With regards to the Tikka, the standard .223 mag length is too restrictive for a bolt gun, IMO! Why bother?
My gunsmith tells me its better to bush a 308 bolt and open that up, than try to open up a 223 bolt. He claims, opening up the 223 removes too much metal from the Sako extractor and that cause extraction issues. IDK! YMMV.
I have several short action Tikkas but, not one of the 223 mini actions. I think the 223 mag will fit into the short action magwell no problem. The issue then with the 223 mag would be whether there is enough internal mag length, to make it worth ones while? Super long Grendel rounds, 2.400 COL feed well from the standard short action mags. However, more normal 2.260 and under rounds experience the same type of Dasher nose dive from the regular short action mags. I know both the long and short actions on the Tikkas are identical in overall mag length, its the internal spacer that differentiates the two, I think that may well be the case with the 223 mag as well. So you could theoretically run both mags, a standard short action for the longer rounds and then the 223 mag for the shorter sub-2.260 rounds. Assuming the Grendel will fit into the 223 mag? I would think it would, with maybe opening up of the feed lips. Should be easy enough since its plastic!
The other option of course would be, to try and convince an aftermarket vendor, Mountain Tactical is already making Tikka metal mag replacements, to make a long 6.5 Grendel mag available.
My gunsmith tells me its better to bush a 308 bolt and open that up, than try to open up a 223 bolt. He claims, opening up the 223 removes too much metal from the Sako extractor and that cause extraction issues. IDK! YMMV.
I have several short action Tikkas but, not one of the 223 mini actions. I think the 223 mag will fit into the short action magwell no problem. The issue then with the 223 mag would be whether there is enough internal mag length, to make it worth ones while? Super long Grendel rounds, 2.400 COL feed well from the standard short action mags. However, more normal 2.260 and under rounds experience the same type of Dasher nose dive from the regular short action mags. I know both the long and short actions on the Tikkas are identical in overall mag length, its the internal spacer that differentiates the two, I think that may well be the case with the 223 mag as well. So you could theoretically run both mags, a standard short action for the longer rounds and then the 223 mag for the shorter sub-2.260 rounds. Assuming the Grendel will fit into the 223 mag? I would think it would, with maybe opening up of the feed lips. Should be easy enough since its plastic!
The other option of course would be, to try and convince an aftermarket vendor, Mountain Tactical is already making Tikka metal mag replacements, to make a long 6.5 Grendel mag available.