barrel vs velocity loss

[sigarms226]

So muzzle blast aside I have a question.

I'm looking at a rifle(just ironing out the final features and model). To the question if a cartridge of similar performance level of the 7x64 Brenneke/280 Remingtonington/7mm Express usually is better in longer barrel, say around 23" What would be lost dropping that down to a 20" barrel? Speed obviously and again obviously muzzle blast but aside from that what if anything?

Or should say one better be suited to a more polite cartridge similar in performance somewhere between 7mm-08x7x57.

Or am I splitting hairs at this point?

 

[guntech]

Velocity loss and muzzle blast gain... that's about it...

 

[sigarms226]

Thanks Guntech, that pretty much what I expected the case would be. The two cartridges in question are 7x57r and 7x65r.

 

[hoytcanon]

My take on barrel length is to consider the application more than the cartridge. For the most part, I hunt in tight cover, or at least have to travel through tight cover, and so I much prefer Carbine length rifles. I did most of my hunting the past couple years with 16.5" and 18.5" 7-08 & .358 carbines... I don't think the game could tell the difference at impact... but I certainly appreciated the improved handling. With the cartridges you mentioned, you are likely to give up only 100 fps going from 23" to 20"... IMO it is a worthwhile trade off... if speed were really the priority, you would be choosing a 7 RM or 7 STW.

 

[Ashcroft]

FWIW, I had a Browning stainless A Bolt in .338 Win mag with factory 26" barrel that I had shortened to 22" and six port Magnaported. Chronographed it and target tested it before and after. Average velocity loss was 160 fps with my preferred 210 gr Nosler Partition load, resulting in about 2850 fps with that bullet. Basically I had a 210 gr .338 diameter bullet travelling at 180 gr 30-06 velocity. The excellent original accuracy was unaffected and it was like the hammer of Thor, tallying 13 consecutive one shot kills the last years that I used it.

 

[Backcountryal]

I use a shorter barrel 7x57 and changed to AR2206H [4895] powder, and regained the 100fps I lost. Shouldn't be too difficult to maintain your speed with the right choice of powders............if speed is critical.

 

[PEKS]

I also prefer carbines for hunting, the difference of a 23" barrel to a 20" barrel may lose around 25fps per inch or as mentioned close to a 100fps in total.
Shorter barrel is worth the trade off all day long.

 

[45C]

View attachment 334294I cut a 24 inch barrel down to 19 inches, with a total loss of 93 FPS.
.308. Heavy barrel.
Average loss of about 16 FPS per inch.

 

[MRP]

19" 300wsm 3000fps 165gmx. 3100fps 150 Winchester factory, 29ish 180 win factory. Road hunting ( ya we all do it dont lie; to and from a spot or just out for a day drive), quading, thick brush, zero at 300yd 10" low at 400yd. L-o-n-g guns maybe nice at times, but quick, handy and versatile short stuff gets-er dun.

 

[pete dobinson]

The 284 win is the short action ballistic twin to the 280 rem, there's a browning micro medallion 20" barrel for sale on the EE right now. Just a heads up.

 

[emerson]

My take on barrel length is to consider the application more than the cartridge. For the most part, I hunt in tight cover, or at least have to travel through tight cover, and so I much prefer Carbine length rifles. I did most of my hunting the past couple years with 16.5" and 18.5" 7-08 & .358 carbines... I don't think the game could tell the difference at impact... but I certainly appreciated the improved handling. With the cartridges you mentioned, you are likely to give up only 100 fps going from 23" to 20"... IMO it is a worthwhile trade off... if speed were really the priority, you would be choosing a 7 RM or 7 STW.

What he says. I had a 20” 338WM, and still have a 20” 375H&H. The 130 and 100 respective FPS velocity losses didn’t affect my hunting because shooting opportunities past 200 yds are rare for me. Less hunting in big bear country will probably lead me to a 6.5 or 30-30.

 

[sigarms226]

My take on barrel length is to consider the application more than the cartridge. For the most part, I hunt in tight cover, or at least have to travel through tight cover, and so I much prefer Carbine length rifles. I did most of my hunting the past couple years with 16.5" and 18.5" 7-08 & .358 carbines... I don't think the game could tell the difference at impact... but I certainly appreciated the improved handling. With the cartridges you mentioned, you are likely to give up only 100 fps going from 23" to 20"... IMO it is a worthwhile trade off... if speed were really the priority, you would be choosing a 7 RM or 7 STW.

Appreciate the response here Hoyt, none of this is anything new to me I've never felt I need blazing speed for anything. I should have worded the question COMPLETELY differently. I should have asked what be more at home in the shorter Stutzen length barrel rather velocity differences. Which you ended up bringing up regardless and help cement my choice.