7mm-08 barrel length

[Hyde]

I'm planning to have a 7mm-08 built this off season.  Is there any significant reason to build it with a 24 inch barrel (compared to 22 inch)? 

[Jamieb]

No and I normally prefer long barrels but I sold my 24" barreled 7-08 and kept a 22" barreled 7-08. I was shooting the same load in both and there was no velocity gain with the extra 2" of barrel.

[Jamieb]

JimmyHoffa.
Was your post written from experience?
Not looking to be a azz it's just that I completely disagree with everything you wrote about hand loading.
I've had 2- 24" barreled 7-08's and 1- 22", and like most of my reloads their on the hot side of things.
I worked up a load with 140gr accubonds this summer in a Friends 700 LSS 7-08 with a 24" barrel.
I know the few examples I've worked with hardly qualifies as a scientific study but it's been enough for me to form an opinion.

[high country]

build you rifle to the balance point and weight you want. there is not enough difference in velo's in 2 inches to make it worth worrying about. my 27" 6.5 shoots about 50fps faster then the 24" version. velocity is easy to compensate for down range, and shorter barrels tend to be more accurate.

[high country]

to buy or build a rifle to be loaded hot is crazy....you never know what you will get. build a rifle to your specs and learn to shoot around what it likes or keep trying till you get one that does what you want or go broke trying.

[Hyde]

I appreciate the info.  Everything I read elsewhere supports the idea that a 22 inch barrel is fine.  With this info, I may just get a factory rifle.  I can't believe it that I can't get a left hand Rem 700 in 7mm-08.  Remington has always been really supportive of lefties, but their selection really sucks now.  I'll look at Ruger or Savage.  I like the Savage 16FLSS, looks like just the ticket for "wet-stern" Washington.  Anyone else shooting the new breed of Savage rifles?  Accutrigger and Accustock...? 

[Crisptrigr]

In my experience the differences between 22" and 24" of barrel with most modern cartridges is so slight that those differences are a non-issue in a hunting situation. So it really boils down to personal preference if one has the barrel length choices to choose from.
Most firearm makers don't give us that choice because over many years of testing (both loads and rifles) they have found the same differences to be of little to no concern.

[addicted]

 Read the account of a guy today that got 2680fps out of his 7-08..... With 175 grain pills. He had a 28" build on a short action. At that rate you could replace a lot if cartridges.