Best 600y elk cartridge to built on top of 270 Win Tikka action

[25WSM]

The bolt face on tikkas are real easy to open up to magnum. Have your smith do it when chambering your barrel. 300 wsm is really an under rated round. When throated long it really comes alive and the accuracy is spectacular. 7 saum throated long is another one that performs beyond expectations. Either one will take game farther than your requirements. Both fit super nice in a tikka.
Shep

 

[Gobbler256]

I've considered 280 AI but it seems like I might run into COAL issues. 284 WIN doesn't seem like it has enough bang.

Are there any other options with standard bolt face?

IMHO the 270win has laid down about 30 Elk for me up too 300-400yds. My longer range gun is a 300Win mag which accounts for about 10 more.
Having hunted the west for over 45 years it is a very wise move to stick with a well used caliber to insure availability of ammunition! I have had my ammo box come up missing from the airlines!!

 

[bozman]

My vote would be 280AI
Great cartridge, I have one myself that I use for Elk.

 

[esorensen]

Referencing the aforementioned '06 thread, that's exactly what I did. When you load the '06 to .270 pressures with modern powders, you will see that the "old" standard of 3K fps and a 180 for a 300 WM is attainable. A 26" barrel or even longer (I went with a 28" 9 twist Proof) 2900 with 200's is no problem with the new fancy powders. There is no 600y elk alive that will argue with that. If you really wanted to take that up a notch, you could do a .30-.280 AI. That's an EASY wildcat. Plenty of great 30 cal bullets out there…I just had to have an '06 though.

 

[Wendog]

I have a 3.715 aics magazine in my 7mm rem mag tikka. Purchased the bottom metal from Atlasworxs. I haven't had a chance to use it much yet, just installed it. You need to remove some material off of the front of the trigger, remove a bit of material off of the bolt stop to lengthen the bolt throw and alter the inlet a bit. I did the work myself and it was all pretty basic. The inletting I found the most tedious, I'm going to bed the bdm before I call it finished. I was testing fitting and then after having it torqued to spec it sat a little deeper than I wanted. That should remedy that issue.


Esthetically the 5rd mag looks gigantic in that stock but gives me a lot more room to play with. Serves its purpose.

 

[Leaf Litter]

6.8 western was my choice for the same niche. Carries elk energy out past 600 yards at all altitudes and much further above 6k feet with factory ammo, even more if you reload. Be warned, the only available brass is Winchester, which is cheeks, but you can fire form from SAUM brass if you choose.

 

[Accuracyman]

I personally like a 284 Winchester. I shoot it in competition so I made a hunting rifle chambered for the heavies. I killed my last bull with that rifle shooting 160g AccuBond. One shot one kill. Admittedly it was not 600 yards and it is not the heaviest pill I could have launched, but it was very effective. That said the 280Ack is hard to beat as well. Both will get the job done on a bull at 600 yards. I have a barrel ordered for my 270 Win in a fast twist so I can shoot the heavies, but I agree bullet selection is not as good as the 7mm.

 

[Taylorbok]

I just gone done building a Tikka 284 Win improved. essentially gave it the Ackley treatment. Just got done fire forming but I'm, hoping to get about 2800fps from a 180gr pill. should be able to tell you in the next week or so.

 

[Buckys]

this is good info! would berger 180 hybrids be too long for tikka mag?

It would help to elaborate what/why "does not have enough bang" and what bullet diameters/bullet weight combos you want to shoot.

Personally, I'm happy to limit my 7mm's to ~140-168 and if I want 180+ go to a 300xyz.

But if I only cared about <=600 yds, I might prefer a lighter/faster mono that expands reliably from 50-600 yards.

 

[azsugarbear]

If your max range is 600 yds, then you won't need the longer bullets with the higher BC's. Go with a goood compromise between high BC and bullet toughness such as the Accubond or a mono bullet. If the longer bullets are a must, then I would go with a short action cartridge such as the Sherman's and build it on your long ction with std. bolt face. My choice would be the 280 AI.

 

[Pudgy]

I've considered 280 AI but it seems like I might run into COAL issues. 284 WIN doesn't seem like it has enough bang.

Are there any other options with standard bolt face?

I just built a 7Rem off the tikka action. You can get a longer coal (3.600) by changing to a red snake bottom metal (or Wyatt's box)

I would change bolt face and mag. And go 7Rem. I am pushing a 168 ABLR 2955 with 71 grains of H1000 out of a 24" proof. With a BTO 2.744. Jump of .86. .4-.55 5 shot groups not uncommon. Rarely over .65.

 

[Pudgy]

I just built a 7Rem off the tikka action. You can get a longer coal (3.600) by changing to a red snake bottom metal (or Wyatt's box)

I would change bolt face and mag. And go 7Rem. I am pushing a 168 ABLR 2955 with 71 grains of H1000 out of a 24" proof. With a BTO 2.744. Jump of .86. .4-.55 5 shot groups not uncommon. Rarely over .65.

First elk at 550 used it for a rest to shoot second one at 605 in background. Both 1 shot kills with 168 ABLR out of 7Rem.

 

[Taylorbok]

If you don't need to change the barrel now you could try and wait for 7PRC brass to become available. (aside from RCC)
have the bolt face opened up and that would fit your wants very well.

 

[ChrisTeam2]

Yes I think that might be the best path forward. What would you recommend with mag bolt face? The tikka action will still limit me to 3.34" COAL.

The available Hodgdon load data from their website shows the max tested COAL for the 280 AI to be at 3.330". In the 11th edition Hornady reloading manual the Max test COAL is also 3.330" all the way up to 180 gr. ELD-M with the 175 ELD-X's G-1 BC of 0.689, that could be a pretty good option between 2650-2800 fps? For the 175 ELD-X and muzzle velocity of 2750 fps, you are looking at 1759 Ft./#s of energy at 550 meters (about 600 yards).
The Nosler loading manual shows their 175 gr. bullets to all be loaded at 3.330" with IMR 7828ssc as their most accurate load. I have have had good luck sourcing that powder online on Midway USA and Midsouth Shooters, something to consider. From the Nosler loading manual the hotter loads with 175 Gr. hunting rounds can be attained up to 2850-2900 fps with H-1000 and RL-26 respectively. There are other brands of capable bullets to choose from with 3.330" max tested COAL in most reloading manuals... The question is will your rifle shoot well within your max COAL limitations and will you be able to source components for your load development process and validation testing. Additional information to consider from Pudgy: "You can get a longer coal (3.600) by changing to a red snake bottom metal (or Wyatt's box)" The 280 AI is great cartridge, I hope the collective info on this thread is helpful...