Briancrn113
Member
Hello all, I'm new here and I am hoping to learn as much as I can from all of you. I recently brought my old deer rifle in to be fitted with a new barrel and stock. It is a left hand Rem 788 (I know, I know...Dad bought it for me as my first deer rifle, sentimental value) in 6mm with a 20" tube. I am having a McMillan stock put on it and a Lilja barrel .264 1:8 3 groove #5 contour. It will be a .260 Rem (I had to go with one of the .308 family for magazines, and I am intrigued by the .260). I am agonizing a little about whether to put a 24" or 26" tube on it (gunsmith is saying put a 26" on it). I will be using it in South Dakota and Montana for deer and perhaps antelope and shots here can be long. I want to shoot 140's out of it and I am hoping I can achieve what the load data indicates with the same length barrel, around 2800 fps. I know its only 2" but I am looking for guidence for why I should or should not. Note I do want a 24" and no shorter, with a #5 contour I am not looking for a mountain rifle. Thanks for opinions, evidence, experiences in advance.