Talk me off the hunting ledge - 7 Rem Mag 16.5 or 18 inch barrel with can...

[kravi]

Ok, so I just built myself (ie modified an existing rifle) my "new" go to hunting rifle. Purpose is to go after everything from white tail to elk.

Right now, it is a 24" Tikka in 7 Rem Mag with a threaded barrel running a can. And unfortunately it is sitting in a KRG Echo stock (in retrospect, I should have simply gone for the MDT Oryx chassis instead (which I run on another gun and love for a budget stock / chassis).

I'm really fighting with myself to have my smith cut the barrel down to 18" or even less. I mean, it is a hunting rifle. 7 Rem Mag, even through a 16.5 or 18" barrel is more than sufficient to ethically kill an Elk at 500 yards, and I don't really see myself shooting past that from an ethical perspective. And the fact that it will be light and maneuverable and easy to ruck with (even with a relatively short titanium can on the end) just makes it awesomer. Yes, I invented that word, but I shouldn't have needed to. I also figure the can will help temper the fireball that erupts out of the front when I shoot.

Besides heresy, what good reasons are there to not do this (based on the conditions I said above)?

Cheers!

 

[shadydiesel]

Ok, so I just built myself (ie modified an existing rifle) my "new" go to hunting rifle. Purpose is to go after everything from white tail to elk.

Right now, it is a 24" Tikka in 7 Rem Mag with a threaded barrel running a can. And unfortunately it is sitting in a KRG Echo stock (in retrospect, I should have simply gone for the MDT Oryx chassis instead (which I run on another gun and love for a budget stock / chassis).

I'm really fighting with myself to have my smith cut the barrel down to 18" or even less. I mean, it is a hunting rifle. 7 Rem Mag, even through a 16.5 or 18" barrel is more than sufficient to ethically kill an Elk at 500 yards, and I don't really see myself shooting past that from an ethical perspective. And the fact that it will be light and maneuverable and easy to ruck with (even with a relatively short titanium can on the end) just makes it awesomer. Yes, I invented that word, but I shouldn't have needed to. I also figure the can will help temper the fireball that erupts out of the front when I shoot.

Besides heresy, what good reasons are there to not do this (based on the conditions I said above)?

Cheers!

Not a perfect direct comparison but I run an 18” 7prc with a TBAC ultra 5 as a hunting rig and it has PLENTY of muscle for 500 yards. 175 class bullets @2825fps are no joke. I wouldn’t hesitate to shoot elk size game at 1,000 yards with it (not that I would). Long barrels and long cans are just plain awful to carry in the mountains.

 

[2c1fr]

I say go for it you can always get another barrel

 

[kravi]

That's true. A Tikka 7 Rem Mag 24" threaded is only around $125... But I was more "what are the downsides" to a shorter barrel. Is there something I'm missing (as long as velocity stays above an ethical minimum)?

 

[Maurygold]

Short barrels are cool. I hunt 18” 300 win mag supressed. You generally only lose 25fos per inch.

Chop that thing

 

[KYAggie]

No downside as long as you limit your range to that which has the velocity to properly expand the bullet you are using, and it looks like you aim to do that. I’m having a 20” 300 WSM barrel made right now for the same purpose. It should be good to 500-600 yards max, which is plenty far enough.