Savage or Tikka?

[CJR]

I was in your exact same predicament last year. Went with a tikka 300 WSM shooting 165 gr Barnes TTSX's. The tikka loved them and they performed perfectly.

 

[SDMF]

I'd shoot an elk in any direction except the ass, speed kills.

A good 30 cal magnum with a good bullet will make that shot angle work too. I've been forced into that situation twice when I didn't make the 1st one count like I should've. Both were ~400-425yds and in both cases I caught the front leg just below the brisket and didn't get vitals. In both cases, they turned to go away from me and my choice was shoot up the hind-end, or watch them limp off. In both cases a 200gn TSX via 300Win mag got to the vitals with a rear entry and ended things rather quickly.

 

[ItemB]

"A good 30 cal magnum" with a good bullet will make that shot angle work too. I've been forced into that situation twice when I didn't make the 1st one count like I should've. Both were ~400-425yds and in both cases I caught the front leg just below the brisket and didn't get vitals. In both cases, they turned to go away from me and my choice was shoot up the hind-end, or watch them limp off. In both cases a 200gn TSX via 300Win mag got to the vitals with a rear entry and ended things rather quickly.

What is your thoughts on a good 30 cal magnum? 300Win mag or would you have you gone/go a different caliber?

 

[svnmag]

I find myself pining for the old days and scads of posts about the magic TSX.

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Tell 'em SD! Tell 'em what can be done with an 08 or 06 case!

 

[SDMF]

What is your thoughts on a good 30 cal magnum? 300Win mag or would you have you gone/go a different caliber?

Any of them that are of a platform you can carry far AND shoot well. I've owned a 300Winmag of some manner since '97. I also owned a 300WSM for ~10yrs. There's not enough difference ballistically to firmly make a case for one or the other. Belts on cases don't bother me as I minimally size my brass and headspace off the shoulder anyway so again, no clear advantage. The "traditional" longer cased 30 magnums like the 300Win, 308 Norma, 300Wby, and 300 H&H do have an advantage in very smooth/slick feeding and the 1st 2 are typically are housed in a platform that allows a handloader more freedom regarding seating depth, especially with heavy (180gn+) bullets.

All that said, none of those differences make much difference. Find the rifle YOU like, then find the ammo IT likes then just go fill tags. 3 of the 9 elk I've killed, I was damned glad to have the 300. 2 due to poor 1st shot placement, 1 due to a pretty hard going away angle that required lots of oomph to get where it needed to be. The other 6 could've been killed with anything a guy would normally pack for any deer or antelope hunt. The moose I shot would've died just as dead and just as fast with any non-magnum '06 or 308 based round, lets face it, broadside standing still and calm @ 200yds with vitals the size of a large beach ball offers a guy lots of margin for error. The 2 caribou I killed with a 270Win left me well satisfied that a guy certainly doesn't need any more gun than that as neither took so much as a step post-impact.

1. Placement, placement, placement, get the bullet into the vitals
2. Bullet, pick a good one that shoots well in your rifle, then shoot it enough to KNOW where it's going.
3. Range, knowing exact range, is much more important that the headstamp upon your ammo because it's a much more important part of putting the bullet in the right spot than is case capacity.
4. Wind, knowing how fast the wind is, what angle it's at compared to your intended target, and having a well thought out and repeatable method for accounting for that wind is again far more important than the headstamp upon your brass.

There's probably a dozen other things I'd worry about before worrying about which specific chambering to buy. Scope, mounts, stock to metal fit (bedding), good trigger break, all mean more to me than does a specific chambering.

 

[svnmag]

That's so wonderful. I'm in tears. I've been taken back to 2002.

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I just realized you didn't report on the speed and hydro-shock achievable from a "standard" case.

 

[SDMF]

I just realized you didn't report on the speed and hydro-shock achievable from a "standard" case.

TSX/TTSX bullets produce very similar results regardless the case they were launched from. Caliber sized entry wounds, ~golf-ball sized exit wounds. Everything in between is soup. This seems to be independent of muzzle/impact velocity on critters inside 600yds at least. On a recent trip to MT we were able to compare entry/exit wounds of critters from ~25yds to 350yds taken w/TSX/TTSX bullets from 243Win, 270Win, 7Rem, 300WSM, and 7-08. With the hide off and the carcasses hanging, one would have an awful difficult time stating with any clarity what's what by merely examining holes with no prior knowledge of whom placed bullets where and at what distance.

 

[svnmag]

And there it is...thanks man.

 

[SDMF]

Regarding the original question of platform. Tikka's got an exponentially better trigger and because there's no offset in the Tikka's detachable magazine vs. the Savage the Tikka will feed much better.

IMO, the acutrigger is more worthless and a bigger farce than the butt-out tool.

 

[svnmag]

I save Butt Out implements to sell on Ebay for gaybar decoration. They can really stir a conversation while waiting on a meal.

 

[Bed Wetter]

A good 30 cal magnum with a good bullet will make that shot angle work too. I've been forced into that situation twice when I didn't make the 1st one count like I should've. Both were ~400-425yds and in both cases I caught the front leg just below the brisket and didn't get vitals. In both cases, they turned to go away from me and my choice was shoot up the hind-end, or watch them limp off. In both cases a 200gn TSX via 300Win mag got to the vitals with a rear entry and ended things rather quickly.

And here I thought I was the ass-shooter. Got me beat again, SDMF.

 

[Alex Hatzenbuhler]

I like tikkas a little more

 

[wkndwarrior]

what did you use for powder? I have tried to get the 165's to fly out of mine and have done nothing but struggle to get it to shoot decent. Then again I haven't found anything to shoot awesome out of it, just ok

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I was in your exact same predicament last year. Went with a tikka 300 WSM shooting 165 gr Barnes TTSX's. The tikka loved them and they performed perfectly.

what did you use for powder? I have tried to get the 165's to fly out of mine and have done nothing but struggle to get it to shoot decent. Then again I haven't found anything to shoot awesome out of it, just ok

 

[SDMF]

what did you use for powder? I have tried to get the 165's to fly out of mine and have done nothing but struggle to get it to shoot decent. Then again I haven't found anything to shoot awesome out of it, just ok

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what did you use for powder? I have tried to get the 165's to fly out of mine and have done nothing but struggle to get it to shoot decent. Then again I haven't found anything to shoot awesome out of it, just ok

Reloader 22 works well for me w/168TTSX.

 

[JMF]

You won't have to chop any of the barrel off to fit a suppressor. Just thread it with 1/2" instead of the normal 5/8" and get the adaptor.

 

[CJR]

what did you use for powder? I have tried to get the 165's to fly out of mine and have done nothing but struggle to get it to shoot decent. Then again I haven't found anything to shoot awesome out of it, just ok

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what did you use for powder? I have tried to get the 165's to fly out of mine and have done nothing but struggle to get it to shoot decent. Then again I haven't found anything to shoot awesome out of it, just ok

not a reloaded so shot through around 7-8 factory loads to find the one the rifle liked.
This was my sons best group at 200 yards (shooting from a led sled).

 

[svnmag]

That's nice indeed. Have you tried Fusions?

 

[wkndwarrior]

Fusions did not work for me. Tried the 165's and the 180's tried reloading 165 TTSX with 2 different powders with little success. Tried the Nosler partition 180's with 3 different powders and got one to fly somewhat ok but feel like it should be able to do better with reloading.

 

[luvcatchingbass]

Fusions did not work for me. Tried the 165's and the 180's tried reloading 165 TTSX with 2 different powders with little success. Tried the Nosler partition 180's with 3 different powders and got one to fly somewhat ok but feel like it should be able to do better with reloading.

At least you know your 7mm with TTSX works. Have came across a few people with the magical 300 WSM and got similar stories, good gun and they like it but finding the right combo for it was a bit of a journey.

 

[SupressYourself]

IMO, the acutrigger is more worthless and a bigger farce than the butt-out tool.

Wow, that's harsh. I've heard the ones on the larger calibers can be less good, but the one on my 22-250 is sweet. Breaks clean at just under two pounds. I've never had to / tried to adjust it.
The only issue I have with it is that you can pull the main trigger without pulling the 'pre-trigger' (or whatever you call it) and it will go 'click', and you have to cock it again. This can happen in the heat of battle when you're wearing big bulky gloves. There is at least one coyote that survived because of this.

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You won't have to chop any of the barrel off to fit a suppressor. Just thread it with 1/2" instead of the normal 5/8" and get the adaptor.

Nice. I'm pretty sure my brain works (most days), but this actually never occurred to me even though I have an adaptor to use my 30cal can on my 223 AR.