I have carried long and short barrels. I have never felt like long barrels in close cover was a hindrance. I would always go with a 24. I don't hunt from a ground blind, which would be one argument for the shorty. Velocity losses are irrelevant, unless you are talking extreme ranges.
Ack- yes, I have bumped my head too many times and yes, I’d slum 22.5” but only if’n I was forced to.
SB, man, couldn’t agree less. I’ve hunted in thick stuff a lot and barrel length is a big deal, for me. My 20” .358 is a joy. 22” works. 24” in a short action is doable. 26” in a long action SUCKS.
I’ve put my money where my mouth is... I have a really good-shooting M700 XCR in .338.... those were 26” barrels. I hunted it that way (elk) a few years but it’s just never felt right. But the damn thing was so flippin’ accurate I was afraid to mess with it. Finally paid a smith to shorten it to 23” (this was before I was doing my own work).... Somewhere there’s a thread about this. Long time ago. It still shoots great.
