|
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 15,648
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 15,648 |
Balance wins but 20" everytime....portability and handiness beats 75 fps or an additional 50-75 yards or so on mpbr for you Kentucky holdover guys...
- Greg
Success is found at the intersection of planning, hard work, and stubbornness.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 28,239
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 28,239 |
I'm thinking I"m going to chop mine to 18 or 20 inches, and go the suppressed route. Currently it sits at 24".
It is irrelevant what you think. What matters is the TRUTH.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 15,648
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 15,648 |
I'm thinking I"m going to chop mine to 18 or 20 inches, and go the suppressed route. Currently it sits at 24". Fully support....
- Greg
Success is found at the intersection of planning, hard work, and stubbornness.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 28,239
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 28,239 |
It is irrelevant what you think. What matters is the TRUTH.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 21,167
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 21,167 |
Ping pong balls for the win. Once you've wrestled everything else in life is easy. Dan Gable I keep my circle small, Iβd rather have 4 quarters than 100 pennies.
Ainβt easy havin pals.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 4,070
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 4,070 |
I'm thinking I"m going to chop mine to 18 or 20 inches, and go the suppressed route. Currently it sits at 24". I recently had a suppressed 19" cut down to 16" (which as everyone knows, is the shortest the law allows)
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 8,882
Campfire Outfitter
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 8,882 |
If you go 24" might as well make it 1/2" longer and chambered in 7 mm rem mag , you can allways download it to 7-08. Easier to ride a fast horse slow, than a slow horse fast...yup mb
" Cheapest velocity in the world comes from a long barrel and I sure do like them. MB "
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 1,360
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 1,360 |
A 22-inch barrel is my choice in a 308 Win brass based cartridge. The 7mm-08 ballistically betters the 308 Win on one end and the 6.5 Creedmoor on the other. Notice I said ballistically, as for hunting use they all have their own individual benefits.
A 20β-22β barrel with 8, 8.5 or 9 twist on a 7mm-08 may be the best carry, reduced recoil, long range payload (bullet weight, BC and WD) out there.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 17,241
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 17,241 |
As others say, balance matters most (with reasonable portability, of course). Noise matters second most. Velocity is probably third, at least with a 7mm-08.
20-22" sure seems like the sweet spot. I've used a couple of 18-18.5" models and they were a bit too loud for me. I have a 20" barrel at the gunsmith right now, being cut to 16.5" and threaded for a can.
Now with even more aplomb
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,588
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,588 |
I prefer mine with a 15β barrel Just recently got one of those in a 6mm Creedmoor. Iβve only shot it out to 600 yards so far with factory ammo. In terms of the original question by the OP, my only advice is choose the length that you want.
Last edited by xphunter; 10/18/22.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 4,000
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 4,000 |
Rather than choose one barrel length, I shoot three 7mm-08 rifles: a Model 7 FS with an 18 1/2" barrel, a Howa Alpine with a 20" barrel and more recently I picked up a Remington 700 CDL with a 24" barrel. Each rifle is set up to shoot specific bullet in different weights. For example the FS shoots TTSX pills, the Alpine Nosler E-Tips and the CDL 160 grain Barnes TSX bullets. Being a rifle looney means you don't have to limit yourself to just one.
"Rhetoric is no substitute for reality." -Thomas Sowell
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,168
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,168 |
My go to, whitetail setup is a GAP NT 7mm-08 with a 23β Bartlein that I absolutely enjoy. The rifle balances very well. My second 7mm-08 is a REM Mt Rifle with factory 22β bbl. Itβs fine and I use it occasionally, since the GAP gets the nod more.
My next build will be either a 20 or 18β to run suppressed. Considering a 7 SAW but this project is still in infancy stage.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,575
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,575 |
Well it's free velocity ... a little. More important are your hunting style and balance preference. Hard to go wrong.
I do not entertain hypotheticals. The world itself is vexing enough. -- Col. Stonehill
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2022
Posts: 696
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Jan 2022
Posts: 696 |
Not worth it me in a short action cartridge like 7/08 I have a hells canyon speed with a 22β and that is as long as it needs. I run 140 partitions at 2922 fps with big game powder. If you donβt mind the longer rifle, shoot a 280. That may give you what you want if you feel 7/08 is not gonna get the job done
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 17,172
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 17,172 |
150 eldx at 2790 can shoot a loooong way out of my 22 7/16β barreled Tikka.
P Yessir, that's good medicine too.
Randy NRA Patriot Life Benefactor
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 1,513
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 1,513 |
A 20 barrel seems a little jumpy with a 308. But if I were to choose a 7-08 it would be for itβs efficiency and ability to be less jumpy with a 20 inch barrel. Something like a Micro Midas maybe.
....although this isnβt likely what Iβd choose for a dedicated βlong rangeβ hunting rifle, I do think it would be acceptable out past 250 yards a bit.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 8,659
Campfire Outfitter
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 8,659 |
Agreed. I'll take a little velocity loss to keep it short and handy +1
Ted
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 7,197
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 7,197 |
I like less concussion at 24", and I have never felt like it swings slow. I prefer the 150g ElD x for the short range stuff, throated properly. As range gets extended, I then bump up to the 280 Rem with 180g ELD m at 2700(smidgen of powder), throated to match said bullet. Thanks, Stick!
Some things you just have to see to believe, 180g ELDM, .796 BC....impact velocity will make a true believer out of you!
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 7,126
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 7,126 |
I wouldn't go any shorter, and 22" doesn't bother me either. I wouldn't pay to have a 22" barrel cut shorter. I might if it were 24". But if building I'd want something shorter that 24" with a little meat in the barrel. Split the difference and go 21" I agree with this for a whitetail blind rifle. Barrel contour about #3 or a Rem mag. barrel profile to about 21" would seem a perfect build to me.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 21,776
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 21,776 |
If I was worried about velocity?
It go 24 with a bigger cartridge. Ya gotta decide.
Why worry about trivial velocity differences when the STW, Ultra, or Nosler....exist.
20 would be great. 18" would be ok. But loud(er).
Parents who say they have good kids..Usually don't!
|
|
|
|
514 members (10ring1, 007FJ, 01Foreman400, 10gaugemag, 17CalFan, 19rabbit52, 49 invisible),
2,295
guests, and
1,210
robots. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
Forums81
Topics1,191,507
Posts18,472,321
Members73,936
|
Most Online11,491 Jul 7th, 2023
|
|
|
|