I'm not understanding this talk of cutting back the barrel as the front sight is easily removable, as is the rear.
The fixed leaf rearsight, and the adjustable foresight & ramp are the same as those fitted to the Tikka Lefthand models M595/M695/T3. Righthand models come with clean barrels - no iron sights - so most UK shooters are used to this idea.
For some reason Tikka and Sako think that left-handed shooters were visually challenged, or hadn't yet discovered the modern telescopic sight so they drilled and tapped the barrels for those models, and attached these defunct bits of iron. This little bit of extra trim was maybe part of their justification for charging a 10% premium for their left hand versions.
Removing them was always (groan) the first job as soon as I got a new rifle back home. Each sight had 2 bolts fixing it to the barrel .... then you had to stump up for sets of Tikka plug screws to fill in the holes left over from the sights you'd paid extra for ..... and never wanted in the first place. As it is I now have umpteen sets sitting uselessly in a drawer.
Check this out, Sele. I'm certain this is the case.
The Bavarian is available with both iron sights on the standard length 22" barrel, or with a shorter 20" barrel without sights.