Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Thoughts pls on Tikka 308 short carbon fiber barrel

My best friend is interested in a Tikka T3x in .308 with a short barrel to use with a suppressor. He has Tikkas in 30-06 and 300 win mag so he is fond of them. Lightweight is a high priority. I was thinking about getting one made for him. I see CarbonSix sells pre-fit barrels as short as 16” threaded 5/8-24”, that would be my choice. I need somebody to assemble. Wondering if LRI would if I send them all the pieces, could have the bolt fluted at same time. What are your thoughts on this? Guessing it would be front light without suppressor - a Silencerco Omega.

How does your buddy attach his suppressor, direct thread or ASR mount? You have a few options without having to buy a new barrel. You can run 1/2-28 threads and direct thread by buying another Alpha DT mount for the suppressor, or thread for the ASR Brake in either 1/2-28 or 5/8-24 and use the ASR mount. It'll save you money and having to open the barrel channel, but if think you need a carbon fiber barrel go for broke.

LRI can handle installing a barrel or cut, crown, and thread an existing one. However, before ordering a prefit you might talk to them. The may just want to thread and cut the chamber themselves instead of using a prefit.

I personally went 18" on my .308 and use the ASR 3 port brake with my Omega. I removed the anchor brake and installed a Bravo end cap to save length. My rifle is 44" OAL with suppressor installed.

Cotis, I was surprised to learn that the carbon fiber barrel doesn't save much weight over a standard T3 barrel if any at all. I would cut the factory T3 barrel and suppress it.

$900 is a lot to spend for almost zero return


Trystan

Currently both of us attach our Omega's using ASR brakes as we switch them between ARs, 300 Blackout pistols, and Tikka CTR setup for long range. I am thinking about changing that up and putting the direct thread piece on and a simple cap on the end of the can, that cuts almost 2" off its length.

The last two weekends in a row I huffed my homebuilt AR15 lightweight with 16" barrel w/ suppressor attached and my .308 CTR w/ suppressor attached, and both times the length of the rifle was an issue while walking along and shooting quickly out of the blinds we were using. I am thinking about building a 11.5" AR for suppressed use just so the damn thing isn't so long in the field.

The only reason I was thinking about a carbon fiber barrel was weight and that it is made as short as possible (16 inches). Does anyone have a standard (i.e. non-fluted) Tikka T3X in .308 and could I kindly ask you to measure the barrel diameter at 16" from breech face? If diameter is large enough for an adequate shoulder for 5/8-24 thread I could easily go that route and save all the expense of a carbon fiber barrel, fitting, etc. I can measure my buddy's rifles but both are superlites with fluted barrels. I know where I can get it cut and threaded.

I have one cut at 17”. I went 1/2” with an adapter for direct threading my Omega. I don’t think there’s enough for 5/8 threads.

Interesting. Was this a standard profile Tikka barrel? Would you mind measuring the barrel diameter with a caliper right behind the threaded section. Why did you go with 1/2x28 threads? I am guessing the barrel may be too small in diameter for a proper 5/8-24 shoulder. This is what I am trying to figure out.

I would appreciate anyone reading this who owns a Tikka to please measure barrel diameter for me at 16” and 17” from receiver.
Thank you

I had a .308 T3X Lite. At 16", I could not get it threaded and maintain enough diameter to meet my suppressor manufacturer's specifications. One smith recommended going 1/2-28 and using an adapter for my suppressor. Another suggested using a QD suppressor that didn't index off the barrel shoulder. At the end of the day, I decided to keep it 22" and a bare muzzle. I bought another rifle for suppressed hunting and plan to build a custom in the future using a Shilen #46 that has a trumpet at the muzzle for suppressor use.

To add: from memory, it was around 0.640" give or take a hundredth.

My smith suggested both options, I went with the QD and threaded my barrel 5/8-24. I don't regret the decision at all.

When you say QD, are you referring to something like the Silencerco ASR brake or flash hider?

Yes, a muzzle device that doubles as a suppressor mount.

I have a factory Tikka sporter at 20” and another cut to 18” and both are 5/8 x 24

Both 308s.

Can you post some close-up photos of these please?

It can be done, but does the shoulder meet the spec required for the suppressor manufacturer? Risk of baffle strike increases exponentially when there is inadequate shoulder for the base of the suppressor to seat to.

I don't have a Tikka but I did this (1/2" adapter for DT) to a #3 Lilja and will likely be doing the same with a Bartlein 2B.
I'm partial to direct threads and agree with turkish here – don't see how 5/8 is feasible on a sporter (with any meat for a shoulder).

At the risk of making a thread turn - taylorce1, how do you like the Trekker stock?

I like it, I did have to have it tweaked a little. It did weigh just under 24 ounces before I had some work done. It was the most affordable light weight stock I could find already built, and they gave me 10% off and let me stack my Military discount. It is very comfortable to get behind, and the stock is growing on me it's my first verticle grip on a hunting rifle.

The bad, my action would cant to the left when torqued down in the stock. I would have sent it back to Greyboe, but had an elk hunt in the works so I took it to a local smith who installed new pillars and bedded the action. The spirit level bedded intobthe stock is a waste as it is tiny, they should take it out. The buttstock doesn't ride my bag well, and it'll often fall off smacking the offside hand as it falls. They won't/wouldn't install flush cups in the stock, so I have to twist the rear stud sideways to install a sling. The first memory foam recoil pad failed miserably, by tearing easily but Greyboe sent me a new one they just asked for pics of the damage.

I will say overall I was satisfied enough to purchase another stock. I have an Outlander (a little heavier 31 oz) sitting in the closet for future use, I got it on sale as well. Maybe a B14r is in its future, I'm going to need a CF barrel for that one it's inlet for a Sendero contour.

1 lb 7.5 oz



Memory foam recoil pad fail.

I’m doing the same thing. Ordered a 18” carbon 6 barrel and a stocky stocks carbon tikka stock and a TBAC Dominus-K-Sr suppressor.

Interesting, are you putting it together yourself? What barrel profile did you choose? Any estimate on weight?

The only two suppressors I have at home are harvestor evo’s. They come with a direct tread 5/8 plate and also a 1/2 plate. So on the larger barrels I had them threaded 5/8 and the smaller barrels I had them threaded 1/2. Works perfect for me.