“Short” Barrels, why not?

[roosiebull]

i'm planning on one, maybe 2 shorties in the near future, short barrels will be with using a can in mind, still staying reasonable. if i am lucky enough to build something for my daughter (who will go on her first couple hunts this year, so if the interest sticks, i will get that rolling asap) it will be a 14-15" barreled and chambered in something .308 based, and wear a 7" can

one i'm planning for myself will be in the 14-16" barrel range, also in the .308 family, and maybe a .308, with a 5" can

my next rifle after the project i'm currently working on, will be chopped down severely... the one i'm trying to put together now may turn into that over the winter as well, one way or another... not sure if i would chop the stock barrel or get a new barrel the right length.... i really don't have the need for a long barrel on a hunting rifle, but i would benefit with a chopped tube with a can.

the only downfall for a short barrel for me is added muzzle blast, i would have to almost try or go out of my way to have a 500+yd shot opportunity, even more rare to have your only realistic opportunity beyond 400yds.... for practical purpose, a short barrel has more pros than cons for me, especially adding a can and still having a shorter than factory rifle

 

[hereinaz]

How many of those long, cross canyon shots would you have not been able to make with a MV starting 100fps lower?

I would say three over the last three years. They were all over 700 yards. The majority were inside 400, which is what got me thinking about a good shorty.

 

[Ucsdryder]

I would say three over the last three years. They were all over 700 yards. The majority were inside 400, which is what got me thinking about a good shorty.

What were the particulars on the 700 yard shots. A good BC bullet at 700 yards should still be cranking pretty good. And the difference of 100fps at the muzzle just doesn’t make that much difference in my guns. I’d be curious to see how it impacts other setups!

 

[ARK_Ginger]

I know the conversation has mostly been about bolt rifles, but where I primarily hunt in Arkansas I know my 8.5" 300blk or 11.5 5.56 AR will get the job done due to the most realistic distances encountered. 75gr Gold Dots out of that 11.5 under a 100 yards (personal experience) is very effective.

 

[762 ULTRAMAGA]

Who else has built “specialist” long barreled rifles, and is now building shorty guns?

I will soon have rifles on both extremes to pick from.

My main custom hunting rifle is a long range monster. It’s got a 26” barrel plus 7” suppressor. It’s been critical for western hunts where I have used every extra FPS. But, it’s got it’s obvious drawbacks. It will always get then nod for western elk hunts for AZ and CO where I have cross canyon shots. It is so long and way more than I need for deer, I got a shorter 22” barrel coming in a smaller caliber but it matches my long gun ballistically. Saving 4 inches for Coues deer hunts.

Other than those two “long range” barrels for my custom rifle, I think I am pretty much cutting everything else 18” or shorter.

My coyote AR is getting a 14.5” barrel with QD brake pinned.

My switch barrel Howa factory barrel 6cm is 16.5 and my factory 6.5 PRC barrel is getting chopped to 17 or 18.

Given cartridge choices and component/ammo choices these days, who else would cut their barrels shorter?

Seems like if I hunted right timber or woods where shots were all inside 200 yards I would run a 14.5 pinned and welded 6mm of some sort. With suppressor over it.

If I hunted where shots were inside 400 yards I would run a 6 or 6.5 in a 16” with direct thread suppressor.

I think inside 500 yards I could justify an 18” barrel in a short action .308 sized case or short mag for sure.

I got comfortable with the killing power of my long range rifle at the slower terminal velocity and tired of the long barrels. Made me question why wouldn’t I just cut stuff short to go hunt?

What would you arguments be pro or con? With or without a suppressor?

I have nothing against long barrels but what I hate are muzzle brakes..
Once I went suppressed my 6.5 saum got rebarreled to 16", it's sending 144 bergers 2925 and with a 9" can it sounds like a 22 short.
I recently went with an 18" 7-300wsm and it's sending the 175 eldx at 2800, that puts me beyond 900 yards for an impact velocity of 1800 fps.
Running the numbers 200 fps gets you about 150-200 yards, easy choice in my opinion

 

[Harvey_NW]

This forum convinced me to try the shorty so I just got my 20" 25 creed barrel screwed into the Tikka and I can't wait to get the Dead Air for it. If it gives me the magical willies everyone posts about I'll be replacing all my tubes.

 

[hereinaz]

What were the particulars on the 700 yard shots. A good BC bullet at 700 yards should still be cranking pretty good. And the difference of 100fps at the muzzle just doesn’t make that much difference in my guns. I’d be curious to see how it impacts other setups!

This is one 700ish shot. 2200fps terminal velocity. Blew through his lungs left through his stomach and left a 4 inch blast that looked like hamburger and grass. I found brass and lead in his offside leg. He ran 30 yards and tipped over.

I could go with less, but having the longer barrel decreases the error in the system. It makes shots easier and more confidence in higher winds. This was a gimme, but a shorty would introduce more error.

 

[hereinaz]

I know the conversation has mostly been about bolt rifles, but where I primarily hunt in Arkansas I know my 8.5" 300blk or 11.5 5.56 AR will get the job done due to the most realistic distances encountered. 75gr Gold Dots out of that 11.5 under a 100 yards (personal experience) is very effective.

If I hunted back east, I think I would hunt with an AR 15 with a pinned 14.5 barrel and suppressor. I would eventually get a 12" "short barrel rifle" build off a Form 1 as well. I have a 22 grendel upper, and would have no problem cutting it down and running 77 grain Sierra TMK.

 

[hereinaz]

This forum convinced me to try the shorty so I just got my 20" 25 creed barrel screwed into the Tikka and I can't wait to get the Dead Air for it. If it gives me the magical willies everyone posts about I'll be replacing all my tubes.

You'll never look back...

 

[hereinaz]

I have nothing against long barrels but what I hate are muzzle brakes..
Once I went suppressed my 6.5 saum got rebarreled to 16", it's sending 144 bergers 2925 and with a 9" can it sounds like a 22 short.
I recently went with an 18" 7-300wsm and it's sending the 175 eldx at 2800, that puts me beyond 900 yards for an impact velocity of 1800 fps.
Running the numbers 200 fps gets you about 150-200 yards, easy choice in my opinion

I hate the concussive blast, and brakes are the worst offenders... The 7mm bullets are magic, IMO, and you can't argue with it. I agree, there is a lot to be said for the convenience at the mere cost of 200 yards.

 

[madcalfe]

i run a 20" barrel on my 300wsm. ill never go back to a longer barrel.
im perfectly fine with taking a elk at 650yard with a 20" tube and 178gr eldx

 

[HaydenLane]

I don’t have any actual shorties at the moment, but I’m going through a lot of change ups. Selling my 24” 6.5 PRC, sold my 24” 25-06 and 25” .17 HMR, bought a 20” 6.5 CM to go along with my 20” 308, wearing 7” and 9” cans respectively, and I bought a 20” T1X I’m about to order a can for (couldn’t find a 16” in stock).

Once the PRC sells, I’ll work on a custom 18” 6 CM or 6.5 PRC, haven’t decided which I want first. Until then, the 20” 6.5 will do whatever I need.

 

[JohnJohnson]

Everything I use these days has a shorter barrel ever since I started using suppressors. I won't shoot unsuppressed again and want my guns to be relatively normal length with them attached.

 

[Maverick1]

As an archery hunter I'm comfortable getting to within 300 or 400 yards no problem.

That’s pretty good! How many pins do you need for 400 yards? And what is your pin gap between 300 and 400 yards?

 

[DJL2]

I don’t have any actual shorties at the moment, but I’m going through a lot of change ups. Selling my 24” 6.5 PRC, sold my 24” 25-06 and 25” .17 HMR, bought a 20” 6.5 CM to go along with my 20” 308, wearing 7” and 9” cans respectively, and I bought a 20” T1X I’m about to order a can for (couldn’t find a 16” in stock).

Once the PRC sells, I’ll work on a custom 18” 6 CM or 6.5 PRC, haven’t decided which I want first. Until then, the 20” 6.5 will do whatever I need.

You upgrading to custom/different actions too? That’s a lot of iron to potentially take a loss on when a different barrel might just do the trick, no?

 

[jfs82]

Not a 1000 yard shooter, I'm using a 21 inch 22 creedmoor for everything. I'd be at 18 if I could go suppressed here.

 

[HaydenLane]

You upgrading to custom/different actions too? That’s a lot of iron to potentially take a loss on when a different barrel might just do the trick, no?

I actually came out very well on the 25-06 and .17 HMR, didn’t lose a dime on either. It was more than just barrels, it was stocks and streamlining as well.

The PRC I’m selling is a Bergara Premier Mountain 2.0, and I’m for sure going to get hosed on it, but once again it isn’t just the barrel. The stock doesn’t fit me well, and the amount I’d recoup selling the stock and barrel isn’t worth it. I’ll take the loss, I have a spare Tikka to build the PRC on and a 700 SA to build the 6 CM on, so selling the Bergara to fund one of those doesn’t bother me.

 

[Sadler]

I have an 18” 6.5 PRC shooting 156 Bergers at 2750ish with a TBAC Ultra 7. I’ll be taking out my new 16” barrel I got for it within the next month and I’m hoping to get 2700 out of it with the Ultra 9 screwed on. That’ll kill everything I hunt well past my abilities.

 

[156821]

Well I have some relevant experience. I have 2 30-06 rifles. One is 20” and the other 24”. Using the exact same load I only realized a 100fps difference in muzzle velocity. I’ll never carry a long rifle again.

 

[kharb22]

I'm running an 18in 7 SAUM with 150 Bergers. I also have a 26in tube that I ran 180 ELDM's in. I'm getting the same speeds out of both setups and I prefer the supressed shorty for hunting.

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