Tikka Load development

[Summa724]

Ok I have a Tikka T3 lite in 7mm rem mag.
I loaded up some loads using 162 grain Eldx.
I have found that for my cartridge to fit in the magizine I am .060" off lands. So I borrowed a Sierra 175 grain gameking off a buddy and measured and I will easily be able to be with in .010-.020" off lands using those bullets.
My question is am I wasting my time finding accuracy with the eldx bullets being I am so far off lands?
Should I go with a gameking or a 160 grain accubond?
This rifle will be used for mainly elk or possibly mulie out to 500 yards.

 

[Dosh]

724, try the loads you have, they may shoot well.

 

[Toecutter]

Absolutely on what Dosh said. Its been a while now and my memory is terrible and my range books are somewhere lost in storage. My tikka 300wm was nowhere near to fitting in the mag if seated where i wanted with 180 accubonds, but no matter the load at max depth she shot no worse than moa and with her favorites, quite a bit less. Probably the most forgiving gun ive ever owned. Tried a ton of handloads, factory and reloads from friends in all different weights and nothing shot poorly. Just picked a decent load based on the chronograph and stayed with it. Not a barn burner but very accurate and brass life is good. Just picked up a new tikka in 25-06, we will see how finicky she is.
Best of luck

 

[Summa724]

Ok I will keep rolling with loads and see what I come up with.
I tried a 5 different charges on Tuesday.
3 of the charges were sub moa but the chrony numbers were horrible.
I started low and am working my way up.

 

[Summa724]

Well I think I found a load worth considering.
I had a spread of 7fps between a 3 shot group at .429"
That was with 60.0 grains of powder at 2679 fps.
I am going to try to get to the range tomorrow and get confirmation and do a final tweak on the scope.

 

[Toecutter]

Absolutely nothing wrong with that! Good luck

 

[Zerk]

Curious how does that T3 handle temp? I have read some people firing 3 shot groups, with little cool down. But would think with a light gun, it would get hot.

 

[Summa724]

I was shooting in the shade and with three shots at a time.
I checked temps with temp gun on the outside of the barrel in several different spots and it stayed between 82°-84°. Not sure what the inside was doing.

 

[Zerk]

Seems some are worse than others. My 7600 remington, by 3rd shot it is moving, and it is not stainless.

 

[JIsbell40]

I have a 1:8 Krieger Sako 7 wsm. While I am not using the eldx, I have to run a Max( I bought as many as I could before production stopped) jumping by 61 thousandths to fit them into my box. Accuracy out to 800 is half moa. My advice is to try them and find out. Also I recommend RL23. I developed a load from my brother in law in a 7mm rem may with a 160 accubond and rl23. 26" tube and we where seeing it pressure even at 3125 fps. Email me for the load data, as it was over the published maximum I will not post it.

 

[mrultramag]

Not sure what powder your using... i would suggest a workup with rl26. 69-70 gr should be pretty close to max but start well below and work up. This is with 162 eldx. Velocity will be 2950-3050 or thereabouts. Im at submoa at 70 gr and 30 though off. Im gonna give them more jump and see what happens . 7mm rem mag,70.0 gr rl26, win WLR, norma case, vel 3060 es-28, bergara b14, group 0.80, oal 3.375

 

[Summa724]

Yea I am not happy with the speeds.My .308 Remington is pushing the same speeds. I am using RL-22 and tried 15 different charges. I tried the charge twice with chrony and was still getting consistent numbers and .429" and .547" groups.
Has anyone heard that the tikka's are shooting slower speeds compared to the Remington's and savages? Of so why? I am relatively new to reloading and all the tech stuff.

 

[mrultramag]

RL22- work your way up toward 66 gr warching gor pressure and chronograph....same same 2950 to 3050 you are in the ballpark.

 

[mrultramag]

At 60 gr of RL22, you are loaded light. You're feeding a 7mag not a 280rem. Lol. Add powder watchin for pressure signs and get velocity up to 2950-3050. 66 gr should be close to max. Work ur way up.