Decent ~18" barrel .308 Hunting Rifle

[diegocn]

Pick your action and install an aftermarket barrel. I use a savage action with 16 inch ibi 308 barrel in a mdt hnt26 chassis. Rifle is ~7.5lb with optic and bipod. I have no problem consistently hitting 12"x12" target at 500m with this setup. For hunting in Ontario where shots are less than 200m, I think I can get away with 14.5" or even 12" barrel.

 

[northfork]

BLR stainless lightweight 308 PG….20”’bbl that feels like 18. Perfect setup with 2.5x8 Leupy and works great for the blind or still hunting the bush and solid free handing.

 

[Snowy Owl]

I wouldn't go shorter than 20 inches and would prefer 22.

This ++.

 

[Beeron]

I own and have owned quite a few 308's as I seem to have a soft spot for them.
My number one these days is 20" but I am also looking for something shorter, maybe much shorter.
Based on what you are asking, I could recommend the Ruger American Ranch in 16".

Just know that you lose speed with inches and if I recall, its about 25-30 fps / inch in the 308. So whatever the box says minus about 200fps if you are thinking 16".
That's quite a bit and maybe a consideration if you are shooting monos.
If you hand load you can heat them up a bit and make up for a bit but obviously care is to be taken.
A 16" 308 will provide plenty of poop to take care of anything in North America with appropriate bullet selection.
I only shoot monos so I keep an eye on my engagement distances.

 

[yomomma]

Picked up a Mossberg MVP Patrol

Very happy with it, will be my bear gun

 

[rifleman338]

Pick your action and install an aftermarket barrel. I use a savage action with 16 inch ibi 308 barrel in a mdt hnt26 chassis. Rifle is ~7.5lb with optic and bipod. I have no problem consistently hitting 12"x12" target at 500m with this setup. For hunting in Ontario where shots are less than 200m, I think I can get away with 14.5" or even 12" barrel.
View attachment 883974

I agree with the above comment on shorter tubes depending on where you are hunting. I built a Tikka T3x in 308 a while back with a 12.5" IBI barrel shooting hand loaded 165gr Ballistic Tips and had no problem keeping it on a 12"x12" plate at 300 yards with a 1-6 Vortex Viper Gen2. With the velocity you're gonna lose, the deer or same sized game won't know the difference.

 

[SuperCub]

I wouldn't go shorter than 20 inches and would prefer 22.

20" is my minimum. Shorter does not handle well and is blasty.

 

[SuperCub]

Tikka battue, my go to hunting rifle for the woods

Excellent suggestion. They do pop up used, but usually in 30-06.

 

[bunny]

I have a Ruger Mark 2 compact .308 with a 16.5” barrel, it shoots MOA to 300 yards and has proven deadly on deer with the Hornady 150 Interlock flat base.

 

[geologist]

18.6" barrel.

 

[mikeyb]

The Winchester XPR Stealth is pretty neat, I liked mine and it shot boring old 150gr Sako loads quite well. Stock is a bit cheap-feeling. Alongside a T3X with 24" barrel for comparison.

 

[smellofspentcasings]

My Remington 742 is a fine hunting rifle with the 18" barrel. Is a good bush gun for sure. I wouldnt take it goat hunting though.

 

[jamesharrison]

Is there some reason you do not want to have the barrel on your Parker-Hale cut to 20"?

As others have said, you do not want to go to 20" or 18"; the muzzle blast is just stupid.

 

[2ndShotCanada]

Steyr Scout…

 

[vmax204]

Ruger RSI

 

[armybuck041]

While it is a bit spendy, I'm loving my 16" barrel Sig Cross in .308". Still getting 3010fps with my 130gr TTSX Varget hand load which still gives enough impact velocity to reliably expand the projectile at 400 yards. 3 shot group below from a cold barrel at 100 yards... I'm happy. No chance I'm ever lugging around anything longer again.

 

[armybuck041]

On the topic of velocity...

I took my 18" barrelled Bergara .300WM build and 24" barrelled Sig Cross .300WM to the range and extensively chrono'd them last weekend. Only 80fps lost between the two of them with a decent hand load (180gr TTSX with 67.7gr H4350 and a 3.55 COL). I get that's a .300WM and not a .308", but I was surprised with that outcome. Debating ditching the Cross Magnum as the shorty Bergara on the HNT26 chassis so much nicer to haul around.

 

[maifire]

Those must be moving with 130gr bullets! Fantastic shooting. Chimo!

I agree with the 20” rule here. A few great choices offered, including a shortened barrel.

 

[armybuck041]

It's definitely a compressed powder charge but not too crunchy when seating the projectile No pressure signs and very low standard deviation.

 

[1899]

I am a fan of the original Model Seven. That version had the 18.5" barrel. Most other versions (all?) came with a 20" barrel.