Fellas:

As I have previously posted on this forum, my dad has a BRNO ZKK 602 to use as the basis of a 375 project. I appreciate all of the feedback from my other post regarding Half Moon bolt handles! I plan to use one of the Oberndorf style handles as the replacement. Now to the next questionn:

The rifle will be built as a general purpose rifle for all classes of game. The factory barrel is 25" and I have seen on several occasions where folks have shortened their barrels to 22". I have also read something about volume of powder and efficiency relative to bore size as a reason why the 375 H&H can utilize a shorter barrel without too much sacrifice of velocity. Can one of you explain this to me? In addition, what are the other advantages of shortening the barrel to say 22"

Thanks!

Jeff

My ZKK 602 in 375 has a 21" barrel. I prefer short barrels just because. No particular reason for 21" rather than 22", just to be different I suppose. I find the short barrel just to be handier. I NEVER put my rifle in a truck rack in Africa. I ALWAYS hold the rifle whether in back or front and find the short barrel easier to get in and out of truck with. My 416 Rigby CZ is the same setup. Accuracy is excellant with both and it gives up practically nothing of significence in velocity and energy. I rarely load to maximum and load for accuracy and have found my game dies as quickly as others does. It's really just a personal thing no matter what anyone says about it. That too is a personal opinion.

The only reasons I can see for shortening the barrel of ANY rifle is to reduce weight a small amount, and to improve handling qualities. As to whether or not you will suffer from a significant reduction in ballistics from lopping off 3" of barrel length, this is such an individual thing from one barrel to the next that you'll only find out what happened when you cut YOUR OWN barrel back!

It is unlikely that chopping off those 3" will keep your .375 from doing its' job on big critters, given the use of appropriate bullets......

I am one of those who dislikes short barrels, and have a 26 inch barrel on my own rifle.

The rifle has been on several African safaris, and was sat in many different rifle racks in many different trucks, and have never needed adjustment.


I have followed buffal in very thick bush, and have never felt that my barrel was too long.

But, us being human beings, we do have different preferences.

I agree that the need for short barrels is indeed mostly psychological.
It is a reaction formation to deep-seated Bore Envy whereby the barrel whacker flaunts a short barrel, as a means to say "Hey, look at me, I don't have Bore Envy."

You will lose, on average with all barrels, about 75 fps by whacking your barrel from 25" to 22", with the .375 H&H.
Your hot-loaded 2550 fps 300-grainer will become a hot-loaded 2475 fps 300-grainer.
Pressures will be just as high, and muzzle blast a bit greater. It is much better to download in a longer barrel to get lower pressures for the velocity lost, and less recoil and muzzle blast to boot, with the longer barrel vs. the shorter barrel for that 2475-fps "reduced load."

I hate to be seen carrying a rifle with a barrel of less than 23". I think 25" barrels are short and handy.

I do not hunt dangerous game and that decision is also a personal choice. But if I did and if I happened to wound an animal and he came towards me with the intention of shoving the rifle up my ass, I would much rather the barrel be shorter ..... a lot shorter.

quote:

Originally posted by Customstox:
I do not hunt dangerous game and that decision is also a personal choice. But if I did and if I happened to wound an animal and he came towards me with the intention of shoving the rifle up my ass, I would much rather the barrel be shorter ..... a lot shorter.

And skinnier too! And maybe teflon coated?

And no sights on the barrel.

As the owner of a CZ602 with a 25" barrel, I would observe that in addition to changing the handling, it will change the balance and recoil characteristics. This was my first "big bore" rifle, and I thought it really busted my chops. I actually added some weight to the rifle and kept all the pieces and parts they sent with it.

I don't know what you father's tolerance to recoil is (mine has increased with practice or dulling of senses or senility, take your pick), but you may want to let you father try it in white before you blue it and see what he thinks about the weight/recoil. If he thinks its heavy, you may want to leave it at 25".

By the way, my CZ has always been a pretty accurate piece right from the factory. Their barrels must be pretty good. Kudude

Ok, some hopefully useful input. If you really want a shorter barrel and it will handle the way YOU want it too then the loss of velocity will be trivial.

I prefer 26 inch barrels.