Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Barrel Length on the 7x57

I used to think a rifle had to have a 24" barrel to be any good, this was back when all I could get in the rifles I chose in the cartridges I wanted had 22" barrels.

After having a few with 24" barrels, my thoughts are, "What was I thinking?". Now I pretty much go with 22" barrels, just works for me in the places I typically hunt.

Sometimes I go with the 7s and a 20". Of course my 1As are short by definition. In and out of a truck, and in tight places shorter just makes everything easier.


Short answer: I'd go with a 22", perhaps shorter, depending on the circumstances and the rifle.

I don't own a 7x57 but I can compare to a 280rem mountain rifle with a detachable box magazine.That particular rifle can't get a 168 berger to the lands at mag length.It bothers me because I suffer from OCD.Lol I have considered getting that rifle rebarreled to a 7x57 so I can maintain a good ogives to land relationship.Consequently this rifle does not shoot the 168's the way I want.

To each his own,the extra 125-150fps does not amount to much and 7x57 brass seems more available.A shorter throat on the 280 would do the trick as well.

I like 22".

22"

With a Ruger 77 Mk2 and a Model 70 Featherweight...

I'm in the 22 inch barrel camp...

22" is my preference.

You forgot the only length a rifle barrel should be: 26". You can go longer depending on the cartridge.

Trajectory drops off rapidly below 20 ", according to a test I saw, where they started with 26 and hacked an inch at a time to 16". Much more slowly between 26" and 20". It's a progressive rather than smooth curve.

That said, I'll push (and have, nearly) my 17" Ruger 77 in '06 to 400. The Mauser 98 in '06 with a 27" barrel is likely good to well beyond the 500 I'll use it to....

The trajectories are considerably different - but accounted for, the killing is all the same.

As much as i like the max vel from a cartridge , i just can't see packing a 26 inch barrel on the 7x57 , but everyone to their own.

I have had 22, 23 and 24. 22 was perfect for me.

The 7x57 is like the .30/06 in as much as, a little more or a little less, doesn't change much. It still performs to expectation.

The muzzle blast gets mean under 20", the gun gets unwieldy over 24. Between those 2 lengths anything should work fine, just depends on what you like.

Another vote for 20" to 24" - pick what works for you. I've got a Ruger 1A with a 22" barrel that likes 140gr Nosler Ballistic Tips hand loaded with H4350. Chrono readings in the 2,850 range. Fun caliber to play with!!

My Brno 22F has a 52CM (20.5") barrel. About perfect for me.

Was out shooting my Swede based one today prepping for the upcoming hog hunt, It is a rather lean rifle that wears a lean barrel at 22" and it feels right with this combo.

I have a Brno 21H (H=half stock) with a 20.5" barrel. I got it because I just had to have a Brno 21H when someone said they were so special.

It's an ok rifle at 7.5 lbs scoped.

The 7-57 never got me interested. It's like similar rounds

Here is a pic of it when I was trying to use the factory mount that came with it. I found that a Leupold 3-9 Compact would fit in that scope mount.

I'm going to post in this thread about a caliber that I don't like. Just for no reason....

I was pleased that the Leu. 3-9 Compact would just fit in the original factory mount that you see.

The rifle is ok, what with it's carbine barrel, I have 99's and others chambered for the 358 Winchester. That cartridge does interest me for woods rifles.

It is a minor tragedy that an imbecile like you has a rifle like that as it should belong to someone with the personal class and actual field hunting experience to appreciate it.

There REALLY OUGHT to be a law............

How much do you want for that rifle? The caliber interests me.

I shot my first elk with a M70 Fwt in 7x57 last year. 22" barrel seemed to work good and I think the rifle shoulders better than my P64 with it's 24" barrel.