Tikka rebarrel question

[Gobears16]

So I was hoping someone could answer a couple questions...

I’ve got a ctr 6.5cm that is like to rebarrel to a 6.5 PRC. Is that doable? It sits in a bravo stock as of right now. If it is doable. What parts And modifications would I need to do to make it all functional and reliable?

 

[spife7980]

You would need a magnum bolt face. So machining or buying if you can fine one.

 

[clcustom1911]

Hard to find a magnum bolt, but they can be machined open. What mags are you going to run? Ensure you have room in there, factory ammo is 2.93"+. Your best bet would to use a non saami chamber with shorter freebore to run from a shorter mag.

Outside the box....

You can see if someone has a Tikka Magnum bolt they were gonna rebarrel to a smaller cartridge and swap bolts.

 

[Shooter71]

It works great. I’ve done that exact thing for a handful of guys.

 

[Gobears16]

Hard to find a magnum bolt, but they can be machined open. What mags are you going to run? Ensure you have room in there, factory ammo is 2.93"+. Your best bet would to use a non saami chamber with shorter freebore to run from a shorter mag.

thank you for the info. Looks like I’ll call my Smith and see what it’ll cost to open up the bolt head vs buying a magnum bolt. Not sure yet on Mags. What are the best and smoothest? I’d plan on running factory for awhile. I have a buddy who uses factory and it prints tiny clover leafs with ease.

would it be easier to just buy a used tikka lite in wsm and buy a prefit and new mags?

 

[Bemoni]

Leave your CTR as it is now and go hunting for a used magnum / long action.
I did that and it turned out as follows:
1 used T3 in 3006 LA in wooden furniture ( can be sold or re-used later ).
1 new MDT HS3 chassis ( and a brake )
3 long action magazines.
1 Hardy Stainless barrel 26 inch, chambered in 6,5-284
3 hours of work to fit it all together, by the gunsmith

= one incredible longrange steel ringer, pretty much on a budget.

If you can find a magnum to the build, the whole world of funny calibers is open to you.

 

[XTREM HTR16]

Shaen Rifles in CA will open the bolt face for 125$. Ctr mags will not have the length to take factory ammo. (2.928" inside mag length vs 2.944 ammo) but steel lips should be able to modify for fatter case and handloads. The ctr stock only takes ctr mags so you may need to change to a krg bravo and run aics wsm mags that take 2.95".

Shaen is Shooter71. Just a PSA...

It works great. I’ve done that exact thing for a handful of guys.

 

[wade2big]

Shaen Rifles in CA will open the bolt face for 125$. Ctr mags will not have the length to take factory ammo. (2.928" inside mag length vs 2.944 ammo) but steel lips should be able to modify for fatter case and handloads. The ctr stock only takes ctr mags so you may need to change to a krg bravo and run aics wsm mags that take 2.95".

Factory Hornady 6.5 PRC 147gr ELDM fIts in CTR mags. There is enough room to wiggle the round back and forth. This would be the max OAL for the mags though.

In the first photo you can see the clearance. In the second I am pushing the round down inside the magazine.

 

[Steel head]

That's tighter than I'd prefer. Recoil could deform tips. Any field debris could cause feeding issues. The problem with the prc is the long ass 188 freebore. This was intended for the heavy eld with long bearing surfaces. But if a guy uses Berger or Sierra bullets with shorter bto measurements, coal will exceed 3" quickly and not be mag fed unless you're a long way off the lands. A guy would be better off getting a 140 freebore chamber and seating the factory ammo another 45k deaper w/ a seating die. This chamber would be much friendlier to hand loads and mag feeding.

I never understood why they made the 6.5 PRC so long.
Case and freebore.

 

[MarinePMI]

Trying to keep the base of the long bullet out of the powder column, and above the shoulder junction.

 

[Steel head]

Because the heavy eld bullets have a mile of bearing surface.

Yea
I know those bullets well but I still think they could have designed the case a bit different and shortened it a tenth or so.

 

[DROWN]

That's tighter than I'd prefer. Recoil could deform tips. Any field debris could cause feeding issues. The problem with the prc is the long ass 188 freebore. This was intended for the heavy eld with long bearing surfaces. But if a guy uses Berger or Sierra bullets with shorter bto measurements, coal will exceed 3" quickly and not be mag fed unless you're a long way off the lands. A guy would be better off getting a 140 freebore chamber and seating the factory ammo another 45k deaper w/ a seating die. This chamber would be much friendlier to hand loads and mag feeding.

I would like to hear from real world experience firing these from a CTR magazine. If they feed well. If they deform? How likely is this an issue?

 

[Steel head]

The 6.5 SST gets it right

I agree 100%.

 

[Sniperwannabee]

I’ve been thinking about this as well since steel head told me there it is plenty of opportunity to shoot a mile where we live. XLR chasis work with their AICS mags for 6.5 PRC or 7 SAUM or 300 WSM Just have to get your bolt opened like they said above

300 WSM / SAUM 7RD Box Magazine

The short action WSM/SAUM 7 round AICS style box magazine is built from steel, heat-treated, and then coated with a special Teflon for an optimal finish. It is built for any short action magnum cartridge with a COAL of 2.950" or less. This is a double stack center feed magazine.

xlrindustries.com

 

[Gobears16]

So after looking for used and new guns it looks like there are some good deals on a new 300 win lite for $480... figure I could sell the barrel, stock, and bottom metal. I then would probably grab a 6.5 PRC proof prefit. Then put it in a KRG Bravo with wsm mags and install a 20moa rail. Would also have to adjust bolt stop.... does that seem like a good budget build for a 6.5 PRC? What do you think final build would cost? How much would a smith roughly charge to swap barrels?

 

[DROWN]

Was my plan too but a used Seekins Havak in a Bravo is looking like a better deal.

 

[Sniperwannabee]

Was my plan too but a used Seekins Havak in a Bravo is looking like a better deal.

thats like 2k?

 

[Sniperwannabee]

PVA sells prefits as well

 

[Gobears16]

Was my plan too but a used Seekins Havak in a Bravo is looking like a better deal.

wellll there you ruining allll the fun with common sense like that... haha

I’ve got a 6cm in a Havak PH1 and love it... might need to grab a 6.5prc now too

But I do love the bolt throw and smoothness of tikkas

 

[Gobears16]

PVA sells prefits as well

ive heard nothing but great things about the accuracy but I’ve also heard the lead times are in years not weeks/months.

 

[Sniperwannabee]

ive heard nothing but great things about the accuracy but I’ve also heard the lead times are in years not weeks/months.

haha me too

 

[DROWN]

haha me too

Did the math. Posted a wanted ad on Rokslide. Havak Bravo now on its way to my FFL. I love the Tikka actions. Love the swept back bolt throw. We’ll see. Hopefully they make good on the shotshow comments and release one by summer.