I have always been a long barrel guy, but I have watched guys shooting shorter and shorter barrels over the years and increasing with the increased popularity of suppressors. The first hint at what short barrels were capable of came decades earlier as one of the best shots I have ever seen got bored with rifles and started shooting the bolt action and single shot pistols of those days. He could put five through one ragged hole consistently back then and shot a few five shot groups at 100 yards that were simply unbelievable with those pistols. I wrote it off as to simply being his ability which was way above anyone I ever knew, but he attributed it, at least in part to short stiff barrels. I kept shooting my long barrels, not a paper puncher, but killed more than my fair share of game, and never gave it a second thought until recently. The final nail in my coffin of long barrels came when my friend built a 22 CM and 28 Nosler, the 22 has a 22" barrel, the Nosler 24". I was a firm believer no magnum rifle should ever have shorter than 26", and I know guys that shoot 30's. My friends 24" barrel has finally made a believer out of me. The velocity he gave up was minimal. My 26" is capable of 3300 fps, no pressure, shooting 195 gr Bergers ahead of N570, but accuracy is best at around 3050. His best is at 2980, so there is some difference there, but he's banging the same steel I am at the same distances, and to be totally honest, he's doing it better. When I do shoot out, if I do, I shoot my smaller rifles saving my 28 for hunting, I will rebarrel with a shorter version. I do not believe you're giving up much with those shorter barrels, I finally see that after forty years lol. Keep looking at different powder and bullet combos, but in the end, I predict your short barrel will be lights out if my past experience plays out.
