[needs update] The rifles are mainly used for self-defence against large North American carnivores, including polar bears, and for personal survival as regional surveillance missions are often conducted for extended periods in remote areas, requiring the Rangers to hunt for food.
To meet the requirements, the C19 has the following modifications from the original Tikka T3 CTR:[5] Further the rifles are expected to operate in temperatures ranging from −51 to 39 °C (−60 to 102 °F) with moderate to high humidity and be resistant to corrosion from long-term exposure to salt laden air and water.
Such engineered woods are stronger and resist warping better than the conventional one-piece patterns, do not require lengthy maturing, and are cheaper.
The different rear aperture heights can be selected with gloved hands and are tuned to closely match the ballistic trajectory of the issued rifle–cartridge combination with a predefined projectile weight/type, muzzle velocity and air density.
The C180 ammunition is assembled by General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems in Quebec by pairing Nosler Accubond 180 gr (11.7 g) hunting bullets usable for a wide variety of North American big game with Canadian Forces' match (sniper) brass cartridge cases.
[7] The C180 ammunition would be legally compliant for use as a last resort protection against polar bears on Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean.