Practical barrel length

[SquarePizza]

I have short rifles, I have long rifles... and I have a TRG that needs a new barrel. This rifle was purchased to be the rifle I use when my wolverines application is approved to fight the ruskies. Until then it does duty as a PRS rifle (doesn't have to win, just has to be fun) and eventually I would like to do some team field matches with a co-worker.

On one had I am really attracted to setting up a 16.5" 308. I think it would be fast and handy, but would struggle at distance (farthest I shoot is 1400). The rifle is currently a 24" 6.5 tip toucher (creedmore) and is just fine for PRS, but a bitch to lug in the woods.

Has anyone done any urban rifle classes (like the thunder ranch class), was a long barrel in the way? Was a short barrel helpful?

 

[iceng]

Most practical for what ? You said hunting, and potential prs matches, and urban rifle classes.

I wanna buy a new car. It has to be really fast for weekend cruise, needs lots of seats so i can take the kids to skool daily, it also needs good fuel economy obviously, needs to be able to tow the caravan for when we go camping, and it has to be compact so i can park it easily. Also needs to be in a cheap insurance bracket.

 

[hlee]

Comp bolt gun? Of the choices listed? 24”.

Get an AK and resubmit your wolverines application.

 

[UpSideDown]

Since you specifically asked about it, I shot the thunder ranch HART class out to 1,500yds with a 20" 6.5cm. I keep going shorter with my barrels. I just built a 20" 300WSM.

If you would benefit from the rifle being handy, get a short barrel. If you want to be competitive, get a long barrel. If you're planning on going to classes, do not consider the classes/school in your decision making. You'll just end up building a gun that works well for the class which is pointless. You could run a long range class with a 12" barrel and a close range class with a 24" barrel. No biggie.

 

[Rob01]

I have short rifles, I have long rifles... and I have a TRG that needs a new barrel. This rifle was purchased to be the rifle I use when my wolverines application is approved to fight the ruskies. Until then it does duty as a PRS rifle (doesn't have to win, just has to be fun) and eventually I would like to do some team field matches with a co-worker.

On one had I am really attracted to setting up a 16.5" 308. I think it would be fast and handy, but would struggle at distance (farthest I shoot is 1400). The rifle is currently a 24" 6.5 tip toucher (creedmore) and is just fine for PRS, but a bitch to lug in the woods.

Has anyone done any urban rifle classes (like the thunder ranch class), was a long barrel in the way? Was a short barrel helpful?

First if you plan to make fun of the Creedmoor at least spell it correctly. Lol

Second sounds like you want one rifle to do everything great. Doesn’t happen. Best option is a switch barrel set up where you can have your 16” for practicing when the Russians invade and you can have a 26” for matches. Been shooting matches for years and have used 20-28” and never had an issue getting in and out of props. I will take ballistic advantage everyday over a few inches less length.

 

[beetroot]

I find 22" is a pretty happy middle ground.

Obviously longer will give more velocity but shorter will be more maneuverable.
I don't see the need to go shorter than 20" (unless suppressed), if you find 24" cumbersome then somewhere between 20 and 24" will do the trick.

I had a 22" 260 that would shoot 140gr ELDMs at 2850fps, which ballistically didn't give up anything to any of the slower 6mm cartridges.
So what you are trying to achieve isn't impossible.

 

[Eric32]

Honestly I would cut some wrench flats on a barrel and install with a wrench. I did this on my defiance tenacity swapping between 223rem and 6 creed

 

[supercorndogs]

I have a couple that are 21" because 22" was too long and 20" was too short. Then I have a couple that are 23" because I didn't want to be quite as long as a 24", then a couple 26" and 28" because 30" cost extra.

 

[VargmatII]

I have started thinking that 22" is the max lenght I want to lug around anywhere at any time. And I run a 7" suppressor added to that.
Have had a 20" and a 26" 308, a 24" 6.5x47L, a 29" 6.5x55 and a 27" 300WM. Still run the 26" 308 (a TRG no less) and the 300WM has been chopped and re-threaded at 22" which turned out great.

 

[BuildingConceptsllc]

I've always been happy with my 22" 308 and 24" 6.5CM. I always shoot suppressed, which is why I haven't ever gone longer. 2720 with 308 and 2850 with 6.5cm does pretty much whatever you want want, but I shoot a 130 in the 6.5cm and a 175 in 308.

 

[SquarePizza]

I actually plan on running it as a switch barrel.

My thoughts were either settle on middle length like a 20-22". Or use the keg barrel nut system to get a 16" 308 and keep the current 24" 6.5cm barrel around. That barrel is still averaging .5-.75 moa even though it's higher round count.

The more I think about it that may be the route I go. Then when the 24" gets too rough, get another krg barrel to replace it.

 

[Mr.BR]

Have been going shorter on my .284, but still stopped at 25' and a short can adds cca 6' so still a long pipe with 31 overall. End of the day it seems at lengths around 20 every 4' cuts your supersonic range some 50yards , so its not a huge deal in many platforms

 

[Mike Casselton]

Most practical for what ? You said hunting, and potential prs matches, and urban rifle classes.

I wanna buy a new car. It has to be really fast for weekend cruise, needs lots of seats so i can take the kids to skool daily, it also needs good fuel economy obviously, needs to be able to tow the caravan for when we go camping, and it has to be compact so i can park it easily. Also needs to be in a cheap insurance bracket.

Dodge minivan with the Hellcat engine and a 208 final drive ratio. Don't forget to add a tow/haul mode to the transmission.

 

[Mike Casselton]

I have a couple that are 21" because 22" was too long and 20" was too short. Then I have a couple that are 23" because I didn't want to be quite as long as a 24", then a couple 26" and 28" because 30" cost extra.

I have a 25" Manbun barrel because I didn't want a 24" or a 26"...

 

[McCrazy]

So the ladies know this already but it isn't just about length but also about girth...

I had a Rem700 with a 24" MTU-contour barrel that was pretty unwieldy once I threaded it and put a suppressor on. It was just too much weight too far forward. The balance of the rifle sucked.

If the barrel had been a thinner contour the balance would have been fine.

I chopped off 2" and at 22" it made the rifle much more manageable.

So I agree with Rob. A couple of inches of length really don't really make a rifle that much more difficult to maneuver (unless you are inside a confined space like a car) but if your rifle is front heavy things start to suck quickly.

 

[Skeptic1]

I've always been happy with my 22" 308 and 24" 6.5CM. I always shoot suppressed, which is why I haven't ever gone longer. 2720 with 308 and 2850 with 6.5cm does pretty much whatever you want want, but I shoot a 130 in the 6.5cm and a 175 in 308.

2720 fps from a 22" barrel and 175gr projectile is impressively sensational

 

[Crews]

The scope outlined in the question is much too large. Double silly because OP already has other rifles, both short and long.

Anyhow, the most practical barrel length for a field/non PRS competition rifle is obviously 16”. Despite significant amounts of online pecker measuring, 400 yards is a very long way for a very large % of users, so 308. If you actually need more reach, 6.5 or 7mm short action, still 16”.

 

[BuildingConceptsllc]

2720 fps from a 22" barrel and 175gr projectile is impressively sensational

Yeah, that accurate 2520 does pretty well with speed. I could go a little faster but I'd have a little pressure if I went a lot more