My bolt action rifles go from 26" 338 Lapua to 16.5" 300BLK. Pistols is 4.6" 10MM to a 12" 6.5 Grendel AR pistol. Most are in the 16.5"-20" range and most are compact models. This is due to the location and terrain me and my family hunt. Definitely different than most on here that live/hunt out west.
What's your rifle barrel length of choice?
- Thread starter North Idaho Hunter
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For my precision competition/LRH rifles my predominant length is 26". With this length, I tend to get the best balance of velocity, powder burn, balance, and manageability.
North Idaho Hunter
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Reviving this again for 2023.
North Idaho Hunter
Well-Known Member
I feel ya on that one, we had a great weekend hammering squirrels with a 16.5'' 222. TBAC magnus, super fun!
I feel like with the rise of suppressors and cartridges that do well with shorter barrels we are starting to see more and more shorter barrels! Personally I run an 18 inch 6.5 PRC and can fit the whole rifle into my pack when its folded and I use that rifle on 99% of my hunts. I do have a 28 inch 7 Mag I can use if I ever need a hammer but it hasn't even been in a chassis for 3 years.
Lenny Foffa
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20 inch for my handy 06 woods rifle; 24 inch for my .270 Wins general all around deer rifle; 26 inch for my LR magnums, where I expect to burn a lot of powder per round.
QuietTexan
Well-Known Member
Got my 36" in but Pac-Nor said they can't go any longer because a machine got destroyed so Lilja is working on a 40" for me. I'm going to find the end of the rainbow for 308 cal.
Just did a 32" steel, have two 26" CFs in process, and a 30" HCA CF on order!
I decided on 26" for a 204 Ruger. I don't think I need more than 4400 FPS from those little 20 cal rockets, they're going to get blown all over the world by the wind past 400 anyways no matter how fast I start them out.
Just did a 32" steel, have two 26" CFs in process, and a 30" HCA CF on order!
I decided on 26" for a 204 Ruger. I don't think I need more than 4400 FPS from those little 20 cal rockets, they're going to get blown all over the world by the wind past 400 anyways no matter how fast I start them out.
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Did you see the MDT video with the 7' barrel or what ever. Basically same thing will apply to the 308
QuietTexan
Well-Known Member
They used a 308 Win right? I'm chambering for a 30-338 Lapua Improved, so my baseline should be at least 400 FPS faster with a substantially heavier bullet. Next chamber after that is a 30XC, then maybe something based on a CheyTac case.
I recall Kirby saying something along the lines of there were excess case capacity issues using the CheyTac case for a 30 cal, so after the 30XC (assuming I can't fill it up all the way) I'll probably drop case capacity slightly when stepping up to the wider diameter. I don't know yet, that reamer design is still way out there.
There's always the prospect of a 30-50BMG SDSM (Super-Duper-Short-Mag)
Would probably have a COL of about 2.400" 
I recall Kirby saying something along the lines of there were excess case capacity issues using the CheyTac case for a 30 cal, so after the 30XC (assuming I can't fill it up all the way) I'll probably drop case capacity slightly when stepping up to the wider diameter. I don't know yet, that reamer design is still way out there.
There's always the prospect of a 30-50BMG SDSM (Super-Duper-Short-Mag)
Would probably have a COL of about 2.400"
I thought you said 308 win. But ya 30-338 with a 40" will be interesting.
30-375 Cheytac would be psychotic
Calvin45
Well-Known Member
Kirby Allen did indeed experiment with the .30 cheytac haha. Past the diminishing return mark, very erratic and crazy ES SD numbers, bullet jackets getting destroyed, etc…They used a 308 Win right? I'm chambering for a 30-338 Lapua Improved, so my baseline should be at least 400 FPS faster with a substantially heavier bullet. Next chamber after that is a 30XC, then maybe something based on a CheyTac case.
I recall Kirby saying something along the lines of there were excess case capacity issues using the CheyTac case for a 30 cal, so after the 30XC (assuming I can't fill it up all the way) I'll probably drop case capacity slightly when stepping up to the wider diameter. I don't know yet, that reamer design is still way out there.
There's always the prospect of a 30-50BMG SDSM (Super-Duper-Short-Mag)
I don't have funds for such experiments at present but I've legit entertained the thought of revisiting that no so much with 250+ grain lead core uld bullets but honeslty more ordinary weight monos and bonded bullets, particularly hammers, going ludicrously fast just to see what's possible.
Someone needs to get their hands on the triple base powder used by some military artillery pieces that is plainly too slow for small arms…for now…
In conjunction with hex boron nitriding bullets and bore, using a gain twist and seeing what might be possible with polygonal rifling, Peterson type brass or maybe a big steel brass hybrid case like sig's fury out of an overengineered action that can take 80,000psi and the bolt thrust of such a brute..
36+ inch pipe, maybe carbon wrapped so less whippy…
Could be the most expensive 300 round barrel ever
QuietTexan
Well-Known Member
I remember reading that there were some custom 250+gn cup and core bullets involved, and there was the thought the jackets were getting torqued while engraving the lands and never survived past the muzzle at all. The 240gn CEs are just so darn beautiful I couldn't pass up getting a barrel spun up to run them. I figure since they're monos they'll hold together for the twist and the speed. Surprisingly they're a lot closer to the 245 Berger externally than I thought, I figured there'd be a bigger difference between them.
I guess this is kind of like a really hot 6mm versus a 30 cal, but 30 cal versus a 375/408. The 115 DTAC of the 308 world so to speak. Yes a 30-338 with 100+gn is a lot of powder and a 245gn is a heavy 308 bullet, but versus a 400+gn 408 bullet with 130+gn of powder, not as bad comparatively.
Would be interesting to see if someone could wrap essentially a standard 1.250" HV profile, but then bump the metal up to a 1.450" tenon diameter with a 1.100" muzzle diameter. Bat Model L requires a 1.450" tenon diameter just to thread into the action. See if there's a rigidity benefit to CF wraps even with a substantial amount of metal underneath.
