I have a Browning stainless stalker that has a 26" barrel that is a little unweildy. Do you guys think I could have a couple inches taken off and still get relatively optimum performance?

Lots of guys go down to 22" and report no real difference.

On a .338 I've always used 24". You could go down to 22" but muzzle blast is more noticeable. 26" is too long in my opinion.

http://www.riflebarrels.com/ar..._barrel_velocity.htm

Interesting read on 338-378 wby and barrel length.

I understand the feeling of a long barrel being 'unwieldy', but to get optimum performance, a magnum should have a 26" barrel. The loss of around 50fps may seem trivial, but I want all the velocity I can safely get out of all my magnums.

I also find that they point better and, the only magnum I have that doesn't have a 26" barrel is my 375Weatherby, but it's weight balance is right due to the heavier profile, so the 24" barrel doesn't handicap the rifle in any way, either performance or handling.

If I were to trim the barrel, I wouldn't go any shorter than 24". Even this may affect it's handling characteristics negatively.

I have the same rifle and had mine cut down 2". I added a brake to it so it is still 26" though. That being said the recoil without teh brake was fine but sometimes you just do things without thinking them through all the way. If I had it to do over again I would leave it 26" and forget the brake. You really do get used to teh length and it becomes a non issue.

Good luck.

Last week, I bought the 13th .338WM. rifle that I have owned since Jan. 1968, it is a Classic sts. Mod. 70 in .300WM. but, another Classic sts. bbl. came with it.

It had a Boss and that was cut off and the bbl. crowned at 22.5", about the ideal length, IMO. I have had them from this length to 26" and MUCH prefer a 23" tube, loading 250 NPs, over RE-22 or H-4350.

I like 26" tubes on my .300 and .264 mags. and on the "Big Sevens" I used to have, but, not on my .338s.

Oh oh, looks like dewey and I see things the same. My Mod. 70 in 338 wares a 23"er. About perfect. Still shoots 250s over 2700.

Mine's 65 cm., or 25.6 in.

That's a good length for a .338 Win. Mag., IMHO.

It gives good velocity and handles and balances very well.

I have never had a problem with 24 to 26 in. barrel lengths and prefer them (except on carbines, of course).

24"

I personally liked the feel of a nice 26" smallish contour barrel I held on a remington 700.

quote:

Originally posted by sam308:
I have a Browning stainless stalker that has a 26" barrel that is a little unweildy. Do you guys think I could have a couple inches taken off and still get relatively optimum performance?

Twenty four inches works fine for a .338. I wouldn't go shorter due to the rapid increase in muzzle blast -- not only is there more blast, but it is also happening closer to your face. My Sakos use a 620mm barrel, which works out to 24.4" -- this has always seemed a perfect length to me. I have had no trouble getting 2900 fps with a 225 grain bullet from any of the Sako .338's I have owned using H4831.

When I build a .338 WM I make the barrel 24" unless the customer wants it different. Ruger's .338 RCM has a 20" inch barrel and gets equal or better performance than the .338 WM. Another reason for the shorter barrel is that they are usually more accurate. Cutting 2" off a .300 RUM does wonders for the accuracy with out degrading it's performance noticeably. I like shorter barrels.......Tom

IMO it all depends on where/what you hunt.If in big bear country or any dangerous game lands it might be better to have a quicker handling gun than max velocity.

I have two 338 WMs. My Browning Stainless stalker has a 26 inch tube and a KDF muzzle brake. My Weatherby Vanguard SUBMOA has a 24 inch tube with a Weatherby Accubrake.

The Browning is a bit unwieldy but I get 120 fps more velocity out of it shooting 225 grain Barnes TTSXs than the Weatherby with its 24 inch tube.

If you wanna cut it down you will lose some velocity but I don't think it will be significant.

There was a write up in either Rifle or Handloader, magazine about the 20" barreled SAKO Handy Rifle in 338 Win Mag and the 375 H&H Mag.

It was suprising how little velocity was actually lost in the shorter barrels.

I have used a 20" 375 in the past and currently use a 19 3/4" 375 H&H with perfect satisfication.

I'm not big on too short or too long in rifle bbl. For magnums, 23" is as short as I would go, in non magnums, 21", but I prefer 23" for just about any bolt gun.

I am not big on short barreled rifles, but a 26 in. is too long for a big game rifle. 23-24 is about right IMO.

+24 inches for the 338WM.

I've had a pile of 338 WM's with 22, 24 and 26" bbl's... my favorite is 22" and I'd not go longer than 23".

Mine is a light contour 26 inch. It's fine but I think anything down to the 23 inch would also be fine. Mine balances well so I'll stick with 26. If buying another I'd try 24.DW

It's my 358 Norma, but I recently had the barrel cut from 24" to 22 1/2" and wouldn't go back. You don't need a long barrel on a 338.

I have never found a long tube improves hunting performance in any cartridge I would use here in BC, except my .264WM and the few Weatherbys I have loaded for and shot for friends.

I have come to prefer a 23" bbl. with a muzzle diameter of .300 over the bore diameter on all of my hunting rifles and this seems to give me the handling, balance and ballistics I prefer.

I find that the major issue, being only 5'8" is that the shorter rifles carry better on my various backpacks and I never hunt without a backpack and "emerg." camp, so, that works for me.

However, one of my younger buddies, a mere "kid" of only 42, ,loves his 27" and 28" .338RUM, his 25.5" 9.3x64 on a ZG-47 he got from me and shoots them well and packs them with ho problem, so, it really is personal preference, as with so much of our gear.

I wish I had a .358Norma and could get the old North Fork 270 grainers to feed it, say a nice FN action, Lilja sts. tube, Recknagels and 3-pos. safety, Leupie on QRWs...Micky handle.....yup, I NEED one.......

quote:

Originally posted by sam308:
I have a Browning stainless stalker that has a 26" barrel that is a little unweildy. Do you guys think I could have a couple inches taken off and still get relatively optimum performance?

Hey Sam, It depends on how far you intend to take shots, which weight Bullets you are planning to use, the actual Powder being used, the increased noise and what it does to the handling/balance of your rifle. If the balance does change, you can always take weight out of the Termite Food stock or if yours has a Synthetic Stock, you can either change Synthetic Stocks so the balance returns or add weight inside the forearm.

It can end up handling like a Banjo if a person is not careful. I've seen a few of them on the "Used Rifles" Racks and they are difficult for the stores to move on.

If you hunt up close, then the second thing to concern yourself about is the noise increase. Just get some good, comfortable Ear Valves, because some of them will make your ears sore after wearing them for a day.

The Powder selection can make a HUGE performance difference in a longer tube, for the longer shots. You need Slower Powders within the optimum range for the 338WinMag compared to the Faster Powders within that same range. Like H414, H4350, H450(no longer made) and H4831 - depending on the actual bullet weight, as opposed to the Faster Burning Powders.

If longer distance shots are something you anticipate, then whacking off 3" of tube "slightly" lowers the Impact Velocity, slightly increases the Trajectory and increases the Time-of-Flight. Lots of folks tend to argue over a 100fps or a 2" drop, but the Time-of-Flight gives the Wind more control over the Bullet Path. So, the quicker it gets to the Game, the less effect Wind has on it.

If you use Factory Ammo and Hunt up close, just hope the rifle retains the balance well enough that it won't be noticed and wear good ear protection.

Best of luck to you.

I like 24" on a 338 Win, but would not mind if it was 23". On a 340 Wby, I really don't mind a 26". Though I might try a 25" next time.