308 in a 16-18in barrel
- Thread starter Dosing
- Start date
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
There will be other opinions, but I would choose loads with heavy bullets. Such loads have smaller powder charges, so the maximum pressure is reached in less time, meaning that you will experience less velocity loss with your short barrel than would be the case with say a 155 gr bullet. I prefer fast twist barrels, and these will work better if you choose bullets heavier than 200 grs. Have the chamber cut long so that your bullet of choice engages the rifling so only the boat-tail extends into the case body.
I am shooting a 20" barrel and I am getting 2600FPS (AVG) out of my gun using IMR 4895 powder and 175gr MatchKings
I think boomer is right a good 1/10 twist and some 180gr Matchking's might just be the ticket
Jamie
I think boomer is right a good 1/10 twist and some 180gr Matchking's might just be the ticket
Jamie
Mystic Precision
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Summerland, BC
Just keep an eye on min barrel lengths and all that nonsense. No I don't know all the exceptions to C68.
I think a practical min of 18" would still offer very useable velocity from a 308. As to accuracy, there is no real affect which can't be adjusted for during handloading. The big effect is muzzle blast and velocity loss.
Quite common in the working world to have such short barrels and suppressors. Seems to work well for them.
The further you plan on shooting with the 308, the longer the barrel for best performance.
Jerry
I think a practical min of 18" would still offer very useable velocity from a 308. As to accuracy, there is no real affect which can't be adjusted for during handloading. The big effect is muzzle blast and velocity loss.
Quite common in the working world to have such short barrels and suppressors. Seems to work well for them.
The further you plan on shooting with the 308, the longer the barrel for best performance.
Jerry
I was hitting a 20"x20" gong at 1000meters with the LTR it did take me two shots to get it on but I hit it three time in a row after that 4 minutes of left wind and tad over 48Minutes of drop from 100meter 0
Jamie
Jamie
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I have a few 18" 308s. Only issue that bothers me is the noise, they're quite a bit louder then my long barreled 308s. - dan
Oldsmobiler
CGN Regular
- Location
- Coquitlam, BC
Jerry, at what point is a barrel too long for the 308 cartrige? Do you want the powder to fully burn before the bullet exits the barrel, at exactly the same time or just after the bullet is out. I understood there was a secondary pressure change when the powder quits burning before the bullet leaves the barrel which may cause increased harmonics. Always wanted an experts insight on this.
Sorry to single you out, and hope you don't mind, but looking for answers from someone far more qualified than I on this subject.
Thanks
You'll hit the limits of how longs barrel makers are willing to make blanks before you hit the limit of the barrel being too long for 308.
Normally, you take a gun and tune a load so that it hits a node perfectly. What they've done is take a load (Federal Gold Medal Match), and tune the gun so that the node is hit perfectly. It's clever, because they know that is what their LE customers are going to use.
I was going to post that article. Here's another...
http://www.snipercentral.com/boltdmr.phtml#conclusion
I shoot a rem 700 with a heavy 18" maclennan barrel and robertson GP hunter stock. Its my multipurpose gun, I hunt with it and shoot the occasional match with it. Short barrel sure is good for distracting the guy laying next to you with the muzzle blast 
, that would be my only complaint about the barrel length
Its a 1:12 twist and likes 168 amaxs for my accuracy load and 165 a-bonds for hunting with H4895
, that would be my only complaint about the barrel lengthIts a 1:12 twist and likes 168 amaxs for my accuracy load and 165 a-bonds for hunting with H4895
