Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 20" Barrels and Single-shot Rifles...OAL too short???

Thinking about picking up one of those little break-open CVA Hunters in 7mm-08 from the local Academy for a handy roaming around rifle while working in the field.

I have no problem with the performance of that round out of a 20" barrel, but am a little concerned with the distance between my face and the muzzle. Any cause for concern, aside from it being somewhat louder than a bolt-action with its greater overall length.

Thanks, in advance.

Scott

As long as you don't install a muzzle brake you'll be fine as most of the noise will still be projected away from you. I've shot a 17" .280 GNR (basically .280 AI) in an Encore with the muzzle brake the noise was brutal unless I ran both plugs and muffs. However, the concussive blast was the worst of all and would peel a hat right off my head. With the brake off it had too much muzzle jump, but the noise wasn't nearly as bad. I even tried using the barrel as a pistol but that brake was too much of something, traded it off for a 22" .375 JDJ and enjoyed shooting that much more.

Shot 2 deer with my 16" 35 rem TC Contender rifle. Comfy little boomer.

Shot one with my 20" Ruger #1 RSI in .243 win.

On the bench (covered shooting line) the Ruger was kind of annoying (just wearing Peltor muffs).
Noticed the blast when I shot my deer.
First time that ever happened.

Went back to .35 rem in a 760.
No annoying blast afield.

Next #1 will have 22" bbl.
Hope it helps (proly 7x57 or '06).

The #1 RSI was an annoying little rifle. But it shot well and I kind of miss it.
Kinda like a redheaded girl friend.

Right. And, that's the thing about break-actions...the muzzle is even closer with any given barrel length because the breech/chamber is further to the rear than even a falling block.

The rather broad base fascinated with short barrels makes me scratch my noodle from time to time. I get "light" but see only negatives on topic of short. Brakes make me wanna puke.

You and me, both. The rifle I'm talking about definitely does NOT have one.

The only reason I'm even gathering thoughts on this is because I want a 7mm-08 and the only model in that chambering is a compact with that 20" barrel. Otherwise, It'd be 22"-24".

Poked around on the 'net looking for info on the Hunter. They are available with 22" barrels for the 7-08. CVA's website sez 25" also, depending on chamber. Maybe....

I'll give it another look. Thanks for the info.

Can you post a link? I don't see those on their not-so-great website.

Thanks,
Scott

I am not one who thinks "short barrels" or shorter than 20 inches make sense on a single shot centerfire rifle. The benefit of not having the length of a bolt action receiver begs for more barrel length to balance out the rifle. The key would here is balance out...totally dependent on barrel length and profile. I am not a fan of muzzle blast and I do not shoot at my local range next to anyone shooting their 16 inch AR's with some sort of muzzle brake. Just plain annoying.. Twenty-two inches of the barrel seems to the common minimum used by most manufacturers, 24 inches or even 26 inches of barrel makes more sense. ...it just not needs to be a heavyweight profile.

Ruger made a special run of their Ruger -#1AH with the shorter AlexHenry forend using a slimmer profile 24-inch barrel in 25-06 some years back...which IMO was the best balanced Ruger #1 ever made. I true hunting Ruger single shot rifle...made for shooting and carrying. Our own Mule Deer had such a Ruger #1 which shot exceptionally well for him and John subsequently sold on the classifieds a few years later. The buyer that rifle has the holy grail of Ruger #1's in my opinion.

I have learned much in my years here on the campfire, first is you don't need a cannon to kill a deer, second, a rifle doesn't need or have to weigh 8 to 8 1/2 pounds to hunt with. Third, bullets matter more than headstamps. A lightweight single shot rifle is a joy to carry, chambered by any short action cartridge is more than needed for the "Eastern" deer woods.

https://cva.com/product-line/hunter/

These folks advertise it but are out of stock:

https://www.sportsmansguide.com/pro...arrel-1-round-1-round-capacity?a=1940708

Another:

https://www.cheaperthandirt.com/pro...orend-stock-brown-finish-043125754144.do

Short barrels make everything better..especially when running suppressors. Suppressors mke everything better, but when you can't....brakes are a close second.

You do much offhand shooting?

Hey, thanks.

That first one is the Scout, not the Hunter. It would work if I could stomach camo stocks...but, probably not.

I did see that one at CTD after your initial reply. Interesting. Brown synthetic stocks and it looks like it has a threaded muzzle.

Back to their website...the one at CTD isn't even on it. I guess when one goes to a website and reads "New for 2017" there might be an issue.

looks like theyre still advertising for mississippi’s now-defunct “primitive” season

Depends on the chambering. A 20” 243 encore was too close, while a 20” .356/356 was not, and a 16.5” 357 max isn’t too short, either.

One of my cousins tried a very short rifle for awhile (not a single shot, maybe a micro-medalion?). No issues with accuracy/shootability/terminal effects, but it never fit in gun racks, and he kept fogetting how much shorter it was than most rifles. Kind of funny watching him set the butt on the ground and miss grabbing the end of barrel to hold it. He was not normally a careless gun handler, just couldn't adjust to that that tiny rifle.

Well, I shot metallic silhouette matches for years with a Wichita Silhouette Pistol, a 15" barreled bolt action chambered for the 7mm IHMSA cartridge, essentially a 7mm-08 with a slightly sharper shoulder angle. Even with open sights it would produce 0.75 -1.0" ten shot groups at 100 yards. Using 140-150 grain factory bullets and H322 powder in reformed Remington 308 cases manufactured with small rifle primer pockets (to form 6mm BR cases from), I was able to take a box full of trophies, I have been considering having a 7mm-08 barrel made up for one of my single shot bolt actions just for giggles, Only thing is I always wore ear plugs under muffs at the range, and still today varmint hunt with foam ear plugs. My hearing aids, from working at a firing range, even with plugs and muffs, cost in excess of $6,000.

Shot a friends 18" 308 Sako Mannlicher some and although it handled really well I did not care for the noise and muzzle blast. Even a 24 inch barrel will not be too long on a break action. It will be about like a bolt gun with a 20" barrel in overall length. I would get whatever is available and then cut the barrel back only if it needed it. If you can try out the different ones I bet one will stand out for you on the balance. A scope will move the balance back so I would look for one that is slightly muzzle heavy.

Tejano,

Unless your friend has something special, the Sako carbines are all 20”.

My Forester .358 win (rebore from .243) is an otherwise stock carbine and there’s no issues with muzzle blast.

My Browning Low Wall .260 rem has a 24” tube and while balancing perfectly, it’s still a nice short rig.

243/20” single shot not bad. 21” bolt 7/08 much louder IME

I’d run 22” in a breech loading 7/08