Thread: .308 minimum barrel length

Kia ora team, i’ve got a bergara ba13 takedown in .308 with a 16” barrel 1/8 twist. I don’t know much about this subject and I’m wondering whether or not it would be worth cutting the barrel shorter to 14” or even 12”… sacrificing some velocity and kinetic energy for weight savings. Ideally i’d like to be able to shoot out to 500yd max. Would shooting lighter projectiles like 123gn vs 150gn help? Currently running a dpt silencer with muzzle brake, I understand that shortening the barrel will create more muzzle flash and recoil. Will accuracy be affected negatively plus excessive wear on the suppressor? Would love to hear someone with experience in this area weigh in, cheers!

I wouldn’t be shooting that far with one of those and especially after shortening it even further.

I had a 10" 308, and can attest to the fact you will not lose accuracy. In fact it improved - the shorter barrel was thicker due to the taper of the barrel (i.e. thinnest, whippiest end cut off).
Velocity took a serious hit, and when using factory ammo the poor old suppressor was smoking hot after only 2 or 3 rounds through it. Reloads using pistol powders fixed up the massive blast of powder igniting outside the barrel.
Personally I'd stick with the 16" barrel if 500yd shots are going to be considered.
Mine was a bush gun, so 100-150m was the furthest I would shoot with it.

Are you planning to continue to use a suppressor? I have the same rifle with the same barrel length and there is no room for manoeuvre in terms of reducing barrel length and fitting an over-barrel suppressor without cutting the forend (I use a semi-custom DPT suppressor). If you are using a muzzle forward suppressor, the simplest solution would be to switch to an over-barrel suppressor to reduce the overall length of the rifle.

That's the plan! I use an overbarrel dpt modular suppressor and it comes to just before the handguard. after doing some more research it looks like these rifles are about 800mm so just over the legal length anyway.... they're just so heavy for how short they are so trying to think of ways to create a more lightweight build.

Originally Posted by manawatapu

That's the plan! I use an overbarrel dpt modular suppressor and it comes to just before the handguard. after doing some more research it looks like these rifles are about 800mm so just over the legal length anyway.... they're just so heavy for how short they are so trying to think of ways to create a more lightweight build.

I hear that! Heavy little buggers for sure.

Originally Posted by manawatapu

That's the plan! I use an overbarrel dpt modular suppressor and it comes to just before the handguard. after doing some more research it looks like these rifles are about 800mm so just over the legal length anyway.... they're just so heavy for how short they are so trying to think of ways to create a more lightweight build.

If it's weight savings get lighter gun. I have a howa heavy barrel 12.5 inches with dpt forward suppressor and by the time I got a scope delta stryker 1-6 and a mag full of ammo it was just shy of 4kg total weight

Originally Posted by country cuts

If it's weight savings get lighter gun. I have a howa heavy barrel 12.5 inches with dpt forward suppressor and by the time I got a scope delta stryker 1-6 and a mag full of ammo it was just shy of 4kg total weight

The BA-13 is listed as 2.9kg, so it would still be lighter, but there is no doubt that it is heavy for its size.

The receiver is quite heavy on them (I have one too), and the barrel is also pretty sturdy. You might shave a 100g or so off it, but shortening the barrel will lose you even more velocity, esp. with factory ammo. I would say cutting it down to save weight and wanting a 500m capable rifle are two opposing ideas. I have mine shooting 168gn Amax at just over 2500 fps, so 500m would be about max. range. But I prefer to use 125gn projectiles at closer ranges (out to 300m). Just nicer to shoot.

500m is marginal at best with 308 and 20" barrels. Hardly anybody can reliably shoot that far anyway in real hunting conditions.

The needlessly heavy receiver is what always put me off of them. They would be such an amazing hunting rifle otherwise.

In your case id live with it or ponder getting a howa superlite or a grendel in an elude chassis.

Originally Posted by manawatapu

That's the plan! I use an overbarrel dpt modular suppressor and it comes to just before the handguard. after doing some more research it looks like these rifles are about 800mm so just over the legal length anyway.... they're just so heavy for how short they are so trying to think of ways to create a more lightweight build.

I have a 20" BA13 in 6.5 creed, and yes they are heavy. I had the barrel flutes cut deeper, and have a freyr & Devik 131 suppressor for it. Very little else you can do with them, Maniatis was recutting flutes and running them all the way back to just in front of the chamber (the original fluting on these is so minimal it's basically cosmetic) and also spinning the barrels down on them but I'm not sure if he is doing this any more. He is also bringing in the F&D titanium suppressors.

Leave yr 308 as it is.Just walk closer to yr target.In 25years iv only shot a few deer around the 400yd mark thru my 308s with 20" barrels.500 yds thru a 16" barrel you gota be a good reloader with long range experience let alone thru a 12-13" barrel.

already shooting rainbows at 500 with a .308.A 12 inch barrel .308 you'll be using it like a mortar.

Originally Posted by Yesmate

already shooting rainbows at 500 with a .308.A 12 inch barrel .308 you'll be using it like a mortar.

We had a bit of a laugh one day trying to shoot my 500yd gong with my 14.5" 308 and some factory S&B 180gr that was only doing about 2000fps, only had 6 or 7 rounds so got a rough sight in and a chrono dome with a couple rounds then had a go at the gong with the few left, ran out of elevation in the scope pretty quick and walked it in and by the time we were getting close you could look along the barrel and it was pointed for the heavens haha

Originally Posted by STC

In your case id live with it or ponder getting a howa superlite or a grendel in an elude chassis.

The Howa Superlite Gen 2 will appear at some point, DON'T TEMPT ME!