300WM from a 16 inch barrel.... sweet.
- Thread starter Dosing
- Start date
X2, pointless. All the extra cost, recoil, muzzle blast etc to get a little better than 308 performance. I mean it's not that bad it's only losing 317 fps over 24.25" barrel, and those 317 fps are the whole reason the cartridge was developed in the first place. FYI a 16" 308 pushing a 208 grain Amax at 2400 fps or so will outperform the 190 smk in the 16" 300 when it comes to retained velocity and wind drift, with just slightly more drop.
Dumb ! 
Jmho ! RJ
Jmho ! RJ
Chinbullco
Regular
- Location
- NW Alberta
The 16" bbl 300 Win mag might get interesting with a quick twist barrel. If increased rifling twist will elevate powder burn to maximum pressure over the 13.25" of rifling it might make up a bit of the velocity lost with a 1:10 twist 16" bbl. I'm thinking a 1:8 might be a good place to start.
I have a 28" Kreiger Palma (0.3075" groove) chambered 308 that shoots my 155 gr match load at 3070 fps. I use Lapua Palma brass, small rifle primed. Another 308 in my collection has a 22" RKS progressive twist 1:20-10 barrel that shoots that same load at 3050 fps. My next 308 will be a 20" 1:8 twist 1.25" diameter at muzzle and it might get shortened once or twice. I realize its not the same comparing 308 to 300 Win mag but it should indicate if it's feasible or busted.
I have a 28" Kreiger Palma (0.3075" groove) chambered 308 that shoots my 155 gr match load at 3070 fps. I use Lapua Palma brass, small rifle primed. Another 308 in my collection has a 22" RKS progressive twist 1:20-10 barrel that shoots that same load at 3050 fps. My next 308 will be a 20" 1:8 twist 1.25" diameter at muzzle and it might get shortened once or twice. I realize its not the same comparing 308 to 300 Win mag but it should indicate if it's feasible or busted.
Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Only thing positive on that table I'm seeing is the 21 1/4" and how competitive that is in velocity- faster than the 22 1/4 in this barrel if the data is to be believed, which is bizarre. The 16 1/4" performance looks abysmal.
IMO, I think if you want a short firearm you are picking the wrong calibre. The biggest "pro" of getting a 300 Win Mag is the extra velocity you're getting over a 30-06 or 308, so why would you immediately take away the main benefit of the round by shortening the barrel so much?
If you want a short barrel firearm that has a huge punch inside 100m, why not just get a 14" shotgun barrel that shoots slugs? Leave the 300 Win Mag barrel long, and keep your trajectory flatter to shoot past 300 easily, that's what the round is made for.
If you want a short barrel firearm that has a huge punch inside 100m, why not just get a 14" shotgun barrel that shoots slugs? Leave the 300 Win Mag barrel long, and keep your trajectory flatter to shoot past 300 easily, that's what the round is made for.
This kind of test was first done and published over 50 years ago, and seems to get re-done every five years or so by some gun magazine with empty space to fill. Still, several myths remain even though the tests consistently show that:
- the powder that gives the highest MV with a long barrel will give the highest MV with a short barrel; and
- while larger cartridges lose the most MV per inch reduction in barrel length, they are always faster than the smaller cartridge. In other words, a 16" barrel does not turn a 300 Win Mag into a 308 - it will be considerably faster than a 16" barrelled 308.
If someone wants a 16" barreled 30 cal capable of firing a 190gr bullet at 2500 fps+, you need a 300 Win Mag or larger.
- the powder that gives the highest MV with a long barrel will give the highest MV with a short barrel; and
- while larger cartridges lose the most MV per inch reduction in barrel length, they are always faster than the smaller cartridge. In other words, a 16" barrel does not turn a 300 Win Mag into a 308 - it will be considerably faster than a 16" barrelled 308.
If someone wants a 16" barreled 30 cal capable of firing a 190gr bullet at 2500 fps+, you need a 300 Win Mag or larger.
