I normal hunt in fairly dense vegetation areas. A Long-Shot for me would be 200 Meters.


This year's hunt re-confirmed that I am a fan of shorter barrel lengths. I like under 24" lengths in 375's and larger caliber.


I really appreciated the handiness of 20" barrel on my 416 Ruger this year. Particularly walking out after dark, initial transport in on 4-wheeler and in Argo, confined blind use, and stumbling / falling / jumping from tussock to tussock in Alder/tall grass/willow swamps.


I consider my 22" barrels as longer barrels. The 20" is a short as I care to go.
I have some 23.5-26" barrels, but they see very little hunting time.

I like using rifles chambered for calibers that are still efficient for velocity in 22 inch barrels or shorter. Calibers like 25-06, 7 mag and 300 win mag should stay in 24 inch barrels.

Barrel length

YES

I have them from 16 to 27 inch. I think every inch between those two numbers.

Short is lovely, my 416RM runs a 20,5" and my 375H&H a 18,5"

The more I carry around the 20" 375 and 416 Rugers, the more I appreciate the shorter barrels. My 375 H&H and 416 Remington are 22" barrels and this is as long as I care to go for a hunting rifle in these cartridges.

I hunted with a 23.5" barrel 375 Ruger last year, after several seasons with 20" barreled rifles. That season confirmed to me the 20" were handier in that environment.

Several years ago, I thought the only place the 20" belonged was on a lever action. The 23.5" which was suppose to finish at 23" was originally a 20". But, while awaiting its return from the gunsmith, I used one with a 20" barrel. That season's use converted me to the shorter barrels in 375 and above cartridges.

21 is nice, 23 is long, 25" is just outside of what i'd care to deal with

16 isnt out of the question

25 inch on everything, please. Brush or not.

I like the 26 on my 338 and the 25 on my 9.3. When I get around to a 458 it will be 23

- 26” on single shots like the Ruger No.1
- 24” on bolt rifles

Quite happy with traditional 28” barrels on my vintage/antique British rifles......

Properly dimensioned and weight longer barrels just seem to hang better and swing more smoothly.

That said; I am not, and likely will not be chasing Brownie into thick Alders.
- Mike

Once you have used a 20" 375 Ruger it is hard to use anything longer. I agree a 20" 416 Ruger is really nice also!

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
25 inch on everything, please. Brush or not.

+2

and, with opinions like these, is why horse racing is fun

I like 26 inch barrels on my 375...a 22" barrel on my 06s and 270s for instance..but I hunt a lot by horseback and I mean hunt off the horse, jump a deer or elk anc bail off and shoot..For that I like a 18 to 20 inch 308 Savage 99 or a 30-30 carbine, 25-35 carbine, whatever! Lost of choices..It just depends and I think there is a place for all barrel lengths within reason...I like a 20 inch 375 or 416 about as well as a 26 inch in the same..long tubes are great off hand shooters..a heavy short tube will do the same.

I want nothing shorter than 24” on a heavy caliber hunting rifle.

For my western hunting rifles, I like 24-26 depending on caliber. 26 on all magnums and my 280 Ackley. I have a 7-08 mountain rifle with a 22.

When I had CZ put my 458 Lott together, I had them chop the factory 25" barrel down to 23" as I thought it would be handier.

This year, I found a used AHR CZ in 450 Dakota and bought it. It has a heavy profile 21" barrel. It handles and points really well. It carries over the shoulder like a dream.

So for DG rifles now, I think I would always go short.

I am happy with 24 on my 458 Lotts and going to go with a 25 on my last Ruger rebuilt Lott.Twenty four is solid IMO, for an open sight DG rifle.I agree with the lengths Winchester has listed on their website for various model 70 offerings.

I've owned and carried 20", 22" and 24" .416 Rigbys and 20" and 24".458 Win Mags. I really prefer the 24" barrel as it balances better for me and there is a little less muzzle climb. The area you will notice the biggest difference is over a chronograph. My daily driver is a 24" .416 Rigby and it is in an out of the vehicle several times a day and carried many kilometers a day when in the bush. Wouldn't want anything shorter.

At the end of the day, this is more of a personal preference thing. The whole "4" makes a huge difference in the field" debate is a little anemic. The only place 4" makes a difference is with women in the bedroom...

Muzzle blast depends on four factors: expansion ratio, powder burn rate, bullet weight and barrel length. The worst combination would be a cartridge with a low expansion rate, like an over bore capacity cartridge, say, a .264 Winchester Magnum, fast powder burn rate, like IMR 3031, a light bullet, such as a 100 grain 6.5mm and a short barrel. The same holds true for velocity loss from shortening a barrel. A straight walled case with a heavy bullet will lose less velocity per inch shortened than the .264 just described, although the case size is virtually the same.

My heavy rifle for Africa, a wildcat .505 based on the shortened .460 Weatherby case, is virtually straight walled. For that reason, I pay little price in velocity for using a short barrel, which is what I prefer for a rifle which potentially will have to be shot instinctively.

I would never use a 22" barrel on a .264 WM if I had any regard for my own hearing and that of my companions. My long range African rifle, a .300 H&H, sports a 25" barrel and I have never found that to be a handicap.

Hello ldmay375,

You may have seen the story I just posted about my 505 Gibbs rifle that was owned by Professional Hunter Carl Labuschagne.

http://forums.accuratereloadin...4711043/m/4211044452

Carl used the rifle as a back-up for client hunts, and used it personally to take 2 elephants, 2 buffalo, a hippo, and a lion.

It has a 21" barrel length. It balances perfectly and the short barrel is very nimble for fast target acquisition on follow-up shots.

Even with the short 21" barrel I've been able to obtain 2150 fps with 525g bullets, and 2050 fps with 600g bullets through hand-loading.

My .505 SRE weighs 8.75 pounds and is comfortable to carry all day. With a 22 inch barrel, it is very handy. I was able to clock 2150 fps. with a 570 grain .500NE bullet sized down to .505. I have taken a record book black rhino, three elephants and five Cape buffalo with it.

buckstix,
I had not read about your 505 Gibbs until today. Great write up, outstanding story and history !

xausa,
You sir, have some outstanding rifles. And, you have killed some outstanding animals. That rhino is huge.

I don't see why we have to make a choice, I like 26,25, 24, and 20, and in rare cases even a 18 or 14 inch barrel..I have both 26 and carbines, and had a Jefferys 404 at one time with a 27 inch barrel and loved it. It just depends on where Im hunting and what I hunting and in many cases I have no reason at all, one just suits me better at that time of day.

quote:

Originally posted by ColoradoMatt:

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
25 inch on everything, please. Brush or not.

+2

+3

25" is just about perfect. Great balance and traditional, smooth and low muzzle-blast.

I also think the height of the shooter makes a difference in his/her choice. A young boy or girl does better with a shorter barrel, and likewise, a shorter adult will usually prefer a shorter barrel than a person over 6' tall for example.

I'm 5'7" and the longest barrel on any of my rifles is 24". In general, most of them are either 22" or 23". I own a few with 20" like my Ruger Alaskans.

Not a big fan of short barrelled rifles personally. You give up too much velocity and a shot at twilight will blind you momentarily. In my experience, if you carry the rifle properly, you won't have a problem in heavy cover with a barrel just a few inches longer.

On double rifles, I like 24 in barrels, and in some cases I like a very short barreled double rifle to follow up a bear, or cat into the thick jess with chamberings up to 458 caliber with 18 to 20 inch barrels. Of course these are specialty rifles and I once had two doubles with 20 barrels chambered for 41 mag, on one and 30-30 on the other for treed bear and mountain lions chased and treed with hounds.

I have a Westley Richards double rifle with 28 in barrels, and it is simply too long, for my taste.
………...………......…….........

Bolt, heavy medium, 9.3x62, 375 H&H, 24, 25 inch.
Bolt, big bore, 416 to 505, 24 inch.
Double, heavy medium, 375 FL, 450-400, 26, 28 inch.
Double, big bore, 500, 577, 26 inch.

As Jerry, Atkinson and xausa have said, it's all horses for courses.

I generally like longer barrels with the magnum calibres but thought a mate's 26 inch tube was a bit much for hunting in our dense bush, even with the 338WM.

I like well-balanced double rifles and think the 26-inch tubes on my Heym .450/.400 make it a little muzzle-heavy. However, with such a marginal dangerous-game calibre I would regret the loss of those few fps 24-inch tubes would cost.

It has occurred to me that as a rule of thumb an inch of barrel length is probably analogous with half a grain added or subtracted from a powder load. So, if you are a reloader who chases the maximum velocity, think twice before you opt for a shorter-than-usual barrel.

As one who never thinks of or has time to deploy ear plugs when deer hunting, every inch farther away you can get the muzzle, the easier it should be on your ears.

For those old and inclined to open sights, remember the focus on your fore sight. Forced to use an older spec. prescription recently, I discovered that though the target was fine, I could not focus the front sight of my 94 Win, which only has a 20-inch barrel. A 24-inch 'short' rifle's sights were fine, though.

quote:

Originally posted by sambarman338:
As Jerry, Atkinson and xausa have said, it's all horses for courses.

I generally like longer barrels with the magnum calibres but thought a mate's 26 inch tube was a bit much for hunting in our dense bush, even with the 338WM.

I like well-balanced double rifles and think the 26-inch tubes on my Heym .450/.400 make it a little muzzle-heavy. However, with such a marginal dangerous-game calibre I would regret the loss of those few fps 24-inch tubes would cost.

It has occurred to me that as a rule of thumb an inch of barrel length is probably analogous with half a grain added or subtracted from a powder load. So, if you are a reloader who chases the maximum velocity, think twice before you opt for a shorter-than-usual barrel.

As one who never thinks of or has time to deploy ear plugs when deer hunting, every inch farther away you can get the muzzle, the easier it should be on your ears.

For those old and inclined to open sights, remember the focus on your fore sight. Forced to use an older spec. prescription recently, I discovered that though the target was fine, I could not focus the front sight of my 94 Win, which only has a 20-inch barrel. A 24-inch 'short' rifle's sights were fine, though.

The army put me, at age 16, in a turret with two 50 cal machineguns on each side of my head, with 500 rounds for each gun firing simultaneously, with no ear protection. SO! I don't notice the muzzle blast so much at age 83.
However you younger guys need to protect your hearing.
….I still like 24 inch barrels on my double rifles.
…………………………………………………………………….. Mac

I purchased a English double rifle from a well known AR member and dear friend, the barrels were 20"s. I found the gun for him some years back and later purchased it from him..It was a 450-400-3", and I had my doubts..It turned out to be the best double rifle I ever shot, I used it to death and it balanced beautifully and was quick on the point. I sold it some time later as I aged and slowed down on my overseas hunting. I will always remember that carbine double rifle, it went against all that's holy,and did a hell of a job on it...If I ever have another one, I will cut the tubes..

On a bolt gun you can used a heavy short tube or a thinner long tube and get the same balance, what you give up is velocity and that's the decision to be made..

My decisions on barrel length are decided when I pick up the gun, put it to my shoulder and point it at a target or whatever..If it feels good, points to the spot, its a buy.

I am in line with PD and Ray on this one; I like various lengths for various reasons.

Case 1: Hunting from a self climbing tree stand. A shorter barrel is infinitely easier and the arc of movement is much less, meaning less for a deer to notice.
Case 2: Coyote hunting. Short barrel rifles are a lot easier to get and out of the truck.
Case 3: African DG. My .416 RM wears a 22 inch barrel. I see no need for anything longer.
Case 4: Long range. Here, I like a 28 inch barrel.
Case 5: General hunting with a .300 RUM or a .338 WM; give me a 26 and 24 inch barrel respectively.
Case 6: .375 H&H. I like a 24 here because it isn't the flattest shooting round. Good bear cartridge and that length is not a hindrance.

Never thought I'd like my Ruger guide so much. 20" barrels being some kind of ballistic crime and all. Well, they handle similar to Brit game guns. Which makes the weight less noticeable. Fast and handy as heck.

They perform as purposed. No trouble making 24" H&H numbers. 270s to 2700, 285s to 2600, 300s to 2550 fps without any effort.

Long range behind our place is 250 yds. Why would I want more barrel length, and a slower swing, for an additional 100 fps?

22" on the .404
23" on the .375
24" on everything smaller

quote:

Originally posted by Samuel_Hoggson:


Long range behind our place is 250 yds. Why would I want more barrel length, and a slower swing, for an additional 100 fps?

You wouldn't because long range isn't 250 yards.

My .308 has a 20 inch bbl and I love it; shot two deer with it the week before last.

All things rifle are a compromise.
1. It must be ergonomic and work well with your body.
2. If you opt or a shorter barrel, it may need to be heavier/thicker to keep the balance and point ability just right.
3. Some Cartridges (45-70, 416 Taylor, 376 Steyr, 458 Winchester with a lighter than 500-grain bullet, etc.) work just fine with a shorter barrel. Others suffer a significant reduction in muzzle velocity.
4. I've hunted in rainforests in Alaska, thick brush in Texas, thick forests along the West coast, as well open desert throughout the intermountain west and northern Alaska. A well balanced and well fitted rifle trumps almost all other factors.
5. Understand what you are giving up when you pull out the hacksaw.
6. Shorter guns worked for me because of my immediate environment; that is, when I was in a truck, boat, or canoe. A G33/40 in 8x57mm served me well in that capacity.

Interestingly enough, Ive made some very long shots on game with a 20" gun I used in high mountain meadows where long shots were the norm..Ive also used a 26" gun in the thickest of brush and thornes, in Texas and the Jess of Africa, never had a problem in either respect..Think about that you don't know where that limb or whatever is going to make contact and ruin a shot, at the action, on the crown of the barrel or a stick in the eye, barrel length is what it is and is not a valid reason! It validity is just accepted because jim said it was, to Jake and Jake spread the word, until the masses like sheep followed!

Standard non magnum calibers 24". "Magnum" calibers 25"-26". The further I keep the muzzle blast and my head with longer barrels, I like.