TIKKA T3 .308" COAL

[Nick T]

Gents,

 

I've just changed my Blaser R93 for a Tikka T3 (both .308") & found that the T3 magazine is approx. .030" too short for the ammo I used in the Blaser, which is/was:

 

125gr Nosler BT,

Cart base to Ogive 2.250",

Max seating depth on the Blaser 2.285",

COAL 2.880".

 

I filed a very small channel down the front of the mag to cater for the extra length of the round, but even so the max Cart base to Ogive length I could get to accommodate the round is 2.225", making it 0.250" off the lands.

 

Have any of you guys any knowledge of this problem & how did you get around it? I'm reluctant to change away from a 125gr BT bullet & would be interested to know what setup you use.

 

Many thanks

 

Nick T

[tackb]

seat them to mag length and give em a try , they might shoot fine?

[gbal]

seat them to mag length and give em a try , they might shoot fine?

+1..there's no guarantee the Blaser sweet load would transfer anyhow,so load a few for the Tikka,without ref to the Blaser seating,to Tikka mag length,even a tad less,and try?Otherwise,there will be some other 125g bullets.

Gbal

[tisme]

Same problem here that I fixed with a CDI bottom metal and AICS mag.

[dannywayoflife]

Do the 308 mags have a spacer in them? If so why not try one of the long action mags like a 6:5x55 mag? You could seat em right out then

[Nick T]

No spacer that I can see. Thanks.

 

All advice welcome

[MrCetrizine]

My .223 T3 has a SAAMI minimum length chamber on purpose so it shoots well with factory ammo. Yours might too. If you haven't got one already then get an OAL gauge and measure it.

[dannywayoflife]

No spacer that I can see. Thanks.

 

All advice welcome

It's fairly obvious mate if there's a plastic block in the back it's a spacer. My old 6.5x55 mags could easily run col (base to tip) of well over 3"!

[justin credible]

Had a similar problem with my .223 t3.

Sent the t3 mag to the Shooting Shed to have it modified, and now I can seat much longer.

A much more cost effective way than new bottom metal and ai mag route.

[DW58]

The R93 sounds typical of German-manufactured rifles which tend to have longer chamber throats than usual owing to the German propensity for longer heavier bullets for any given calibre. My Sauer is no exception, and I have modified my magazines by replacing the rear plugs with shorter ones to accommodate longer rounds.

 

Not being familiar (yet) with Tikka T3 magazines, although I currently have a Super Varmint on order in .300 WSM, I can't say whether the same is possible, but it would certainly be an obvious solution ... ... ... BUT does the Tikka T3 have the same long throat as the Blaser R93 ... ... ... I suspect not, but only a seating check will confirm this one way or another.

 

I'm actually surprised that you managed to seat the 125gr Noslers far enough out for the Blaser - when I tried them in my Sauer more than a few moons ago, she spat them all over the place - well around an inch or there abouts, not the tight clusters she's capable of with 150gr Nosler BTs as seen in my avatar.

[gbal]

Hi Nick,

tacb and I both suggested what seems the simplest option to try-seat your choice of bullet to fit the Tikka mag...as I suggested,the load that worked in the Blaser may/not work in another rifle-perhaps not given the Blaser characteristics of throat etc.But isn't it easier to change the cartridge loading than the magazine etc,esp as you don't know the old load will work? You want two things-accuracy and magazine feed-the loadings that deliver may well differ in different rifles.

Maybe I'm missing something,but seems best to treat each rifle on its merits (maybe lack of them),and load to suit it as is,before making metalwork changes etc....fine tuning seating depths is a cottage industry on here-one length almost never fits all. If your Blaser load were a commercial loading,then maybe-as it might be less easy to reseat-but I'd have to be very sure it would work -like,confirmation from several other identical Tikkas-and nothing else better,from the box.

How do mag fit loadings shoot in the Tikka-there maynot be a problem!?

FIngers crossed...

Gbal

[Nick T]

Hi Gbal,

 

I re-seated the 125gr Nosler BT's from 2.250" (Blaser R93) down to 2.223" Cart base to Ogive which just fitted into the mag having filed a few thou off the front to allow the round in.

 

Shot the T3 at bisley through the week & got almost down to 0.5 MOA off the bench with the above rounds. T3 varmint 20" barrel, worked the barrel in with the "one round clean for 10 shots, three rounds clean for 10 shots" etc etc. Excellent bit of kit for the money - it's better than I am so I'm happy!

 

Gents, many thanks for your advice & suggestions.

 

Nick

[aaronbott]

Same problem here that I fixed with a CDI bottom metal and AICS mag.

What is the max COAL you can get with the AICS. Magazine ??

Thanks

 

Aaron

[tisme]

What is the max COAL you can get with the AICS. Magazine ??

Thanks

 

Aaron

I think its 2.888. I'll have a measure up tonight and get back to you if its not.

[gbal]

Hi Gbal,

 

I re-seated the 125gr Nosler BT's from 2.250" (Blaser R93) down to 2.223" Cart base to Ogive which just fitted into the mag having filed a few thou off the front to allow the round in.

 

Shot the T3 at bisley through the week & got almost down to 0.5 MOA off the bench with the above rounds. T3 varmint 20" barrel, worked the barrel in with the "one round clean for 10 shots, three rounds clean for 10 shots" etc etc. Excellent bit of kit for the money - it's better than I am so I'm happy!

 

Gents, many thanks for your advice & suggestions.

 

Nick

Nick, glad it worked out-it might fine tune little more if you fiddle,but do you need it? At least you now have a good base line for that rifle and bullet.

Gbal