barrel length? how important is it?

[bankwalker]

well this talk of tikka's has got me back into looking at them. and i remember they make a t3 big boar which comes with a 19" barrel in 30-06, 300wsm, and 308.

with those calibers, will the 19" barrel cut thier performance much?

compared to say a 22" barrel for the 30-06 and 308, and 24" barrel for the 300wsm. thats what most rifles come in those calibers...

[simpleshooter308]

its gona cut a lot of velocity, i for get what it is, but i bet is going to be about 50 fps per inch you loose, so a 26 inch bbl is gona get 3000 fps, but a 19 is going to get 2650, its a big loss.

[bankwalker]

wow that alot more then i thought. but it does make sence when i think about it.

[bobcat]

I don't think it would be that much. Your standard 308 and 30-06 barrel is 22 inches, so at 19 inches that's only a 3 inch loss. Seems to me what I've read on the subject was that the loss per inch was more like 30 fps per inch. Of course it all depends on the cartridge and the type of powder being used, but I think for those cartridges that's about right. So you're looking at maybe 100 feet per second. That's not enough that you would ever know the difference, and the animal hit with it sure wouldn't either. If I got that rifle I think I'd want it in the 308. The only bad thing about that short barrel is it would be louder.

[Intruder]

There would be some loss of velocity... but I agree w/ Bobcat probably not enough to really notice in those cals.  Assuming you reload you can mess w/ the powder, go w/ a faster burn to compensate for some of the velocity loss.  You may have some accuracy concerns too.  I believe in general shorter barrels are less forgiving.... meaning it may be tougher to find a bullet/powder combo.

In the ranges that 85+% of game is killed it's really not gonna matter.   

[GoldTip]

All depends on the amount of powder that is loaded in each case as to how much velocity you'd lose by chopping barrel length.  The barrel length is to give the time for the powder to burn while it is still behind the bullet.  The burn rate of the powder is also a factor with barrel length as well.  The less time there is for the powder to burn, ie shorter barrel length, then the less time the powder is being burnt inside the barrel while behind the bullet thereby decreasing velocity.  On cases where the powder charge is not terribly high, the 308, 243, 7x57, 260rem cases such as that don't require the barrel length to have burnt up the powder.  In cases such as the 30-378, 300ultra mag and even 300 weatherby, if your barrel is shorter than 26", the loss of velocity would be greater for each inch of barrel length you chop off. 

[bankwalker]

thanks alot guys.

im really considering this rifle now that my high hunt hopes are shot for this season. i hunt some thick crap on the westside and this rifle seems like it would be the ticket. not to mention i never take longer shots then 100yds...never really have to anyway.

[GoldTip]

I have to say if I was going to go with a short range, short barrelled gun say 19" barrel.  I think the 308 win would be absolutely terrific.  A ton of fast burning powders out there which combined with the right bullet would not afford much velocity loss and yet still easy to stabilize bullets offering great accuracy in a short action, very light gun with little recoil.  If I'm not shooting more than a 100-150 yards it would wear a peep sight as well for weight savings.

[DeKuma]

I have a Remington Model 600 in .308 with the 18" bbl, I believe........

No better "Wet" side gun in my book.  Short, Fast and accurate.  Taken deer, bear and elk with it.
Just bought the Tikka T3 SS in 300WSM last year, but I still love my Remington.  It is now the Wife's gun.

[bankwalker]

I have a Remington Model 600 in .308 with the 18" bbl, I believe........

No better "Wet" side gun in my book.  Short, Fast and accurate.  Taken deer, bear and elk with it.
Just bought the Tikka T3 SS in 300WSM last year, but I still love my Remington.  It is now the Wife's gun.

i almost baught the same gun last year it would make the perfect brush gun imo.

[KillBilly]

Size Matters

[bankwalker]

i was waiting for someone to say that 

[AWS]

I've got a Sav 99 in 308 Win that someone cut to 16",  I've shot a few deer with it and gave it to my nephew 10yrs ago and he's still piling up deer back in Wisconsin with it.  The deer don't know the barrel is short.    Other short rigs were a 1917 Enfield at 18" shooting 220gr Herters RN, sold it 30 yrs ago to a bear hunter in AZ, best bear gun he ever owned.  Rem 600 18" 223Rem I used it to do control work and hunt fur for 40yrs finally burned up the barrel.

AWS

[cascademountainhunter]

a longer barrel will be more acurate, im not sure by how much but it will.