300 Win Mag optimal barrel length?

T

theshootist

CGN Regular
Rating - 100%
147   0   0
How long does a barrel have to be to make full use of all the powder in a 300 Win Mag cartridge?

I'm working on a Rem 700 Police chambered in 300 Win Mag at the moment. The original barrel length is 26" and I'll be adding a brake. I am considering having the gunsmith shortening the barrel before threading the muzzle.

Plans are to use this rifle as my long range rifle. For me long range will be 600 to 1000 yards. The rifle is actually not too heavy to prevent me from using it in the field, so I'd like to keep the barrel as short as possible for ease of carry while utilizing the full potential of the cartridge.

Bullets to be used will mostly be 150 gr FMJ's, but I'll also use 180's and 200's sparingly due to cost.

I'm sure this topic has been beaten to death, oddly enough I haven't seen it discussed on this forum before.

After reading on other sites, I'd like to hear what the CGN community has to say.
 
with modern powders you can go quite short and still keep the velocity up or even the same as you use to get out of a 26" barrel. However if your going to add a brake I wouldn't go shorter than 25" just for the fact the .300 has impressive muzzle blast in a short barrel and you might not enjoy shooting it if you go under 24". If you were not running a brake I would say not shorter than 22" I know there are some that go shorter but that is my opinion. I run a lantac dragon on a 24" 308 and it will slap me in the face a bit which is slightly annoying, I couldn't imagine a 22" 300 win mag being very much fun at all with a brake.
 
I'm torn between going down to 25'' because after the brake the barrel would be back to its original over all length or going down to 24'' of rifling which would make the barrel a tad shorter than its original length.

I guess either way it probably won't make much of a difference in the end. Pardon the pun ;)
 
theshootist said:
How long does a barrel have to be to make full use of all the powder in a 300 Win Mag cartridge?

I'm working on a Rem 700 Police chambered in 300 Win Mag at the moment. The original barrel length is 26" and I'll be adding a brake. I am considering having the gunsmith shortening the barrel before threading the muzzle.

Plans are to use this rifle as my long range rifle. For me long range will be 600 to 1000 yards. The rifle is actually not too heavy to prevent me from using it in the field, so I'd like to keep the barrel as short as possible for ease of carry while utilizing the full potential of the cartridge.

Bullets to be used will mostly be 150 gr FMJ's, but I'll also use 180's and 200's sparingly due to cost.

I'm sure this topic has been beaten to death, oddly enough I haven't seen it discussed on this forum before.

After reading on other sites, I'd like to hear what the CGN community has to say.
Click to expand...

For reference, I have run both 338 and 300 Win Mags with 22" barrels, without loudeners.
Due to your light projectile weight, you will give up very little meaningful velocity. Cut the barrel length for proper balance and handling, and everything else will sort itself out.
If you do get a brake, then get one that can easily screw on, or off. Get a thread protector as well.

R.
 
I've got several 300s, mostly rebarreled and with the same reamer. What I find is that with my most common load of H1000 and 180s and 190s going from a 26 to a 24 is worth 100 fps, regular as clockwork. As an aside I also find that a 300 Win with a 26" barrel will keep up with the 300 Weatherby with a 24". A 100 might not seem like much but it's free. I do have a muzzle brake on one 26" Win just to aid in watching the hits, and if the extra length affects handling you couldn't tell by me. I've also got a 26" 300 RUM that occasionally gets the brake left on. It's doesn't affect handling but it's the most brutally loud one I've met and throws dirt so bad that I'm scared of getting blinded. I'd rather get kicked.

Your light bullet loads with presumably faster burning powder may be affected less, I don't know. I seldom use any lighter than 180.
 
Out of my savage 111 24'', acurate load with 200 accubound comes out @ 2880 fps.

From my custom 28", deep throat with a 0.200 longer col, I get same bullets with same powder @ 3030 fps.
It seems like 24 " is quite the turning point for that cartridge personaly I would no go shorter than 24. For a light weight bush rifle 20", a 30-06 would be just fine and a lot less recoil
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom