Tikka 300WM - want longer OAL

[DND]

Looking to the brain trust of the board, hoping I've missed something.

I'm working with a Tikka Tactical 300 Win Mag in a Manners T4 stock. Load development indicates a longer OAL would be beneficial. My goal is whatever that length turns out to be, is capable of feeding from the magazine.

Research indicates this to be a common hurdle, for which I have yet to locate a solution.

Aftermarket bottom metal for the Tikka long action is limited to CDI as far as I can find. While this allows the use of AI mags, it doesn't help with OAL increases beyond the factory Tikka set up due to internal design limitations. No fault of CDI, but perhaps potential to expand on the offering if possible. The challenge as I understand it is, there's not much room to move the magazine back as it will quickly interfere with the trigger.

Users of short actions have been successful in working with longer OALs by modifying the bolt stop to long action specs, thus allowing the bolt to move further rearward and pick up the fresh cartridge. This works because the short action has room to move further rearward.

Has anyone, with greater knowledge than I, explored the potential for a similar modification for long actions? Is there enough room to be gained as to make the effort worthwhile?

A thread on another board indicated Dave Kiff was looking in to developing a DBM that would address exactly this, but that thread has gone silent for almost a year now.

Beyond that, has anyone come up with anything I've missed? I believe this rifle has potential but is being held back by this limitation.

Thanks,
Dave

[Marble]

How much further out do you want to push the bullet?

Have you tested with the longer OAL cartridge?

[phorwath]

I researched aftermarket bottom metal options for my Tikka T3, 7mm Rem Mag, and I learned that same things you've just noted. I was simply looking for an aluminum aftermarket bottom metal that would duplicate the factory bottom plastic. The only one I could find was manufactured in Sweden or some such place and was costing more than $200. Even then, it wasn't clear that they were available for purchase. Dunno if the company continued in business with that item.

But while Google searching, I also learned that the trigger on the Tikkas prevents any extension of the back of the magazine on the long action calibers. It is what it is. I don't see how that restriction can be overcome unless a new trigger is designed that allows the rear edge of the magazine to be shifted back further.

I load my Tikka single shot style for LR shots. I carry shorter length controlled expansion bullets in the magazine for bears while hiking, around camp, or for short range shots on game.

[.284]

I wish you luck as I'd like to play the tacticals from tikka but why they make the mags like that and use a 24 inch tube is beyond me

[DND]

@Marble

Exact figures are at home.

I've been testing with single feeding and getting tighter groups with OALs beyond what the factory mag will accept, but inside what the AI will handle. Load development is still on-going but so far indicates I could work within the OAL available with the AI mags.

For me this would cover both a target (208gr AMax) and big game hunting load (200gr LRX)

[6point5x284]

DND,

I too have this same struggle. I'm trying to launch my Berger 185 VLD's just off the lands and can't with the magazine restrictions.

I'm also looking to fit in a Manners T4 stock for the Tikka, and lastly, I'm looking to use the CDI bottom metal with AI mags for the 3.65 COAL like you are.

Since there are 2 action lengths restricted purely by the bolt release (everything is actually on a long action) my thought process is this.

If I sell my 300 Win Mag and buy a 300 Win Short Mag...I'll keep the same ballistics which is fine. But in theory, I will achieve what I'm looking for. The ability to seat my bullets to the lands.

If I use a 300 WSM, (medium action) I can file down the bolt release (or you can buy the full length for $65) so I have the full length of the long action at my disposal but with a much shorter brass length (300 WSM vs the long 300 WM). I'll have the full length of the long action CDI bottom metal and mags to seat out my bullets to whatever length I want.

Do a web search for "Tikka T3 Bolt Stop Modification" and click on the first YT link and watch it.

Am I missing anything? It's quite possible I am, but as long as I purchased a long action mag for my medium length caliber (now working in a long action due to the bolt stop fix) it will give us our desired overall length.

Please let me know if this makes sense...it makes sense in my head but that doesn't mean anything!

-6point5x284