Tikka T3x 338 Win Mag

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AlaskaRed

Lil-Rokslider
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Looking for some advice from some experience individuals.

At my local gun shop there is a Tikka T3x roughtech in 6.5PRC that I was looking to use as a host for a rebarrel to 338 win mag. It seems most rifle manufacturers have left the 338 win mag behind but I think it will still be a great cartridge for my hunting here in Alaska. I have a 1965 Winchester model 70 338 win mag I have the thoughts of getting ready to hunt with but not confident I will get the accuracy I want out of it and am hesitant to put the money into it. Back to my point was thinking about using a proof blank in 338 to get chambered and fit for a tikka t3x action (open to other barrel suggestions). What all will I need as far as magazines and will the bolt face work for 338 win mag from 6.5 prc? I have a tikka t3x in 7mag and love that rifle. Would be nice to have something familiar in a different cartridge.
 
I would bet you would be better off buying a Tikka chambered for a “long” action cartridge like 300 WM (not WSM) or 7mm RM. I am pretty sure the magazines for either of those would work fine for a 338 WM. Unless you really like the Roughtech stock and/or bolt knob, you would likely save money starting with a T3X Lite.
 
My understanding is that tikka actions are all the same and the differences are the magazines, bolt stops, and bolt face? I'm still learning here. The reason I mention the 6.5 PRC is my local shop has a used one for a good deal. Same cost as buying a bare action or worse a new gun. But I see your point those cartridges would for sure have same bolt face and similar magazine and bolt stops.
 
Mine likes Prime 130 and Hornady 140eld-m
Tikkas are notoriously slow. Mine about 100fps slower than the average so I wouldn’t suggest going heavy
 
I think you would have to have the bolt face opened up for the larger 338WM.

Don’t sleep on the 338-06. Also a great option.

My mistake. I thought you said 6.5CM.
 
Last edited:
Karfonta M said:
Looking for some advice from some experience individuals.

At my local gun shop there is a Tikka T3x roughtech in 6.5PRC that I was looking to use as a host for a rebarrel to 338 win mag. It seems most rifle manufacturers have left the 338 win mag behind but I think it will still be a great cartridge for my hunting here in Alaska. I have a 1965 Winchester model 70 338 win mag I have the thoughts of getting ready to hunt with but not confident I will get the accuracy I want out of it and am hesitant to put the money into it. Back to my point was thinking about using a proof blank in 338 to get chambered and fit for a tikka t3x action (open to other barrel suggestions). What all will I need as far as magazines and will the bolt face work for 338 win mag from 6.5 prc? I have a tikka t3x in 7mag and love that rifle. Would be nice to have something familiar in a different cartridge.
Click to expand...
Yes it will work. All you will have to do is change the bolt stop, all Tikka actions are the same length. The 7mm magazine will also work for the 338. I have a factory t3 338, shoots great if you don't mind the recoil.
 
Good to know! I did find out the 6.5 PRC uses same magnum bolt face of .540 which lucks out in my favor. Just the issue of magazine conversion and bolt stop. I know a 6.5 prc magazine will be way to small. Do you recommend going with a 7mm magazine or a 300 wm? How does one convert the magazine on the tikka?

Yeah recoil isn't fun but planning on a stock change to help with that. It's definitely not fun on my 1965 m70 with wood stock.
 
If you buy the 6.5 PRC, I would recommend that you buy a box of Hornady 147 gr ELDMs to put through it for giggles. You just might decide that you need a 6.5 PRC more than a 338.
 
I’d love to hunt with a 6.5 PRC! The job for this rifle is to be able to take down some big bears if need be though.
 
I would not hesitate to use your M70. Especially with Stockys now offering quality stocks.

If you were going to buy a brand new Tikka to re barrel, why not just rebarel your Winchester, put it in a Stockys Carbon stock and be done. M70s are great and overlooked actions. My early 1970s .308 is as smooth as a Tikka, absolutely couldn't get it to bind if you tried.

Sent from my SM-G990U using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:
Karfonta M said:
Good to know! I did find out the 6.5 PRC uses same magnum bolt face of .540 which lucks out in my favor. Just the issue of magazine conversion and bolt stop. I know a 6.5 prc magazine will be way to small. Do you recommend going with a 7mm magazine or a 300 wm? How does one convert the magazine on the tikka?

Yeah recoil isn't fun but planning on a stock change to help with that. It's definitely not fun on my 1965 m70 with wood stock.
Click to expand...
You just need the long action bolt stop and the 300wm magazine. I don't think the proof barrel will fit the factory stock so you're probably looking at an stock swap as well. Or getting the dremel out.
 
Castle Rock said:
Tikkas in 338 WM are readily available here, but there is no nastier rifle to shoot, ask me how I know 😂
Click to expand...
Yeah, just the idea would make me want to start flinching. I had a 300 WSM that was less than fun to shoot, even suppressed. The combination of light weight and low comb with a 338 WM sounds like an real ass kicker on the back end.
 
I'm surprised by some of the information shared here.

It'd be a good donor. All you'd need would be a long action magazine (they're all the same), a bolt stop (but you can grind the current one to allow the bolt to travel further back), and a new barrel.

If you bought a 7 Rem Mag version of the roughtech, you could even send it to JES Rebore and have them use the current barrel since the Rem Mag and the 338 share a case. They'd just make the bore bigger. That would save a ton of money. If you did that, you could use the factory stock or put the money saved towards a new one.
 
Curious on the rebore idea - do they heat treat a barrel after doing that? That seems like something that would induce stresses.
 
wind gypsy said:
Curious on the rebore idea - do they heat treat a barrel after doing that? That seems like something that would induce stresses.
Click to expand...
I don't actually know much about the process. I think they just cut away the material, which wouldn't induce stress. JES specifically uses single point cut rifling after that. Everyone I've heard who's done it has been satisfied with the results.
 
Last edited:
Karfonta M said:
Looking for some advice from some experience individuals.

At my local gun shop there is a Tikka T3x roughtech in 6.5PRC that I was looking to use as a host for a rebarrel to 338 win mag. It seems most rifle manufacturers have left the 338 win mag behind but I think it will still be a great cartridge for my hunting here in Alaska. I have a 1965 Winchester model 70 338 win mag I have the thoughts of getting ready to hunt with but not confident I will get the accuracy I want out of it and am hesitant to put the money into it. Back to my point was thinking about using a proof blank in 338 to get chambered and fit for a tikka t3x action (open to other barrel suggestions). What all will I need as far as magazines and will the bolt face work for 338 win mag from 6.5 prc? I have a tikka t3x in 7mag and love that rifle. Would be nice to have something familiar in a different cartridge.
Click to expand...
 
Nhenry said:
If you bought a 7 Rem Mag version of the roughtech, you could even send it to JES Rebore and have them use the current barrel since the Rem Mag and the 338 share a case. They'd just make the bore bigger. That would save a ton of money. If you did that, you could use the factory stock or put the money saved towards a new one.
Click to expand...
This is what I did to get a left handed 338 wm Tikka. I also got it cut down to 20" and threaded for a suppressor and I think it shoots nicely.
 
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