Favorite Western Hunting Rifle Barrel Length

[ENGUNEER]

I love hunting the western open country. My favorite open country rifle is a 30-378 WBY with a 30 inch barrel.

 

[Ranger Rick]

It depends where out West. I've lived & hunted 45 years in Idaho and hunted from Owyhee County to Bonner County plus 3 other western states. Here are my picks:
26" 300PRC
24" 7mm Rem mag
22" 7mm-08
I only hunt elk, and they all work fine.

 

[WYO300RUM]

24 to 26 for me.
If you worry about being over your head ,why are you using a sling?

Yes or sling it barrel down.

 

[WYO300RUM]

For Western hunting (which is where I hunt), I think of open flats, across canyons, to/from hills, and longer shots. That is typical "western" hunting to me. Glass them up, get into a shootable position, and then break out the packs with meat shelves.

26" with fast, flat, heavy for caliber bullets.

While I have 20", 22", & 24" barreled rifles, those mule deer/pronghorn/elk rifles mainly wear 26", even a 28" on my .300RUM built specifically for long range elk.
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And yes, almost all the animals in these photos are now deceased.

That first pic is classic 6A, 5BS, 5BN, etc.

 

[CNY Yote Hunter]

26"

 

[Longrangers]

I base it on optimum performance of my chosen caliber for certain criteria's.

 

[skipglo]

26" ....nothing less here!

.

 

[COBrad]

Depends on the intended use. My everyday sneak through the woods or shoot to 600 yards wears a 22". My long range rifles go 26". ELR guns 28.

 

[xsn10s]

Out here in Oregon it depends on where I'm hunting. In a dense forest I'm happy with my 22" 30-06 FWT. Out in the desert, or where the shots can be 600 yards or more I want something with 26" or more barrel. But it depends on the cartridge too. I don't have any magnums right now. After some of the recent threads I could see going with a short barreled magnum if I could get 1500 ft/lbs out to maybe 800 yards.

 

[RUFFIAN R - NY]

length that's a good one ! Depends on individual and the place / conditions on which one is hunting. Wooded as in north east 20-22-24 in and maybe shorter if using a 30-30 , 44 mag, 35 Rem,358's 44-40 in heavy wooded regions. I go as long and some of mine carry a 28 inch tube for hunting and long range shooting 30-32 in tubes and that depends on the round one is using. 30-378 WBY, 300 Wby, 25-06 , 6.5-300 Wby, 338 Lapua. 338 Win Mag and 7mm Rem mags, 280's & 270's , 7x57 ,243's, 257' 6.5cm, 6ppc, and hunting what ?? elk ,mule's, white tail, goats, rams. bears, pigs, varmints etc etc and where ?? open country, canyons, desert, forest . My hunting partner only carried a 264 Win Mag and he took goats, rams, elk and everything in between, out West ,Mid West South West Idaho ,Wyoming, Colorado ,Montana, NY,PA Maine, BC,NWT, Alberta,- he could shoot, so its up to the guy that's going to carry and shoot that rifle and just how good of a shot one is.. Bullet placement is the name of the game. So get out there and shoot straight & TRUE . Good hunting and shooting to all.

 

[RckyMtnRutt]

20-22 running suppressed for me and if not 24-26 will handle all the shots ill need to take hunting the rockies and flats of idaho. Lately longer barrels with brakes/ suppressors hanging off them get caught on everything and make it hard to maneuver sometimes. Been on the short kick lately and loving it

 

[Lee Goodwin]

308 20"
270 22"
300 wm 26"
243 24"

 

[nwhunter]

For Western hunting (which is where I hunt), I think of open flats, across canyons, to/from hills, and longer shots. That is typical "western" hunting to me. Glass them up, get into a shootable position, and then break out the packs with meat shelves.

26" with fast, flat, heavy for caliber bullets.

While I have 20", 22", & 24" barreled rifles, those mule deer/pronghorn/elk rifles mainly wear 26", even a 28" on my .300RUM built specifically for long range elk.
View attachment 332904
View attachment 332905
View attachment 332907
View attachment 332908
View attachment 332909
View attachment 332910View attachment 332911View attachment 332912View attachment 332913
View attachment 332915
And yes, almost all the animals in these photos are now deceased.

Great photography.

 

[Litehiker]

My 6.5 PRC Browning X-Bolt Pro has a 22" barrel and that, for a mountain rifle, is about right. Enough velocity without too much weight. The naked X-Bolt Pro 6.5 PRC is 6 lbs. 3 oz..
Eric B.