24" vs 26" barrel length

[Deerhntr71]

I have a Savage Trophy Hunter package in a 7mm REM with a 24" barrel. I was wondering what everyone's thoughts wer on trading it for a Browning X-Bolt in 7mm REM with a 26" barrel? I am starting to reload and would like to get the most the most out of the gun and ammo. Or is it not that big of difference to worry about?

 

[hawk45]

You are looking at maybe 50fps difference between the two. Not sure on your type of hunting, but 24" is a little lighter and handier and will still deliver pretty much the same punch in a smaller package. Not to mention that Savages usually shoot very well out of the box, even if they are ugly.

 

[lloydsmale]

youll probably get more answers on this forum favoring the 26 inch barrel and some will say even longer but if its a hunting rig the little bit of velocity the longer barrel will give you doesnt mean much. Ive got two 7mags one with a 24 inch and one 26 and i certianly cant tell which is more effective shooting deer in field condtions. Also keep in mind that that two inches of barrel might net you nothing. I have a 300 wby with a 24 inch barrel that actually is faster then my old 300 with a 26. Certainly thats not the norm but in most cases theres less of a gain then youd think.

 

[Fiftydriver]

The differences in two different bores, chambers and throats will make more velocity difference then 2" of barrel length in the 7mm Rem Mag.

IF all things were the same, you would likely see less then 20 fps gain per inch. Its not nearly as much as most think it is.

I have built some 22" 300 WSM rifles that were faster then some factory 26" 300 WSM rifles. Its all in the chamber, throat and bore diameter for speed.

 

[Greyfox]

I have found the the difference between 24 and 26" barrels interns of velocity can be negated by the specific barrel and chamber. I currently have a 24" 300WM that generates about 20 FPS more velocity than my last 26" rifle. My two 6.5x284's are within 20 FPS of each other. I have seen this more than a few times over the years. I probably wouldn't change out for a 2" barrel difference alone. iMHO.

 

[Muleyman69]

Just curious I have thought of putting a 24 inch carbon barrel on my 28 nosler vs the 26 it has what am I losing on this

 

[jjmp]

DH71, do what you want to do, their both great rifles, if your not attached to yur Savage sure trade it , people do it all the time, but don't loose out to much to get the Browning either , there clear as mud ,Lol good luck i'm a Speed junke for Velocity myself , OPP'S did I say dat out loud!? lol have fun .

 

[cohunt]

I had a Remington 24" 7 rem mag, sold it for an x-bolt 26" in same caliber

I now get 75 fps faster on factory ammo with the browning 26" barrel than I did with the 24" rem--but the big difference to me was that the browning does not copper foul near as easily as the rem did so most of the increase is probably in that the browning has a lapped barrel (smoother bore) than the rem did

now to compare chambers both the rem and the browning have the same shoulder datum to base measurement so I bump shoulders to the same dimensions for both rifles-- the browning has a slightly shorter freebore/jump to lands than the rem did, but only by .004" --but the browning has a much longer box mag so on the rem I couldn't get some bullets anywhere near the lands at mag length, but with the browning I can load jamming lands if I like and still have room in the mag (mush longer mag length in the browning) --not sure about savage mag lengths though