20” 28 nosler

laker

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Dec 9, 2017
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Anyone put together a 20" barrel 28 nosler? Thinkin about doing one to run suppressed.
 
Why would you not use a 7RM or a 7SM. Seems like your giving up so much and others would give you equal in a 20". You could also use a smaller suppressor if it was all you had.
 
@laker, prepare to get beat down by a bunch of people that will tell you not to do it because they know better, and also have never done it themselves and have zero first hand knowledge.

If you want to talk to people that have done it, the specialty pistol threads will give you a good idea. Maybe @Ernie will chime in....I plan on referencing his videos anyway.

What people don't seem to understand, is yes, you know you will loose performance over a 28" barrel. Not sure why that is a main focal point, as that is rather common sense, but it is, nonetheless, a main driving point people bring up.

Also, no, other much smaller cartridges won't give you equal performance in the same length barrel. A 20" 7 saum will not rival a 20" 28 nosler. If you compare a 28" 7 rem mag to a 20" 28 nosler, ya, you will likely be similar. But the point of a 20" barrel, is so you DON'T have a 28" barrel.....

Also, faster burning powders won't "necessarily" give better results than the standard powders one would use. Talk to those that have done it, they will tell you that the same powders that get top velocity with long barrels, still get top velocity with short barrels. Also, the vast majority of powder is burned prior to 20" of barrel, even with slow burning powders, quickload even confirms this. The large muzzle blast you get is not "unburned powder", it is unused pressure expanding closer to you. All a longer barrel does, is allow the remaining pressure from the burned powder to impart more velocity on the bullet, powder is not "still burning" in the vast majority of cases.

Cases where you "might" get better performance from a faster powder, is when high muzzle pressures "may" cause some turbulence, causing variances in e.s. and possible accuracy problems. However this is not the rule. There are people running powders like rl33, retumbo, H1k, you name it, in shorter barrels getting great accuracy and teens or lower e.s., so it is not set in stone, just do load developement like any other rifle of the same chambering.

Then people will talk about the horrible, face melting muzzle blast that will instantly incapacitate grown men. Well, watch a couple videos of this kid shooting Erie bishop's 7mm Dakota...he doesn't seem to have any problems....



That is pretty much all the arguments that will come your way why not to do it, most of them are at least partially unfounded. Bottom line, no, it's not for everyone. Yes, you have more muzzle blast, certain brakes can help mitigate that while still giving good recoil reduction, but your gonna be using a can anyway, so that entire argument is now gone. Yes, they handle WAY better than a 26" rifle. Yes, you loose performance, a 20" 28 nosler will be on par with a 26" 7 mag or so, your not getting the full potential of a 28 nosler. Well, neither is a 26" barrel.....you would probably need something along the lines of a 35" barrel to get "full potential" of a cartridge like that, maybe even more, but does anyone carry one of those around? Likely no, a 28" handles better. A 26" handles even better. A 24" handles even better. A 22" handles even better. Guess what.....a 20" handles even better!!! And 7 mag performance, out of a 20" or a 30" barrel, doesn't really matter, is still capable 1000 yard hunting performance.

Sorry for the long post, but figured I would throw you a heads up.
 
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BTW, I'm building a 20" 30 nosler on a folding XLR chassis. We also have 2, 20" 7 Sherman Max's. One is braked with a MBM Lil Beast brake, that one is my wife's, 175 eld-x @ 2900. She had never shot a gun before meeting me 6 years ago, you would think if muzzle blast would bother anyone, it would be her......nope. She manages it just fine, and likes to go shoot prairie dogs with it. She also used it this year to kill a pronghorn at over 700 yards, a deer around 400, I used it for a deer just under 400, and a large cow elk at 1036 yards, and my sister used it to take another pronghorn at mid 700 range. Ya, they work just fine!! A 28 nosler would just be a little more of the good stuff!
 
@laker, prepare to get beat down by a bunch of people that will tell you not to do it because they know better, and also have never done it themselves and have zero first hand knowledge.

If you want to talk to people that have done it, the specialty pistol threads will give you a good idea. Maybe @Ernie will chime in....I plan on referencing his videos anyway.
I wouldn't be in the "beat down" group, but I would ask why lol. That is until Ernie showed us what he does. Good call Cody. He brings a wealth of information.
 
I wouldn't be in the "beat down" group, but I would ask why lol. That is until Ernie showed us what he does. Good call Cody. He brings a wealth of information.
Absolutely, he helped in my choice of building for my suppressed 30 nos. And ya, it's not for everyone, especially if your running a brake vs can, some people just have a worse reaction to muzzle blast. However, others like myself and my wife, don't notice it, we shoot those rifles with earplugs when hunting anyway, and I double up at the range, with any gun, for that matter. I'm a firearms instructor for my S.O., so I am around a lot of gunshots.

But if you want a sweet handling, 1000 yard + capable hunting rifle, a short barrel accomplishes the sweet handling, and a big chamber gets the 1000+ capability from said short barrel.
 
I used to be against muzzle brakes for a variety of reasons. I'm fine with them now. The truth of the matter is if you don't wear hearing protection while shooting ANY firearms you will suffer hearing damage. And most likely end up with significant hearing loss. I agree with doubling up at the range. Even outdoor ranges with overhangs.
 
BTW, I'm building a 20" 30 nosler on a folding XLR chassis. We also have 2, 20" 7 Sherman Max's. One is braked with a MBM Lil Beast brake, that one is my wife's, 175 eld-x @ 2900. She had never shot a gun before meeting me 6 years ago, you would think if muzzle blast would bother anyone, it would be her......nope. She manages it just fine, and likes to go shoot prairie dogs with it. She also used it this year to kill a pronghorn at over 700 yards, a deer around 400, I used it for a deer just under 400, and a large cow elk at 1036 yards, and my sister used it to take another pronghorn at mid 700 range. Ya, they work just fine!! A 28 nosler would just be a little more of the good stuff!

What powder are you using to get 175 going 2900? I was hoping for 2750-2800 with 180 grain Berger vld so looks like I should be in the chips. Curious to hear how the 20" 30 nosler goes. That's on the short list of builds I'd like to do. Just waiting on the reamer to show up and I'll have a 20" 7mm Sherman max done.
F2991310-FE09-46FA-9153-D37FE217C143.jpeg
 
What powder are you using to get 175 going 2900? I was hoping for 2750-2800 with 180 grain Berger vld so looks like I should be in the chips. Curious to hear how the 20" 30 nosler goes. That's on the short list of builds I'd like to do. Just waiting on the reamer to show up and I'll have a 20" 7mm Sherman max done.
View attachment 331694
Using VV N565. H1K I would expect to end up somewhere in the low to mid 2800's, what do you have to run?
 
Nice build btw.....what action you gonna run?
I've got some h1000,h4831,h4350. Using a tikka action for the build. Haven't decided on what scope yet. Thinking an shv but they are kinda tanks for what I'm trying to accomplish with the build
 
I've got some h1000,h4831,h4350. Using a tikka action for the build. Haven't decided on what scope yet. Thinking an shv but they are kinda tanks for what I'm trying to accomplish with the build
Of those, I would stark with H1K for sure.

Saving weight on an optic, and still having solid reliability really narrows the market unfortunately.....I'm sure you know, but a vx6hd 3-18 is an option. I would also look at the Razor HD lht 4-20, it looks promising with a lot of good features, as long as it performs well. I think there are some euro options, such as Ziess, Swarovski and Meopta that may be worth looking at too, that aren't terribly heavy, and may be in the same general price range, possibly on the used market for some.

Good luck!
 
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