Many years ago, my best buddy, a superb shot and fine builder of mostly using rifles on P-64 actions, had one of those Sako stutzen carbines in .338. It shot well and since he was a working bushman, carrying in Grizzly country, while working solo each day on foot for weeks at a stint, it's 55mm tube was handy.
I was also bushwhacking for my din-dins and we met at a now closed Vancouver area rifle club and despite the 21 year difference in our ages and ethnic differences, hit it off and are still close friends. I told him of my strong preference for CRF and he let me shoot his Sako.
It was accurate and nice to handle, got 2700 with 250NPs, BUT, the blast just rocked my skull and I carried on with my longer tubes.
Several years ago, he was experimenting with .375H&H working rifles and I finished one he started on an "old" Mod. 70 as I was then considering going back to work alone in the mountains. It has a 20" tube and is both nice to pack and VERY accurate. But, I seldom shoot it due to blast.
Last month, we were shooting and he had his latest P-64-.375 with a 21" tube and we both like this one a bit more....."looneyism", thy name is rifle lover!!!!!
Frankly, I doubt it makes ANY REAL difference between 22-25" tubes, have 22.5, 23,and 25" and had the 26 and several 24s. I now just like a slightly longer tube due to blast, but, I might change tomorrow as the 23"s are so nice in balance and both the Dakota 76s I had shot "bugholes".
All this gack is fun and shows just how lucky we are to have all of these choices.
