Has anyone check the head space on the 300 wsm the over all length 2.860 is no where near the lands, my tikka t3 is 3.040 so my question is what length do you load to, and have you ever tried longer???
Old Timer

Depending on the bullet profile my model 70 needs about 3.00-3.05" OAL to reach the lands with sleek bullets (Noslers and Matchkings). Luckily that still fits the model 70 magazine...not sure about the Tikka. I generally load fireformed loads at 2.95" and have very good luck, new brass goes into the lands at 3.05-3.10" with light loads. Probably overkill to fireform, but my accuracy sure is good for an off the shelf hunting rifle! Good luck!

Hi O.T. I was really P.O.ed to discover the same thing you have when I bought my son a Tikka T3 in 300WSM. I could get near the lands using it as a single shot but way to much free bore to use a magazine and come anywhere near the lands. Why Tikka did this I have no idea! but it has caused me no end of irritation! After many pounds of powder and boxes of bullets I found that I got the best groups using 62.5gr W760 + 200gr Accubond OAL 2.775. The bullet really looks like it is stuffed a long ways into the case but this is what it likes. The factory ammo is actualy stuffed quite a ways into the case as well. Good Luck!

OT, the lands on my Browning are also quite close to the chamber. I'll have to look at my data, but IIRC at minimum length to work from the mag box puts a 165 interbond bullet .040 from the rifleing. It seems to shoot quite nice groups that far from the lands.

Sounds like Tikka read the book written by Bill Ruger. He feared lawsuits so much, most of his rifles have a lot of freebore. That diminishes chamber pressure, but raises hell with velocity and accuracy.

NorthSniper, and Griz,
I can not seem to get my tikka to shoot tight groups most groups are around 1" a little less.
I have tried R19 about 72 grs and the case is full
I am tring Ram-shot "Hunter" 73.3 grs behind Hornadays 150 Interbond and f215 primer my chromy says 3301 ave. OAL 2.870
when I shoot the same load at 2.850 groups are about the same but the vel is up.
I am also playing with 165 Nosler Part 70,71,72,with the 72 grs perducing 3147 ave. and .75 group going to try 73 grs of the same tomorrow all with 2.880 OAL the tikka t3 has a clip as you know that will only allow 2.887 i think.
When I have shorten the OAL to say 2.835 the group get worse. Any Ideas all brass in trimed to 2.090???
Old Timer

Old Timer,

I went round and round w/ my Savage Model 16 WW w/ the same issues you are facing. My magazine is real short so, I tried several diff loads that would just go into the mag.

After going through R19, H4895, H4831, H380, IMR4350, and R22 for powders and Hdy 150+165 SSTs, Speer 165 HCs, Hdy 180 SPILs, and 180 NBTs, I finally got a good combo.

The 180 NBTs over 66.5 grns of R22 produced .60" accuracy. and the 180 NBTs over 67 grns of H4831 shot 1".

My barrel is a fast one so, those tikkas might like alittle more powder.

Hope this helps.

Good Luck!

Reloader

Reloader 19 also worked well with 168gr TSX but I think no matter what you are going to find it tough to get below 1". My plan is to either trade the rifle in on the new Tikka Varmint model http://www.ozarkguns.com/rifles/tikka/tikkat3varmint.htm or rebarrel.

Reloader,
Have you tried Seating the bullet shorter like 2.750 I was wondering why the seating seems to have little effect on the accruacy of the tikka t3 at least mine.
Just came back from the range loaded 10- 73.3 gr Hunter seated at 2.875 and 7- at 2.873 no apparent difference the vel is where I want it 3301 ave. Also loaded 165 Nosler part 72 gr and 72.5 .75-1" group load 3- 73 gr fist shot ok second starting to show preasure signs like plunger circle on brass face the third was showing a clear circle on the brass facethe vel was 3210-15
accrucy was again 1" or a tad more.
I have been through 2 Lbs of powder an 130 Hornaday Interbonds and almost a box of Nosler part pluss Hornaday boat tails.
I guess I am a little confused I have been loading for 30 plus years and this is the second time I have not been able to get a rifle under 1" consistently.
Any advise????
Old Timer

Try 180gr Failsafes. I've had 3 Sako-made 30cals and all shot this bullet very well. The ogive is further forward than on many other bullets. I suspect that Sako 30cal barrels may be a little on the large end of tolerances - but I havn't slugged and miked them yet to see for sure. My Sako Finnlite 300 WSM will put 3 of these into about 3/4" at 200yds.
-Small pedandtic point - The length to the lands and OAL has nothing to do with headspace. Headspace is the length from the primary datum point (i.e. Belt, Shoulder, rim) to the base of the case......DJ

Also, your Tikka isn't the only rifle with the short magazine affliction. My HS-Precision rifle is the same way as is the Finnlite.
-Barnes Triple Shock might be another bullet to consider. They reccommend that they are seated 50 thousandths off the lands.......DJ

OldTimer,

Did you ever get your rifle to shoot better? I have a 300WSM in a high dollar Blaser and it also has a long Throat. I cannot find a load and or length I should seat the bullet. Using 180gr. BT it measures 3.022". Any assistance you can give would be appreciated

Mohunt,
I don't know if I can do you any good, I have decided to do one of two things: First to set the OAL at the factory's Federal 165 Nosler Part set the OAL at 2.825-30 and so did Winchester 150 BT Nosler 2.827-30 at least that box, so I set mine at 2.830 and shot groups 1"-.75" for three shot and when I shoot 4 and 5 rounds the group opens to about 1.5 I guess the rifle is just to hot. The Second thing I have been thinking about is getting a 3006 or 300 win clip it would seem that the only thing stopping me from getting close to the lands in this rifle is the clip, so get a longer clip, (the tikka T3 clip has a spacer built in that takes up the room)what do you think??
Old Timer

I have a 300 WSM in a Browning SS which is great, and then I have this high dollar Blaser in the same caliber that is giving me fits. Not only does it have along throat and I can't get it to shoot, it also will not eject the fired case out without allot of force. Even with factory ammo this is a problem. I have noticed that if I neck size cases and trim to min length they will not chamber without force. If I full size them they will chamber with no problem. If I load the full sized cases and fire them, they will be very hard to eject. This gun is starting to give me nightmares. Anyone who may know what is causing this please reply. I also am looking for a case gage for the 300 WSM, I looked on the Sinclair web site with no luck. Possibly no one makes one yet!!

FISH30114,

Thanks,
I will call them and get a case gage, I also will probably take your advise and some how get this rifle back to the Manufacture to get it checked out, because this one has me stumped. Last night just for the heck of it I even put a fired case from my Son's Browning and chambered it in my Blaser and it went in just fine and ejected fine, but as I said before it will not accept or eject a fired case from the same gun without considerable force.

Just to let anyone who is interested, the gun shop agrees after looking at the cases and experimenting with new and fired cases from my other 300 WSM that there is definately to much head space in my Blaser. It is going back for inspection, so if anyone is haveing difficulty with there Blaser getting the bolt to open after firing factory and or reloads it possibly may be the same issue. I hope I have it back by hunting season!!!!!!!!!

Hey Mo, sounds like your dealing with a good dealer there, I hope the manufacturer gets it straightened out for you quickly. I have certainly heard of more than a few folks having chambering issues in the short mags, but I sure do like the way mine perform ballistically. Good luck and good hunting--Don.

OldTimer, My t3 300wsm shots pretty good about 1/2" for 3 shot with max load of H-4350 gets 3061fps. I'm just starting to shoot at 200 yds but have some good groups also. I got some interbonds to try in a custom 300wsm but after opening the box figure didn't have it enought throat for those bullets kind of looked like those LVD bullets. Both 300wsm as to OAL isn't a big thing I just seat bullets so they will work in the magazine and my custom gets 5 shot groups in the .4's and with the 5r barrel it gets 300wby velocity. In my BR rifles OAL is a pretty big thing but for hunting I don't worry too much about it. With the factory rifle you can only do so much. I haven't tried any of the Ramshot powder but did look up some of there data for the 300wsm. I also don't load to velocity I kind of like to get a group first than will do some checking on velocity. I use either 165 or 180gr bullets for deer and elk so like to keep the velocity over 3000fps and kind of suits my type of hunting. I load at the range so get to play with alot of different combination and for some reason both my 300wsm can handle alot of bullet jump and both like large rifle primers over mag primers. I've had good luck with R-22 and 19 no luck with 760 or V165 have fair luck with h-4831/h-4831sc. I've got alittle better velocity with Boattail bullets in the t3 over flat base bullets. Both rifle shoot the interlock and speer BT. Nosler partition didn't work in either rifle. In the t3 didn't shoot the 180gr bullets all that great in the custom it shoot from 150 to 180 great. Kind of like my 30-338. I pick up a 300 ultra and it's heading to the gunsmith this morning for some tricking out I may have it throated for those interboad bullets. I'm kind of like you Oldtimer been at this since the 60's and whats nice is we have gotten better bullets and barrels and has made shooting alot easier. Well good luck to you

This is where the stoney point headspace bushing kit comes in so handy. Check a round before firing and check it after firing and you know how much headspace you got. It covers most any caliber and sells for about $35. It's probably one of the tools that you DON'T HAVE TO HAVE but once you got it you are really glad you spent the money. I have a good friend with a Winchester model 70 in 300 wby mag. It exibited sticky bolts easier than it should have. We found with the kit that it had .030" excessive headspace. Sinclair sells a shim kit for under your die that has a good variety of .010" and under shims that you can put under your sizing die to adjust the headspace without changing a lock ring. (about $8.00) I really like it because I hate to fiddle with my dies once they are set for my guns and I have everything making real good concentricity. Now with my friends rifle we load him light for the first firing and then match the sizing to his chamber after that with "warmer" rounds. Hasn't cracked a case or had a problem since. I call his gun the 300.5 weatherby.--Just a little bigger than a regular 300 wby.