Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 30-06 20" barrel

I'm interested in those who have used or own a short barreled 30-06. I would like to hear your consensus. Thinking of a compact light 30-06 for hunting.

I own 2 of them. 20" is my favorite barrel length most of the time, my 300 WBY would just start fires with a 20" tube.

They are lighter, handier, and velocity loss is not enough that the deer or elk are going to run off laughing.

One of mine shoots 200 gr Speers at 2490 and 165 speers at 2700 fps.

The other one likes 180's at 2650 fps. I mostly shoot the 200's though, as I like heavy bullets.

I also have a 350 Rem mag and 375 Ruger with 20" tubes.

Go chop off your barrel and never look back.

All but one of mine have had 22-inch barrels. The exception was a sporterized Springfield '03 with a 20-inch featherweight contour barrel, bedded in a slim classic custom stock. I traded for it, thinking at the time that I needed a "woods rifle" to use in east Texas. It was a joy to carry and shoot, but I still ended up carrying my pre-64 Model 70 Fwt. '06 most of the time.

A friend borrowed it to use on a caribou hunt in Canada. When he got back home to Texas, he abused me terribly until I agreed to sell it to him for about double what I had in it. I often thought that if it had been a .308, I would have kept it--but that's just the rifle looney in me talking.

The more i carry the 20 inch barrels the more I like em. Not really much diff but hunting logging land... every little bit helps.

Thanks guys. I figured a 20" was good to go. I'll have to try it out now.

I'd be willing to bet you'll like it.

I have a Winchester M670 carbine in .30-06. I like the shorter barrel for getting in/out of treestands. It's an accurate shooter as well.

Depends on the rifle.
Steyr's mountain rifles tend to run as fast in 20's as most rifles run 24".
My 308s push Federal GMM at 2510 from 20" while the same loads produce barely 2600 in the PSS.

I've had a couple over the years. The biggest negative is muzzle blast. Velocity loss as said just isn't that great. It'll still be at least as fast as a 308 with a 24" barrel and likely faster.

I've seen two 30-06 rifles with 130 fps difference when both had 22" barrels, and I've seen some 20" guns shoot faster than other 22" guns.

trail are you going buy one witha 20" of shorten and existing one?? i have a 20" 30-06 sako. ron

I figured muzzle blast will be enhanced,but can deal with it. I had a 308 win with 20" barrel and really liked how handy it was. So I figured a 30-06 with a 20" barrel would be just as good.

Roninflag- I have a 30-06 right now with a 22" barrel. Thanks for the offer.

Twenty inches is probably good but, my Husqvarna's are 20 3/4" and I think there just great!

How about a 18 1/2 in.?

I have an 18 1/2 inch 06 and that bugger is loud.

Remington has for years made an 18.5" Model 760/7600 .30/06 carbine.

Ask the Benoits how well it works.

And a 740/742 Carbine. I have one, my Dad gave it to me for my first deer rifle. Hate it. First time I shot it near dusk, there was such a massive gout of flame that I about thought the gun blew up. Probably
haven't shot that rifle in going on 15 years.

Kaiser Norton

20 inch is the real barrel length on a Browning A-Bolt with the Boss

.............You'll like it hunting with it. Although, just make sure you wear good hearing protection.

No 30-06, but have a 300 WSM Ruger Frontier shorty and 375 Ruger Alaskan 20" er, which are both quite loud.

I must be going extra deaf. I didn't think it was that bad.

I HAD AN 18" BBL #1 FOR ABOUT A WEEK.