anything like my Tikka 338WM, you won't even get anywhere near the lands because as you stated "tjhe clip won't allow it". I shot my 338 this weekend and shot sevaral 1-1/2" groups and less at 200 yards. Yes there are alot of rifles out there that couldn't care less if you are close to the lands or not with the bullet. I also have two Winchester M-70 in 22-250s that will not let you get near the lands and both are sub-MOA rifles.
Excellent reply.....One soon discovers that loading close to the lands has a very minor impact on accuracy and is far over rated by many reloaders
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Posts: 28849 | Location: western Nebraska | Registered: 27 May 2003
Loading into the lands is a single part of ammo prep for bench shooting. Somebody, somewhere picked up on that one facet and decided it was the end-all, be-all of reloading. IMO, it ain't.
If you have a rifle that will put two shot in one hole, and the third an inch out, this is often an issue with OAL. This can usually be solved by bringing you oal in at .005 increments until you find your spot.
Posts: 3034 | Location: Colorado | Registered: 01 July 2010
I believe you but still find it strange. My Tikka T3 Lite chambered in 300WSM loaded with 165 grain Hornady IL bullets have to be careful not to encroach on the rifling. Some rifles the loads have to be at or near the lands and others will shoot well with a jump.
Dennis Life member NRA
Posts: 1191 | Location: Ft. Morgan, CO | Registered: 15 April 2005
Originally posted by Luckyducker: I believe you but still find it strange. My Tikka T3 Lite chambered in 300WSM loaded with 165 grain Hornady IL bullets have to be careful not to encroach on the rifling. Some rifles the loads have to be at or near the lands and others will shoot well with a jump.
Trust me that your experience with a factory chamber (especially a Tikka) allowing you to get an OAL that will function in the mag to hit the lands is rare. It is very uncommon for factory chambered 300 WSM's period to have rounds that will function in the magazine/action that will allow you to contact the lands. IMO it's because the factory rounds, especailly the initial offerings when the round was launched, were at the very edge of pressure, and mfgs. knowing that a bullet jammed into the lands would push things to a danger zone, cut chambers with this in mind.
I am a fan of the WSM's to a degree, and own a bunch of them, NONE of over 10 of mine in factory chambered rifles will allow a round that will function have an OAL that allows contact with the lands.
Posts: 3563 | Location: GA, USA | Registered: 02 August 2004
Thanks everyone for the posts. I figured there was nothing I could do about it or would even need to for that fact because of the magazine issue. There is so many knowledgeable people on this forum I thought I would ask the experts because I'm surely not. Thanks again.
