Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles New rifle advice...

Impulse bought a Tikka T3 light today in .270WSM. Whitetails are the primary quarry. 130s will do just fine, but dont mind 140s or 150s...want max velocity though combined with accuaracy...so prefer 130s with all thing equal. What are my options on loads...how far out can I seat the bullet? Will the magazine limit me? Load data that has worked for you...especially in the Tikka?

I'll tell you if you tell me how to tune my car...

oh, btw it's green

ok I'm sorry, I've thought about my response now....


You really didn't give enough info for anyone to reply.

How far can you seat the bullet?
Only your rifle knows and you have to get that info from the barrel yourself.

Will the magazine limit me?
Maybe.

Load data that works will most likely be found in a book.
you can also check reloadersnest.com or wsmzone

good luck.

The 140 Ballistic Tips will not exit big deer out of my 270 WSM. At least not where I shot them. The 140 Accubond does exit. All the deer died right away.

Each rifle is an individual so look up the data and see what it likes.

I'll offer my 2 cents for a starting point...I have had such good luck with IMR 4350 over the years, when my friend got his 270WSM I started with it and 140gr Accubonds. I didn't have his rifle in-hand to check for seating depth vs magazine length, so I just loaded these cartridges to the max overall length spec'd out for this cartridge. He shot consistent 1/2" groups and obtained a tad over 3200fps - done. You can try slower burning powders and get more fps, but I'm not sure it would give you any noticeable difference in the field.

If the Tikka barrels are identical to Sako barrels they have a "forcing cone". So you may never be able to seat your bullet "out to the lands". I go by my mag length or SAAMI. Typically by what will fit in my mag.

Long

AZ and longwinters,

Thats the kind of info I am seeking. I thought the WSMs were freebored, and I would be limited to either mag legnth or as far out as I could seat, but wouldn't be able to touch the lands. This is my first short mag.

You think Id be better off trying 4350s and R-19 than the R-22s? If'n I could push a 140 Accubond 3200fps, and get acceptable accuracy (sub MOA), I think that would be the end all be all for my tastes.

Any specific Tikka owners comments would be very welcome.

Before loading anything, shoot some factory ammo to see what works. If something is way out of whack, check the seathing vs the ones that shoot best. If there is a difference, loosen the bad shooters, reseat and crimp to the same OAL or ogive length as the best ones, and see it that was the problem. It may not be. Different bullets like different seating, charges, etc. At least you'll have a starting point of a load that works.

my 270wsm shoots a 140 accubond like nobodys business ( my personla best with the gun/load combo is .184) my rifle is built on a long action mausr, so i can seat the bullet waaaayyy out there. i use winchester brass, 63.5 grains of H4831sc, F215m primers with an over all lenght of 2.892. MV is 3150 ( 24" shilen barrel)

I've shot 140gr Accubonds and RL-22 in 3 different 270 WSM's. All shot sub 1/2" groups. One of them would shoot 1/2 3shot groups at 200yds with the combo. I would recommend you give them a try..................DJ

.280 Rem,
Here's a handfull of downloads aimed right at the WSM cartridges. I hope this helps.
Don
http://www.shortmags.org/shortmags/downloads.htm

AND--go to noslers website....shooters proshop...and get the blem bullets for a great deal with reasonable shipping and no sales tax.