Fitting Ultra 7 to Tikka T3 Lite

[Dirtriding4life]

This week I started my waiting period for my TBAC Ultra 7 suppressor with 5/8-24 CB mount. Now I get to decide how to mount it on my stainless Tikka T3 Lite 30-06. The rifle is my primary elk/deer gun that I have a maximum range of 500 yards with. It has a SHV 3-10 mounted and currently shoots factory 175 grain LRX at just under 1 MOA depending on how I'm shooting for the day. It is still wearing the factory stock with a Limbsaver so that's something I am interested in upgrading in the future. The rifle has around 1500 rounds down the pipe so I imagine the barrel life has somewhere around 60-70% remaining.

These are the options I've come up with and would appreciate some input...

Option 1 cost ~$200. Send the rifle to Thunder Beast and have them chop the barrel to 20" and install their Face Mount 9/16-24 CB brake. They will exchange that CB mount for my 5/8-24 mount for free. My only concern with this method is having all the weight of a suppressor hanging off the narrow sporter Tikka barrel might negatively affect accuracy. Has anyone seen this as an issue with lighter barrels? The money saved from this would allow me to pick up a new stock and I'm eyeing the Stocky's new Ultralight to help offset some of the weight of the suppressor.

Option 2 cost $600-800. Have a barrel manufacturer spin up a prefit 20" barrel in 30-06 threaded 5/8-24. I would be happy with fluted steel to save some costs over carbon and I imagine at 20" the weight savings for carbon would be minimal.

Option 3 cost $500-1000. Sell my current Tikka and buy a different rifle. I've been searching for something that is factory threaded with a relatively short barrel and have been coming up short. The Browning X Bolt Speed Suppressor Ready is an option but I don't like their chamberings. The Sako S20 looks interesting but I don't believe Beretta is importing the shorter barrels outside of a 6.5 or .308 caliber. Does anyone have any suggestions for an elk capable rifle out to 500 yards that fits my needs? I would be interested in 300WSM for the added speed, but like the shootability and cheaper factory ammo of the 30-06. I don't currently reload as my time is limited but would like to 5-10 years in the future (young kids now).

 

[Colby]

I would go option 1 for sure. I haven’t ran that exact can but a JK stainless form 1 doesn't seem to bother mine at all.

 

[Braaap]

I’m in the exact same situation and I’m going with option 1 myself. TBAC says it will work as well as anything and the price is much better.

 

[cubdriver84d]

I have a tikka threaded 1/2x28 with the 223 cb bored out for 6.5. Did the same thing on a kimber but for 308.

 

[Kerbs]

I have this exact rifle. It's a Tikka T3 Lite 30-06 that I had cut to 20", threaded with a CB mount and run either an ultra 7 or ultra 5 on it. It's a great setup. I have not seen any change in accuracy. The light barrel supports it fine. You will likely have some POI shift from unsuppressed to suppressed. I had mine done by a local smith but TBAC would be a good option. It's killed a lot.

That said, this setup is great if you are going to run suppressed 100% of the time. A 20" 30-06 with a CB brake an no can is LOUD! I will not shoot mine without either ears or a suppressor, even on a hunt. Did it once on a X6a hunt in CA and never again.

The other option would be (and assuming you don't run the ultra 7 on anything else with a CB) to send the Ultra 7 to TBAC and have it swapped to a direct thread. Then have a smith thread the barrel and install a shoulder to TBAC specs. You could then direct thread the can and remove it when you want without having a brake. I have several ultra 7's and several platforms with mounts so it doesn't work well for me but in hindsight it's a better way to go in my opinion.

Regardless, it's a great setup and should be fine for what you are looking for. I don't think you are going to see an accuracy increase spinning on a new barrel, especially any worth the cost. Shoot this one out and then when it's time you can reevaluate your caliber needs as well.

 

[MuleyFever]

I have a tikka threaded 1/2x28 with the 223 cb bored out for 6.5. Did the same thing on a kimber but for 308.

I just did this as well but not for a Tikka.

I also just ordered a 20" Tikka prefit with stock barrel couture flared at the end for 5/8x24 threads.

 

[Deerfield]

I just did this as well but not for a Tikka.

I also just ordered a 20" Tikka prefit with stock barrel couture flared at the end for 5/8x24 threads.

Who did you order that prefit from?

 

[Dirtriding4life]

I have this exact rifle. It's a Tikka T3 Lite 30-06 that I had cut to 20", threaded with a CB mount and run either an ultra 7 or ultra 5 on it. It's a great setup. I have not seen any change in accuracy. The light barrel supports it fine. You will likely have some POI shift from unsuppressed to suppressed. I had mine done by a local smith but TBAC would be a good option. It's killed a lot.

That said, this setup is great if you are going to run suppressed 100% of the time. A 20" 30-06 with a CB brake an no can is LOUD! I will not shoot mine without either ears or a suppressor, even on a hunt. Did it once on a X6a hunt in CA and never again.

The other option would be (and assuming you don't run the ultra 7 on anything else with a CB) to send the Ultra 7 to TBAC and have it swapped to a direct thread. Then have a smith thread the barrel and install a shoulder to TBAC specs. You could then direct thread the can and remove it when you want without having a brake. I have several ultra 7's and several platforms with mounts so it doesn't work well for me but in hindsight it's a better way to go in my opinion.

Regardless, it's a great setup and should be fine for what you are looking for. I don't think you are going to see an accuracy increase spinning on a new barrel, especially any worth the cost. Shoot this one out and then when it's time you can reevaluate your caliber needs as well.

Thanks for the reply. That’s the exact info I was looking for and it sounds like others agree. It’s not often on here that the least expensive option is one of the better solutions.

The rifle will wear the suppressor nearly all the time and if not I’ll be sure to grab some hearing protection. If I spent all that money on it I’m sure as hell going to use it. Later on I’ll purchase a lighter shooting rifle and build it then same for the kids and wife. Eventually if I shoot this barrel out I’ll look at 280ai or whatever is the next best 7mm.

 

[MuleyFever]

Who did you order that prefit from?

McGowan.

 

[Sled]

McGowan.

be real clear with those guys on what you'll accept. i sent back 2 barrels from them a couple months back. one was mischambered with bad threads. the next one just had bad threads. inside looked great. they did refund my purchase but it was time lost. fwiw, it was the same style you're looking for with the bell at the end of the muzzle.

btw, i did ask if it was just new help but i was told everything was CNC and those threads just come out that way sometimes.

 

[Gorp2007]

I went with #2 and if I were doing it again I’d go option #1. If you’re worried about the noise unsuppressed you could always have them install the CB compatible flash hider instead of the brake, that’s what I’ve got on my AR because I don’t have any interest in shooting a braked 14.5” rifle.

 

[Ridge Ghost]

I went with option #1 a few months ago, but with a 300 WSM. You are right on with the price. $120 for the barrel chop and facemount, and door to door with insured shipping it was right at $200. Including the cost of the rifle, I was all in for about $1,000. I only have about 25 rounds through it so far with factory Norma Bondstrike 180gr, but it's shooting right at 1 MOA with the Ultra 7. No issues with accuracy from what I can tell.

Most of the factory rifles with short, threaded barrels come chambered in 308 or 6.5 manbun. The only 300 WSM with a 20" barrel I could find was the new Christensen Arms Ridgeline FFT, but it wasn't in stock yet at the time, and it would have been more than twice the price of the Tikka. I figured I would put the savings toward extra ammo. No regrets on my decision.

 

[Jimbee]

be real clear with those guys on what you'll accept. i sent back 2 barrels from them a couple months back. one was mischambered with bad threads. the next one just had bad threads. inside looked great. they did refund my purchase but it was time lost. fwiw, it was the same style you're looking for with the bell at the end of the muzzle.

btw, i did ask if it was just new help but i was told everything was CNC and those threads just come out that way sometimes.

Were the bad threads on the muzzle end, or chamber end? I have a 18 inch 300wsm flared, threaded barrel on order. More details on the bad chamber?
Thanks

 

[Dirtriding4life]

I went with option #1 a few months ago, but with a 300 WSM. You are right on with the price. $120 for the barrel chop and facemount, and door to door with insured shipping it was right at $200. Including the cost of the rifle, I was all in for about $1,000. I only have about 25 rounds through it so far with factory Norma Bondstrike 180gr, but it's shooting right at 1 MOA with the Ultra 7. No issues with accuracy from what I can tell.

Most of the factory rifles with short, threaded barrels come chambered in 308 or 6.5 manbun. The only 300 WSM with a 20" barrel I could find was the new Christensen Arms Ridgeline FFT, but it wasn't in stock yet at the time, and it would have been more than twice the price of the Tikka. I figured I would put the savings toward extra ammo. No regrets on my decision.

That Ridgeline FFT in 300wsm looks sweet. I hadn’t seen that one before and probably blew past that option when I noticed the 30-06 comes in a 22” barrel. I wonder what kind of weight they come in with the short mag configuration? If it’s anywhere near the 5.3lbs advertised I bet it has quite the thump to it. I can’t imagine my 30-06 T3 being significantly lighter than it is and all the recoil and stability issues that would bring.

I’m curious to hear how you like that Norma Bondstrike and it’s performance on game? You probably haven’t gotten there yet with only 25 rounds in a new rifle. I was tempted to pick some up in 30-06 but doing a little digging it seems like people are finding the G1 BC closer to .530 rather than the .615 they claim on their website. At .615 it would be probably the most slippery 180 grain .308 option.

 

[zion zig zag]

I went with option 1 recently on a Tikka T3x 7mm-08. I had TBAC cut to 18” and thread on the CB mount. I don’t have the can yet so no info as to how it will shoot with it attached, but based on reports iT should be fine. I didn’t have the CB mount that comes with the suppressor yet so I didn’t do the exchange, I guess I’ll just have an extra for another rifle.

 

[Sled]

Were the bad threads on the muzzle end, or chamber end? I have a 18 inch 300wsm flared, threaded barrel on order. More details on the bad chamber?
Thanks

Both. The first barrel had an ok tenon with bad muzzle threading. The second had bad muzzle threads and tenon that wouldn't fully thread onto the action. The chamber was fine on the second barrel and the first. The first just wasn't what I ordered.

I'll pm you

 

[pirogue]

I sent my Tikka Lite .243 to Thunderbeast for the face mount to accept my Ultra 7. No barrel chop