I have to agree with Rovering. n 18" barrel is too short for anything but maybe a pistol cartridge. I personally wouldn't go shorter then 20" and only with short standard rounds like .308, 7mm-08, .260, etc. Even a Winchester 94 .30-30 most commonly has a 20" barrel.
Years ago I had a Husqvarna Lightweight .30-06. Though I loved the rifle it had a rather impressive muzzle flash with some loads. I sure wouldn't want anything shorter the it's 20" barrel.
That's BS. Tho I will stipulate YMMV.
Be it noted that I ain't much for target shooting....and under field conditions, I just don't notice anything much other but bang/flop. Or short run and flop. Especially in open country. And in short-range situations, any damned thing will work, properly placed.
Quite some years ago I acquired ($80) a standard Ruger 77 '06 with a muzzle bulge and so chopped it to 17 inches. Was s'posed to be a knock around "boat gun" but it grouped so well after the chop that I took it sheep hunting and killed a ram at @ 330yds. 4 days later a moose at 70 yds. Damned short hunting season! Since killed various game with it out to a caribou at 356 (paced) yards. True- it's got some drop-off at range...
After that first season, I docked the butt and fore-end and trimmed stock down some to esthetic "carbine" proportions ("for the wife"
) .. Pre-dating the Ruger edition by a few years....Mostly I use it, with a slip on 1" pad over the Decelerator pad for my LOP... A favorite...
I put it right up front for shots to 400 yards with my 22" .260 Rem 725, and 27 " Mauser heavy bbl '06.
Assuming good groups, all ya really gotta know is the range (lasered) and bullet drop (preferably from field trial, but book values will work) of caliber/bullet weight. It ain't rocket science - just a bit of detail, and bbl length has very little significance if you do your homework.
Of course, most hunting shots for most NA hunters are within 200 yards, so all this other chit just doesn't matter all that much.
Currently where I live most of my shots are 300 to 450 yards.. And I could, and have used the 17 inch bbled '06. Currently tho, I only have the .260 and Mauser up here..
All my (including several not mentioned) rifles kill at reasonable range, tho I could push the Mauser and the .338 RU 77 to 500 if need be.
Actually, the rifles are way better than me....
