shortest .300 wm barrel for a hunting rifle ?

Well. regarding magnum calibres in short-barreled rifles ...

Back in the late 1960s, I hunted with a friend's Remington Model 600, which weighed 6.5 lbs. and had an 18.5 inch barrel, and was chambered in .350 Rem Mag.
The short barrel provided reasonable muzzle velocity (around 2700 fps with 200 grain corelokt factory loads) and accuracy (under 1.5 moa)
Yes, recoil and muzzle blast were noticeable but, in my hands, not unacceptable - despite Jack O'Conner's published claim to the contrary.

My take at the time? .. a fast-pointing lightweight carbine, in a hard-hitting magnum, certainly inspired confidence while hunting in B.C. mountains (grizz country).
Did I buy one for myself? .. no, but then I was always a Winchester guy. :)

-Dennis
 
L42A1 said:
Of course it would. But at a higher cost. More recoil and powder. You wouldnt be using the .300 WM to its potential. It would be a waste. IMHO
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Pushing the same bullet faster always results in more recoil and burnt powder, regardless of barrel length. I don't see the big deal about somebody wanting a short and handy 300 win.
 
I have owned and hunted with dozens of short barrelled rifles with barrels between 18"-20"... many were in factory configuration, many others were chopped for utility... these were chambered in cartridges such as .223, .243, .257R, 7X57, .280, .308, .30/06, .338F, .338WM, .358, .35W, .350RM, .375 H&H (the good one), .44, .445, .45/70, .45/90, probably missing a few... I can't remember a single time wishing for more barrel length with any of them... they were all accurate and had plenty of horsepower for the task at hand... and were oh so nice to carry.
 
todbartell said:
I wouldn't be afraid of a 22" barrel, would push 180gr @ 3000, hell even at 18.5" it will outrun a 22" 30-06 by 75 fps

The guys who wine about the potential muzzle blast probably have a brake on their 270's
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I had a Pre-1964 30/06 that gave me velocities pretty darned close to what a 300 Win Mag with a barrel cut to 24 inches. The 23 elk and 18 moose I shot with it over the years did not care. They just dropped dead. You are over thinking things here and cutting the barrel less than 24 inches would not be a smart move move in my opinion.
When I rebarrelled mt Husqvarna 7mm Remington Magnum, I chose a 25 inch barrel length and have since found the rifle is just dandy to carry. I am not sure where all the guys going for overly light rifles with barrels so short they are near useless stems from but i would not consider going that way.
 
blwebster said:
I am not sure where all the guys going for overly light rifles with barrels so short they are near useless stems from but i would not consider going that way.
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good thing animals don't decide not to die when shot according to barrel length of rifle the bullet came out of.
 
That is beside the point. If you want a rifle to perform as a 300 Win Mag out to longer distances rather than limit yourself to lowered
velocities because you shortened a barrel then go for the 24 to 26 inch barrel or buy a 30/06 or .308 Winchester. Either of those do
very well too.
 
blwebster said:
That is beside the point. If you want a rifle to perform as a 300 Win Mag out to longer distances rather than limit yourself to lowered
velocities because you shortened a barrel then go for the 24 to 26 inch barrel or buy a 30/06 or .308 Winchester. Either of those do
very well too.
Click to expand...
you are clearly missing the point just like everyone else saying get a 308 or 30-06 thinking the 300 with the same barrel length has no advantage.

A 308 or 30-06 with a 18" barrel will still be considerably slower than a 300 with the same barrel length.
 
I have two tricked out Mohawk 600's in .308 with 18.5's & lightweight synthetic stocks. They have a fair amount of kick for a .308. More than manageable though. Extremely handy and capable rifles. I tend to prefer rifles that are more compact & handy otherwise you tend not to carry them too far.

-Savage- said:
Well. regarding magnum calibres in short-barreled rifles ...

Back in the late 1960s, I hunted with a friend's Remington Model 600, which weighed 6.5 lbs. and had an 18.5 inch barrel, and was chambered in .350 Rem Mag.
The short barrel provided reasonable muzzle velocity (around 2700 fps with 200 grain corelokt factory loads) and accuracy (under 1.5 moa)
Yes, recoil and muzzle blast were noticeable but, in my hands, not unacceptable - despite Jack O'Conner's published claim to the contrary.

My take at the time? .. a fast-pointing lightweight carbine, in a hard-hitting magnum, certainly inspired confidence while hunting in B.C. mountains (grizz country).
Did I buy one for myself? .. no, but then I was always a Winchester guy. :)

-Dennis
Click to expand...
 
My original intent was not a carbine length .300wm, just inquiring as to what a reasonable slightly shorter length choice would be.

I have no interest in an 18.5" or even 20" .300wm. Wanted to know what guys thought of say 24" or even 22" at the shortest because 26" doesn't really do it for me for a carry all day rifle.

None the less, been enjoying all the chat over guys experiences with various length barrels, always fun and educational.


blwebster said:
That is beside the point. If you want a rifle to perform as a 300 Win Mag out to longer distances rather than limit yourself to lowered
velocities because you shortened a barrel then go for the 24 to 26 inch barrel or buy a 30/06 or .308 Winchester. Either of those do
very well too.
Click to expand...
 
madashell said:
My original intent was not a carbine length .300wm, just inquiring as to what a reasonable slightly shorter length choice would be.

I have no interest in an 18.5" or even 20" .300wm. Wanted to know what guys thought of say 24" or even 22" at the shortest because 26" doesn't really do it for me for a carry all day rifle.

None the less, been enjoying all the chat over guys experiences with various length barrels, always fun and educational.
Click to expand...

I have 22" WSM's and they are a perfect for a hunting rifle. 24" & 26" barrels are a pain if you have to hump it through brush, even strapped in a pack, every time you duck under a branch they get hung up... I would say with the concept you are going for 22" is just right.
 
madashell said:
My original intent was not a carbine length .300wm, just inquiring as to what a reasonable slightly shorter length choice would be.

I have no interest in an 18.5" or even 20" .300wm. Wanted to know what guys thought of say 24" or even 22" at the shortest because 26" doesn't really do it for me for a carry all day rifle.

None the less, been enjoying all the chat over guys experiences with various length barrels, always fun and educational.
Click to expand...

There are many gun manufacturers that make magnums with a 24" or even a 22" from factory in a hunting rifle, what you are asking is not short by any means, desert tech does an 18" 338 Lapua in a bullpup. They wouldn't make it if there was no real world use or advantage as there would be zero sales.
 
Are you sure about that 18" barrel .338 Lapua bullpup? The Desert Tactical has a 26" barrel but a shortened stock to give it an overall length along the lines of a bullpup -

"...the SRS is a bullpup. Bullpup rifles have several advantages over conventional designs, in that a bullpup rifle can have a full-length barrel in an overall configuration that’s about the same length as a short-barreled carbine...Our test SRS, for example, has a 26-inch barrel (less muzzle brake) in a package that is only 39.5 inches in overall length, almost identical to that of a standard M16A2 with 20-inch barrel. It should be noted that by removing the adjustable buttstock spacers, the rifle’s overall length drops down to 37 inches."

https://www.tactical-life.com/firearms/desert-tactical-srs-338-lapua/
 
Yeah hoytcanon, gotta say you have me at least considering a 22". It's pretty much all thick bush around here and anything long is a PITA. Yesterday my son and I were in the bush finding just the right Christmas tree for him and even carrying my Wingmaster version of a Tac-14, a Granfors axe and a Swiss Army buck saw was a PITA !! A 26" rifle barrel would have garnered a lot of cursing !!


hoytcanon said:
I have 22" WSM's and they are a perfect for a hunting rifle. 24" & 26" barrels are a pain if you have to hump it through brush, even strapped in a pack, every time you duck under a branch they get hung up... I would say with the concept you are going for 22" is just right.
Click to expand...
 
Slamfire said:
Are you sure about that 18" barrel .338 Lapua bullpup? The Desert Tactical has a 26" barrel but a shortened stock to give it an overall length along the lines of a bullpup -

"...the SRS is a bullpup. Bullpup rifles have several advantages over conventional designs, in that a bullpup rifle can have a full-length barrel in an overall configuration that’s about the same length as a short-barreled carbine...Our test SRS, for example, has a 26-inch barrel (less muzzle brake) in a package that is only 39.5 inches in overall length, almost identical to that of a standard M16A2 with 20-inch barrel. It should be noted that by removing the adjustable buttstock spacers, the rifle’s overall length drops down to 37 inches."

https://www.tactical-life.com/firearms/desert-tactical-srs-338-lapua/
Click to expand...

Yes, look at the SRS covert

https://deserttech.com/covert.php
 
30" overall length as well, it is a thing of beauty. Desert tech even tested it's effectiveness to be out to 1650 meters, just 200 meters less than their 26" version
 
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Not bad for a guesstimate.

"So what is the ideal barrel length for a 338 Lapua Magnum?

I would say anything about 26″. If the length isn’t an issue, you may be able to work slower powders into higher velocities at the longer lengths. While the 17″ barrel still performed better than some other options, it didn’t allow the cartridge to reach its full potential. I don’t know of anyone with a 20″ 338 Lapua Magnum that is happy that they went short."

https://rifleshooter.com/2017/03/338-lapua-magnum-barrel-length-versus-muzzle-velocity-30-17-inches/
 
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