Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Thoughts on short barreled hunting rifles

My kids shoot the following and have routinely taken game from 100-300 yards. Coyotes to Elk.


16.25" Ruger Compact .243




16.25" Ruger Frontier 7mm-08





18.5" Remington 700 .243




I don't see the velocity loss as an issue within typical ranges, even on bigger game. I will say that I had a Ruger Compact in 7mm-08 identical to the .243 in the pic and it was a jumpy miserable SOB to shoot. The Frontier has a much heavier barrel and is very pleasant with a warm 140 grain accubond load.

Looks like your kids know what they're doing, and I sure wouldn't want them shooting at me! Nice stuff Med, love the pics.

It is a balancing act for me.
I like short barrels, I won't muzzle break a barrel, it must be a chambering that works with a 22" barrel( max) under 8 lbs and capable for Elk and Bighorns.
After trying some of the newer short/ fats , migrated back to the .270 wcf. It meets all the criteria, so does the .280 and 30/06.
A carbine style rifle is a must, climbing with both hands free and the rifle across my back. It must be 300 yards capable and trouble free.
Back to the future ...

Any idea what the muzzle diameter is on the 2 stubby Rugers?

I am wondering if there is enough meat there for threading.

Relatively short rifles are great - I've gone to a .375 WSM 20" for a large portion of my hunting, and while I'm giving up about 100 ft/s by doing so, I don't miss it. I can still hit the classic 2450 with a 300gr, and that's good enough. The weight reduction and improved balance are well worth it.

For the most part we have an over abundance of speed and power. Relatively few shoot irons anymore to utilize the longer sighting radius. So it really comes down to what you like and feel works best for you.

The stainless compact is .526"
The Frontier is .629"

Nope, 16 inch barreled AR type house guns, hearing and blast will be the last on ones mind if they're employed, nothing shorter than 22 inches for standard hunting rifles, save one 20 inch M-94 30-30.

My favorite rounds are 7mm-08, 30-30, 338-06, 308 etc. I've used everything from 18" to 24 " and my favorite rifle right now is a 20" 7mm-08. I also have a new to me 7mm-08 with a 24" tube and after I carry it a few times may become my favorite. For me, how does it carry, handle and balance. The best ever was a 24" Weatherby SBGM in 338-06, a precursor to the ULW but in 338-06 had a modified #2 barrel. 30-30's and lever guns, 18-20 seem to be the sweet spot.

I had a 7600 carbine in 30-06 for a couple of years, never liked the handling.

Muzzle blast and flash could be a deterent but never seemed to have an issue with either. In my typical hunting areas, velocity loss is not an issue, 99% of the shots are under 150 yards

I've had a few short barreled rifles including a few lever rifles. I have a 358 Win Remington 700 that has a short barrel and I wouldn't be afraid of using it on most anything in the lower 48, same with my short barreled Marlin 45-70.

I like my short barrel rifles and I hope you do too. I do not think I have had an issue/problem with a longer barreled rifle either - even in thick woods. It's not like the barrel is going to hit tree branches, it's the short barreled rifles seem to me to get on target a little faster.

I just got back from a Wyoming hunt and the cow I shot was at 350 yards. I'm glad I didn't have a 18 inch barrel on my 270. I had no idea what the forest or open range would look like until I saw what I wanted to shoot. I had the drop figured out by a shooting ap on my phone, but the wind was something else. I didn't know the MPH of wind and had to guess. The velocity drop with a short barrel might have come into play.

To me a short barreled rifle is a "specialty" rifle, that is for a definite purpose. Good luck.

And if you don't have enough speed and power with a short barrel, just go to a bigger case and get it. With the advent of magnum propellants like Rl16 that will burn completely in a very short barrel, you don't even get a big fireball.

I like the looks of the Ruger Frontier rifles, but the muzzle blast would turn me away from buying one

I bought my son and daughter Howa Alpines in 6.5 Creed and 7mm-08. To be honest I absolutely detest the 20" barrels on these guns. For starters the balance to me sucks, the muzzle rise on both is a bit much for the cartridges, they are louder than they should be and the velocity loss with both bothers me. I would be much happier with a 22-23" tube.

I have a R700 Varmint in 308 that I cut back to 20". Besides the improved accuracy that balance on it is incredible.

I've been hunting with a centerfire rifles since 1968.....started out with a Mauser 98 8mm Mauser carbine after that year took it to Metal Shop and cut it to 18" all the hunters in camp including my Dad just shook there head at me....
I've only owned one rifle that I hunted with that the barrel wasn't cut down a Weatherby 300 at 26"......if I use it to hunt with the barrel is cut shorter....
Wife has a Browning BAR 7mm Rem Mag its a Belgium rifle came from Browning with a 20" barrel it has shot a train car load of game animals....I even had to cut the butt stock down to 12.5" because she is a small woman just 5'-0"....

Do them a favor....get them a suppressor. Solves all sorts of kid problems.

Ruger Hawkeye Compact, never seen one that wasn’t a tack driver

The difference between 20" and 22" in 7-08 shooting 120TSX/V-Max is 50FPS. 3000fps via R-15 in a 20" Vanguard Youth and a SS M7. 3050fps from a 22" Kimber MT, Rem Mt Guide, and M70 Ranger. Gotta be an awful long ways away before 50FPS makes the difference between a hit and a miss. Doesn't even gain you 50yds of effective range if you subscribe to 1800fps minimum impact velocity.

My present favorite short barreled hunting rifle…



It has taken a couple mountain lions and some small game. Chambered in .223 and cut to 16.25”.

I have a 21” 7-30 Waters Barrel that May get the same treatment. Too light and whippy for shooting very far unsupported by a dream to pack and would work well from a stand.

A bit over 18", but then it was built for the 'can'....