Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting 20" or 24" barrel on 7mm08 ??

I had a 7mm/08 built a few years ago. I opted for a 23" bbl and have no complaints. The rifle was originally a 1984 Rem 700BDL in 243.

What's your average time to buff and polish that scope?

Yeah BABY!!!!

Either is fine. You can guess around 30-35 fps per inch.

Will that make a difference for your max distance for the game you are hunting.
If not, go with the shorty

What makes this post more interesting is that it's in the LR forum. There are some of us that must navigate nasty brush and be ready to shoot long range. I've done it with several rifle lengths, and shorter is better for sure. Compounding the challenge is the fact that I don't like to carry the rifle outside the pack. So, my 24 inch Tikka is really not fun to pack. One upside is that I move a lot slower and more quietly
Anyway, I'll vote for the 20 incher on a 7'08. And concur with the chorus here, or at least Stick (The One Man Chorus? ) -- the 160-180 grain low drag bullets in an 8 twisted rifle with a good chamber matched to the magazine is the epitome of rifle craft. For many years it took a custom rifle to bring those elements together. Now we're in gravy.

No charge for the Thanksgiving pun.

If I had to pick one platform, that is a question with an easy answer.

1980s and early 1990s Rem 700 Mountain Rifle with the Laminate stock in 7/08...
or a Model 70 Featherweight in 7/08...XTR with laminate stock
Or either rifle in 7 x 57...

I have hunted in a lot of thick forest. The long barrel is not a hinderance. I will take less muzzle blast and more velocity every time. The “need” for a short barrel is nothing but the perception of the user. If it makes you feel good, then use a short one.

Actually just the opposite IMO. The need for a longer barrel and extra 100fps is nothing but perception. A 140 AB running 2700, or 120 BT runing 2925 are both killing machines.

LOL.

You have never shot anything at LR.

Why do you think your lack of experience on the subject requires a post?

I don’t care if you hunt with a 6 inch barrel or a 26 inch barrel. As long as you can cleanly kill an animal at whatever distance you are hunting at and it’s legal, go for it!

All I’ll say is whatever floats your boat is what you should go with. This is all personal preference and that’s it, nothing more nothing less.

I am nobody in the big picture of the world. Just a working man that likes to hunt. With that said, I have toted a 24” tubed 7-08 for the last 19 years all over North America. From my local deer stand, 5 provinces in Canada, 7 western states and up to AK. Shots from 6 feet to 525 yards resulting in dead critters. I think I am comfortable in saying that I have never felt that a 24” tube was an impedance on any hunt, including back pack goats in BC. Others mileage may vary and that’s all good . As I said all that matters is what you like because your the one humping it .

22 is optimal

Mine(stock 700 Mtn Rifle) has a 22” and I’ve always thought it was a nice length, it balances well and shoots fine. Shot a buck with it at 430ish this fall with a lumbering slow 162 ELD-M.

If I ever shoot it enough to rebarrel it’ll be 19 or 20”….

And have a can on it….


Ben

This

A 22 barrel? Yah, got that covered with a Kimber Classic Select shooting very well - better than the MOA guarantee.

That's nice!
Would like to find one of those.