I have one 26" barreled 308win that thinks it's a 30-06 or more when it comes to M.V. it's certainly more pleasant than a 16", but I put a blast directer on the shorty and it isn't bad. Performance wise I agree with 24" minimum if rated speeds are desired. In my tests 22" barrels struggle along behind, and are a lousy compromise between portability and Performance. A 24" barrel isn't bad at all to carry in the field. Certain rounds do better in shorter barrels. My 18" 35 Remington doesn't have any problems meeting rated speeds, and it's bark isn't any worse than a longer version
