26" barrel on a .30-06?

Kilo Charlie

Kilo Charlie

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I have a re-barreled Husquvarna in .30-06.
The barrel is a medium-contour stainless, 26 inches long, .650" diameter at the muzzle.
The rifle is a bit heavy, but not truly unwieldy.
I'm curious if there's any real advantage to a 26-inch barrel in this day and age, or whether max velocity and full powder consumption is generally achieved in 22 to 24-inch barrels?
The rifle is a real pleasure to shoot, but I've thought about trimming the barrel to 23 or 24 inches.

Second question:The rifle has a barrel purportedly made by Ted Gaillard; is there any way to verify this?

All replies appreciated, thanks in advance!
 
You lose about 30 fps per inch depending on the load and barrel performance.There is no way to identify a barrel maker after installation as the maker and caliber are usually marked on the breech which is turned off during threading and chambering. If the work was done by a gunsmith he should know. Enjoy the new toy.
 
30-06 165gr Nosler Partition

IMR 4350 57.0grs
97% powder burnt in 26" barrel
96% powder burnt in 22" barrel

H4350 57.0grs
97% powder burnt in 26" barrel
96% powder burnt in 22" barrel

RL17 57.0grs
100% powder burnt in 26" barrel
100% powder burnt in 22" barrel

Win 760 57.0grs
97% powder burnt in 26" barrel
96% powder burnt in 22" barrel


If I was to build a 30-06 to shoot 165gr bullets, I'd opt for 25" barrel. For 180gr + bullets I'd go 20"
 
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For some shooters a 30-06 is the most rifle they feel comfortable shooting. With your 26 inch barrel in mind you may want to consider the muzzle jump when firing it; as well as the level of accuracy that this rifle is producing. I would see no problem with a 26 inch barrel and check out your velocity. Then compare it to some ballistic tables and see what the rifle is showing. Most times I've found that the 30-06 with the 165 grain bullets usually does well in the accuracy department. And they are fine for moose. But nothing wrong with using 180 grain bullets too.
 
Kilo Charlie said:
I have a re-barreled Husquvarna in .30-06.
The barrel is a medium-contour stainless, 26 inches long, .650" diameter at the muzzle.
The rifle is a bit heavy, but not truly unwieldy.
I'm curious if there's any real advantage to a 26-inch barrel in this day and age, or whether max velocity and full powder consumption is generally achieved in 22 to 24-inch barrels?
The rifle is a real pleasure to shoot, but I've thought about trimming the barrel to 23 or 24 inches.

Second question:The rifle has a barrel purportedly made by Ted Gaillard; is there any way to verify this?

All replies appreciated, thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

I like the long barrels, just to squeeze out a little more velocity. I have a custom 240 Wby and 270 Win., both have 27" barrels, .650" and .680" at the muzzle. Long barrels and heavy rifles do not effect me while hunting. The trick is, is not minding that it's heavy and hurting my shoulder.;)
 
Rebarrelled a 30-06 LSS to a 26" Benchmark awhile back. Biggest reason was it looked stupid with a 22"; but the 2850 fps with 180s was appreciated.

Full powder burn isn't really the point. Most of the powder that is going to burn is burnt in the first few inches of the barrel; corresponding with the spike on a pressure trace chart. The gas is still expanding and working for you for the rest of the barrel.
 
It's all personal preference. You'll certainly get more velocity from the longer tube. If the length doesn't bother you with regards to handling, you can leave it. If the length seems too long then you can cut it without losing a massive amount of velocity. I'd say it's a ballpark 100fps difference from 22 to 26" barrel length.
 
If you decide to cut the barrel, have the gunsmith determine the tightest spot in the bore for the new muzzle, rather than just cutting it at a specific length. Unless the barrel is stamped Gaillard it would be tough to determine who the maker was, but at 26" its from a custom shop, and probably better, that is to say it has a more uniform bore, than any factory barrel. Consider how shortening the bore will affect the balance and handling of the rifle, you can always make a barrel shorter, but it can't be made longer. If the rifle handles well, shoots accurately, and produces velocities that can't be acquired with a 24" barrel, don't be in a rush to change it.
 
don't forget after you cut the barrel , your loads eg ammo may have to change to get good accurate groups as each barrel length will have a different sweet spot . so if you have a bunch of ammo that shoots good in your barrel now, it may not shoot as good as it did before barrel was cut
 
If your itching to spend some $ with you favorite smith, keep the barrel length and re-chamber to AI. You'll get great velocities and keep the present balance and recoil control from the weight. Hmm, maybe you should sell it to me.
 
synik said:
If your itching to spend some $ with you favorite smith, keep the barrel length and re-chamber to AI. You'll get great velocities and keep the present balance and recoil control from the weight. Hmm, maybe you should sell it to me.
Click to expand...

No more AI's!
Actually, the biggest reason I bought a .30-06 was so I'd have a rifle I could get ammo for at Canadian Tire.
This one will likely go moose hunting with me in the fall, then be moved along.
 
My 458wm wears a 26.5" barrel and its never been an issue in the bush. Although when a bear was hanging off the back of my tree stand the length and caliber were not a good combo. Im starting to actually like longer barrels more
 
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