long or short barrel for new build

[pressman]

Okay guys i need some opinions. I prefer fist hand but any experience is better than none. i am building my first build. it is a 260 caliber. i am looking at barrels.
i was told in person by a seal snipers that most of them are switching to short fat barrels instead of 28" + barrels. He tells me that 200 ft per second is really not that big of deal even at 1400+ yards? with no loss of accuracy compared to the weight and movability perfect for hunting. just shooting from the bench does not really matter.
i also was told that i would loose roughly 30 ft per second per inch for my 260cal.
so if i went with a 20" or 22" instead of 26" or 28" that it would be less than 200 ft per second. but what about out at 1,000yrds with this rifle am i going to wish i had that 200 ft per second???? I don't want to skimp on the most important part of my gun. i know they are some excellent shooters here that have shot or own short fat barrels as well as 28"+ so please share your experiences.

 

[Buffalobob]

At 1000 yards, the loss of velocity is about 50%. So every 200 fps of muzzle velocity gives you another 100 fps of terminal velocity. Or to put it a different way, it gives you another 100 yards of range before the bullet begins to go subsonic.

What we see frequently at Quantico F-class is that the 20 inch short fat barreled 308s will not make it to 1000 yards with some brands of ammo before going subsonic. Some days they don't make it to 900 yards. The combination of low BC and low muzzle velocity is at work, plus we are at sea level.

 

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

Just remember that your seal buddy is talking about hunting people and they are not as tough as amimals. I have seen men die from gunshot wounds that were not the serious beacuse they paniced, beacuse they thought they were going to die when they should have lived.

Amimals have no frame of refrence for that I am not saying that 30 ft lbs is going to make or break your hunt but I would rather have it than not when we are talking about 1000yds.

The standing record for the 308win in Iraq or Afghanistan is 1500+ yards by and ARMY sniper in Iraq he shot an insurgent in the chest and it was a 1 round kill. I dont think anyone here would trust the 308win at 1500yds to take an animal lets say the size of a dear.

I would have at least a 26" barrel on a 260 If I was planing to use it at that range if we were talking 600 max then maybe 20" but I would go with a slimer profile before I went with a shorter barrel.

I have also seen a trend in the military for the shorter barrels in Iraq but not Afganistan and that beacuse the avarage engagment distange in Iraq it less than 800 meters and in an urban fight in and out of vhicals you want shorter.

 

[pressman]

thanks guys i knew in my hart i needed to stay with at least the 24" but really wanted a 26" but my mind kept telling me are you sure?? Everything has it place and yes we will always have some exception or someone did this or that under certain condition but the brute true for everyday day in and day out situation the longer barrel will be more reliable. you never know when that critter is going to slip over the ridge a gain that 200 yards on you.. what happens then.. i would be wishing i had that 4" of longer barrel to ensure that one shot one kill.
this is why i love this forum most of the people here just try to keep it real.. may not like it but it is real.
i was thinking maybe saturn barrel or a krieger barrel. ( cut riflings)
pac nor is not out of the question but for the smaller calibers like the 260 i seem to get more positive feed back about Krieger. i have never owned one. I have a sheilan and a wilson.

 

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

What about BRUX I have one being put on my 260rem and 308NATE is posting a lot of new builds with them. I have mine in a month from the day I ordered it.

I know there are a few in the classifides at 6mmber right now you should check it out

Medium Palma Taper 6.5MM 8 Twist 5C 1.250 X 31" Barrel .820 @ Muzzle $360.00 plus shipping

Hart SS 1 in 9" twist, 6.5mm .2640 (written on barrel), 30" finish length, Max HV contour .890 @ 30". $285.00 shipped

 

[Coyboy]

Brux makes an awsome 6.5 barrel, you won't go wrong with one. My recent 260 build wears a 24" Brux barrel, and I think it is a perfect compromise in length. I feel that I have given up next to nothing in performance, and the gun handles like a dream.

I have been using a load of Brux barrels at my shop, and they keep impressing me.

On the other hand I am building a customers lite wieght 260 with a 20" brux, I set it on the scale the other day(not complete yet) barreled action and stock, +-5lbs and handles great.

 

[CapDog]

I realize it's not quite the same, but my 260AI wears a Rock 24" barrel and I have no problem reaching 2900 FPS. I'm going to be helping put together a standard .260 for a shooting/hunting partner and it will probably wear a 24" barrel as well. I've had no problems reaching out well past 1000yds, although I can easily reach 1000yds with my 20" barrel and the 168gr FGMM I get issued to shoot out of it. Mind you shooting at 4500ft elevation helps a bit.