The Compact Rifle Thread

ShrtRnd

ShrtRnd

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Caveat: No Caliber or Ballistic ramblings here. The end user can decide what is best for them and why.

Wanted to put an all encompassing Compact Rifle Thread together for those doing a search on Compact (20”bbl) rigs as I’ve been thinking of this as my Winter project.

The Environment:

Heavy or densely wooded area’s. BC interior to Ont/Que hardwoods. Line drives, dogging or tree stand use.

The Parameters:

A 4/6x or a 2.7/8 on top. Quick, decently light and handy enough sans sling

Wondering if anyone has/had or is using any of the below models and their findings on the actual model not caliber (and yes i’ve done a search, but really old threads like ‘14 and back, mostly model specific)

Model Seven
SPS Compact
Tikka T3/X
Browning Micro
Weatherby Camilla
Savage 114 Lady Hunter

- If you had to do it again, would keep the 20”bbl or go to a standard 22” and work around it for the above environment?
- BDL Style hinged floor plate, ADL Blind mag or an actual Magazine?
- Pros/Cons?
 
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I'd consider the Tikka T3x Battue in 308 and look no further. Top that with a 2-7 and you're GTG with some longer range versatility.

20" is plenty short while still handling well and are less blasty. The T3 mag system is excellent and the rifles are accurate out of the box.TIKKA-T3X-BATTUE.jpg
 
I like shorter rifles, I’ve even cut some 22” back to 20”. I’m happy with a hinged floor plate mag, as a detachable magazine doesn’t offer me any real benefits when hunting, but I know some folks do take advantage of the benefits.

I think Ruger is worth a close look here. They have put out all sorts of short handy rifles over the years, including the Frontier and International, both available in blued or stainless in a variety of chamberings. It’s usually not too difficult to still find one in great condition.

They have also recently released the 16 inch barrel Hawkeye Hunter, and it would be a great way to go.


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I bought my wife, who’s quite short, a Tikka T3x Compact and scoped it with a Leupold FXII 6x36. Every time I handle/shoot that rifle it surprises me how much I like it.
 
I have a Ruger M77 Hawkeye Compact in .308 that my daughter has claimed. It has a 16.5 inch barrel and length of pull of about 12.75 inches.

For comparison it is shorter than my Winchester 1894 carbine.
 
Savage has offered quite a few different rifles with shorter barrels. Lots of 20" and 18" and even a few 16". Remington offered the SPS in both a 20" barrel and a 16". I've owned most of them over the years. They are handy rifles, and I have found very accurate. Maybe a little more noise at the pointy end, and you lose a few FPS, but for anything under 3-400 yards they work great. At this point in my life, unless I'm using it for some Long distance shooting, I don't see a reason to own rifles with barrels longer than 20".
 
The Israelites make a nice offering in .308 and 5.56. Flush magazine is available, optics ready, and built for all weather scenarios. The entire length being anywhere from 26 to 28 inches.
 
I have chopped off a Tikka T3 in 338 Federal to 18.25”. It was an excellent bush rifle.

I picked up a 243 for my son that had been cut back to 20”. As he is on the smaller side it works better for him than a full sized rifle. It is actually surprising how much I like it also.
 
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Everything I own now is under 20", had about 20, 22 to 26" rifles at one time. Slowly got rid of them, good lookers and nice at the range but rarely took them hunting. A 36 to 40" rifle doesn't get hung up in brush, in and out fo the truck easy, is less than the width of a quad. It is lighter but not enough to really make a difference. I have hinge floor plates and a couple of blind plates, never found clips of any real advantage, other than wasting time trying find it when a hunting buddy can't find his. Been through that a dozen times, even had one guy bring the wrong clip, good thing he never had to shoot.
 
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DeerHunter898 said:
I like shorter rifles, I’ve even cut some 22” back to 20”. I’m happy with a hinged floor plate mag, as a detachable magazine doesn’t offer me any real benefits when hunting, but I know some folks do take advantage of the benefits.

I think Ruger is worth a close look here. They have put out all sorts of short handy rifles over the years, including the Frontier and International, both available in blued or stainless in a variety of chamberings. It’s usually not too difficult to still find one in great condition.

They have also recently released the 16 inch barrel Hawkeye Hunter, and it would be a great way to go.


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I have about 7-8 old ruger tang safety 77s that sport custom barrels. I always go with a 21" or 21.5" at the longest. I like light fast handling rifles, I have chambered them in 30-06AI, 375 Ruger, 416 Rem, 35 Whelen, 243, 330 Dakota, 375 H&H, 280AI
 
DeerHunter898 said:
I like shorter rifles, I’ve even cut some 22” back to 20”. I’m happy with a hinged floor plate mag, as a detachable magazine doesn’t offer me any real benefits when hunting, but I know some folks do take advantage of the benefits.

I think Ruger is worth a close look here. They have put out all sorts of short handy rifles over the years, including the Frontier and International, both available in blued or stainless in a variety of chamberings. It’s usually not too difficult to still find one in great condition.

They have also recently released the 16 inch barrel Hawkeye Hunter, and it would be a great way to go.


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No sure about recently but my Ruger compact 16" has been in my possession at least 10 yrs.
The model is M77 MKII.

It's a great 243 rifle and I love using it.
I also have a 20" model seven in 308 and new to the safe this year is a 20" Winchester XRP 30-06.
I had a 308 battue and hated the sights and stock.
Over priced and over rated.
I ditched pretty much everything else in favor of these 3
 
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I’ve had lots of short rifles, Ruger no1 with 20” and 22” barrels are really short and handy, toped with 2.5-8 scopes with no1 reticles make for an awesome rifle, that said they are not really light.

I have a husqvarna 649 carbine 20” barrel, full stock toped with the same scope in QD Leupold rings and open sights, that rifle is one handy rifle in the bush at only 41” total length!

I also have a Merkel k5 with 22” barrel that is really short and light, on that one I have a 3.5-10x scope with a somewhat #4 reticle with illuminated dot. One of the easiest rifle to carry either on the shoulder or in your hand with its shallow action, it a little bi like a lever gun.

I just got a new to me( and i think new) cz600 lux in 223 open sights, detachable scope mounts, I also put a 3.5-10x on it, they are not my favorite scopes but I had it on hand. Rifle is really handy and short, feels real good and shoulder real nice! My only center fire with a detachable box magazine(I have a BAR also but the system is as you know quite different), I don’t mind it cause it is flush with the bottom “metal” and for me that is important. I think that a model in a big game chambering could be a great option!! They are moderately priced they look good the trigger is great and they are supposed to be great shooters( I have yet to try mine since we are in some cold ish temps at -25 -30c these days)!

One I never owned but would be a great short rifle is the old Remington 600, I would buy one and get it rebore in 338 federal I think!!
 
PS. I'm glad to see more interest in the under 20" club. In the early 2000s when I brought up cutting barrels to under 20" I got mostly flames and ridicule. A Ruger Frontier 16.5" 300wsm is on my won't list but the price is always over my budget.
 
MRP said:
PS. I'm glad to see more interest in the under 20" club. In the early 2000s when I brought up cutting barrels to under 20" I got mostly flames and ridicule. A Ruger Frontier 16.5" 300wsm is on my won't list but the price is always over my budget.
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Haha this makes me laugh you are absolutely right. Not that long ago if you mentioned cutting a ‘06 to 20” you get inundated with “congratulations you just made your gun into a 30-30”, “ wow I guess you’ll be wearing double ear-pro when you hunt” etc etc etc

Now I see 16 and 14 inch guns everywhere including PRC’s and WSM’s
 
I find 20" to be the sweet spot. I currently have a 22-250 ai, 6.5 cm x2, 338rcm, and a 350 legend. All with 20" barrels. If you're a handloader, its not hard to take better advantage of the short barrels and they sure are handy. I should have my mdt hnt26 this week for my 20" 6.5 creed and that folder should make it even more handy. Now to find a good case for it. The 20" barreled single shots like the cva scout are especially compact although a bit heavier than id like.
 
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