Thread: Barrel length

I have a 28 inch barreled gun, used only for target shooting. I cannot imagine taking it all round the hills. Be heavy and awkward. Is it accurate, yes and it has plenty of clout but definitely awkward

All my other guns are shortened. Longest is 20 inch 300WSM and shortest currently is a 308 @ 16 inches. I shoot heavy for calibre projectiles generally I would have no issues with carrying a suppressed 10 inch 308 if I could find a regular stock with a shortened forend.
Yes you will lose energy with a short barrel (180gn Amax @ 2073 out of a 10 inch barrel holds over 1000ft/lb energy to 350m) but again the reality is if it will do the job well then........................................ its really down to your particular use.


For what they get used for shorter is better and if I am honest all the deer I have shot in last few years are closer than 350m. All have either been in the bush or on the edge of it.

A short light handy rifle is much easier to maneuver virtually everywhere and lets face it carrying it is what you will be doing mostly.

If you only hint the tops or open ground then a longer barrel would /maybe more sensible but its a personal choice

Originally Posted by mikee

I have a 28 inch barreled gun, used only for target shooting. I cannot imagine taking it all round the hills. Be heavy and awkward. Is it accurate, yes and it has plenty of clout but definitely awkward

All my other guns are shortened. Longest is 20 inch 300WSM and shortest currently is a 308 @ 16 inches. I shoot heavy for calibre projectiles generally I would have no issues with carrying a suppressed 10 inch 308 if I could find a regular stock with a shortened forend.
Yes you will lose energy with a short barrel (180gn Amax @ 2073 out of a 10 inch barrel holds over 1000ft/lb energy to 350m) but again the reality is if it will do the job well then........................................ its really down to your particular use.


For what they get used for shorter is better and if I am honest all the deer I have shot in last few years are closer than 350m. All have either been in the bush or on the edge of it.

A short light handy rifle is much easier to maneuver virtually everywhere and lets face it carrying it is what you will be doing mostly.

If you only hint the tops or open ground then a longer barrel would /maybe more sensible but its a personal choice

I use the LSS chassis for my little 308s, smallest being 10 inches, although optimum without losing too much velocity without going to crazy fast burning powders is 13 inches. The latest 13 inch got to 2750fps with 150s, which is perfectly fine for well, anything really.

The 10 inch gets the 150s to just over 2550fps. Rem700 action, trueflite ultramatch, with a Sightron s3 6-24x50 sits at 3.2kg.