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Thread: Scout rifle, circa 2016

  1. #1341
    I wouldn't let the warranty issue hold me back because it's not like they're actually going to honor it.

    You can return a defective firearm to most gun makers with a clear description of the problem and they'll usually either blame it on you or fire 2-3 shots, fail to duplicate the problem, and return it with a note saying that it's within factory specs. When they do try to fix it, they usually get it wrong and you end up sending it back several times. There will be little or no documentation of what they did or tried, and you probably won't get to talk to the same person more than once if you try to call them. Each trip can take months, and you can easily spend more on shipping than the gun is worth. You'll hear this story over and over on gun forums. 99% of the time it's cheaper and faster to sort out problems on your own.

    I've owned a T3 Lite in 308 and a T3x Lite in 30-06. I can't say for sure, but I believe there's enough meat in those barrels to be threaded safely, especially if you cut them to 18-20".

    Buy a T3 Lite, double up your ear pro, and shoot it for a while without the can. Bolt guns are pretty simple and problems in a new one tend to show up right away. Then you can play warranty roulette if you want. If nothing is wrong, then have it cut and threaded, and enjoy it.


    Okie John
    “The reliability of the 30-06 on most of the world’s non-dangerous game is so well established as to be beyond intelligent dispute.” Finn Aagaard
    "Don't fuck with it" seems to prevent the vast majority of reported issues." BehindBlueI's

  2. #1342
    Member StraitR's Avatar
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    Thanks for your input John. I do agree about the use of warranties, especially trying to challenge any kind of "accuracy guarantees". Frankly, I'm less worried about the warranty than I am about having enough barrel diameter to cut/thread and safely mount a suppressor. I would direct thread SiCo Omega.

    I see that @LGChris had his Lite Compact cut from 20" to 16.5" and threaded or use with a suppressor, but I've not seen him using a can, nor mentioning it's use here or in his excellent videos. I also can't find anyone else cutting the T3/T3x Lite barrels back and using suppressors. This gives me pause about doing it.

    ETA: I get the high praise for Tikka's here, but I would buy the lighter Ruger American Predator/Magpul Hunter stock combo before going without the suppressor.
    Last edited by StraitR; 10-20-2018 at 10:38 AM.

  3. #1343
    Quote Originally Posted by StraitR View Post
    I see that @LGChris had his Lite Compact cut from 20" to 16.5" and threaded or use with a suppressor, but I've not seen him using a can, nor mentioning it's use here or in his excellent videos. I also can't find anyone else cutting the T3/T3x Lite barrels back and using suppressors. This gives me pause about doing it.
    I had every intention of buying a SilencerCo Omega to go on that T3x, but I haven't gotten around to it. I have a SilencerCo Specwar and it is ridiculously heavy, especially on that rifle, but the few rounds I've fired with that combo have been without issue.

    I don't know if I can recommend threading the T3x Lite the way I did. I had a local gunsmith do it and he seemed to think it would be okay as long as I wasn't planning to use a direct thread can that would be repeatedly removed and reattached. There is not much barrel diameter there, though. I don't know enough about that sort of thing to be able to say it's a good idea.

    Otherwise, I'm very happy with that rifle. I think Tikka is offering the best value for dollar in the bolt action field rifle category.
    The guy from Lucky Gunner

  4. #1344
    Member StraitR's Avatar
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    Thank you for chiming in @LGChris. When I look at your barrel (zoomed in as best I can on a Mac), and I get the same impression about the barrel diameter being suspect for a direct thread can. I suppose this is why I don't find it being done widely on the Lite barrels.

    I suppose I could attach a QD muzzle device for my can, but that just adds weight (weight of muzzle device + ASR fast attach mount in suppressor) at the worst possible place, which is at the end of the barrel.

    Do you have any thoughts on the T3x CTR as a practical/general purpose bolt gun for someone wanting to run 100% suppressed.

  5. #1345
    T3 Lite barrels are fine to thread for cans. The M14 thread is a dimension commonly used, it is what I have.

    Personally I want a heavier barrel now because I ended up wanting to get into long range shooting instead of using the Tikka as a general purpose rifle with an LPVO, but if that's what you want to do the Lite should serve you well.

    If you think you might want to get into long range shooting instead, the CTR would be a safer bet. A caliber with less drop and wind factor like 6.5 Creedmoor or 7mm-08 would also be a thought.

  6. #1346
    Member StraitR's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jellydonut View Post
    T3 Lite barrels are fine to thread for cans. The M14 thread is a dimension commonly used, it is what I have.

    Personally I want a heavier barrel now because I ended up wanting to get into long range shooting instead of using the Tikka as a general purpose rifle with an LPVO, but if that's what you want to do the Lite should serve you well.

    If you think you might want to get into long range shooting instead, the CTR would be a safer bet. A caliber with less drop and wind factor like 6.5 Creedmoor or 7mm-08 would also be a thought.

    I'm not familiar with the M14 thread, but my SiCo Omega uses 5/8x24 for both direct thread and muzzle devices.

    This will be my one and only bolt action, used for everything one would use a bolt action for, so there will definitely be compromises. I know I want to shoot it, and shoot it a lot if I have my way. In other words, this will be my learning rifle. I've been shooting AR's for 20 years, and frankly, I've lost interest.

    I've previously owned exactly one centerfire bolt gun, a Browning A-Bolt II in 308, and only shot it a handful of times (still have a bunch of premium 308 left in the safe). Ironically, I put Trijicon TR24r 1-4 on the A-Bolt and liked it a lot. It was ok to shoot, but it wasn't something I'd want to shoot for extended sessions while skill building or just having fun. I want to say that A-Bolt II Stalker weighed about 6.6 pounds without optic or sling, so the 7.5 pound CTR doesn't seem like much of a stretch, and the delta is potentially a good thing.

    I'm sure a lighter (1.5 pounds lighter) would make for a better practical rifle, especially to cover large open spaces on foot or tackle considerable elevation gains/losses, but none of that is my reality here in Florida anyway. I'll likely do 95% shooting (static) to 5% non-static hunting regardless. My current AR set up for general purpose is a 16" Noveske Light Recce with 13" Geissele rail, Vortex Razor Gen II-E in Badger mount, SF Scout, and VTAC sling, and it weighs in at 9.4 pounds without the can and just over 10 pounds with it. It doesn't strike me as excessive for my uses. I'd imagine when it's all said and done, the CTR would actually weigh a bit less than that. Hmm, I might have just figured this out.

    ETA: Maybe "practical rifle" is inaccurate, in that I may not be trying to fill that role specifically, so much as I am a general purpose bolt gun (if there's even a difference). Or maybe it is, but I'm having to deal with the added weight of the larger diameter barrel as a tradeoff for the benefit of using a suppressor.
    Last edited by StraitR; 10-20-2018 at 04:38 PM.

  7. #1347
    Quote Originally Posted by StraitR View Post
    Thank you for chiming in @LGChris. When I look at your barrel (zoomed in as best I can on a Mac), and I get the same impression about the barrel diameter being suspect for a direct thread can. I suppose this is why I don't find it being done widely on the Lite barrels.

    I suppose I could attach a QD muzzle device for my can, but that just adds weight (weight of muzzle device + ASR fast attach mount in suppressor) at the worst possible place, which is at the end of the barrel.

    Do you have any thoughts on the T3x CTR as a practical/general purpose bolt gun for someone wanting to run 100% suppressed.

    No worries about the threading issue.


    This T3 Lite .308 was cut back to 20"s and threaded:

    My daughters:



    Same story with mine:



  8. #1348
    There is slightly less metal externally on the .300wm (this one was not cut back), and there was still sufficient metal to have it threaded.






  9. #1349
    Member StraitR's Avatar
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    Thanks @Lost River. That gives me something to consider. Had some of our friends over for dinner tonight, and my buddy is now talking about cutting a 1000y range on his property for us to shoot. The lane is cut, just needs to bush hog it. That completely changes things for me and this rifle purchase. I know 6.5cm would make things easier out past 500, but I'm thinking I may learn more with the 308? Learning is a huge part of this purchase. Probably a subject for a different thread.

  10. #1350
    Frequent DG Adventurer fatdog's Avatar
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    Just a data point on the Tikkas. I think the CTR is heavy enough that it takes it out of the weight ranges for the original subject, the scout rifle, for me. Mine is in 6.5CR and it is practically cheating it is so easy to get hits at 1000 yards. For some reason I get better groups with just a comp in place instead of my YHM can, so I rarely zero it and shoot it suppressed.

    My "scout concept" was the T3 light in .30-06 some pages back and I did not thread it. The gunsmith locally who I trust to do such things said it was possible, but after taking some measurements he wanted to cut it back to 20" if we undertook that threading operation.
    Last edited by fatdog; 10-21-2018 at 07:29 AM.

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