16" barrel for a practical/hunting bolt 308?

[yakimanoob]

Hey folks!  So I'm on the hunt for a 308 bolt gun to use for hunting deer and elk (and hopefully sheep one day!), and I have a question about barrel length.  I'll lay some groundwork concepts:

1) I have no delusions about shooting at animals at ranges over about 400 yds.  I simply have no desire to buy a big magnum and invest the hundreds of hours of practice necessary to make long range hunting an ethical activity.  I'll get as close as I can, and if I can't get close enough I won't shoot.
2) I want a LIGHT rifle, for a lot of reasons, but mostly because I'll be carrying it many miles on the high buck hunt I plan on doing next year. 
3) My current plan is to buy a Tikka T3 lite and have it cut shorter and threaded for a muzzle break (so I can practice with my 7lb 308 without developing a flinch). 

Lighter and shorter the better, but I don't know how much I can push that concept before I lose enough velocity to degrade terminal performance at, say, 400 yards.  I'm thinking of having the smith cut it to either 18" or 16", and would love some thoughts and advice from folks who have used 16"-barreled 308s. 

I posted the same thing on the WA Guns forum, so if you're on both boards, sorry for the duplicate

Thanks in advance!

[Henrydog]

Why not buy a Weatherby (howa 1500) youth, they might call it a compact.  My son has one in 308.  Light, 16" barrel and drives tacks with 180 corelokts. I recall it was under $400

[Henrydog]

http://www.weatherby.com/vanguardr-synthetic-compact.html

Crap....I lied specs say a 20" barrel.  And the price is up 25% with Obama the worlds best gun saleman

[Bob33]

I can say from personal experience that shooting a rifle offhand that has a short, light barrel is difficult. I'd suggest not going shorter than 20", which still keeps the gun light and easy to handle.

[Fl0und3rz]

I am pleased with the weight of my Ruger All Weather and Remington Mountain rifles, both of which are 7# and change scoped, IIRC.

Ruger has some nice compact models as well, which may shave a pound, if it is really that important.

[EmeraldBullet]

I love my sig m716. It's about 9.3 LBs though empty, and I suggest you replace the trigger.

[carpsniperg2]

Save yourself money and a lot of steps. Buy a American predator in 308. I have one, it's threaded with a 18" barrel super light and very accurate

[Skillet]

I think campmeat has a great shooting short barrel 308 in his avatar, but I don't think it's a 7# setup.  Hopefully he'll jump in here.
That said, you might want to think about shaving weight elsewhere.  As per Bob's post, cutting a barrel down that much will upset the balance of that gun,  affecting velocity and increasing muzzle blast as well. Then if you add a muzzle break, you're adding back weight to fix a problem  caused by reducing weight...
I've packed in heavy rifles for the high hunt, and most recently took a T3 SS Lite up with me.  World of difference in how low your arms are hanging by the end of the day!  While of course less weight would have been better, the 22" factory barrel was not a hindrance and is not a place I would look to shave weight.
If recoil is the issue and you won't take a poke out beyond 400, look to a 7mm-08. Good elk/deer round and significantly reduced recoil, imho.

Or, 

[lamrith]

I know of someone selling a Savage Axis SR that might fit the bill nicely.  It is 20" but already threaded, 20Moa scope rail installed and trigger spring replaced.  Drop me a PM if interested and I will get you in contact with him, he was not asking much for it and I know they are a pretty light gun.

[theleo]

The balance of a lightweight bolt gun with that short of barrel stinks for me, I'd leave it at 20". I'd also recommend that instead of getting a 308 and putting a break on it, just buy a 7mm-08, 260 rem, or 6.5 Creedmoor. They have lighter recoil, will do everything you're looking for this rifle to do, and you won't have to put up with the noise.

[JDHasty]

Hey folks!  So I'm on the hunt for a 308 bolt gun to use for hunting deer and elk (and hopefully sheep one day!), and I have a question about barrel length.  I'll lay some groundwork concepts:

1) I have no delusions about shooting at animals at ranges over about 400 yds.  I simply have no desire to buy a big magnum and invest the hundreds of hours of practice necessary to make long range hunting an ethical activity.  I'll get as close as I can, and if I can't get close enough I won't shoot.
2) I want a LIGHT rifle, for a lot of reasons, but mostly because I'll be carrying it many miles on the high buck hunt I plan on doing next year. 
3) My current plan is to buy a Tikka T3 lite and have it cut shorter and threaded for a muzzle break (so I can practice with my 7lb 308 without developing a flinch). 

Lighter and shorter the better, but I don't know how much I can push that concept before I lose enough velocity to degrade terminal performance at, say, 400 yards.  I'm thinking of having the smith cut it to either 18" or 16", and would love some thoughts and advice from folks who have used 16"-barreled 308s. 

I posted the same thing on the WA Guns forum, so if you're on both boards, sorry for the duplicate

Thanks in advance!

Wow!

16 inch 308 barrel w/muzzle break.  I don't want to be trying to shoot at the next bench over when someone is touching that thing off.

[yakimanoob]

Thanks all!  It sounds like I'm living up to the "noob" in my username. 

I've been building up to this purchase for quite a while, as it's my present to myself for paying off student loans.  I had my sights set on the Ruger Am Predator for the longest time, until I got to thinking about safeties that lock the bolt.  I'd buy the Weatherby but I'm partial to shorter bolt throws (I own a Ruger American Rimfire in 22mag and LLLOOOOOOOVVVE it).  I may fall back to the american predator idea after all, but I'd rather have a bolt that locks -- and yes, I did accidentally open the bolt while stalking this season -- it's what got me thinking about it.  I'm also not a huge fan of the loud safety "click" of the American line.  I haven't gotten a Tikka in my hands yet (I obviously will do so before buying), but I've read the safety disengages quietly.  Anyone used both who can confirm that??

Anyway, it sounds like I need to stay away from 16" barrels and stick with 18" at minimum?  I handled the predator 308 in the store and really liked the balance of it. 

[yakimanoob]

Also re: 7mm-08:

I chose 308 for the cheap ammo availability, but have been considering the 7mm-08 too because of the reduced recoil and generally better ballistics of the longer 7mm bullets.  If I end up with that caliber, I'm thinking the new Hornady 150gr ELD-X will be my hunting round of choice. 

Anyway, I'm struggling with the marginally-better ballistics vs the fact I can get a 308 t3 for about $150 cheaper than a 7mm-08 t3, much less the cheaper practice ammo from the 308.

[carpsniperg2]

I don't know why you would think the 7mm-08 is 150.00 more then the 308 will run you?
I sell them both for the same price and they have the same msrp and map.

The ammo for the 7mm-08 and 308 with quality loads is about the same not more then a few bucks difference on a box.

The rugers do have a little more of a click to the safety but I have never had a animal get away because of it even coyotes. I have a 22-250 predator and 308. I love tikka as well and have lots of them and they will do you good as well but for what you are looking for the predator fits the bill other then you wanting a locking bolt.

[JLR]

If you're not considering hunting past 400yd, I'd suggest getting a 260 or 6.5 Creedmoor.  Less recoil, plenty of energy for the ranges, and with the Creedmoor you have great factory ammo available for relatively cheap.  Prime and Hornady stuff can usually be found for a little over a buck a piece and are match accurate.