I am looking at a short barreled rifle for deer. I have had a bunch of rifles in my 69 years but never one w/less than 20 1/2 inches. This one in particular has an 18 1/2in barrel and I just don't have any experience w/one that short. I just have never liked them. Help. powdr
Do it. I think you should have at least one. I've owned a couple of Marlin and Winchester lever actions with barrels barely over 16 inches. I had a Remington Seven in 7mm-08 for a while with an 18-1/2" barrel. Those all killed stuff. The only possible negative I could see is the shorter barrel, even if heavy, doesn't have as much "hang" and in the Seven's case the thing was a bit butt-heavy. I could say the same for some 20 and even 22 inch barreled guns though.
The short barrels are louder with more blast than longer barrels. They don't necessarily make ideal long range setups 'cause you give up some otherwise "free" velocity. They're not suitable for every cartridge. But chosen carefully, they can be very very very good.
Tom
