Why so few short barreled bolt action hunting rifles??

H Wally

H Wally

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Today I handled a nice mauser in 7x57 that had an 18.5 inch barrel that was light, easy to shoulder and aim, and I got to thinking...

Why are there so few short light rifles out there?

Seems like lots of people have long light barrels, but that leads to quick overheating and similar issues. Many hunters don't take shots over 200 meters, and often are under 100, yet have barrels over 24 inches. I can accept that accuracy and velocity suffer a little, but not as much as people seem to say... I'm going on the personal experience of using krieghoff short inserts in shotguns as well as butt stocks on pistols and found both to be capable of great accuracy at distances far beyond what most people consider them capable of, suggesting that the cartridge and barrel length are capable of achieving accuracy if they are properly braced, sighted and fired.

I guess I should add - I prefer small light guns and small rounds - 30/30, 6.5x55 and the like. I don't think any of those 7mm Rem mags and the like would be particularly well suited to a short barrel :D
 
Velocity.

It seems that velocity is King, the more the better. The public wants it so the makers keep pushing it.

I'm in your camp, for distances of just a few hundred yards on light boned game I think the velocity loss is not critical.
 
I posted the following comments in a past similar thread:

FACT: a 24" lightweight barrel will NOT necessarily be more accurate,than a 16" medium or heavy barrel. There's more barrel "whip" (vibrations) in longer,thinner barrels. Therefore longer is NOT always better. BTW,take your 24" thin barrel and cut it down to 18 or 16",and you've just made it stronger and less prone to that "whip" and therefore MORE accurate.

Regarding velocity,there is on average only 20 fps (+/-) loss per 1" of barrel length with a .308. Average .308 Muzzle Velocities (MV) are between 2500 - 2900fps (standard loads). Therefore,as Chuck Hawks states:

"For rifles with muzzle velocities in the 2501-3000 fps range,the change in velocity for each 1" change in barrel length is 20 fps."

Magnum calibers or calibers with higher inherent velocities have a bit more loss in velocity per 1" of barrel loss.

"For rifles with muzzle velocities in the 3001-3500 fps range,the change in velocity for each 1" change in barrel length is 30 fps. For rifles with muzzle velocities in the 3501-4000 fps range,the change in velocity for each 1" change in barrel length is 40 fps. "

"According to Gurney,who reports having routinely engaged steel targets as far out as 1,000 yards during testing,the .308 Win. cartridge is one of the least “sensitive” to reduced barrel length." (taken from the first link below)

http://www.americanrifleman.org/arti...cout-review-2/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFhM0NHsYLk (check out around the 39 second mark)

http://www.tacticaloperations.com/SWATbarrel/

http://www.chuckhawks.com/rifle_barrel.htm
 
The list of short barreled rifles gets even shorter when you start looking at dangerous games rifles and that really bothers me. I understand that it's apparently all about velocity but I'd kill to find a well made factory bolt rifle in 375 H&H, 458 Lott or 416 Rem that came stock with a 21 or 22" pipe max. Even the CZ has a 25" pipe and that's just way too long for what I want. The only one who seems to be addressing this issue is Ruger with their Alaskan rifle. Someday I'll probably just have to butcher a perfectly good rifle to make it shorter.
 
For me it's very simple. Handling and ease of use will trump a gain of ~50-75fps anyday. I do have 1 rifle with a barrel longer than 22 inches and thats a Rem700VS that I've used out to 800m on a range. For general hunting usage I go between a 16 inch barreled 358 Win, 20 inch 350RM, and a 22 inch 308 for the longer shots. If I'm going from the vehicle to the shooting mound, ~20 foot distance then the 26 inch bull barrel is fine... ;)
Those longer 24+ barrels are usually seen on the magnums with high volume of powder so they can make use of it.
 
Art said:
The list of short barreled rifles gets even shorter when you start looking at dangerous games rifles and that really bothers me. I understand that it's apparently all about velocity but I'd kill to find a well made factory bolt rifle in 375 H&H, 458 Lott or 416 Rem that came stock with a 21 or 22" pipe max. Even the CZ has a 25" pipe and that's just way too long for what I want. The only one who seems to be addressing this issue is Ruger with their Alaskan rifle. Someday I'll probably just have to butcher a perfectly good rifle to make it shorter.
Click to expand...



http://www.sako.fi/sako85models.php?black_bear

http://www.sako.fi/sako85models.php?brown_bear

http://www.sako.fi/sako85models.php?grizzly
 
Reasons for a 22-24 inch barrel over an 18.5 inch barrel in a hunting rifle..

Better sight radius with iron sights
Higher velocity
Less muzzle blast

Reason for an 18.5 inch barrel over a 22-24 inch barrel in a hunting rifle..

Slightly easier to handle if you are a bit clumsy. :p
 
guntech said:
Reasons for a 22-24 inch barrel over an 18.5 inch barrel in a hunting rifle..

Better sight radius with iron sights
Higher velocity
Less muzzle blast

Reason for an 18.5 inch barrel over a 22-24 inch barrel in a hunting rifle..

Slightly easier to handle if you are a bit clumsy. :p
Click to expand...

I just sold a Remington 700 CDL SF, this rifle has a light fluted 24" barrel which gives a perfect balance, handling and pointability.
Tika T3 come in 23" inches with a light barrel which gives the same combination of handling, balance and pointability.

A little history, all short rifle fan should look up the difference between the Rifle No 4 and Rifle No 5 "Jungle Carbine".

Shorter is not always better if the rifle is well engineered (but it is much more practical in deep brush).

Alex
 
Speed, muzzle blast, balance, muzzle jump. Its a lot easier and cheaper to shorten a barrel than it is to lengthen it...
 
guntech said:
Reasons for a 22-24 inch barrel over an 18.5 inch barrel in a hunting rifle..

Better sight radius with iron sights
Higher velocity
Less muzzle blast

Reason for an 18.5 inch barrel over a 22-24 inch barrel in a hunting rifle..

Slightly easier to handle if you are a bit clumsy. :p
Click to expand...

Who uses iron sights anymore on a rifle with a 22-24 inch barrel? ;)
Does ~50-75 fps really make than much difference in your hunting situations, difference between a hit and a miss?
I guess a slight difference in muzzle blast might bother some folks, but not I.

To each their own, that's what makes the world go round ;)
 
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