Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Mild cartridges-long barrels

I don’t tolerate muzzleblast very well due to damaged hearing. I remember reading some military rifle boards preferred long barrels to reduce muzzle blast. Have any of you gravitated towards long barreled mild cartridge rifles?

Are you looking to shoot them or hunt with them? I can propose a number of solutions.

Many Mosin Nagants (7.62x54r) have longer barrels, The cartridge is easy on the shoulder and there is no muzzle blast.

I have a number of single shots with longer barrels. They are range rifles, but I suppose they could go hunting as well. I have a 303 British (a 30-303 actually) that is 26 inches long on an Encore action. A few P14s with 26 inch barrels as well.

You can have a longer barrel screwed onto an action of your choice as well. That's more expensive, but an option. 26 inches should do it.

I have pretty bad tinnitus from the corps. I mostly hunt with silencers now. If I'm not using a can, I don't shoot if I can't get ear pro in place.

I've shot enough stuff that some animals getting away because I get busted putting ears on doesn't bother me. If I really care about filling a tag, I've got a can on my rifle.

A 722 chambered for 222 immediately came to mind when I read the title. Pretty sure they were only available with 24 or 26 inch barrels.

Well...

Have a RUGER 77/357 carbine w/ a 18.5" Bbl.

And a RUGER 6.5x55mm bolt rifle w/ a 24" Bbl.

W/ factory ammo, both are very pleasant to shoot.

Would imagine that a milsurp Swede would be even more so.

Generally woods hunt w/ Sonic II ear plugs as well.




GR

Well, it wasn't really intended, but I have a 300 Sav with a 24" barrel. Came about when I decided to rebarrel a M7 Remington and found a 300 Sav barrel from a M700 Classic. I was planning to cut it back to 19-20" but made the mistake of shooting it first. It shot so well that I'm leaving it as is....for now at least! It shoots tiny groups at high (for the Savage) velocity with a mild report and recoil. It's very impressive with the 130 gr TTSX.

Suppressor takes care off all that nonsense...

I would agree but, for me, the aesthetics of a rifle matter, not to mention the ridiculous cost of cans. Then there’s the whole distasteful business of getting government permission to have NFA items. (For what it’s worth, I’m always somewhat disappointed when I find a pristine 16 gauge Model 37 or Model 12 with a damn Polychoke on it.)

My 23” 6.5x55 I don’t mind shooting unprotected when hunting, same with my 26” Ruger 1B .308. My 16 - 20” .223’s and 5.56’s, ported Marlin Guide Gun and all handguns require ear protection for me, even just hunting. I use custom molded Magnum Ears and find them of great benefit, not just for protection, but for enhanced hearing. I wear them hunting and at the range always.

Long barrels were common at Lexington Green. After all these years they still work.

Have one that’s 42” long. Could probably shoot smaller groups if I wasn’t giggling so much.

Ask me if the primer shortage concerns me. Do I wear ear plugs?

Oh, not so much looking for a solution. More interested as to who may have a favored rifle along those lines for hunting. Don’t really want a can for this. I wear hearing protection at range but not always while hunting. Interested in those that may have gone the route of longer barrels to reduce muzzle blast while still having a rifle good to beyond 150 yards for deer or hogs.

Long barrels aren't going to cut it my friend. Cans, electronic hearing protection, or regular ear pro you put in before the shot. Protect what you have left. A pair of Howard Leights will set you back maybe $50. You'll hear way more in the woods than you can now and save your ears at the same time.

I have been thinking of getting a flintlock just for the giggles. Maybe a smooth bore. I do enjoy shooting the muzzleloader. Like you said, it is just fun.

I do have a set of electronic hearing protection that I use but still interested in other ways of getting to where an occasional shot without isn’t such a big deal.

I won’t own anything shorter than 22” anymore due to hearing damage in the military as well. I tolerate recoil better than muzzle blast. This is something overlooked with new shooters and their “compact” barrel lengths. I just started wearing hearing protection while hunting 2 years ago, and while suppressors are intriguing, in some cases (older firearms) they don’t jive. If I were to do it all over, .308 based cases and shorter would wear 22” barrels, 30-06 based cases would have 24”.

In centerfire a 6mm Rem with 22” bll is as close as I come.

This season I’ve killed deer with a 7 RM - 24” and 6.5X55 - 22”
Some don’t believe me but I DON’T notice any diff when shooting game.

I have nothing to gain by lying.

Jerry

ps: No plugs, muffs. cans when hunting. 1 shot ? ? ?

I suppose the closest I have is a 6PPC with a 26" barrel (and don't ask, thank you ). She's indeed very pleasant to shoot.

If you dont mind using iron sights i would look into a 45-70 single shot. Those have long barrels. Another really great option is the old 30-40 Krag in its full length rifle form. This is a mild cartridge with easy recoil and report and its quite a decent performer. The only other options i can think of are old Mauser milsurps but they have risen in price and getting a good one is costly. One of the best was the 96 Swedish mauser and its long rifle length barrel. Also look at the 7x57 Chilean mauser, its just as good and they pop up at decent prices.

I understand my friend, just trying to help. What people often don't understand is that our hearing naturally declines slowly throughout our life until our 60's then goes into a steep decline from there on out. So what happens is people think the damage they're doing to their hearing isn't a big deal because they can still hear ok and 1 shot here and there doesn't seem to be a problem.

It does become a problem though when we go into that natural decline phase. The more diminished our hearing is going into our 60's the worse the drop off is. That's why you see people all the time going from functioning ok to hearing aids within a few years.

Off my soapbox now...carry on

Well if you can find a Swede model 96 with uncut full length 29+" barrel they are nice shooting 6.5x55 is very effective . MB

My latest .22 Hornet has a 29" barrel, so the report is pretty darn mild. But I still haven't shot it without hearing protection.