Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Shortest practical 30-06 bbl

You are losing a lot of the reason for a long cartridge case, if you are burning it through a short barrel. Leave it at 22 and get a .308, or other short action, if you want a short rifle.

Shorten, thread muzzle, install flash hider. Not a brake, 'cause those piss off everybody when yer at the range with this gun.

Or shorten and thread the barrel and put a can on it . The best of all worlds according to those who use them.

If the OP is concerned about the difference between 22" and 18" for woods rifle handling then what will the length and weight of a can do for the situation?

I cut a 760 down to 19" 40 years ago with a hacksaw. Filed it flat. Broke the edge of the crown with sandpaper and a ball. Went out the next morning and killed a Bull in deep snow. Don't know why but I did. If I had it to do over I wouldn't.
Yep, it's a bit louder and muzzle flash at full loads. I had it crowned later that year and remounted the front sight. Still have the old rifle. I just loaded up 100 Hornady 220 grain solids with 45.5 grains of AA 4064, makes a nice shooting load and have used other faster powder for same purpose. Not looking for speed but just handy loads that shoot well.
I also found a good used 22" barrel assembly and one of these days, it might get turned into a 22" 35 Whelen. Or just have a back up barrel. They aren't making any more of those.

This is what I was referring to in regards to the Witt Machine linear comp.

https://www.wittmachine.net/sme-sound-mitigation-equipment-slimline.html?id=41686712&quantity=1

i had a Remington 760 in 30-06 with an 18.5" barrel that always had a bright muzzle flash that was particularly notiiceable in low light conditions and it was loud, but I never noticed those things when I squeezed the trigger while aiming it at a deer.

I SHOOT ALOT OF SHORT BARRELLED 30-06 RIFLES. I LIKE THE SOUND THEY MAKE!!

capitals intentional

Blast is real nasty on a 18.5" barrel...NASTY!

Gunsmith can cut off 1/4" and re crown.

My first centerfire rifle was a 19" .30-06. It was stupid loud. The advantage of short barrels is usually way overstated.

How would you load an ‘06 to get into that 300 Savage range?

165 or 180 w/ starting 4064 or 4895 load? Thinking old school.

16-20gr of 2400 with cast or some jacketed bullets would keep noise down. 13gr of RedDot would too.

Now those are classics!

Reduced load of H4895.

https://hodgdon.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/h4895-reduced-rifle-loads.pdf

Bruce

I have a Model 70 in a Mammlicher stock with a 18" barrel. LIKE IT A LOT! Very accurate, & I find it pleasant to shoot - plus, I LOVE the way it looks! LOVE that full length stock!

Mike Holmes

Back when I was deep in carbine mania I had an 18.5” 30-06 - I found it obnoxious. 21” is as short as I’d go, and that was the length I had on one of my all-time favorite 06’s. In my experience, it’s best to leave the shorter barrels to the 308W.

Would love to know what "Mammlicher" means--though I already have my own notions.....

I agree on barrel length - leaving it at 22 is making more & more sense.



Not sure any further clarity is necessary 😜

The only experience that I have with a .30-06 in a barrel length less that 22" was in a couple of BARs. Both of the those were very loud, and the muzzle flash was surprising.