Thread: Why shorten?

Originally Posted by Yesmate

If you have seen a short .270 unsupressed in full swing youll know why.FLAME THROWER!

What's that???? I can't hear you....speak up....

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

What's that???? I can't hear you....speak up....

yep make sure you have muffs on.even with muffs on you can appreciate the thunder.

I have 2 rifles of the same model (Ruger American), one in 16 inch and the other 22, suppressed, to me they both feel exactly the same when walking through the thickest of bush when carried in my hand. I've thought about it and for me it's worrying about snagging the scope or getting branches in the trigger that slows me down. However on the shoulder or rifle holster I'm always worried about the barrel hitting a branch while I'm ducking under it.

Putting the 16 inch through the chrono is depressing but then when I plug the numbers in the ballistic calculator it ends up I have to click my scope 12 times instead of 11 or something inconsequential

Originally Posted by SneedFeed

Putting the 16 inch through the chrono is depressing but then when I plug the numbers in the ballistic calculator it ends up I have to click my scope 12 times instead of 11 or something inconsequential

My previously stated 300wsm @ 18” I have to dial 12moa for 580 yards as per my range shoot on Saturday.

My buddy with a 24” 300wsm who was also shooting had to dial 11 moa.

4 more clicks for basically half a km really is no big deal.

I’m shooting 165gr right now - but am going to try 200gr, I’m suspecting they’ll be about 2700fps, which is fine considering my old 18” 308 shot a 150gr at just shy of 2700.

Originally Posted by SpeightsDrinker

My previously stated 300wsm @ 18” I have to dial 12moa for 580 yards as per my range shoot on Saturday.

My buddy with a 24” 300wsm who was also shooting had to dial 11 moa.

4 more clicks for basically half a km really is no big deal.

I’m shooting 165gr right now - but am going to try 200gr, I’m suspecting they’ll be about 2700fps, which is fine considering my old 18” 308 shot a 150gr at just shy of 2700.

Yeah it's pretty surprising, low chrono numbers is bad for the OCD, but when we remember at further distances each click starts to get quite big so it cancels out. Inches dropped on paper looks way worse than clicks feel in the field

Yup roughly about 9”-10” more drop, but only 4 clicks.

I don’t see any reason to not cut a rifle down especially if running a suppressor.

And we havent even started with the reloading contortions and hard work people are prepared to go to regain some of the power they threw in the bin by shortening …

I don’t know where the standard and acceptable factory barrel lengths came from.

To me, shooting a chosen projectile at a desired velocity is the primary consideration. That determines the cartridge, barrel length and components necessary.

I suspect the type of bullet I shoot and the speeds I deem acceptable are different to what was normal 15 years ago, let alone 50 years ago.

All this angst ant discussion about barrel length could be avoided if rifle makers only made modular barrels just like suppressors. That way when the length that first spun your wheels stops rotating, you simply add or subtract till you have your new favourite. A marketing opportunity to be exploited!

Originally Posted by SPEARONZ

I don’t know where the standard and acceptable factory barrel lengths came from.

To me, shooting a chosen projectile at a desired velocity is the primary consideration. That determines the cartridge, barrel length and components necessary.

I suspect the type of bullet I shoot and the speeds I deem acceptable are different to what was normal 15 years ago, let alone 50 years ago.

I wonder if it has to do with historic bullet tech, required barrel twist and therefore length..so if a bullet could only sustain a certain rotational force before deforming or even disintegrating then that would define the maximum twist rate. If the twist is say 1:30 you might need a 26in barrel to get enough rotation at say 1800fps (just making this up as I go BTW) to stabilize the bullet. So then barrel length becomes associated with accuracy. In the marketplace, despite better bullet tech and fast twist rates the perception of long barrel equals accurate rifle persists.

I'm sure someone with greater tech knowledge could chime in here ...

Originally Posted by SpeightsDrinker

My previously stated 300wsm @ 18” I have to dial 12moa for 580 yards as per my range shoot on Saturday.

My buddy with a 24” 300wsm who was also shooting had to dial 11 moa.

4 more clicks for basically half a km really is no big deal.

I’m shooting 165gr right now - but am going to try 200gr, I’m suspecting they’ll be about 2700fps, which is fine considering my old 18” 308 shot a 150gr at just shy of 2700.

You should try 178eldm my mates are just over 2900 from a 20"

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You should throw away chronograph and enjoy barrel as short as you like.... On similar note I got text from brother earlier.woman came to buy trailer load of firewood but said" I only have a little box and your wood is too big"....... Yes would make it hard to keep straight face.

As discussed here https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co....58/index2.html range finders and dialling scopes have reduced the need for flat shooting high velocity rounds and full length 24” barrels. I hadnt thought of it this way before.

Only one of my rifles is over 20", and that's an old Winchester 69a 22.
The rest are between 13 and 20", average of them all together is 16.1".
I just love a handy short rifle, they fit better on the quad, in the 4x4, in the kayak, over my shoulder or strapped to my pack.

I have noticed that .223's for sale on here are harder to sell if they are chopped under 18". So there is a re-sale issue.