300 WIN MAG RIFLES with short barrels. Lets See Them

Ballistic Artist

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Jan 3, 2012
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Hey All,
Im trying to get motivation to chop down my current 26" Barrel on my 300 win mag. I want mine to be more "Handy". Anyone else doing this to the 300? Have any pics of your rifle? Anyone runnin 208 amax bullets with H1000? Velocities you're getting? What lengths are you runnin? Feel free to brag a little! And By short barrel, I mean anything shorter than 26".
 
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Here's a short .300WM done by Scott at Shooting Systems Research here in New Zealand. I think it's either 16 or 18" barrel - he cleaned up with it at a recent match that was steel from 300 to 900 yards. You can also see one of his 10" .308WIN rifles in the background. Here in NZ there aren't any barrel length restrictions, only an overall length minimum, so it doesn't take anything special to have a shorty.
 
I have a 20" BlackOps Jaeger being finished up by Mike. When he gets it to me I will take pictures. I went with 20" only because I run suppressors and like to keep the OAL as handy as possible.
 
The BlackOps Jaeger 300 WM are absolutely phenomenal. What Mr. Bush has done to reduce size, but at minimum maintain standard performance of the cartridge is something to watch.
 
I bought a used Savage once because it had an IOR scope on it and the package was priced less than scope was worth.
It was a 300win mag with a varmint contour barrel chopped to 16 inches. The previous owner said it shot very very well.
Its still sitting in my closet if anyone wants to make an offer. :)
 
The 300WM in my Sig line is finished @ 24" and there are some pics of groups with 208 AMAX's in the thread also - Just click the link.

Wow, your rifle looks awesome. In fact, it reminds me of mine, and that thing on the end of your barrel, something I should have done when I built mine. How do you like the FTE? Backblast, recoil comparison?? Is that 24'' including the brake or minus the brake?? Thats what Im thinking of doing. Shorten barrel and install brake. The barrel shortening is mainly because I dont want any weight or length added but I need a brake. Prone shooting is starting to hurt and I want to be able to shoot more than 10rds. before I get recoil flinch. Back problems, pinched nerve on spine, etc... And I dont need to be doing 2990fps with the 208gr. I can deal with a bit of velocity loss to have a more handy rifle. (Either way, it will still blow the doors off a 308win and do so with a heavier bullet)
 
I'm running 24" factory 700 5R in 300, and 25" Schneider barreled 300wm. Getting excellent results at 1200 w/ the 24" using factory 190gr, and out to 1400 so far with the 25" with 220 SMK's moving out at 2851fps. I think the 24" gun is about as short as I'd go with a magnum cartridge, do what I did and get a 308 with tiny 18-20" barrel! It still hits 700-800 juuust fine
 
Yep, I just sent my 300 wm to SSC to get rebarreled to a 26". The 20" was super handy but unless I was running a suppressor and was worried about OAL then I'd stick with the longer barrels. Seemed like I got about 30/06 perfoance with the short barrel and since I will be hunting with mine I wanted to keep all the retained energy I could get. It was a pricey failed experiment for me. It was accurate as Hell though so no complaints there only the velocity loss. I was in the neighborhood of 2750-2800 with A191
 
Not trying to be a downer, but I have a customer that just sent me their 22" win mag to get rebarreled to a 26". They just couldn't deal with the loss of velocity and wanted more out of a magnum cartridge.

They must be doing something wrong. With the Navy 300WM load (A191) the 20" Jaeger Rifle is still around the 3k mark in FPS.

I have a 300WSM with a 22" barrel that is running 3100 fps with a 155gr Scenar load.
 
So, you are saying the extra 6" won't increase velocity? Any theories on what they are doing wrong? Or is it personal choice rather than right or wrong?
I have a Brown Bear hunt scheduled for 2014. The outfitter who has 100+ bears under his belt told me my 24" Blaser would be perfect. I won't be shooting 155s though.

GO Cats!!

They must be doing something wrong. With the Navy 300WM load (A191) the 20" Jaeger Rifle is still around the 3k mark in FPS.

I have a 300WSM with a 22" barrel that is running 3100 fps with a 155gr Scenar load.
 
So, you are saying the extra 6" won't increase velocity? Any theories on what they are doing wrong? Or is it personal choice rather than right or wrong?
I have a Brown Bear hunt scheduled for 2014. The outfitter who has 100+ bears under his belt told me my 24" Blaser would be perfect. I won't be shooting 155s though.

GO Cats!!

I'm not saying the extra 6" of barrel WON"T increase your velocity. It certainly will, but with the correct load development and bullet selection you can get your FPS back up.
Barrel length is all personal choice, Mike Bush has simply found the science to make the speeds stick around in a short barrel with a specific ammo.

The poor ol Cats aren't looking to good this season! Next year will be better for sure.
 
Well,
Im runnin my 208 amax at 2990fps with h1000 and 26" barrel at this point. The shortest I am thinking of going was 22". For some reason, Im thinking 23". Im going to also install a R&D MRAD brake on it. And by the way, I started this thread to see some PICTURES of other 300WM rifles with shorter than normal barrels. Not 18" fuckin carbines but not these "trees" that Im so used to seeing. One other thing. The new XM2010 sniper rifle that the Army is trying out has a 22" barrel. And they say its effective to 1500 yards according to them... If I want to shoot 2000 yards plus, 30 caliber will not be my first choice...
 
I'm currently in the process of having my 26" Sendero chopped down to 20" and threaded for an Ops Inc. brake. I'll post pics as soon as I have anything worth showing. My barreled action is still at the shop.
 
I'm currently in the process of having my 26" Sendero chopped down to 20" and threaded for an Ops Inc. brake. I'll post pics as soon as I have anything worth showing. My barreled action is still at the shop.


Now Thats what Im talking about. OOOOOH 20"!? Your going to RUIN your gun... LMAO Just kidding, just giving the "tree" lovers some shit. Cant wait to see some pics. 20" Is definately short on a 300WM. Thats pretty cool. And the fire ball will be fucking awesome! Now I dont feel as wierd about chopping my barrel. Shorter than a 26" barrel on a 300WM... Gosh, whats wrong with us... Also noticed you live in SD. Im in south Riverside county. What shop did you take your rifle to? If you dont mind me asking.
 
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I'm still waiting on some parts to come in, but here it is for now. Please excuse the crappy cell phone pic. My wife left my good camera at Legoland.... I'm not running the Ops Inc brake at the moment, but the collar is in place for when I move out of CA and can get a 12th model can for it. I have some Hornady 208 and 225 grain BTHP's that I need to load up before I go shooting. I'm currently loading everything for this rifle with H1000, but now that the barrel is cut down I may have to re think that and maybe go with something a bit faster burning.
 
Thanks guys. The paint is Desert Mirage Brown duracoat on all the metal parts. The stock was done with a base coat that was a 50/50 mix of desert mirage brown and flat dark earth. After the base coat was done I used a brush to add the pattern of desert mirage brown. I used a Q-tip to blend the edges in with a stippled pattern of dots. Ended up looking almost like pixels. Prior to painting I stippled the grip and forend areas with a soldering iron. The plastic on the Choate stock actually works really well for stippling, much cleaner than the blend of plastic that Magpul uses. The cheek rest was made using some scrap coyote brown kydex I had left over from a holster project. It's pretty easy to work with after some practice. I glued some thin craft foam on the upper surface for a more comfortable cheek weld. Hardware is some flat headed furniture bolts from the hardware section at Lowes and some knurled steel 1/4-20 nuts from McMaster Carr.
 
This is probably not what you mean but I am shooting a 300 Win. Mag. in a 17.5 in. Encore bull barrel [shooting it as a handgun], getting a little better than 2500 fps according to a friends chronograph. I am shooting the 200 gr MK from Sierra using RE-22, very accurate.

Rafe
 
Thanks guys. The paint is Desert Mirage Brown duracoat on all the metal parts. The stock was done with a base coat that was a 50/50 mix of desert mirage brown and flat dark earth. After the base coat was done I used a brush to add the pattern of desert mirage brown. I used a Q-tip to blend the edges in with a stippled pattern of dots. Ended up looking almost like pixels. Prior to painting I stippled the grip and forend areas with a soldering iron. The plastic on the Choate stock actually works really well for stippling, much cleaner than the blend of plastic that Magpul uses. The cheek rest was made using some scrap coyote brown kydex I had left over from a holster project. It's pretty easy to work with after some practice. I glued some thin craft foam on the upper surface for a more comfortable cheek weld. Hardware is some flat headed furniture bolts from the hardware section at Lowes and some knurled steel 1/4-20 nuts from McMaster Carr.

That looks great. I was actually looking for a brown like that for my new build I just finished. I need to get some pics up here but its a .300 win mag 5R in an AX chassis.

Is that a Dark Metal Designs HK style break? What do you think about the recoil reduction with it?
 
I have a 20" BlackOps Jaeger being finished up by Mike. When he gets it to me I will take pictures. I went with 20" only because I run suppressors and like to keep the OAL as handy as possible.

Yours was finished on Friday Adam and will ship to you overnight on Monday. I'll text the tracking number to you when it ships.
 
Well I finally have some pics to add to the thread. I've been gone for a while and had a mountain of boxes waiting on me when I got home this weekend. I just got it put together finally. I can hopefully get to a range this coming weekend and sight it in. I still can't believe how large the knobs are on the XRS, those things are huge. The 20moa Blackhawk rail came with the rifle. I don't see a reason to get another rail unless anyone here has some input on the Blackhawk rails that might be helpful.

- Remington 700 5R 24" threaded barrel
- Accuracy Internal AX chassis
- Burris XRS in FDE
- Larue LT120 mount
- Atlas bipod and Accu-Shot monopod
- Dark Metal Design HK style muzzle break

I have an XLR chassis it will probably be wearing but since I managed to break it I have to send it back for some work.

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Okay, here you go... a 20" barrel chambered in .300 Win Mag built by Tactical Rifles. Still waiting on my Nightforce BEAST scope to complete the setup and I just attached the rail yesterday for my Atlas v8.1 bipod.

It's the one on the left
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I have a savage I'm putting together with a 20" criterion 300 wm barrel. I'm waiting on my manners t3 to get back from cdi then ill get it put all together. I can't wait. I've been waiting since November for my criterion and just got it yesterday. Ill post back when I get it together.
 
Here is a pic of my son shooting my custom 300 win mag with a 22 inch barrel. Shoots great. I'm getting about 2725 fps with 67 grains of IMR 4831 with 208 amax.
 

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Google TacOps 300 win mag and read the article how Mike took a long barrel and cut in inch by inch testing velocity loss or lack there of after each cut..... Interesting read for anyone contemplating a short barrel 300 win mag.