16-18 inch shorty rifles

[Temper]

Well that makes me excited cause that's the exact barrel I have waiting for me at DST. DST is sponsored by Hart so I'm sure we can get the reamer as well. 2610 is solid though with that round. Did you do an XM3 clone? Was that the reason for sticking with the 175s? I thought about it but just wanted a bit of velocity gain and given the high BC of the 168gr TMK I figured 2650 would be relatively easy to hit.

Yeah, it's a spec XM3 built by Bill Corley, picture is up on the page 47. No particular reason why I went with the 175 SMK's, just cheap, available and lots of data on them. It being the projectile the XM3 was chambered for was just an added bonus. When I run out of them I might try something else but the gun hammers with the 175's so I'll probably just leave it be. This was a 3 shot group to check zero before I took out it hunting last week. Btw I made a correction on the powder charge that got me 2760fps, it was 45.5gr not 45.7gr, I was going off memory but I checked my book to confirm.

 

[Gtscotty]

It feels really good. They fit a lot of features in a 32oz stock

Maybe I missed an earlier post, but what stock is that?

 

[5RWill]

Yeah, it's a spec XM3 built by Bill Corley, picture is up on the page 47. No particular reason why I went with the 175 SMK's, just cheap, available and lots of data on them. It being the projectile the XM3 was chambered for was just an added bonus. When I run out of them I might try something else but the gun hammers with the 175's so I'll probably just leave it be. This was a 3 shot group to check zero before I took out it hunting last week.

Oh man more pics, I didn't see that one. Did you pick up a SureFire FA762SS?

 

[Temper]

Oh man more pics, I didn't see that one. Did you pick up a SureFire FA762SS?

Nope, I'm poor and they are unicorn dust at the moment.

 

[chutinlead]

Maybe I missed an earlier post, but what stock is that?

It's a Grayboe Phoenix

 

[spife7980]

I’ve posted the barreled action before but it got some new heavy shoes under it so a new pics in order.

 

[Gtscotty]

It's a Grayboe Phoenix

Thanks, I didn't realize their line had expanded so much since the last time I looked them over. That certainly does look like their most compelling option for a lightish, shortish hunting rig with some adjustability.

 

[chutinlead]

Thanks, I didn't realize their line had expanded so much since the last time I looked them over. That certainly does look like their most compelling option for a lightish, shortish hunting rig with some adjustability.

I haven't shot it yet as it's currently -7⁰ out but they did switch the buttpads to limbsaver airtech which seems like an improvement

 

[5RWill]

Nope, I'm poor and they are unicorn dust at the moment.

I picked up one from Capitol last year. Had to sell some ARs to get it. Also have an absurd amount invested in the brakes and that one flash hider. So i feel ya

 

[RUTGERS95]

View attachment 7772277
A Joe Collier built 16” 308

tell us more and what did it run you?

 

[zman15]

308 guys, what kind of velocities/ballistics are you getting from these barrel lengths? I've got a 24" 11vt barrel I plan to thread and install soon but I'm unsure if I want to chop it yet or leave it long. The rifle will have a silencer 95% of the time.

I get high 25s low 2600 with the 175 match king out my 18 inch 308

 

[Bigrederic]

Well here are our work rifles... one is a 20" the other is a 18" both 308.

 

[velcroflyer]

AIAX 16.5” Proof CF in 6.5cm

 

[bab029]

308 guys, what kind of velocities/ballistics are you getting from these barrel lengths? I've got a 24" 11vt barrel I plan to thread and install soon but I'm unsure if I want to chop it yet or leave it long. The rifle will have a silencer 95% of the time.

Getting right at 2500 or so with 175 federal gold medal in my 16.5” factory 700 aac-sd. Bedded in walnut by yours truly. Planning to buy a sentinel as soon as I can get the scratch together.

Resolution for 22 is to do more of this. Been a couple years for no good reason. Form is a little rusty and I totally forgot how to call wind. But a short, slow 308 will teach that pretty quick

 

[308Gunner]

^^^ it is amazing how lazy you get shooting a bullet with a .6 bc, and then break out a short 308 and have to actually start reading wind. I will take my 18” 308 and shoot it and when I switch back to my 6.5 I can tell a difference.

 

[Guns&WhiteWater]

308 guys, what kind of velocities/ballistics are you getting from these barrel lengths? I've got a 24" 11vt barrel I plan to thread and install soon but I'm unsure if I want to chop it yet or leave it long. The rifle will have a silencer 95% of the time.

16” barrel, 100% suppressed
110’s @ 3000+ with 748
125’s @ 2900+ with 748/RL-15/Varget
150’s @ 2750 with H4895
155’s @ 2615 with Benchmark (slow but very accurate)
168/175’s @ 2480-2620 with RL-15/Varget/SW Prec. Rifle
180’s @ 2500 with 748
185’s @ 2440 with RL-15/4064
190’s @ 2200-2400 with Varget/H4350

130’s pushed hard with 748 @ 3100+ (Hot, hunting load)
210’s pushed hard with RL-17 @ 2460 (single loading)

 

[Gtscotty]

308 guys, what kind of velocities/ballistics are you getting from these barrel lengths? I've got a 24" 11vt barrel I plan to thread and install soon but I'm unsure if I want to chop it yet or leave it long. The rifle will have a silencer 95% of the time.

Dredged back through my old posts to find the info, but here are measured velocities for loads I've worked up for my shorter hunting rifles, some .308 mixed in.

20" 6.5 CM:
127gr LRX @2,850 fps
140gr BT @ 2,700 fps
142gr ABLR @ 2,730 fps

18" 6.5 CM:
127gr LRX @ 2,742 fps
129gr IL @ 2,795 fps
130gr TGK @ 2,740 fps
142gr ABLR @ 2,680 fps
140gr GD @ 2,670 fps

20" .308 Win:
178gr ELDx @ 2,595 fps

18.5" .308 Win:
150gr IL @ ~2,750 fps

16" .308 Win:
168gr BT @ 2,600 fps
178gr Amax @ 2,510

18.5" .30-06:
165gr SBT @ ~2,800 fps
180gr AB @ 2,690 fps
190gr ABLR @ 2,635 fps

16" 6.5 Grendel:
120gr GD @ 2,420 fps
123gr SST @ 2,430 fps
129gr IL @ 2,330 fps

 

[Serpico1985]

2015 AIAT folder, bought used, low round count
Factory .308 1/12 barrel
Barrel cut to 17.850" at Mile High, TB CB mount machine timed
Thunderbeast Ultra 9
Vortex Razor HD gen 2 3-18, mill

This thing hammers. I've shot it next to a GA Precision FBI HRT rifle with a 24" 308 barrel and it simply kicks it's ass in terms of ease of use and features. I can hang with him out to about 750yards then the wheels start to come off. I will be getting a 6.5CM barrel at some point.

Edited to add:
Prior to the barrel work I was at 2480fps with factory FGMM 175gr and no suppressor. Got a little over 2" cut off the barrel (2.150" to be exact) and added the Thunderbeast suppressor. Chronographed the exact same ammo at literally the exact same muzzle velocity, 2480fps with the shorter barrel and can. Funny anecdote.

Cold bore shot from last month, 101 yards:

3 shot group from previous outing, FGMM 175 or 168, I can't remember:

 

[EOD100]

2017 AT
16" .308 barrel
ASE UTRA SL5 Moderator
Thumbhole skins
Steiner 3-15x
Rattle can Krylon Olive Green ultra matt

 

[308pirate]

308 guys, what kind of velocities/ballistics are you getting from these barrel lengths? I've got a 24" 11vt barrel I plan to thread and install soon but I'm unsure if I want to chop it yet or leave it long. The rifle will have a silencer 95% of the time.

Tag for later when I can get to my reloading notebook

 

[308pirate]

Not sure I'd call 18" short. More like normal.
18" Delta 51 in .308.

DO WANT

 

[308pirate]

damn thread, now I'm getting an itch

Gotta scratch it

This thread made me cut mine off

Oh wait...........that came out wrong.

 

[thehun]

16” bolt guns is where it’s at for me with .308…sub 700 and in…factory Howa heavy 16” barreled action:

Features:

Oryx Chassis
MDT 20 MOA rail
MDT mags
YHM QD Brake with Resonator R2
Leupold Mark 4 Rings
Arken SH4 Gen 2 4-16 MRAD

Solid package and under the $1500 budget I had set.

 

[RUTGERS95]

Gotta scratch it

This thread made me cut mine off

Oh wait...........that came out wrong.

I've never built a bolt gun but have seen some that I'd love to build. where to begin...lol

 

[amedeo1227]

Well here are our work rifles... one is a 20" the other is a 18" both 308. View attachment 7776228View attachment 7776229

what NF is that?

 

[shax2lex]

Dredged back through my old posts to find the info, but here are measured velocities for loads I've worked up for my shorter hunting rifles, some .308 mixed in.

20" 6.5 CM:
127gr LRX @2,850 fps
140gr BT @ 2,700 fps
142gr ABLR @ 2,730 fps

18" 6.5 CM:
127gr LRX @ 2,742 fps
129gr IL @ 2,795 fps
130gr TGK @ 2,740 fps
142gr ABLR @ 2,680 fps
140gr GD @ 2,670 fps

20" .308 Win:
178gr ELDx @ 2,595 fps

18.5" .308 Win:
150gr IL @ ~2,750 fps

16" .308 Win:
168gr BT @ 2,600 fps
178gr Amax @ 2,510

18.5" .30-06:
165gr SBT @ ~2,800 fps
180gr AB @ 2,690 fps
190gr ABLR @ 2,635 fps

16" 6.5 Grendel:
120gr GD @ 2,420 fps
123gr SST @ 2,430 fps
129gr IL @ 2,330 fps

What powder and load were you using to get those 6.5CM velocities with the 140/142gr bullets? I'm trying to get a load for 140gr hybrids and I really want to get about 2,650fps. I've tried H4350 and I may try Varget. Thanks!

 

[Gtscotty]

What powder and load were you using to get those 6.5CM velocities with the 140/142gr bullets? I'm trying to get a load for 140gr hybrids and I really want to get about 2,650fps. I've tried H4350 and I may try Varget. Thanks!

Work up in your own rifle, etcetera and so forth....

20" 6.5 CM:
127gr LRX @2,850 fps (43.5 gr RL16)
140gr BT @ 2,700 fps (42.2 gr RL16)
142gr ABLR @ 2,730 fps (43gr RL16)

18" 6.5 CM:
127gr LRX @ 2,742 fps (same load as 20")
129gr IL @ 2,760 fps (43.2 gr RL16)
130gr TGK @ 2,740 fps (44 gr 6.5 StaBall)
142gr ABLR @ 2,680 fps (same load as 20")
140gr GD @ 2,670 fps (44.4 gr 6.5 StaBall)

Reloder 16 is my favorite in 6.5 CM, but I also like StaBall. I have RL16 loads for the 129gr IL and 140gr Gold Dot that are a little faster, but I have a more StaBall, so I stuck with those loads. Either RL16 or StaBall will give better velocities than H4350 or Varget, with good accuracy. RL26 is even faster but I haven't been able to find any for years. As an aside, the 180gr AB and 190gr ABLR .30-06 loads are RL16 and StaBall respectively.

 

[Bigrederic]

what NF is that?

They are the 4-16 50mm with a Mil C reticle. I like it so much I bought one for my personal shorty.

 

[BoltActionBrotherhood]

Anyone have a short barrel 7 saum, I am looking to run a 16-18 inch and curious what kind of speed I would get with the heavier bullets.

 

[Kanati]

Work up in your own rifle, etcetera and so forth....

20" 6.5 CM:
127gr LRX @2,850 fps (43.5 gr RL16)
140gr BT @ 2,700 fps (42.2 gr RL16)
142gr ABLR @ 2,730 fps (43gr RL16)

18" 6.5 CM:
127gr LRX @ 2,742 fps (same load as 20")
129gr IL @ 2,795 fps (43.2 gr RL16)
130gr TGK @ 2,740 fps (44 gr 6.5 StaBall)
142gr ABLR @ 2,680 fps (same load as 20")
140gr GD @ 2,670 fps (44.4 gr 6.5 StaBall)

Reloder 16 is my favorite in 6.5 CM, but I also like StaBall. I have RL16 loads for the 129gr IL and 140gr Gold Dot that are a little faster, but I have a more StaBall, so I stuck with those loads. Either RL16 or StaBall will give better velocities than H4350 or Varget, with good accuracy. RL26 is even faster but I haven't been able to find any for years. As an aside, the 180gr AB and 190gr ABLR .30-06 loads are RL16 and StaBall respectively.

Good info. Those numbers suppressed or unsuppressed, or both?

 

[SonoranPrecision]

What powder and load were you using to get those 6.5CM velocities with the 140/142gr bullets? I'm trying to get a load for 140gr hybrids and I really want to get about 2,650fps. I've tried H4350 and I may try Varget. Thanks!

I hit 2650 with 140 hybrids, 41.5gr H4350, and Lapua brass.

 

[Gtscotty]

Good info. Those numbers suppressed or unsuppressed, or both?

All my hunting rifles are shot suppressed, but as for when the velocities we're taken, generally suppressed for the 20" and unsuppressed for the 18". I melted the contact points on my magnetospeed a little bit mounting it to cans and shooting one too many rounds before taking it off, so I had stopped doing that for the most part by the time I got my 18" Cross. The 16" .308 velocities (also the Cross) were can mounted because there wasn't enough exposed barrel to mount to.

I honestly have never seen big velocity differences between suppressed and not, 20 fps here or there at most.

 

[Daddyusmaximus]

There is no bolt action "pistol" thread, and it is a "shorty" so I'll just put a photo here.

 

[Kanati]

Work up in your own rifle, etcetera and so forth....

20" 6.5 CM:
127gr LRX @2,850 fps (43.5 gr RL16)
140gr BT @ 2,700 fps (42.2 gr RL16)
142gr ABLR @ 2,730 fps (43gr RL16)

18" 6.5 CM:
127gr LRX @ 2,742 fps (same load as 20")
129gr IL @ 2,795 fps (43.2 gr RL16)
130gr TGK @ 2,740 fps (44 gr 6.5 StaBall)
142gr ABLR @ 2,680 fps (same load as 20")
140gr GD @ 2,670 fps (44.4 gr 6.5 StaBall)

Reloder 16 is my favorite in 6.5 CM, but I also like StaBall. I have RL16 loads for the 129gr IL and 140gr Gold Dot that are a little faster, but I have a more StaBall, so I stuck with those loads. Either RL16 or StaBall will give better velocities than H4350 or Varget, with good accuracy. RL26 is even faster but I haven't been able to find any for years. As an aside, the 180gr AB and 190gr ABLR .30-06 loads are RL16 and StaBall respectively.

Good info. Those numbers suppressed or unsuppressed, or both?

All my hunting rifles are shot suppressed, but as for when the velocities we're taken, generally suppressed for the 20" and unsuppressed for the 18". I melted the contact points on my magnetospeed a little bit mounting it to cans and shooting one to many rounds before taking it off, so I had stopped doing that for the most part by the time I got my 18" Cross. The 16" .308 velocities (also the Cross) were can mounted because there wasn't enough exposed barrel to mount to.

I honestly have never seen big velocity differences between suppressed and not, 20 fps here or there at most.

Good stuff, thanks for the info @Gtscotty !

 

[Diesel65]

CA BA Tactical 6.5CM

 

[Guns&WhiteWater]

16” bolt guns is where it’s at for me with .308…sub 700 and in…factory Howa heavy 16” barreled action:

View attachment 7777823

Features:

Oryx Chassis
MDT 20 MOA rail
MDT mags
YHM QD Brake with Resonator R2
Leupold Mark 4 Rings
Arken SH4 Gen 2 4-16 MRAD

Solid package and under the $1500 budget I had set.

That’s a great value and a handy little rifle. Any idea of the weight?

 

[TurboTrout]

For a bolt action why?

If you’re going to go short go semi

 

[Mattrmvpd]

^ The weight savings. One of the Christensen Arms pistols is like 4 lbs.

I love my shorty pistol .308 gas gun but that thing is a PIG.

 

[Mattrmvpd]

Positives and Negatives to both… but i have to admit i am impressed with some of the bolt pistols..

I am wanting one just to play with amd test out.

 

[thehun]

That’s a great value and a handy little rifle. Any idea of the weight?

I’m at 12lbs with a loaded mag as pictured. The Arken is whopping near 40oz of that…

 

[Gtscotty]

For a bolt action why?

If you’re going to go short go semi

For a semi-automatic why?

If you're going to go short go bolt.

 

[Dogsniper]

I got 2696 out of a 16” 6.5 creed and 147 eld and rl 26

 

[TxAg93]

18” 6.5 CMView attachment 7710207

Got a project going much like yours. Curious what height rings your using? I plan on using the new Mbrace rings and will also have a 44mm obj scope.

 

[SonoranPrecision]

Got a project going much like yours. Curious what height rings your using? I plan on using the new Mbrace rings and will also have a 44mm obj scope.

Those are the 24mm (0.94”) height, and the scope has a 44mm objective.

 

[TxAg93]

Those are the 24mm (0.94”) height, and the scope has a 44mm objective.

Nice, do you have a weight on that rifle?

 

[Jpoovey0827]

 

[SonoranPrecision]

Nice, do you have a weight on that rifle?

About 14.5 lbs with the bipod.

 

[PowPowHawg]

Anyone have a short barrel 7 saum, I am looking to run a 16-18 inch and curious what kind of speed I would get with the heavier bullets.

I have a couple 18” bartleins that should ship by mid Feb at latest? Should only take a couple weeks to get spun up and shot in…. Bring your Q fix’s up to the ranch and you can shoot them in with me and maybe we can work out a deal?

 

[BoltActionBrotherhood]

Sending you a Pm Sir!

I have a couple 18” bartleins that should ship by mid Feb at latest? Should only take a couple weeks to get spun up and shot in…. Bring your Q fix’s up to the ranch and you can shoot them in with me and maybe we can work out a deal?

 

[Mattrmvpd]

If anyone is trying to move a 16-18” remington aac version that they are not using…let me know.

I am wanting to get into a shorty bolt rifle.