Acy, one thing to think about is the bore-volume / case-capacity ratio of the 338 WM... it's about exactly the same as the 30-06. We all know the 06 works fine in a 22" tube. Long before I'd ever heard of anyone cutting a 338 WM to 22" I reasoned it would work well and did it. Subsequently I found out that the likes of John Barsness (our own Mule Deer), Finn Aagaard, Bob Bell and David Petzal all have 22" bbl'd 338 WM's... guess my reasoning wasn't too lame <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
Charlie's excellent test's tend to shoot holes (ha!) in the idea of long barrels. Obvioulsy smaller bores with large case capacities get too LOUD in short tubes... I've not found the 338 WM to be overly loud in a 22" bbl'd rifle.
BA
