Mountain rifle - short barrel for suppressor, medium range distances

[TimberHunter]

Looking for a mountain style rifle that checks the following boxes.


- 18”-20” barrel, finished length of 25-27” with a 7” suppressor
-threaded, preferably 5/8-24
- Bare rifle under 7lbs
-under $1500 bare rifle
-have enough impact energy out to 600 yards to hunt elk. Open to calibers but don’t love magnum caliber recoil



Two rifles I’m considering are the 20” 308 Christensen Arms Ridgeline and the Barrett field craft 18” 308. Both are just outside what I’d like to spend and not sure the 308 will have the power out to 600 yards with a short barrel.

I do already have a .270 X bolt with a 22” barrel. It would need a metric to 5/8-24 thread adapter to fit a suppressor.

Idea behind all this is to save my hearing while having a rifle that is somewhat maneuverable and able to take medium range shots on mule deer and elk.



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[mt100gr.]

Do you handload?

With some of the powders available today, a guy can wring a lot of performance out of short barrels.

If you can stomach an extra half pound I'd encourage you to look at the Tikka t3x CTR rifles in either 308 or 6.5. I shot my 20" 6.5 out to 590 yards today and the 143 eldx delivers plenty of velocity at ranges beyond that.

 

[Yellowknife]

Retaining good 600 yd energy with a over the counter, light weight, short barrel, non-magnum rifle is asking quite a bit. Might have to compromise someplace.

How bad do you need that 600 yd capability? Is that a real and common occurrence, or is 400 yd the more common max range, and 600 yd is "it might occur at some point, maybe" thing?

If you really need 600 yds, then you should probably be buying around that. If you are more interested in the light weight, mountain rifle part, they just get the .308 (or 6.5) and be happy within the range that gives you.

I have a similar short barrel light weight setup (in 30-06), and while I have shot it between 500-700 yds for fun a number of times, it's not a long range hunting rifle in my hands for a variety of reasons.

 

[pchrisla]

I'm building a semi-custom tikka 6.5 PRC currently to fill this role. However, I think 400 will be my max with it. If I can expect a 600 yard shot, my 26 inch 300 win mag is coming.

 

[30338]

Have posted this a number of times, but watched a 140 vld at 2660 fps hit an onside bull elk shoulder, bust it and take out both lungs at 400 yards this year. Another cartridge/caliber consideration may be a 7mm-08 with a 162/180 class bullet. If the suppressor is 7" long, typically they'll overlap a bit when screwed on. I think our total length is right at 24" suppressed.

600 yards should still have enough velocity to expand with the cartridges mentioned.

 

[fatbacks]

I was looking for the same thing over the past few years. I really like short barrels - especially when packing a rifle on foot over long distances. I initially had two Fieldcrafts in 7mm-08 and 6.5 CM with 18” barrels. Wasn’t able to get the velocity I wanted. Settled on re-barreling my old Tikka T3 with a 22” proof barrel chambered in 300 WSM. I am a hand loading for it working on loads now but with this cartridge I think it can fill a lot of roles.

I plan to use it with both suppressor and without. I have an adapter that also serves as a great muzzle break.

So that’s a long winded answer to say consider 300 WSM

 

[bigbaddad71]

Find a Model 7 I 7saum and get the work done..

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[Silvereagle50]

Find a Model 7 I 7saum and get the work done..

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If your talking about a Remington Model 7 in 7 Saum. Good luck on finding one.
And if you know where there is one available, Please let me know.

 

[bigbaddad71]

If your talking about a Remington Model 7 in 7 Saum. Good luck on finding one.
And if you know where there is one available, Please let me know.

This is mine and you can't have it.. Lol. I know where to find another, but I'm saving it for a rainy day..

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[Silvereagle50]

Yea I know you have that one and the one put away in safe keeping that you won't share....
I've been looking hard. Can't find one. If one does pop up, its a blue w/ sights.

 

[Wrench]

600 with a 308 on elk....I'd not sweat it. Btw, you can re thread the 270 to whatever pitch you want to avoid the bastardization of bushings.

 

[TimberHunter]

600 with a 308 on elk....I'd not sweat it. Btw, you can re thread the 270 to whatever pitch you want to avoid the bastardization of bushings.

It’s a fairly thin barrel to begin with, best chance I’d have is 1/2-28 and then I’d need a bushing or a can that has 1/2-28 threads.



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[bigbaddad71]

Yea I know you have that one and the one put away in safe keeping that you won't share....
I've been looking hard. Can't find one. If one does pop up, its a blue w/ sights.

I'll keep an eye out!

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[TimberHunter]

Retaining good 600 yd energy with a over the counter, light weight, short barrel, non-magnum rifle is asking quite a bit. Might have to compromise someplace.

How bad do you need that 600 yd capability? Is that a real and common occurrence, or is 400 yd the more common max range, and 600 yd is "it might occur at some point, maybe" thing?

If you really need 600 yds, then you should probably be buying around that. If you are more interested in the light weight, mountain rifle part, they just get the .308 (or 6.5) and be happy within the range that gives you.

I have a similar short barrel light weight setup (in 30-06), and while I have shot it between 500-700 yds for fun a number of times, it's not a long range hunting rifle in my hands for a variety of reasons.

For some reason, the places I hunt I get a lot of 500-530 yard shots with some 100-300yard. Majority of the shots are cross canyons and that’s the closest shot you’ll get. 270 has done well so far but I’d like to protect my hearing. On the far shots I have time for ear pro, on the close shots usually it’s shoot now or miss the chance


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[TimberHunter]

Bump.. I ordered my suppressor and got the paperwork started yesterday on a Gemtech Tracker with 5/8-24. Only mountain style rifles I know of that are threaded with 5/8-24 are:

Christensen arms Ridgeline 20” 308
Barrett Fieldcraft
Browning suppressor ready (browning doesn’t spec out thread type/size)

Does anyone know of any others? If I can’t find one that works for me I’m thinking I’d be better off putting an adapter on my 270 win vs buying a new gun just to put an adapter on it


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[mt100gr.]

It may not be exactly what you have in mind for a "mountain rifle" but I'll again suggest the 20" Tikka CTR.

I've carried mine in the mountains and it doesn't mind.

 

[CBECK61]

I wouldn't get to hung up on the 20" barrel. Its pretty cheap and easy to have someone chop a barrel and thread it. If you are looking at the CA my wife has a ridgeline in a 6.5 CM and its a shooter. Wasn't a big fan of CA back in the day when they were just taking factory Remington sps wrapping a barrel and putting a different stock on it but I've been behind several of their more current rifle and think its a good offering at the price point. I would take a hard look at the 6.5 PRC. The Mesa from CA would be a good candidate in your price range to have the barrel chopped and threaded. I agree with the above statement of doing a 7saum. Seems like you could have someone throw a Pac-Nor barrel on a tikka within your price range and it would fit all of your criteria.

 

[CBECK61]

Keep in mind with your caliber search that the suppressor is going to help quite alot. I'm willing to bet that a 7mag with a suppressor will recoil very similar to a factory 7.5 lb .270. Short actions are going to retail a higher percent of their velocity with the shorter barrel which is why I think that all else being equal if you could wrangle up a 7 saum it think its the best cartridge for your job.

 

[Yellowknife]

Bump.. I ordered my suppressor and got the paperwork started yesterday on a Gemtech Tracker with 5/8-24.

I've enjoyed my Gemtech. For non-magnum use, it's a good set up. Mine has been all over Alaska and has climbed a mountain or two.

 

[renagde]

Looking for a mountain style rifle that checks the following boxes.


- 18”-20” barrel, finished length of 25-27” with a 7” suppressor
-threaded, preferably 5/8-24
- Bare rifle under 7lbs
-under $1500 bare rifle
-have enough impact energy out to 600 yards to hunt elk. Open to calibers but don’t love magnum caliber recoil



Two rifles I’m considering are the 20” 308 Christensen Arms Ridgeline and the Barrett field craft 18” 308. Both are just outside what I’d like to spend and not sure the 308 will have the power out to 600 yards with a short barrel.

I do already have a .270 X bolt with a 22” barrel. It would need a metric to 5/8-24 thread adapter to fit a suppressor.

Idea behind all this is to save my hearing while having a rifle that is somewhat maneuverable and able to take medium range shots on mule deer and elk.



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If you're going to put a suppressor on it anyways, why not just go 300 win mag? That should more than make the recoil manageable and then you wouldn't have to worry about energy over 600 yards. If it was my money, I'd buy a Tikka in 300, have someone cut down the barrel and thread it to whatever threads you need.