So, I am looking at building a new rifle. And going on the assumption that a big gun can always do what small gun can do, but not the other way around, I am looking at a short barrel affair for the Eastern U.S.
So. After chopping a barrel down for a bit we find that extra powder has become useless.
I would like to know my minumum useful length for the .375 H7H, and the 375 Whelen. Or anything else that strikes your fancy.
Brush gun,period. 375 caliber, period.

Thanks for the help.

Does it really have to be a 375?

A 16" 411 or 375 '06 variant is probably best for what you want. A true Magnum at 16" is going to blow your ears out and probably won't add enough velocity to be worth the fireball and muzzle blast.

What game animal in the East Coast brush won't fall to a stout '06 short barrel rifle?

308 Winchester SBR's (Short Barrel Rifles) don't really have any more power then a Krink even though the Krink is using an intermediate cartridge. The sweet spot for 308 Winchesters seems to be 18" in short (non-NFA) rifles.

Heck, a 10.5 in 5.56/.223 will shred normal ear plugs so, I wouldn't want to be anywhere near a big belted magnum short barrel rifle.

Really short barreled rifles are very, very LOUD!!!!

I once cut a Rem classic to 20", just because never got around to re chronographing my loads but couldn't detect any differece in effectiveness in field. Was a .375 h&h then a .375 Whetherby. The barrel on my .375/06 AI is a touch over 24", doubt if I will give it the chop as the balance is just right now. If you want a short tube .375 whatever go for it. There was an article in Rifle a number of years ago about .375/06 with short barrel you might check with Wolfe publishing. Good luck. Lynn

Valid arguments.
Let me rephrase that. 20" or more. I am hunting with a 20" .458 Socom and the noise is fine.
And I would be downloading for the local hunting. But I would like the option of increasing the velocity if I chose.

Minimum is 22".

The .375-308 would give about 2200 with a 270 bullet, out of a nice short barrel.
Or, if you want to be classy, the 9,5x57 Mannlicher Schonauer aka .375 Nitro Express will give you a tad more hurt for your ears, or you could add a few inches.

If you are sceptical to the .375-308, remember that the .358Win launches a 250 grs bullet at 2400 fps, so a 375-08 would at the same preassure give more speed to the same bullet weight. There is also the 235 grs Barnes X that would be perfect.

In a short rifle maybe consider the 375/284. A 'smith I know uses a 375/300Win and its brilliant using the 260gr Nosler but would need a 22" barrel. I had a 22" barrelled Rem700 in 375H&H which had a heavy magnum contour and there was no better balancing rifle in my safe at the time. 376Steyr is another option. I've had one 375/08 and sold it for the cash before I had a decent play with it ... but I will be building another in ultralight configuration.
Cheers...
Con

Depending on the velocities you require, you can go as low as 20" for a very fast moving "jump" gun.

I like 22" barreled bolt rifles. My .458 AR and the .376/.416 Steyr Improved (Aagaard) wear 22" tubes. Building a .376 Steyr also with a 22" bbl.

The .458 AR has a silhoutte contour bbl. The .376 Steyr and the .416 Aagaard wear #4 contour barrels. Balance and pointing are excellent.

The .458 AR is making 2375 fps w a 425 gr bullet. The .416 Aagaard is making 2300 with a 350 gr bullet. Hope to get 2400-2450 from the 22" .376 Steyr with a 270 gr bullet.