A swap is possible with some gunsmith work.

You could install a short chambered barrel yourself.  You will need several tools; a barrel vise, action wrench, headspace gages, a reamer, t handle, and precision measuring tools.  Then, after you buy the barrel and tools, you might find out that lathe work is required to adjust the barrel tenon.

McGee Precision and others sell barrels that install with a barrel nut.  Also a gamble, and some dimensions have to be on the generous side, dimensions a gunsmith would adjust to improve the rifle.

McGowen barrels are premium.

Take a look at Sako A7 rifles.  I just bought this Long Range model from Europe Optic-



My only squawk is the lack of an adjustable cheek rest, I need a half inch more height.  The scope has a 50mm objective, it is mounted in Seekins rings, which I really like.

Euro Optic still has a few Tikka T3 rifles on sale, but you would have to check the chambering.  The prices are great.

Good point.

I'd buy a barrel, bolt carrier, and high pressure bolt assembly from JP Enterprises in that case.  Spend the money and be done with it.

http://jprifles.com/1.4.7_Bolt.php


I would also install an adjustable gas block, and not a JP (I own one on a match rifle and it does not work correctly) -

https://suparms.com/

I have not seen a 24 inch CTR for sale and one vendor told me they don't expect them until the end of June.  That is the main reason I bought the SAKO above.  Naturally, they are available now after I bought an alternative -
http://www.eurooptic.com/Tikka-T3x-CTR-65-Creedmoor-Stainless.aspx

Buying a CTR then replacing the plastic stock later puts the cost of the gun into the same range as the A7.  Larger capacity magazines and metal bolt shrouds are available for the CTR. The A7 comes with good scope bases, and a brake.  The bolts are equally simple to swap on both rifles.  The A7 Long Range has a 26 inch barrel and is sold with a Bell & Carlson aluminum block stock; the only issue is the need for a higher cheek rest for the 50mm or larger objective scopes.

The advantage in the RPR is the easy barrel swap, but a few tools need to be bought or borrowed.  After market triggers are available.  The chassis appears to stiffen the wimpy action enough to produce a predictably accurate rifle.

No gunsmith is going to true an action for $150 to $250, not one I'd want working on my gun.

Gas gun accuracy has more to do with the quality of the barrel, it's chamber, and crown, than whether it's an auto loader or bolt action.  Look at the bolt of an AR type; it's a bolt gun with multiple lugs instead of two or three.


Got to this page, select "in stock", then 7-08, .308, 6.5X55, and .260 Rem.  There are five right hand Tikka T3 rifles for sale, the most expensive is $629.

http://www.eurooptic.com/tikka-t3-rifles.aspx?q=NjYwZGE1YTgtMGJlOC00OTdiLWIzMDAtYjc4ZjAwYTE1ZTcy_MQ__ZjcwN2RjNzYtYmZkMy00NmFlLTgzN2ItNzRlNDNlNmE0YzI0_NTQ1MzVlYTEtZTZlYy00N2YwLTgyZDQtMzRjM2UzMmY1YzFi__ZjcwN2RjNzYtYmZkMy00NmFlLTgzN2ItNzRlNDNlNmE0YzI0_MmJiMzRhNGYtOTU3Ny00ZTM3LWJiODEtZDk4NTI4NWFiNDA4__ZjcwN2RjNzYtYmZkMy00NmFlLTgzN2ItNzRlNDNlNmE0YzI0_MmJhZTY4MjUtNTQ0Zi00ZjM0LTgwNTAtOTdiMzhjNmZkNTJj__ZjcwN2RjNzYtYmZkMy00NmFlLTgzN2ItNzRlNDNlNmE0YzI0_MGY5MDkwZDQtYWJhMS00YWQ1LWJkYjYtNmVlNzIyZjMzNmQ1&o=0&p=1&i=18&d=18

Then choose your scope -

http://www.eurooptic.com/120174-Leupold-VX-6-3-18X50mm-30mm-SF-CDS-Matte-TMOA-12017.aspx

or

http://www.eurooptic.com/vortex-viper-pst-4-16x50-ffp-rifle-scope-ebr-1-moa-pst-416f1-a.aspx

There are also good deals on demo scopes, so look around there, too.  I am impressed by the customer service from this company and will use them again.

First or second focal plane doesn't matter unless you plan to learn to range with the reticle.  Some first focal plane scopes have unreadable reticles at the lowest magnifications, so beware.