Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 7mm-08 120 Ballistic Tip OACL in Tikka T3 Questions

Wondering if the throat in my Tikka is too long

The OACL listed by Nosler with the 120 ballistic tip is 2.800. However, the OACL to the lands in my Tikka is 2.918. Seems pretty long as at that length only about 2/3 of the neck has contact with the bullet and that length won't fit in my magazine. The max length that will fit in the mag is right at 2.800.

I can try a few options-

1) Load the 120s at 2.800 and see how they shoot but that's 0.118 off the lands
or
2) get a longer mag and load them at 2.828 which will provide the bullet with full contact with the neck but still be 0.090 off the lands
or
2) Try a different bullet

Thoughts?

I wouldn't worry about it. Seat them out to max mag box length and you'll likely shoot .75 groups or maybe better. Tikkas aren't finicky in the least. Most all of my Tikka T3 OAL's are 2.805 no matter the bullet or cartridge.

I just tried some Sierra Pro Hunter 140 Grain. OACL is 2.806. I can fit that in the mag at that length so once i take about 20 thousandths back on that it will fit perfectly. Still concerned that the throat is a bit long though.

Speer 130s won't work, similar to the 120 ballistic tips.

Shoot the thing and see what happens. I have a 308 that has gone 3/4 moa for a fifteen shot group jumping bullets over a tenth of an inch.

If this really drives you crazy,you can convert your Tikka to take the magazines designed for 30-06/270 l length cartridges. It's not hard to do and the action is long enough already. Then you can seat any 7mm bullet as long as you need.

I shoot 120 bt in my Tikka with great results, don't worry about the jump.

Tikka T3 Lite Stainless and T3 Superlite:

120 NBT
51.5 grains Big Game
Winchester Large Rifle Magnum primer
Remington brass
2.806" OAL

3126 fps, .487" group and 3115 fps, .473" group respectively.





P

I have a 7-08 that shoots those bullets into tiny groups at a little over 0.010 off the lands, see how they shoot.

Did you slip a decimal place?

On my T3x light Stainless my magazine measures 2.842”. Maximum cartridge length with Nosler BT’s is 2.94. I load at 2.80” and have no problem (from a bench) getting groups of half inch or slightly more. I would show pictures but since Photobucket puked, I can’t figure out how. Anyway, as many have said, let’em jump.

Thanks all. I think I'm going to work up to this load and see how it goes.

Nosler #7 book lists 52 as max so work up.




P

Yes, and it's a good thing I showed my work!

To clarify, 100 thousandths or 1/10 of an inch. I never was much of a math man.

I load for several 7mm-08s. I try to seat them .010" off the lands, but that is not always possible. In those rifles, I have had very good results just seating them as long as they will reliably feed from a full magazine.

With my Tikka 260 Rem I found by seating the bullets out to within .010 of the lands my group shrunk from right at 1" to about 3/8". I had to go to the longer mag.to accomplish this but also had to change the bolt stop. You can carefully grind the existing stop or order the longer style stop from Brownells. They are where you have to go to get them. Not cheap. In a plastic bag you get the long & the short bolt for $59 + shipping.

I lovingly have nicknamed my T3x lite 7mm-08, 'Linda Lovelace'. With those 120 nbts; it's best load to 2.806" and then psychologically convince yourself that is 'not how long it is, it's how you use it'!!

This is group was caused by: 120 gr. nbts, 44.6 grs RL15, cci 200, neck sized remington brass, ~100 yds.

I can live with it.

Load them to factory length, see how they shoot. I always start there. If it’s an inch or less, I’m good with it. Plenty good for hunting.