Sticking to typical Texas game, what do the consider the best factory setup for hunting suppressed?

I don't have a Tikka yet, but I bet someone is going to say Tikka CTR, and I bet I know who's gonna say it.

Here's what I want. A short action (308 or 7mm08) Short barrel (16-17"), with a solid stock with a more vertical grip than your standard hunting style stock. I don't believe that anybody makes that, so whatever I get I will have to do some customization.

I think it would be something 16” in .308 or .300 blackout. You could run the blackout supersonic, suppressed and still make less noise than a .22 lr with the right suppressor.

I assume not a crazy but healthy budget, then the Tikka UPR with a 20" barrel would be my choice. Probably kick it old school in 308 since I rarely hunt and usually shorter distances.

We got a very standard/base model Tikka T3 that was chopped to 16" and threaded by Class III machining. Much easier than I thought and works great but can't really target shoot with such a thin barrel.

Were you betting on me?

Tikka CTR, .308.

20" Tikka CTR in 6.5 or 308

Yes. LOL.

A Tikka T-3 Lite has a barrel diameter of .677" @ 16"

Get one in 7mm-08, and chop the barrel and thread it right there.

Whatever it is, it should be a bolt action.

How would that barrel profile hold up to long strings of fire as compared to a CTR profile barrel chopped to 16"?

I don't know if it's the best but a 20" CTR in .308 would be really nice. I have one in 6.5CM in a McMillan Game Warden, and it's pretty close to perfect. A couple of changes would be

A. 18" barrel
B. A flush 4-5 rd mag

What about the sig cross 16” and .308, built in cheek rest and sub 7 pounds?

also a very intriguing setup. There's a pretty good thread on here about them, just run a quick search.

This is what I have with a Deadair silencer.

You're gonna get 3-ish rounds out of a lite and 8-10 out of a CTR

For hunting only the lite makes way more sense. For a hybrid do-it-all gun, the CTR is the ticket

The 308 that I did exactly this too doesn't hold up too well to continuous firings. As a comparison, I have a T3 varmint in 223. I can get a true 1" 10-shot group at 100 with my 223. Got other heavy profiled rifles that can hold very good 10 to 20 shot strings. The chopped down Lite version is hard to get a solid 5-shoot group for me. However, 0.75" or less 3-shot is easily achievable even for me.

+1, or 6.5CM.

The CTR, Cross for a chassis, and there is an upper end Begara that's nice but it's at the cost of two ctr

Would you really want to chop a CTR that is 20" and factory threaded? I wouldn't.

It won't.

3 shots is about all it will give you.

T-3 Lite is lighter to tote around hunting.

CTR is a heavier barrel for more shots in a row.

Unfortunately, your question is raises more questions. It's similar to asking what is the best golf club? Pro Golfer's response. "What course are your playing and more specifically what shot of what hole are you wanting to make?"
> What range/distance are you planning to shoot?
> How will you use this firearm - hunting from blind, walking/stalking, etc.
> Do you want to shoot supersonic or subsonic ammunition?
> Do you have preference of Bolt Rifle or AR15/AR10?

Depending upon the distance, anything from 300BO - 308Win (like 20 different cartridges in this range with factory ammo) will do the job and you can always go larger for "over-kill". You won't need anything longer than 20" barrel. Using a suppressor, you need to consider barrel profile (diameter) with at least a medium sporter or varmint profile to handle the weight of suppressor. Personal preference for traditional stock (wood or composite) or chassis. Your choice of Bolt Action or AR platform. Rifle weight might be important depending on style of hunting and terrain.

I think the real question ins "Why only have one rifle?". I own more than one belt even though I can only use one at a time.

Get you a pawnshop 700 30-06 for $150 and then dump an additional $1000 into it like I did

8.6 Blackout is pretty interesting. I've been researching it a bit from time to time but it's still pretty new and has limited availability from a rifle perspective. But it seems to be a round that could get you true quiet killing power out to about 200 yards.

For Texas at moderate range, I still go to my Remington AAC Model 7 in 300 Blackout.

Had the exact same thought,

Landed on 308.

Figured I could shoot it til I was 80 years old without any problems.

Easy to load for, still find ammo during bad times, plenty power for deer and large hogs.

Tikka with a Krieger 3b barrel 17” in 7-08! I also have an Sig Cross in 308 that I unfortunately haven’t shot yet. But either of those calibers are great in a short barrel suppressed.

Sounds perfect

I really wish Bergara would release the Extreme Hunter in the US. 18" 308 or 6.5 would be perfect for a suppressor host.

I don’t know, but this is the route I want to go.

Tikka T3 in 7MM-08 chopped to 16.5” is an awfully handy hunting rig-

My next choice would be a CTR in .308

For a factory offering?

Under $1000
The Ruger American Gen 2 in 308, it will be released by summer.
https://ruger.com/products/americanRifleRanchGenII/models.html?n=ov

Over $1000
Sig Cross

Over $2000
https://www.springfield-armory.com/...-rifles/model-2020-redline-16-308-rifle/

I like my 16” Steyr THB in 308, but it’s fairly heavy. If I wanted lighter weight, I’d have bought an Sig Cross.

I have the same rifle ( not stainless ) and imo it’s perfect. Have a 6.5” harvester evo on it and it’s a super handy rig

Yes. I currently want a short barreled rifle to house a suppressor. Gonna be a bit due to lack of funds currently, but when window shopping, the CTR is closest to what I want. Barrel is just too long. So, yeah. I'd have it chopped and rethreaded.

For a factory rifle I think a .308 Christensen ridgeline scout would be perfect. But I have read so many bad things about accuracy with a Christensen rifle, and the couple I have seen at the range did not shoot great either. There was a guy up there one time with a Christensen .270 wsm that did not shoot a single MOA group and he was there “breaking it in”. Taking his sweet sweet time slow firing 3 shot groups.

I would be weary to drop $2k on one. I don’t know. I sure do like the way they look though.

https://christensenarms.com/ridgeline-scout/

I’m pretty sure you can buy one right now. I’m not a Bergara guy but I think I have seen them in the US from online retailers.

NULA in 7mm-08

OMEGA-TI Can

Swaro Z5 3.5-18X50

just mow a few more lawns and GO FOR IT !!!

That is the ultimate factory option for sure.

Ruger American Ranch converted to .300 Ham’r. Short, quiet, and accurate.

How did I miss that one? I wanted one of those so bad, i never ponied up and now they are like $2500 on gun broker lol

All I did was add a TriggerTech Special.

For me it is the Ruger Hawkeye Scout. Specifically, the plastic stock version with the aluminum bedding block. It has a 16” barrel and weighs 6.2 lbs. Takes AI mags.

With scope and suppressed it’s under 8.5 lbs.

You can still find some Begara SP. They are pretty handy, I had one for a minute

Seekins Havak element
Sig cross
Bergera MGmicro litte
Bergara Stoke
Browning SR
Tikka CTR

I like this plan. Although I obviously don’t know Bill, I sure like what he’s doing for the industry.

I have a CTR 308 that I chopped to 16 and threaded.. and dropped in a McMillan carbon fiber stock (not "needed" at all)
Great hunting rifle

Also have a 17" 7mm08 semi custom that works great, a 6.5 Creedmoor and 7 mag

I would say the 308 gets used the most for deer hunting.

I have a CTR, .308 as well. What was your all in cost for the barrel work?

scot, what about your B-14 Bergara?

Bergara B-14 Ridge, you can get the SP if you want an 18” barrel. My next rifle will be a Bergara Ridge in 7 PRC.

If you want a different stock, it’s a Rem 700 style action so there’s a lot to choose from.

I like Tikkas too, but I like Bergara better. They’re both good and will get the job done.

I waited to comment to see all the posts. I'm glad to see some of the comments!

IMO, a 16" bolt gun in 308 Win (or 300 blk out) suppressed is about as good as it gets. I have 2 identical Rem 700 SPS, bull barrel rifles suppressed, one in 308 Win and one in 300 Blk Out, that I have rotated in use for about 10 years now. I won a Rem 700 SPS in 300 blk out in a shooting competition at Rifles Only many years ago. I used it for MANY years as my main rifle. The 300 blk out shooting a 125 grain SST, Ballistic Tip, Speer TNT, or Seirra SP, full power load about 2350 fps will perform great on deer and pigs.
We were sitting around the camp fire in hunting camp one night, and one of the new hunters on our lease found out what I do. He said that I must shoot some kind of big wiz bang magnum round then. I reached into my pocket and pulled out an extra round I had and showed him a little 300 blk out round. He was shocked I shot something so small. And my comment was, I didn't need a big magnum round to shoot deer and pigs. With good shot placement, the blk out is a near perfect round for basic hunting. Do I like having a little extra juice with the 308 Win, of course (and who doesn't). But I often keep coming back to the blk out for a basic round for hunting. It is still my primary round for my thermal night hunting AR-15 rifle.

I think class III machining charges like $75 to chop and thread a barrel now.

I’m really shocked at the lack of 16” suppressor ready factory options. Every manufacturer should put out at least one 16” threaded 6.5 lb or under model in 308 and 6.5 Creedmoor.

We must over estimate suppressor usage.

If i could have any rifle and any load combo built for me it would be a fast twist .338 federal, 16” barrel, otherwise similar to the Christensen ridgeline scout. A lighter .338 bullet similar to the 110 grain .308 barnes tac-tx, probably 150-160 grains or for a bullet that actually exists, a 200 grain speer jsp. And that new ultralight, all titanium silencerco but in a .338.

They should have named .338 federal the .338 blackout and gave it a fast twist barrel.

Or maybe a .338 wsm otherwise the same

it was very reasonable.. Morgan at Class 3 machining did it.
Only guy I trust. Fast turnaround too. Impeccable work.

https://class3machining.com/#services

338 Federal has a 1-10 twist which is fast enough for just about any bullet you can stuff in the 338 Federal case. Unless your are trying to go subsonic, it doesn’t need a faster twist. The practical top end on a 338 Federal is 225 grains and it easily handles them with a 1-10 twist. The larger the bore diameter the less twist you need.

The faster twist is so it will reliably expand with a typical .338 bullet. Poor bullet performance is one reason it never caught on. That is also one reason why they made the 8.6 blackout with a rediculous twist rate.

There are a few .338 bullets that will work. I just want it in a 1 in 7 or 1 in 8 twist. I want to spin a 200 grain cup and core .338 hard enough to blow it up at 2200 fps impact velocity. Whatever twist it takes to do that in a .338 federal will probably work good with the rest of the .338 offerings.

You have the Extreme Hunter or the Ridge Special Purpose? Similar rifles but the Ridge SP is about 2lbs heavier and has a hindged floor plate.

Shoots amazing but it weighs 11 pounds before optic and suppressor. Then with a 22” barrel plus a can it’s awfully long to hang out of a box stand.

Doing some soul searching if my focus really needs to be on 1000 yard capable or shift to strictly hunting as that is what I do 90% of the time.

That's a work out if you have to pack it in.

Sig Cross 16" .308 ~ 9.75 lbs as shown with NF ATACR & Q Full Nelson Silencer.

I’ve owned one for 13 years and killed half a dozen animals with it. It works great with any 180-200 grain bullet. It didn’t catch on because it came out right when the industry was moving to long range hunting. Candidly, it kills like 308. I’ve never seen a difference but I’ve only used it on hog, deer and deer sized exotics. I now hunt mostly with 308 because I have a 30 caliber suppressor. I’ve known several guys on different forums that own them as we shared load data. All of them that used it on game raved about it. I’ve never heard anyone complain about poor bullet performance.

You convinced me. Someone buy my Bergara so I can pick one up.

a buddy bough a Sig Cross 6.5 2 years ago.. very nice gun.. was very accurate with his preferred ammo, Barnes 120 TTSX. 1" group at 300 out of the box.

Some don't like the 2 stage trigger. The only miss in my opinion for the Cross is they should've figured out a way to adopt the 700 trigger...then we could've had whatever we wanted.

That's a lot of rifle for the money. I have one I rebarreled to a 6 Gaymoor, I've had two people try and by it from me...my only regret, I should've went with a lighter profile barrel because mine is heavy like The Dude's...his because he added an anchor up top and one out front...mine because I did a #4 Shilen profile so I could thread it at 20".

I loved everything about the cross, except the trigger. If I could of put a single stage triggertech in it, then it would have been golden.

Well then blame the gun writers. There is a lot out there about poor expansion with .338 federal, maybe it is all based on heavier bullets. But that is one reason why the 8.6 blackout has like a 1:3 or 1:4 twist rate, to make the heavier .338 bullets expand at much lower velocities.

I still want one (.338 federal). Still want to shoot 180-200 grains with it. Apparently Barnes *Does* make a 160 grain .338 that is popular in the .338 federal.

Not that I don’t believe you about the performance. I trust your input, I have read a lot of your posts not just in this forum, doing my google searches about it and daydreaming through the years. But on deer, pigs, etc how much deader/faster can you kill them than with a .308?

Inside 300-400 yards that .338 Federal is laying the absolute smackdown on paper, with less muzzle blast than anything near it’s power level other than a truly big bore cartridge, that does not have the range. I have always, always wanted one. I don’t know much about the ballistic coefficients of flat nose or round nose .338 bullets but I bet you could cram a heavier flat base Hawk custom bullet, designed for the .33 winchester, without hurting powder capacity and really get the most out of it.

Also I have read a few things about building long action rifles for short action cartridges, in order to load longer bullets. You could start with a 30-06 or something, put a 1:7 or 1:8 twist 16” .338 barrel on there chambered for 338 federal and screw around with longer, heavier, and tougher .338 bullets.

I know there are people that do stuff like this all the time with other cartridges for different reasons.

338 federal/8.6 blk isn’t an option unless I drill out my suppressor.

308 hits just a little harder than 6.5 sub 300 yards right?

Looks like by the Shot Show feeds I've seen this week...appears the manufacturers are listening on the shorter barrels and threaded call for help. I'm not that interested in factory rifles so I didn't compile a list but you might want to wait a few weeks and re-evaluate based upon the new released stuff. Shot is huge and it'll take time before everything comes out.

That's good to hear. I haven't been in several years but we used to hammer manufacturers to make them.. Got Weatherby to do a couple of prototypes, one we sent immediately back as it was so badly cut out of alignment I wouldn't shoot it.

How’s just announced a sub 5 pound rifle. 308 or 6.5C and 16.5 inch barrel.

Daaaaang. It is listed at 4 pounds 7 oz in .308 and 6.5 creedmore, has Stocky’s carbon fiber stock. I wonder if there is enough meat leftover in the barrel to have it bored over to .338 Federal (or AI) by JES

So our SIG 716 in 308 is a bad choice ????

Just heavy and gassy.

One that always had my eye and I could have had for dirt cheap (<$400 OTD) was the Savage Hog Hunter

What's wrong with heavy and gassy? I'm heavy and gassy and most people still like me.

The American Gen II is pretty darn nice. No zipper bolt, either. 3 position safety, fluted, cerakote, with a brake, and a much better magazine that the original. Worth the extra $100 over the original. If they offer it in .308 in the Ranch configuration, it would be a great little suppressed hunting rifle.