What length barrel would you choose for a 300 H&H?

24"

26"

I feel that 24" is fine for 30 caliber mags like the 300wmag, 300H&H and 308 Norma. Bigger than that and a 26" might help

Does anyone have a 300 H&H with a barrel shorter than 24"

I have two 300H&Hs with 26" bbls and one 300H&H with a 25" bbl.

If I was wanting a bbl length shorter than 24" then I would get a 30/06 with a 22" bbl.

Grenadier,

As far as my logic......generally magnum cases are more efficient with 24-26" bbls (this is nothing new). However, the 300H&H is probably the most efficient of the big 30cal magnums (least overbore). As we start cutting off a inch, two, three or four we are generally also reducing efficiency. This can be countered to some degree, by switching to faster burning powders.

For me, the shortest bbl length I would want on a hunting rifle would be 22 inchs and I'm not really interested in a heavier 22 inch flame throwing magnum, that gives me 30/06 performance.....why not just start out with a 30/06. It is cheaper to feed and ammo is ubiquitous.

I also find a longer length barrel much easier to shoot off hand. This is my preference and it may not be right for you.

For the record, I do have a 23 inch barreled Dakota in 300WSM......what can I say other than it came that way from the factory. It is handy especially with it's short action.

I also have and use a chronograph and it generally doesn't lie to me.......even though sometimes I wish it would.

For what it is, my pre-64 Model 70 seems right with its 26" barrel.

A light mountain rifle for a backpack type hunt it is not.

quote:

Originally posted by Abob:
Does anyone have a 300 H&H with a barrel shorter than 24"

I had one that finished at 23". It worked just fine for me.

Terry

It's not just the bite at the front end that might concern you but the bite at the back end.

Short barrels = muzzle blast = you go deaf over the long term.

For that reason alone I would not have any high velocity rifle with a barrel less than 24" or the metric equivalent of 60cm (23.50").

I once had a 22" barrel Churchill in 270 Winchester and with the standard 130 grain W-W ammunition it was a bit hard on the ears!

I owned a Ruger RSI .270win once with a 17" barrel. It was a little tough on the ears.

Terry

Although you can obviously do what makes you happy, the traditional barrel length for the 300 H&H is 26 inches.

quote:

Short barrels = muzzle blast = you go deaf over the long term.

As I sit here typing with my TWO hearing aid in I can't help but say if you are worrying about the blast difference given by a couple inches of barrel you are going to end up like me EITHER WAY. I always thought heck I use muffs at the range or while shooting sporting clays etc. No problem. Never worried about it HUNTING.

My suggestion is NEVER fire a weapon of anykind 22 included without protection. Don't want to fool with muffs fine get you some inserts. Even at a sevral hundred $$$ cheap insurance you can buy 4-6 pair for the price of good hearing aids. Trust me fooling with them when you are shooting is a HECK of a lot simplier than having to put in a pair of HIGH $$ aids to simply hear the TV or your wife talk to you. No guys I happen to like to hear my wife.

quote:

Trust me fooling with them when you are shooting is a HECK of a lot simplier than having to put in a pair of HIGH $$ aids to simply hear the TV or your wife talk to you.

I am sorry that you have that problem but thank you for sharing what is an important issue regarding hearing.

It's not just rifles and as much as I would like a Churchill XXV shot gun I won't go down that route either because of blast.

quote:

It's not just rifles and as much as I would like a Churchill XXV shot gun I won't go down that route either because of blast.

You are right I think the majority of my loss was my little SXS 20ga hunting doves and guail.

Paul,
I guess that I have been a weeny, I use custom molded plugs and muffs. I want to be able to hear the wife yell at me.
Butch

quote:

I guess that I have been a weeny

Weeny no Smart Yes

Paul, you have hijacked my thread, but for a good cause

I have been pretty happy with the little Sure Fire insets

SureFire

Think I'll leave the barrel I got from Bob at 23"

quote:

Paul, you have hijacked my thread, but for a good cause

Sorry about that. As my step son would say. "I didn't start it" But I sure did add on. Guess best way to say it don't worry about a short barrel and muzzle blast because you should have your ears covered anyway.

Since the barrel is already 24" I wouldn't change it.

I recently scored a very sanitary, 95% P-64 in .300H&H, my fourth of these since 1989. I much prefer the 26" tube on these and after loading for .300Wea., .300RUM., .300Win. and shooting these plus .308Norma and .300WSM rifles, I still prefer the old "ouch and ouch".

I usually load 200 NPs and 200 Speers over H-4350 to close to 2900 fps. and this is much nicer to shoot than my 25" barreled P-64 .375s or .338WM Alaskans have been. While not quite as hardhitting on bigger stuff, this load is easy to shoot without a recoil pad and it WILL do the business on any game here in BC.

I am having a Rimrock stock put on it to match the one on the minty P-64 .375 I have and these will be my "African" rifles, should I ever get the urge to hunt there.

I find that barrels from 23-26" work best for me on bolt rifles and I have used these in very heavy bush without a problem.