.300 Win Mag twist rate and barrel length?

I've long felt that chambering a traditional Magnum (.264, 7 REM, .300WM, etc.) in anything shorter than a 26" barrel is just wasting powder. I'd go with a short action mag chamber in a barrel shorter than 26", but I do understand the issues with hiking a long barrel around.
 
Also, keep in mind that muzzle blast will be louder in the 24in, and on top of that magnified by the brake.
 
Is there really going to be that big of a difference between the 24 and 26" barrels in speed to notice a difference if I'm running a faster burning powder and not shooting out past 1000? I asked about doing a 25" and the prefit barrels are either 24 or 26"
For every inch you shorten the barrel you will loose 25-50 fps. The 300 WM as are most big 30 magnums was made to perform best out of a 26" or longer barrel. Considering you want to shoot the heavies I would go 1/8 twist which would allow you to shoot most everything from the big 250 grain pills down to the 200s. I am running a 25" barrel on mine with a APA LB gen2 break; total barrel length is 27". It will shoot 215 Bergers at 2805 into a 1/2 inch group nearly every time from a 1/11 twist Sako barrel. I get key holes with anything 230 and above. If you aren't going above a 220 grain pill, a 1/10 twist will be fine. If you go with a 24" barrel you should still see velocities with the 220s around 2700 - 2750 FPS.
 
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