Tikka Veil .30-'06 barrel length of 20"??

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Jun 29, 2022
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Hello all,
First time posting a question and sorry if it's already been asked. I searched but didn't come up with anything.

I am curious if anyone knows why the tikka veil, ember and roughtech chambered in .30-'06 is only offered with a 20" barrel?

Most all other tikkas in this chambering have a 22.4" barrel.

What's the advantages of the 20" barrel?

Thanks
 

Marmots

Lil-Rokslider
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Sep 15, 2018
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It's a lightweight hunting rifle with a factory threaded barrel. The included radial brake makes up for the two inch difference. If you were to replace that radial brake with a suppressor, a shorter and lighter barrel also balances and handles better.
 
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sbaker0029
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Jun 29, 2022
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It's a lightweight hunting rifle with a factory threaded barrel. The included radial brake makes up for the two inch difference. If you were to replace that radial brake with a suppressor, a shorter and lighter barrel also balances and handles better.
Didn't even think about it being shorter to use with a suppressor.
The.30-'06 doesn't come to mind when I think of a suppressed round.
However, that makes a lot more sense now. Have roughly a 25-28" barrel length overall depending on suppressor.
 
Joined
Mar 31, 2018
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I noticed this too. It seems weird because they offer the same model in .308 with a 22 inch barrel and the .30-06 has the 20 inch barrel. You'd think they would have done there reverse.
 

Loper

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Not sure why the 308 is 22 inch and the 30-06 is 20 inch. Traditionally I would also think they would be reversed or the same length. I’m assuming most people when choosing to go lightweight, choose a 308 over a 30-06 because the action is shorter and therefore a bit lighter. With Tikkas though the action is the same length no matter what, so it may be advantageous to just roll with the 30-06. If using a suppressor or brake the recoil will reduced so you may as well try to gain more velocity with the 30-06.
 
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sbaker0029
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People suppress all sorts of stuff. Absolutely nothing wrong with throwing a silencer on a 30-06.
After I originally posted and suppressor was mentioned, it's really got me intrigued about suppressing .30-'06 and wanting to get one and do it.
Like Loper said, if going tikka route the action length is the same so why not try to get that extra velocity out of a .30-06 over the 308.
I'd like to see if someone has a tikka 30-06 20" barrel setup suppressed.
 

Gorp2007

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Mine is sort of a long story, but I started with a factory T3 in 30-06, then bought a suppressor (TBAC 7") and decided I needed to do something to make the rifle compatible. If I had it to do over again, I'd have sent it off to get cut to 20" and get a brake installed, but instead I got a Criterion barrel that hits right at 18". In terms of noise, you won't make any friends at the range, but with the suppressor it's lots of fun to shoot.

Over the next few months I'm going to chrono the 18" and my factory barrel and see what the actual velocity loss is, I know I'm giving up something in those 4" but Tikka barrels aren't renowned for speed so we'll see if the Criterion barrel makes up any of the difference.

I was going to rebarrel to 308, but decided I'm not saving any weight in the action and I've already got everything I need to reload for 30-06 so why mess with it.
 

thinhorn_AK

"DADDY"
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After I originally posted and suppressor was mentioned, it's really got me intrigued about suppressing .30-'06 and wanting to get one and do it.
Like Loper said, if going tikka route the action length is the same so why not try to get that extra velocity out of a .30-06 over the 308.
I'd like to see if someone has a tikka 30-06 20" barrel setup suppressed.
@Yellowknife i believe has a suppressed tikka 30-06 and I stole his idea. I got a t3x lite 30-06 and I’ll be sending it out to LRI in a week or so here to get cut back to 18” and threaded for either my banish 30 or the TBAC 7 I have in the works.

Right now the 30-06 is set up with sportsmatch rings and a nightforce shv 3-10. The gun itself was impressive from the start, I took it to the range to see which load was going to be the best and 3 different loads shot into sub 1” groups.
 

Unckebob

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I think we are seeing a general trend towards shorter, threaded barrels as an option. Even if shooters don't use a brake or can, they end up with handier rifle for walking in the woods.
 

Gorp2007

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After I originally posted and suppressor was mentioned, it's really got me intrigued about suppressing .30-'06 and wanting to get one and do it.
Like Loper said, if going tikka route the action length is the same so why not try to get that extra velocity out of a .30-06 over the 308.
I'd like to see if someone has a tikka 30-06 20" barrel setup suppressed.
I've got a factory Tikka barrel and a Criterion 18" barrel, both in 30-06, and ran some speed tests the past two weekends to compare. The 18" had my 7" TBAC on it because it's just more pleasant that way. I was shooting over a Caldwell chrono precisely measured at 3-ish long steps from the bench.

Load 1 - Nosler Trophy Grade Factory Ammo - 165 gr AccuBond, advertised MV of 2800 fps
Factory Barrel - 2881.3 fps
18" Barrel w/ Suppressor - 2815.6 fps
MV loss: 65.7 fps

Load 2 - 168 gr Hornady Hornady BTHP over 49.5 gr IMR 4064
Factory - 2768.4 fps
18" - 2668 fps
MV loss: 100.4 fps

Load 3 - 175 gr Sierra TMK over 49.5 gr IMR 4064
Factory - 2763.4 fps
18" - 2694 fps
MV loss - 69.4 fps

I also loaded up the 175 TMKs over H4350, which is honestly a better powder for getting speed out of 30-06 (the 4064 was inherited) and at book max, Hodgdon says I should be at 2842 fps and I averaged 2869 fps.

TL;DR - I lose between 60-100 fps going from 22" to 18" but with good powder selection my 30-06 can still meet or exceed published book speeds and a 175 bullet going >2800 fps works for me.
 

thinhorn_AK

"DADDY"
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I've got a factory Tikka barrel and a Criterion 18" barrel, both in 30-06, and ran some speed tests the past two weekends to compare. The 18" had my 7" TBAC on it because it's just more pleasant that way. I was shooting over a Caldwell chrono precisely measured at 3-ish long steps from the bench.

Load 1 - Nosler Trophy Grade Factory Ammo - 165 gr AccuBond, advertised MV of 2800 fps
Factory Barrel - 2881.3 fps
18" Barrel w/ Suppressor - 2815.6 fps
MV loss: 65.7 fps

Load 2 - 168 gr Hornady Hornady BTHP over 49.5 gr IMR 4064
Factory - 2768.4 fps
18" - 2668 fps
MV loss: 100.4 fps

Load 3 - 175 gr Sierra TMK over 49.5 gr IMR 4064
Factory - 2763.4 fps
18" - 2694 fps
MV loss - 69.4 fps

I also loaded up the 175 TMKs over H4350, which is honestly a better powder for getting speed out of 30-06 (the 4064 was inherited) and at book max, Hodgdon says I should be at 2842 fps and I averaged 2869 fps.

TL;DR - I lose between 60-100 fps going from 22" to 18" but with good powder selection my 30-06 can still meet or exceed published book speeds and a 175 bullet going >2800 fps works for me.
MY tikka is out for barrel shortening and threading and It will either have a banish 30 or a TBAC 7 on it. I have a lot of H4350 so I appreciate you posting the data although I will more than likely be shooting accubonds and partitions.
 

Gorp2007

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@Gorp2007 after seeing those velocity results are you glad you went with the criterion barrel vs getting the factory cut down?
Thanks for all the data as well!

My speed differences (about 15-25 fps per inch) are pretty much in line with what I’ve seen for velocity drops published elsewhere, so I don’t have any reason to believe that cutting my factory barrel down would have appreciably differed the velocities I’m getting out of the Criterion. I went with the Criterion for two main reasons. First, it was a barrel nut system and I thought that would make swapping barrels easier. Second, I had commitment issues and wanted the ability to put the factory barrel back on. Now I know that a shouldered barrel is easier (to me) and I love the shorter barrel. So while I don’t regret my decision, if I were doing it all over again I’d just cut the factory barrel and be done with it.
 

MAP1

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Look more closely at the Tikka website they have 30-06 in 20 and 22.4 inch for the models you listed.
 
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sbaker0029
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Look more closely at the Tikka website they have 30-06 in 20 and 22.4 inch for the models you listed.
Those must have just been add to the line up this fall. Upon first release of those models 30-'06 only came with a 20" barrel. Glad to see they expanded the line.
Thanks to other members sharing there experiences with a short barrel suppressed .30-'06, I now have a project I'm saving up for haha.
 

z987k

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After I originally posted and suppressor was mentioned, it's really got me intrigued about suppressing .30-'06 and wanting to get one and do it.
Like Loper said, if going tikka route the action length is the same so why not try to get that extra velocity out of a .30-06 over the 308.
I'd like to see if someone has a tikka 30-06 20" barrel setup suppressed.
I run a tikka lite that I had cut to 20" and suppressed. My only load for it right now is a 162 absolute hammer at 2948fps.
 

Brabell12

FNG
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Mar 13, 2021
Messages
16
Has anyone taken the 20” 30-06 veil to the range yet? Thoughts? Looking to replace my Bergara ridge 308 Win. which is at 10lbs fully loaded with a suppressor, ammo, sling etc… woof.

I am debating this 20” Veil and the Cabelas exclusive Xbolt with 22” barrel. Both have 5/8-24 threads.
 
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