I don't write much but have a Savage 116 FCSS in 25-06. Ive had it about 6 months now from Buds Guns. The barrel is 22 inches from the factory, the accutrigger is unbeatable and I set it at 3.5 lbs. It comes now with the accustock, earlier ones did not, and I have never fired a factory load out of it. I bought it as an all around coyote gun and deer rifle as I was switching back and forth between my ARs and my BLR. I've had #1s, and other rifles in bolt action but never had a rifle like this out of the box. In working up loads for the rifle I found that in the 1st 3 groups fired I was at .88 inch and after about 30 rounds fired I went home and decided to try a sierra 117gr with a different powder and on my 3rd group found it at .42" with a 3-9 Nikon coyote special scope which has ballistic circles instead of intersecting crosshairs in the center. I didnt think I could shoot that accurately with the ballistic circles and if I had a good target scope could improve on it more but I quit at that lo'd and call it good. If I had a 24 inch barrel I'd be maybe 60fps faster for the load but why change a great thing. Im gonna keep the one bullet for all my hunting and use the KISS theory. The 22 inch barrel is faster to the target and easier to haul in the truck or the Teryx. A 26 Inch barrel wouldnt fit in my F350 rugged gear rifle rack between the front seats anyway.
Maybe the muzzle blast is a bit more than a 24 or 26 inch barrel but for a stock rifle with another scope, Id put some money on it against the same with a custom barrel. If I lost one time I might not lose the 2nd. The rifle outshoots my ability and old eyes. If you want to add a few hundred dollars to hope for a better rifle, have at it. I keep my Coyote special ballistics data for different scope powers taped to the side of the stock and prerange my coyote setups so I know where to set my scope after a 100yd zero.
RP Brass, Sierra 117gr SBT Game King, 46.5gr IMR-4350, 2.484 case len, 3.125-3.130 COAL, WLR primer, .001 undersize collet hunting loads lee crimp die, .017 clearance from the lands at COAL as listed. This load would be 3000fps but without a chrono I would estimate it at 2900fps give or take.