What cartridge for Tikka build

[Reidus]

7wsm with 180s at 3000fps is a tough combo to beat. Recoil with a brake is minimal. The 300wsm with 200-215s is great too but little more recoil. The tikkas with long action work great for wsm cartridges with long bullets. They dont work that great for long action cartridges with long bullets. 

[Branden]

Yea I know what the 7 Sherman Max is. I have a 7SS in a short action. Again the SM line doesn’t make sense to me. I believe with a 195 coal is like 3.13. It fits in a medium action great. BM costs more for the medium actions, brass, dies, plus fire forming the 7SM. A lot of expense for what benefit? If a guy is going to fire form he might as well go with a 7 Blaser AI and maximize the length of the tikka action. Or just use a WSM.

My brother has a 300 wsm he built on a Tikka. It was a 300 wm but with the 215 seated where it should be he was single feeding them. He got it rechambered to 300 wsm. The throat is long so you can take advantage of the Tikka action length. He is getting 2960 with the 215. That is a 24” barrel. It was fast even as a 300 wm so I wouldn’t expect that velocity from most barrels.

[opdinkslayer]

Well maybe this thread was a bad idea, I’m no closer to deciding than I was before!   keep the responses & info coming tho boys, a healthy debate is always a good time.

[opdinkslayer]

Yea I know what the 7 Sherman Max is. I have a 7SS in a short action. Again the SM line doesn’t make sense to me. I believe with a 195 coal is like 3.13. It fits in a medium action great. BM costs more for the medium actions, brass, dies, plus fire forming the 7SM. A lot of expense for what benefit? If a guy is going to fire form he might as well go with a 7 Blaser AI and maximize the length of the tikka action. Or just use a WSM.

My brother has a 300 wsm he built on a Tikka. It was a 300 wm but with the 215 seated where it should be he was single feeding them. He got it rechambered to 300 wsm. The throat is long so you can take advantage of the Tikka action length. He is getting 2960 with the 215. That is a 24” barrel. It was fast even as a 300 wm so I wouldn’t expect that velocity from most barrels.

Good info, thanks for posting. I was thinking 2900+ from a 26” barrel

[b23]

Has B23 given you his pitch for the 7 Blaser? It seems like a perfect fit for a tikka build, brass goes on sale every once in a while for a buck a piece. I am looking at doing something almost identical to what you’re talking about and that or the 7wsm are my two top considerations as of right now I think.

Ha!  That's funny. 

As much as I think the 7mm Blaser is a excellent mid range cartridge, it seemed the OP had things narrowed down to the 7 WSM or 300 WSM so I tried not to muddy the water. 

But, as much as I like my 7mm Blaser mag, I'll say it again, if I were looking for a do all one gun, something 30 Cal would be my first choice every time and with better brass being available for the WSM's, a 300 WSM would be a great choice given the OP's parameters. 

[BULLBLASTER]

Whatever you pick just make sure it’s something your guy has made before, and not something new to him. 

[opdinkslayer]

Has B23 given you his pitch for the 7 Blaser? It seems like a perfect fit for a tikka build, brass goes on sale every once in a while for a buck a piece. I am looking at doing something almost identical to what you’re talking about and that or the 7wsm are my two top considerations as of right now I think.

Ha!  That's funny. 

As much as I think the 7mm Blaser is a excellent mid range cartridge, it seemed the OP had things narrowed down to the 7 WSM or 300 WSM so I tried not to muddy the water. 

But, as much as I like my 7mm Blaser mag, I'll say it again, if I were looking for a do all one gun, something 30 Cal would be my first choice every time and with better brass being available for the WSM's, a 300 WSM would be a great choice given the OP's parameters. 

Ok b23 give me the pitch just for shoots & giggles 

[kselkhunter]

If you want an all around rifle to use on both deer and elk at farther ranges, I'd go 300wsm over the 7wsm. 

I just like bigger bullets on elk if longer ranges.   210gr Nosler ABLR.  In a 26" barrel you should be able to get it up to 2800-2900fps range. 

[opdinkslayer]

Whatever you pick just make sure it’s something your guy has made before, and not something new to him. 

Mike @ HCA will be doing the build. I know he’s done lots of tikka builds in both wsm cartridges. Lots of cool new options coming for the Tikka’s so that’s put this off til the end of the year. Also,if you can believe this, Mike takes time off to hunt himself in the fall!

[Karl Blanchard]

For killing animals I'm a big fan of 30 cal projectiles.  This wouldn't even be a question in my mind. 300 wsm. On a tikka you wont have any length issues so seat them bergers out long and run em hard

[b23]

Has B23 given you his pitch for the 7 Blaser? It seems like a perfect fit for a tikka build, brass goes on sale every once in a while for a buck a piece. I am looking at doing something almost identical to what you’re talking about and that or the 7wsm are my two top considerations as of right now I think.

Ha!  That's funny. 

As much as I think the 7mm Blaser is a excellent mid range cartridge, it seemed the OP had things narrowed down to the 7 WSM or 300 WSM so I tried not to muddy the water. 

But, as much as I like my 7mm Blaser mag, I'll say it again, if I were looking for a do all one gun, something 30 Cal would be my first choice every time and with better brass being available for the WSM's, a 300 WSM would be a great choice given the OP's parameters. 

Ok b23 give me the pitch just for shoots & giggles 

It's not really any sales pitch per say because I certainly don't gain anything from it, but the 7mm Blaser Mag is kind of a cross between the 7 Rem mag and 7 WSM.  Has a tiny bit more case capacity than both, my cases measure 84gr H2O.  The 7 Blaser is shorter and fatter than the 7 Rem but is longer and not quite as fat as the WSM case. 

Defensive Edge Rifles built mine and Shawn did his +P throat design and I'm shooting 180 Berger's w/68.5gr RL26 from a Hart #4 at 26 inches and that gives me 3088-3100fps.

My 7 Blaser is a great gun, shoots in the .3's pretty easily with the above load, but even as much as I like it, if I were looking for a one gun do all, given your parameters, I'd go with the 300 WSM over it.

Also, unless you just really like the "look" of a carbon fiber wrapped barrel, and nothing wrong with it if you do, I like how they look myself, short of it lightening you wallet, you aren't gaining a thing by using one.

[opdinkslayer]

  ya it’s purely an aesthetic thing & I really like the look of Mike’s wraps. You guys are making a compelling argument for the 300 & 215’s🤔

[b23]

ya it’s purely an aesthetic thing & I really like the look of Mike’s wraps. You guys are making a compelling argument for the 300 & 215’s🤔

Dollars and cents wise, they don't make a whole lot of sense, but, I do think they look good and I just put a Proof Research CF barrel on my brand new Seekins SP10, and it's chambered in, of all things, 6.5 Creedmoor. 

I think any of the bullets in the 180-215 range would suit your needs very well.

[Mtnwalker]

ya it’s purely an aesthetic thing & I really like the look of Mike’s wraps. You guys are making a compelling argument for the 300 & 215’s🤔

Dollars and cents wise, they don't make a whole lot of sense, but, I do think they look good and I just put a Proof Research CF barrel on my brand new Seekins SP10, and it's chambered in, of all things, 6.5 Creedmoor. 

I think any of the bullets in the 180-215 range would suit your needs very well.

Dollars and cents wise does ANY of this stuff make sense?!   

[opdinkslayer]

True that