Tikka Ace Game in 300 Win Mag review (with Ruger Hybrid Muzzle Brake)

[SafariCurious]

Bought a new rifle recently, the Tikka Ace Game in 300 Winchester Magnum. It is my first tactical style bolt-action rifle, and my first gun chambered in 300 Win Mag.

The gun feels surprisingly light and fairly handy despite its 9.3lbs base weight and a full-length barrel. It doesn't feel like it weighs more than 2lbs more than my basic Tikka T3x Superlight in .243 Winchester.

I put on a 6x24x56 Vortex scope and used some 180 grain Sellier and Belliot ammo on its first range trip to familiarize myself with it and sight it in.

The first few shots I took while sighting in without a muzzle brake were significantly uncomfortable due to recoil; however, I then screwed on a Ruger branded hybrid muzzle brake, and that made shooting the rifle actually fun!

As much as I hated muzzle brakes when I first started getting into shooting when someone would start shooting a muzzle brake next to me at the range, I must say, when shooting magnum cartridges out of a hunting rifle a muzzle brake sure is nice for the person doing the shooting!

I quickly got perfectly sighted in at 200 yards and then started going out farther and farther. I only had about an hour and half to shoot, but before I finished I managed to hit a human torso target at 960 yards numerous times with it.

I am so far very happy with this combo and will hopefully be able to update this review after taking it hunting.

 

[Muskox]

Ok, couple of things.

1. You need to get the rifle higher off the bench. This will put the force of recoil in a more linear line to the meaty part of your shoulder and not the bony part.

2. You need a rear bag.

3. You have a bipod there and you could probably work out a rear bag. You might have been better loading the bipod and laying prone. Google loading the bipod.

4. There are million really effective muzzle brakes. There are always some on eBay. The fat bastard line is very effective, and I have good luck shooting the 4 port models. They really eat recoil on big magnums.

 

[shootist~]

I won't have a Fat (or Little) Bastard brake. Just the most obnoxious brakes made, IMO. Very popular brakes, though.

I have the Ruger brake (from a RPR I once had) on a 308 practice rifle used for volume practice from the sticks. Works very well for my purposes and the single port is less obnoxious.

Sounds like the new 300 is a winner.