Mine is 22" Douglas factory blued and long chambered #3 taper.
I got the 260Rem 98 Mauser barrel unused off the internet.
I don't have a 260 reamer, and I am no 260 expert.
Someone on the internet sent me a VZ24 action with welded bolt handle.
I bought a used scope off the internet.
I pulled a military stock from my bone pile.
It has only been to the range 3 times.
I do have Quickload and have played "what if" with that.
It only fired 3 shots on the third trip to the range per my range report:
100 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip moly coated # 26100 bullet moly coated ,
45.0 gr canister IMR4895,
2.940" over all length, almost no insertion of the bullet into the neck,
due to the short bullet and long throat.
Quickload prediction 61,328 psi 3261 fps
chronographs as 3,236 fps
0.99" 3 shot group at 100 yards, still perfectly sighted in on third
trip to the range.
The 120 gr Ballistic tip will probably be what I use if I ever hunt with it.
The difference between 22" and 26" barrels is ~ 100 fps, which is about 50 yards.
I generally give up on a bullet, for mule deer, when it gets below 2000 fps, 1000 foot pounds, or 8 moa elevation from a 200 yard zero , which ever comes first.
The elevation limit is at 550 or 550 yards.
The power limit is a 800 or 850 yards.
The velocity limit is at 600 or 650 yards.
So I can't see any real practical difference for 26" over 22".